Epigram Books | 雋語出版

Shortlisted for Singapore Literature Prize 2024 (Creative Nonfiction in English)

Writer, biographer and mental health advocate, Chan Li Shan, takes us on a path of discovery, while painting a vivid and searingly honest picture of a man many knew of, but few really knew. Along the way, she learns about art and friendship.

Since teen savant Maxine Schooling awoke from a coma to the news that her entire family had been murdered, she has lived the following year under the shadow of that unknown killer. Even as she aided criminal investigations in Singapore, and reconnected with a tight network of family and friends, she has never felt completely safe. Now the Man in the Mask has returned, and Max must rely on her courage, resourcefulness and eidetic memory to survive.

Six months after teen savant Maxine Schooling helped the CID capture the Singapore Spectre, she has been once again roped into a murder investigation. An unrelated grouping of people is being killed by what witnesses can only refer to as a vampire. At the same time, Max meets a former colleague of her parents, who can potentially give her clues to whoever killed her family and put her in a coma.

🎁 Recommended for ages 3 and above

It’s a lovely Saturday morning and Aish would rather be riding her bicycle than doing maths sums in a classroom. But when Aish's doodles come to life, Saturday’s lesson doesn’t seem so boring after all.

🎁Recommended for ages 3 and above

Adrian Pang and Cultural Medallion winner Milenko Prvacki team up to write Hansel and Girl Girl, the tale of two siblings sent on an errand by their unloving stepmother who hopes they get lost and never return. Along the way they chance upon a candy store run by a curious looking Peranakan lady sporting huge beehive hair and ruby red lips...what will happen to them?

Epigram Books is proud to present their own brand of traditional fairytales told Singapore style! Three local celebrities—Adrian Pang, Glen Goei and KF Seetoh—present Singaporean versions of traditional fairy tales to benefit the Society for the Promotion of ADHD Research and Knowledge (SPARK).

Winner of Best Young Adult Title for Singapore Book Awards 2016
Winner of the Hedwig Anuar Children’s Book Award 2015
Winner, Royal Commonwealth Society Essay Competition 2009, First Prize, Class A

There once was a rock which stood old and alone amidst a stretch of sand. For a long time it knew nothing except the lapping waves of the sea. Then one day a noisy bird came to rest on the rock—and began to annoy the rock with its endless chatter. Despite their hostile beginnings, the two began a friendship that evolved and changed over many years. Then one day when the bird did not return to the rock, the rock knew that his friend had died. And his world would return to what it once was, though now it was also filled with memories of his dearest friend.

A celebratory portrait of a man who has left an indelible mark on the national literary scene.

Robert Yeo is a national treasure. His poetry, plays and edited anthologies have contributed significantly to Singaporean literature over his long career, leading to his reception of the Public Service Medal in 1991 and the S.E.A. Write Award in 2011 for lifetime achievement.

To celebrate his 80th birthday, NUS professor Dr Ismail S. Talib assembled a wealth of tributes from Robert's friends, both local and abroad, such as, in Singapore, Catherine Lim, Ovidia Yu, Rajeev Patke and Suchen Christine Lim; and, internationally, A. Robert Lee, Paul Sharrad, Chetana Nagavajara and Alfred Yuson—that point to life-changing encounters with Yeo and his works.

This encomium presents the portrait of a man who has left an indelible mark on the national literary scene, and whose writing remains vital and relevant today.

Nominated for the 2019 Singapore Book Awards, Best Literary Work
Winner of the 2017 Epigram Books Fiction Prize

Questions abound in the aftermath of the Little India riot. Hashwini wonders if she triggered the chaos. Jessica asks if she should reveal what truly happened in the ambulance. Sharon thinks that the catastrophe could be what she needs to boost her political career.

The lives of three women intertwine when accident and coincidence collide. In Gimme Lao!-style hilarity, they become wrapped up in a web of truth, deception and political connections. This is a perceptive, fast-paced romp that asks “what if” of the riot that recently shook Singapore.

🎁 Recommended for 6 months old and above

Chop-chop the Trishaw wants to go zoom like a sports car. Surrounded by his much faster petrol-fuelled friends, he feels like he’s being left behind and is in a hurry to catch up to his more modern counterparts. With a newly installed engine, he leaves his automobile buddies in the dust. But Chop-chop really isn’t really built for speed, and that leads to unexpected consequences. Chop-chop the Trishaw is the second book in the Really Wheelie Buddies series that introduces the little ones to Singaporean phrases through commonly seen vehicles on our roads.

🎁Recommended for ages 3 and above

In this illustrated ode to books and reading, literacy and libraries are promoted and celebrated. A little tree and a little boy form a friendship over their love of books. In time, the tree is adorned with every book the little boy reads to the tree. Soon, a whole community of people can enjoy the magnificent tree of spectacular books. But with time, both the tree and the boy grow older. Now the boy is an old man and must say goodbye. What is to become of the grand old tree?

A critical look at Singapore’s harsh policies and the human cost of the war on drugs.

Activist Kirsten Han explores Singapore’s relentless war on drugs, shaped by fear, hardened policies and societal stigmas. Through deeply personal stories of death row prisoners, Han challenges Singapore’s punitive approach and advocates for a more compassionate, humane system that addresses the root causes of addiction.

Rational Conversations by Epigram Books is a series of essays and speeches by prominent Singaporeans on issues close to their heart. With these books, we hope to encourage discussion and provoke thought.

Activist and journalist Kirsten Han examines the relationship between government and political journalists in Singapore.

Rational Conversations by Epigram Books is a series of essays and speeches by prominent Singaporeans on issues close to their heart. With these books, we hope to encourage discussion and provoke thought.

Former Nominated Member of Parliament Kuik Shiao-Yin shares the concerns of young voters and how a new generation of leaders can rise up to serve them.

Rational Conversations by Epigram Books is a series of essays and speeches by prominent Singaporeans on issues close to their heart. With these books, we hope to encourage discussion and provoke thought.

Former diplomat Bilahari Kausikan highlights two global trends that can shape Singapore's future—identity politics and the rise of China—and how China is using them to influence the Singapore identity.

Rational Conversations by Epigram Books is a series of essays and speeches by prominent Singaporeans on issues close to their heart. With these books, we hope to encourage discussion and provoke thought.

🎁Recommended for ages 3 and above

This book is a part of the Prominent Singaporeans series, which features individuals from Singapore's history who have contributed significantly to her growth.

Joseph Schooling’s race to the Olympics began when he was still a boy. With the support and love of Mum and Dad, he dedicated himself to being the best swimmer he could be. From triumphant victories to devastating defeats, Joseph never gave up no matter how discouraged he got, and he finally proved that no dream is too big for a boy when he won Singapore's first Olympic Gold medal.

Finalist for the 2021 Epigram Books Fiction Prize
Winner of Singapore Book Awards 2022 (Best Book Cover Design)

Behind the golden façade of a land filled with opportunities dwell two destitute souls, shipped to Singapore in the late 1800s. Oseki, an ingenue forced into prostitution as a karayuki, grapples with being betrayed by her own father and transforms into a monster she can’t recognise. Gobind, a deaf convict from India, serves his sentence as a punkhawala to a British hunter obsessed with killing Rimau Satan, a man-eating tiger of mythic proportions. Whenever Gobind hunts with his master, his butchered memories lurk in the darkness, aching to pounce. When Oseki’s and Gobind’s paths intertwine, they begin to face their inner demons to find their humanity—and their way back home.

 🎁Recommended for ages 3 and above

This book is a part of the Prominent Singaporeans series, which features individuals from Singapore's history who have contributed significantly to her growth.

Lee Wen loved art, music, poetry and performance with a passion. He presented all art forms in his own unique way, even when others didn’t care for it. And boy are we glad he did!

An inspiring story of how Lee Wen became the great performance artist that he was.

🎁Recommended for ages 3 and above

This book is a part of the Prominent Singaporeans series, which features individuals from Singapore's history who have contributed significantly to her growth.

Where are all the birds? Why am I in this world? Where are my spectacles?

Discover the life of Dr Goh Keng Swee in this fun and unique narrative of successive questions. How did this quiet, shy and curious boy become the man who would spearhead mammoth national projects and impact the lives of all Singaporeans?

🎁Recommended for ages 3 and above

This book is a part of the Prominent Singaporeans series, which features individuals from Singapore's history who have contributed significantly to her growth.

From a trying childhood to surviving the Japanese Occupation and even falling in love, the life of Singapore’s longest-serving president, the late S.R. Nathan, turned out to be more colourful than many might imagine.

The Runaway Who Became President not only introduces us to a man who dedicated his life to the service of our nation, but also to the various people who helped him work through his own challenges and shape him as a well-loved and respected Singaporean icon.

This book is a part of the Prominent Singaporeans series, which features individuals from Singapore's history who have contributed significantly to her growth.

How does a spoilt young boy and party-going dandy become the man who housed a nation? Discover the passion that drives Lim Kim San from his comfortable, carefree life into a mission that would change Singapore forever.

This charmingly illustrated and thought-provoking picture book introduces children to one of Arthur Yap's most beloved poems in which two mothers in a HDB playground engage in a spirited conversation in Singlish. From exchanging parenting tips to describing their wealth—these mothers have much to say!

Discover timeless Singaporean poems in our new series, Poems to Keep.

Six modern student plays about growing up in Singapore.

This dynamic collection of plays, written by seasoned drama educators and emerging voices, offers a compelling exploration of growing up in Singapore. Devised in part with students, the plays tackle pressing issues from body image and the impact of social media to the quest for identity and belonging. With themes that resonate with young readers and offer universal reflections on youth, this collection serves as both an educational and artistic resource for teaching drama, and a valuable tool for sparking meaningful discussions on social topics in and beyond the classroom.

🎁 Recommended for kids 3 and up!

Enjoy the festivities around Deepavali in Singapore with a little girl and her family. From decorating the home and making murukkus to admiring peacocks and lighting sparklers—there is so much fun to be had.

A joyful story with charming illustrations that reminds us of the importance of family and family traditions.

Shortlisted for Singapore Literature Prize 2024 (Comics/Graphic Novel)

When COVID-19 started to spread around the world in early 2020, Singapore’s readiness to deal with a global pandemic was put to the test. There were both wise decisions and missteps along the way, while questions about scientific consensus, trade-offs and vaccines swirled about in our hyperconnected age of social media. The Pandemic Cookbook revisits those early days of unprecedented global disruption, including social distancing rules, Circuit Breakers, migrant worker dormitory lockdowns, elections and TraceTogether controversies.

Based on interviews with front-line workers, journalists, policymakers, academics, migrant workers and more, infectious diseases expert Dr Hsu Li Yang and Eisner-winning graphic novelist Sonny Liew present a unique recollection of Singapore’s pandemic experience.

"[A] brilliant book telling the story of Singapore’s fight against COVID 19." - Professor Tommy Koh, Former Chairman of the National Art Council

A tale of love, betrayal and the supernatural set in the heart of Singapore’s most vibrant district.

At sixteen, Zhong Su Lynn dreams of becoming an official ghost hunter. She has battled supernatural creatures, from pontianak to shuigui, but her unconventional methods frustrate her grandfather, the legendary Zhong Kui. When Su Lynn discovers that her grandfather is building an undead army to forge his own underworld, her world unravels. To complicate matters, she falls for a jiangshi he created. Now, Su Lynn must join forces with other ghost hunters to free the jiangshi, stop Zhong Kui and restore balance—all while torn between love and her sense of duty.