Woods in the Books Blog — Elf Reads

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Interviewer: What's the best reaction you've had to your work? Jim Kay: I've had a few letters saying they couldn't get their children to read a book, but the illustrated version has finally got them reading. So I couldn't ask for more really. It's such a privilege. If you help one person engage with books, the hours, the solitude is worth it because you've hopefully helped somebody on a life of literary discovery. It might sometimes seem like a new collector's edition of the Harry Potter series is announced every year, whether it's aimed at kids who have never read...

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Book Review: The Brilliant Oil Lamp

Book Review: The Brilliant Oil Lamp

  They pass by vegetable farms and forests and finally arrive at the new housing estate. The children gasp when tall buildings come into view. The apartments are stacked on top of one another -- up to twenty stories high! The Brilliant Oil Lamp When Asha's family moves to the new HDB flats in Toa Payoh, the first thing to do is set up the altar and light the brass diya, a beautiful oil lamp in the shape of a peacock that shines as though it were gold. The third book in the series that begins with Quek Hong Shin's...

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Book Review: The House on Silat Road

Book Review: The House on Silat Road

In March, we hosted the authors of The House on Silat Road for a talk during the #BuySingLit Campaign. Si-Hoe S.S., the 'real Sing' whose memories form the basis for this book, recounted her most harrowing experience during World War II, as the family had to evacuate their home as bombs fell around them. We ran down the stairs, heading for the road. Halfway down, a bomb landed right in our path and burst into flames. Without a pause, Father hauled us high over the bomb, over the fire and dropped us on the other side. We scrambled to our...

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Book Review: The Everyday Journeys of Ordinary Things by Libby Deutsch and Valpuri Kerttula

Book Review: The Everyday Journeys of Ordinary Things by Libby Deutsch and Valpuri Kerttula

Every day we are surrounded by ordinary objects and services that have been on the most extraordinary journeys to reach us -- journeys that are all happening RIGHT NOW. Take a look around you. What do you see? Where does it come from? How did it begin? Once you start noticing these extraordinary journeys, you'll never look at the world in the same way again... Where does luggage go when it sets off on the luggage belt at the airport before catching a plane? How does online shopping work? How does a movie get made? The Everyday Journey of Ordinary...

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