Children's Day Reads: Top 10 books for kids of all ages
We believe that children are the future, and that’s why we’re always encouraging children to pick up a book to read. And it’s not because we sell books: studies have shown that children who frequently read books with their caregiver scored higher on cognitive tests (compared to those who spend a lot of screen time).
Since it’s Children’s Day on Oct 9, what better way to mark the day than with children’s stories from our little sunny island?
If you’re stumped for suggestions, check out these 10 recommendations for kids of all ages. We’re sure you’ll find something that your kids will enjoy.
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FOR BEGINNER READERS
Want to get your little ones into the groove of reading? These books are for you. With colourful vibrant images and easy to follow storylines, these books will keep your children engaged. Underlying these stories are lessons that young ones can learn for life.
The Womps: Pinto’s Pink Promise. The power of the pinky promise is something you shouldn’t abuse. That’s what Pinto finds out when he pinky promises to help all his friends at the same time – but there’s only one of him!
Chop-Chop the Trishaw. Sometimes it’s better to be yourself than try to be someone you’re not. That’s the lesson that Chop-Chop the Trishaw learns when he tries to zoom around town like a motorcycle. The second book in the Really Wheelie Buddies series, this the sequel to Yaya the Double Decker Bus.
FOR YOUNG READERS
With illustration that not only capture the attention and stories that engage the imagination, these books make perfect reading choices for parent-child bonding sessions, and when your children have got the hang of reading on their own. The books also have underlying themes of friendship, trust, creativity and self-awareness that young children can learn to cultivate.
Just A Little Mynah.The Little Mynah envies her feathered friends because she feels they are so beautiful and she is so plain. But she can speak in different languages and when her friend the heron is in trouble, she puts that skill to good use.
The Marvellous Sugee Cake<. It’s Simon’s seventh birthday, but everyone eats his favourite treat – sugee cake – before he can even get a taste. But all is not lost: his family and friends have planned a special surprise for him.
Counting Sheep. Sam can’t sleep, so her mum tells her to count some sheep jumping over a fence to lull her to bed. But one of them, Shep, can’t jump over the fence. It’s up to Sam and the rest of the flock help Shep get over – and she can finally to sleep.
FOR THE TWEENS
These children’s novels come packed with gripping storylines that are filled with humour and hope, even as the heroes go against all odds to overcome the challenges they face. Themes of teamwork, trust and friendships come into play as the characters face down adversity.
The Ghost Who Pinched Me. War has come to Singapore, and 10-year-old Bee Ling loses her elder sister, Ying, after an air raid. But not even death can sever sibling love, as Ying returns to help Bee Ling and her family as they endure the hardships of the Japanese Occupation.
Ace Agent Spycat and the Flying Sidekick. The top agent at FELINE (First Enforcement League for Inter-National Emergencies) has to head to Boracay to stop the evil penguin Blackwing after he turns the tropical island into his own frozen land. But Spycat has to get used to working with a new sidekick, Rockcat before they can save the day.
FOR THE TEENS
These book series for older teens are filled with excitement, adventure and everything a Jedi isn’t supposed to crave, but hey, these enjoyable reads will keep your teens entertained for hours on end.
RunHideSeek series. This bestselling series still continues to keep teens readers rapt. Groundbreaking work in genetics have unleashed something that has killed off every living thing except humans. In Singapore, a 15-year-old girl wakes up with no memory. With nowhere to go and no one to trust, she joins a band of young survivors as they fight to survive. But things take a turn for the worse when strange Eaters and soldiers start coming after her. The original RunHideSeek series was so successful it spawned a companion book (K) and a new series, EverAfter.
The Leopop series. This new series currently comprises two books – Lion Boy and Drummer Girl and the latest one, Lion Boys and Fan Girls – that feature the world of Leopop, where lion dancers are as popular as K-pop stars. In the first book, Ricky joins the Lion Legends, the top lion dance troupe, but his arrival throws a spanner in the works, especially for drummer Ying, whose mum has warned her not to get involved with any of the crew. In the sequel, Lion Legends members Prome and Mercury make it mandatory that dating is off the cards until they become the best group in the land. But their plans go awry when they meet two fangirls and they find someone threatening the group.