The Places You Will Go

Picture Book of the Month: Zen Ties

March 2008
ZEN TIES
Written & Illustrated by Jon Muth
Publisher: Scholastic, 40 pages
ISBN: 978-0439634250
Addy and Michael meet Stillwater, a wise and gentle giant panda who tells them stories based on zen parables. In Zen Ties, Stillwater's nephew comes to visit. The young panda is called Hi and speaks in verse: zen-influenced haiku ("Hi, Koo!" say the children, pun intended on Muth's part). Stillwater introduces the siblings and Hi to an old woman who seems surly but is simply lonely. Miss Whitaker helps Michael learn to spell and he wins a red ribbon at a spelling bee. The friends all celebrate by wearing red ties - zentai is Japanese for "whole" or "togetherness" and Zen Ties celebrates the joy of friendship and being part of a circle of friends.

Tales of the Unexpected

"In an attempt to change the tide of Malay fiction, Sufian Abas' debut collection of stories boasts simple language and tales that will appeal to the average Malaysian."

That was the standfirst for my interview with Sufian (StarMag, 30th March, 2008), but I'm not sure about the "average Malaysian" bit. I think the stories in Kasut Biru Rubina might lead most average Malaysians to conclude that Sufian Abas is a madman. They wouldn't be entirely wrong. However, insanity is, I've always believed, an asset when it comes to creating art.

Sufian's stories are modern art, urban fairytales that shock, inspire and amuse. They've got me thinking that I might write in Malay myself - the sort of Malay that I speak to my children's nanny and the bloke who sells goreng pisang down the road from my flat. However, please, don't hold your breath waiting for my first Malay short story ...

Kasut Biru Rubina is available at MPH Bookstores, Borders Bookstore and Silverfish Books.

For the Love of Blue Shoes

Like me, Priya Kulasagaran, isn't used to reading Malay stories and, also like me, she was pleasantly surprised by how much she liked and "got" Kasut Biru Rubina by Sufian Abas.

I don't know about Priya, but I felt quite chuffed that I could read and understand, and appreciate, something not in English. What can I say ... Kasut Biru Rubina mademe feel quite accomplished!

Choices, choices!

The children’s books market is among the fastest growing in local bookstores with the bewildering array of titles only growing larger every day. What’s a confused parent to do?

Life's a Bitch

The YA Book Club at Borders will be held for the first time on Friday, March 14 at 7-10pm,  at Starbucks, Borders, The Curve, Mutiara Damansara, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. The session is open to 14-21-year-olds. All registered participants will receive free complimentary tall coffee of the day and a Borders Gift Certificate.

For enquiries call 03 7725 9303 or email [email protected].

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath is the featured book.

All Creatures Great and Small

There was a Potter who never wielded a wand but who was, nonetheless, very good at creating magic.