閱讀雨天

 　　《小熊的新衣》是新加坡繪本作家虎威繼《外公的小房間》和《三輪車跑得快》後創作的關於老獅城的兒童拼音繪本。

　　故事以舊時牛車水為背景，作者用細膩的手繪水彩畫和清新的文字講述一個溫馨的故事：男童小威在小熊生日當天要給它一個驚喜，找人為它縫製一件新衣，沒想到過程一波三折，小熊已等得不耐煩……幸而最後皆大歡喜。

　　小威在找人為小熊做新衣的過程中遇到不同行業的人物給予他協助。這些人物有著作者童年（1960 年代新加坡獨立初期）做“小跑腿”所接觸的牛車水人的影子。當年的行業雖多不復存在或已改變，但那份濃濃的人情味至今仍閃爍於作者心中。

　　《小熊的新衣》也獲得國際認可，於2020年獲選入國際權威兒童文學年度推薦書目——慕尼黑國際青少年圖書館白烏鴉書選（The White Ravens 2020)。

作者簡介

　　虎威原名黃虛懷，在牛車水長大，從小喜歡畫畫和寫作。 18 歲時領獎學金到英國劍橋大學唸書，畢業後回新加坡當建築師。後來又得獎學金到英國留學，並獲約克大學古蹟保留碩士學位。所負責的獲獎項目包括新加坡美術館和牛車水花園天橋。

　　在工作之餘，虎威勤於寫作，是, 《聯合早報》副刊的專欄作者。著作包括獲選為 2012 年「讀吧！新加坡」讀物的《飛來飛去》。他也愛畫水彩，並多次以講座和導覽的方式，與大人和小孩分享如何欣賞古建築及藝術品。

　　每個人的心底，或許都深藏著一些童謠。這些童謠代表了我們獨特的童年回憶。藏在本書作者心底的童謠之一是許多人都熟悉的《三輪車跑得快》，不僅是開啟他童年記憶的鑰匙，也成為他日後創作這部繪本《三輪車跑得快》的靈感。

　　本書設定的背景是三輪車在路上漫行的 1960 年代。故事敘述男童小威想要畫卻想不出要畫什麼的時候，他的「寵物」謙謙熊竟然逃跑了，因此小威連忙去追。他在三輪車夫忠伯的幫助下，一路尋找謙謙熊的踪影，展開了一段溫馨的旅程，也找到了畫畫的題材。

　　這部繪本，畫風細膩、所重現的街景是作者小時候生活過的場景，街上的多座老建築也是新加坡獨特且具有代表性的地標。閱讀本書，循著小威坐忠伯三輪車追小熊的路線，我們彷彿走一趟美好的時光之旅，看一回牛車水昔日的純樸與緣份。

作者簡介

　　虎威原名黃虛懷，在牛車水長大，從小喜歡畫畫和寫作。 18 歲時領獎學金到英國劍橋大學唸書，畢業後回新加坡當建築師。後來又得獎學金到英國留學，並獲約克大學古蹟保留碩士學位。所負責的獲獎項目包括新加坡美術館和牛車水花園天橋。

　　在工作之餘，虎威勤於寫作，是, 《聯合早報》副刊的專欄作者。著作包括獲選為 2012 年「讀吧！新加坡」讀物的《飛來飛去》。他也愛畫水彩，並多次以講座和導覽的方式，與大人和小孩分享如何欣賞古建築及藝術品。

　　自從虎威結合繪畫與寫作兩種愛好，創作繪本《外公的小房間》後，也常受邀到小學校園為學生們講故事、做活動。 《三輪車跑得快》是他第二部以舊牛車水為背景的繪本。

 　　唐僧取經原是真實的歷史事件，並帶有傳奇色彩。《西遊記》以唐僧取經的故事為線索，以神猴孫悟空為主角，整部小說充滿了敢闖敢拼的大無畏精神和俠膽義腸。書中，不管是七十二般變化的孫悟空、懶惰貪吃的豬八戒，還是各顯神通的神仙妖魔，在孩子眼裡都是如此親切、活靈活現。因此，它極大地激發併發展了孩子的想象力。

　　本書精選原著中最生動的故事，在忠於原著的基礎上加以改寫，同時適當保留一些精彩的原著語言和人物對話，更好地體現出原著的風格。此外，全書附有畫家精心繪制的人物畫像和情景插圖，加強了視覺效果，讓孩子更容易投入和欣賞。

本書特點：

• 以淺白易懂的文字改寫名著，同時保留了原著的精華。
• 故事篇幅不大，敘述與對白並重，並加上精美插圖，更容易吸引孩子閱讀。
• 每一章節之後附上簡短概述和兩個問題，讓孩子易於理解，也鼓勵他們讀後思考。
• 書後附上「速讀原著100回」，介紹原著的內容概要，瞭解原著各章回的重點內容。讀了速讀版本後，即使還沒讀原著，也能瞭解原著各章回的重點。

　　《三國演義》講的是東漢末年和魏、蜀、吳三國的歷史故事，以蜀漢興亡為主線，描繪了三國時期各勢力集團之間的軍事、政治、外交鬥爭。《三國演義》塑造了一系列鮮明生動的人物形象。如：智謀驚人的諸葛亮、義氣深重的關羽、爽直粗豪的張飛、仁義愛民的劉備、奸詐陰險的曹操、老謀深算的司馬懿⋯⋯這些人物都栩栩如生，讓人難以忘懷。

　　本書保留了《三國演義》的主幹情節和精彩篇章，語言淺顯、易懂，非常適合青少年讀者閱讀。此外，全書附有畫家精心繪制的人物畫像和情景插圖，加強了視覺效果，讓讀者更容易投入和欣賞。

本書特點：

• 以淺白易懂的文字改寫名著，同時保留了原著的精華。
• 故事篇幅不大，敘述與對白並重，並加上精美插圖，更容易吸引孩子閱讀。
• 每一章節之後附上簡短概述和兩個問題，讓孩子易於理解，也鼓勵他們讀後思考。
• 書後附上「速讀原著120回」，介紹原著的內容概要，瞭解原著各章回的重點內容。讀了速讀版本後，即使還沒讀原著，也能瞭解原著各章回的重點。

Every time we use a Singapore bank note, we see his face – the face of Yusof Ishak, the first President of Singapore.

But did you know that he had to overcome challenges in his life and was also a champion in sports such as weightlifting and boxing?

And not many people know that when he got married, in 1949, he and his wife lived in a kampung house with no electricity – the couple used kerosene lamps for light.

This book, which is targeted at upper primary and lower secondary pupils, will make this icon of Singapore come alive. It is suitable for anyone who wants an overview of the life and background of the first President of Singapore.

Readers will also enjoy the many photographs of Yusof Ishak, at formal occasions and in less formal moments.

C.V. Devan Nair, the son of a rubber plantation clerk, rose from humble beginnings to become an outstanding union leader, a Member of Parliament, and eventually President of Singapore.

This book, which is targeted at upper primary and lower secondary pupils, describes Nair’s childhood and his years growing up in an anti-colonial household.

It also describes in detail how, during the tumultuous post-war years, Nair came to the attention of the British authorities, who were cracking down on anti-colonial activities, and ended up spending a total of about five years in detention.

It gives an excellent overview of the exciting early years of Nair’s life in the 1950s and 60s as a teacher, a unionist and an MP, and highlights his dedication and contributions to the NTUC.

He was a well-known doctor and professor, and was one of the leading names in obstetrics and gynaecology in Singapore for decades.

And when he was 63 years old, he was asked to be the second President of Singapore, after the first President Yusof Ishak died in 1970.

What was Benjamin Sheares like as a President? Did he continue practising as a doctor after he became President? And who described him as “a perfect gentleman?”

The answers to these questions and more can be found in this easy-to-read book, which is targeted at upper primary and lower secondary pupils.

It has many photographs of Benjamin Sheares and readers will enjoy seeing him in his early years, when he was a professor, and also in more relaxed, unguarded moments.

In this updated book, viewed by many as a definitive guide to Singapore-style diplomacy, former minister, diplomat and law dean S Jayakumar outlines the principles and norms that form the bedrock of Singapore’s foreign policy, shaped by more than five decades of hard-earned experience of ministers and officials. Professor Jayakumar, who retired from politics as Senior Minister in 2011, illustrates these with his accounts of and reflections on milestones where he had been involved as either Singapore’s Minister for Foreign Affairs or, much earlier, as Singapore’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN).

This second edition includes an overview and chapter updates of the tumultuous trends and developments in the 2010s that have made a significant impact on geopolitics and diplomacy, especially for small states such as Singapore.

The book documents how Singapore has been able to create diplomatic and economic space for itself through proactive and creative diplomacy, for instance, by initiating key international forums, such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum and Asia-Europe Meeting, and by pursuing free trade agreements, such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and the European Union-Singapore Free Trade Agreement, both inked in 2018. Singapore has remained relevant to the international community by hosting international summits, such as the Trump-Kim Summit in 2018 and the Xi-Ma Summit in 2015, and by leading UN efforts such as the Singapore Convention on Mediation, opened for signature in Singapore in 2019.

Professor Jayakumar recounts how Singapore has responded to moves by other countries that are inimical to its national interests and put it under intense pressure, without losing its credibility. These include three difficult cases between 1994 and 1995 — the hanging of Dutch national Johannes Van Damme, that of Filipino maid Flor Contemplacion, and the caning of American Michael Fay — and the impounding of Singapore’s Terrex infantry carrier vehicles in transit in Hong Kong in 2016.

Professor Jayakumar also discusses how Singapore has resolved disputes with other countries in an amicable manner through third-party settlement, in compliance with international law and international agreements, which has become an important feature of Singapore’s foreign policy. These include the land reclamation case with Malaysia and the case where the International Court of Justice awarded sovereignty over Pedra Branca to Singapore.

COMMENDATIONS

“The honest , meaty narratives offer insights into strategic goals and diplomatic means of one of the world’s most skillful foreign ministries.”
Review from Foreign Affairs

“S Jayakumar’s reflections explain how Singapore manages to “punch above its weight” on the international stage. In doing so, it offers valuable insights for historians, political scientists and leaders from around the world.
Kofi A Annan, United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, 1997–2006

Singapore has evolved from a developing country to a developed one, in only a few short decades. Its gross domestic product per capita has soared from just US$517 (S$697) in 1965, to US$64,582 (S$87,128) in 2018.

Impressed, visiting university students from Mexico and the United States, in early 2019, asked the city state’s Ambassador-at-Large Tommy Koh for its secret of success.

His reply: there was not a single secret but many, which he would consider curating a new book on.

The result: Fifty Secrets of Singapore’s Success.

The collection of 50 essays, written by leaders and experts in their fields, sheds light on how the small state has scored significant success in not only economics but also eight other areas.

Among other things, Singapore is one of the world’s least corrupt countries, has one of the highest home ownership rates worldwide — of more than 90 per cent — and has world-class schools, healthcare and environments.

Singapore has also been a good global citizen. It has played a significant role in the development of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). At the United Nations (UN), Singapore has played a leadership role in the negotiations of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the UN Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation (also known as the Singapore Convention on Mediation) and the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development.

Many of the contributors are well-known names. They include Economic Development Board’s former executive chairman, Philip Yeo; Changi Airport Group’s and Surbana Jurong’s chairman, Liew Mun Leong; Singapore Airlines’ chief executive officer, Goh Choon Phong; National Wages Council’s founding chairman, Lim Chong Yah; National Trades Union Congress president and former Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) Mary Liew; Housing & Development Board’s chief executive officer, Cheong Koon Hean; Singapore Management University’s president, Lily Kong; the National Institute of Education’s former director, Leo Tan; Public Service Commission’s and The Esplanade Co’s chairman, Lee Tzu Yang; Singapore’s first and longest-serving Chief of Defence Force, Winston Choo; former Singapore Police Commissioner and INTERPOL president Khoo Boon Hui; National Parks Board’s and Gardens by the Bay’s founding chief executive officer, Kiat W Tan; former ASEAN Secretary-General Ong Keng Yong; veteran diplomat Chan Heng Chee; former NMP and the Association of Women for Action and Research’s former president, Kanwaljit Soin; and World Toilet Organization’s founder, Jack Sim.

Veteran journalists of The Straits Times — Vikram Khanna, Christopher Tan and Sandra Davie — have also contributed essays to the book.

“Word of Wisdom” is an inspiring collection of Venerable Master Hsing Yun, which have been reprinted from his daily column in the Shin Min Daily. Penned by Shin Min Editor Bernard Choo, the column offers a wide array of topics concerning our daily life, ranging from good health and longevity, marriage and wealth.　

Dr Tham Wai Mun has taught courses on translation in various institutions, such as Confucius Institute of NTU, Singapore Institute of Management University (UniSIM), and National University of Singapore (NUS).