2010 Rights Guide
My Mother's Garden
My Mother's Garden
written & illustrated by: Emila Yusof
"I love playing in my mother's garden."
A little girl revels in her mother's garden, a playground beyond compare...
written & illustrated by: Emila Yusof
"I love playing in my mother's garden."
A little girl revels in her mother's garden, a playground beyond compare...
Emila Yusof's latest book, "My Mother's Garden" is a treasure of flowers, bees, dragonflies and butterflies. Learn the names of some tropical flowers and plants at the back of the book where they are listed in their English common names and Malay names.
An ideal book for reading aloud and for playing 'I spy' in the outdoors as the child learns to recognise plants featured in the book!
An ideal book for reading aloud and for playing 'I spy' in the outdoors as the child learns to recognise plants featured in the book!
Review by Uma Krishnaswami
http://www.umakrishnaswami.com/
Regionally specific children's books are hard to come by in much of Southeast Asia, so it's nice to see My Mother's Garden, an offering
from OneRedFlower, a Malaysian press.
Here are some things debut author-illustrator Emila Yusof does in this book:
She doesn't drum in its cultural or geographic specificity. It's just the first person narrative of a child in a garden with her cat, playing and watching until the raindrops fall, driving them indoors.
This garden, however, does not have roses and daffodils in it. It's full of lush tropical plantings, and the child doesn't stop to explain that. She just plays on the cusp of reality and her own fantastic imaginings, while around her are aloe vera and hibiscus, ginger and frangipani and ixora. Backmatter shows us the botanical and common names of plants in the book, along with spot illustrations, but young readers can just as easily enjoy the book without this added information.
Children who live near such gardens will recognize them and feel the pleasure that comes with familiarity. Children who have never seen a frangipani tree could well feel the very different pleasure that comes from traveling through the pages of a book.
Slice of life stories may feel passe in markets that were deluged with them twenty years ago, but in some places the questions still remain: whose slice and which lives are being privileged, and why.
Uma Krishnaswami is acreative writing lecturer (at the Vermont College of Fine Art) and author.
http://www.umakrishnaswami.com/
Regionally specific children's books are hard to come by in much of Southeast Asia, so it's nice to see My Mother's Garden, an offering
from OneRedFlower, a Malaysian press.
Here are some things debut author-illustrator Emila Yusof does in this book:
She doesn't drum in its cultural or geographic specificity. It's just the first person narrative of a child in a garden with her cat, playing and watching until the raindrops fall, driving them indoors.
This garden, however, does not have roses and daffodils in it. It's full of lush tropical plantings, and the child doesn't stop to explain that. She just plays on the cusp of reality and her own fantastic imaginings, while around her are aloe vera and hibiscus, ginger and frangipani and ixora. Backmatter shows us the botanical and common names of plants in the book, along with spot illustrations, but young readers can just as easily enjoy the book without this added information.
Children who live near such gardens will recognize them and feel the pleasure that comes with familiarity. Children who have never seen a frangipani tree could well feel the very different pleasure that comes from traveling through the pages of a book.
Slice of life stories may feel passe in markets that were deluged with them twenty years ago, but in some places the questions still remain: whose slice and which lives are being privileged, and why.
Uma Krishnaswami is acreative writing lecturer (at the Vermont College of Fine Art) and author.
ELEPHABET : AMAZING ACTIVITY BOOK
Elephabet - Amazing Activity Book
Author: Yusof Gajah
Size: 210x297mm
No of pages: 80
Author: Yusof Gajah
Size: 210x297mm
No of pages: 80
In ELEPHABET – Amazing Activity Book, Yusof turns his imagination and creativity to a book specially created for children. With this book, children can have fun doodling, finding their way through mazes and using their natural creativity to create their own images. Encourage your children’s creativity and let their imaginations free!
“Children learn by playing and they have active imaginations. They are not inhibited and need to be free to express themselves. Yusof Gajah has created a book that encourages play and at the same time challenges children to fill pages with doodles. More importantly,they will have fun!”
- Assoc. Prof. Dr Bustam Kamri, UNITAR
Early Chidlhood Eduction Programme
“Children learn by playing and they have active imaginations. They are not inhibited and need to be free to express themselves. Yusof Gajah has created a book that encourages play and at the same time challenges children to fill pages with doodles. More importantly,they will have fun!”
- Assoc. Prof. Dr Bustam Kamri, UNITAR
Early Chidlhood Eduction Programme
ELEPHABET
wirtten and illustrated by Yusof Gajah
Quintessential Yusof!
In ELEPHABET, Yusof Gajah shows his skill and inventiveness with his beloved ‘gajah’ to express his thoughts, both playful and philosophical, on everyday life. A treasure of a book, with each letter of the alphabet beautifully illustrated in Yusof Gajah’s inimitable signature style, this book entertains as well as provokes. A book to share and to keep!
In ELEPHABET, Yusof Gajah shows his skill and inventiveness with his beloved ‘gajah’ to express his thoughts, both playful and philosophical, on everyday life. A treasure of a book, with each letter of the alphabet beautifully illustrated in Yusof Gajah’s inimitable signature style, this book entertains as well as provokes. A book to share and to keep!
Praise for Elephabet!
"When I saw [Yusof's] books, my firt thought was that I must send them to my grand-daughters - they will treasure them."
Datin Paduka Chen Mun Kuen, ROYAL SELANGOR
"Yusof's Elephabet presents interpretive works inspired by his imagination. He opts for techniques and process unique to himself and he has translated and unveiled the elephants and alphabet into colorful and intimate portraits of abstract visuals."
Assoc. Prof. Salmah Abu Mansor, Senior Fellow Institute of the Malay World and Civilization (ATMA), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
"Yusof Gajah is all about love. Besides his love for elephants, his love for people is seen in his ability to delight us all, whether we're serious art collectors or children. His willingness to share his skills and passion makes him loved by many artists young and old. And one hopes that his love for nature can inspire our country's leaders to save our rainforests!"
Pang Khee Teik, Arts Programme Director, The Annexe Gallery
Elephabet, a portmanteau of the words “elephant” and “alphabet”, is an elementary revision of the alphabet for grown-ups and children. …Yusof wants his readers to return to the basics of life. His philosophy of life is summed up in the book, which features elephants perched and morphed to form the 26 letters of the Latin alphabet. The enchanting paintings also reveal hidden symbols upon closer observation…
Grace Chin, The Edge
"When I saw [Yusof's] books, my firt thought was that I must send them to my grand-daughters - they will treasure them."
Datin Paduka Chen Mun Kuen, ROYAL SELANGOR
"Yusof's Elephabet presents interpretive works inspired by his imagination. He opts for techniques and process unique to himself and he has translated and unveiled the elephants and alphabet into colorful and intimate portraits of abstract visuals."
Assoc. Prof. Salmah Abu Mansor, Senior Fellow Institute of the Malay World and Civilization (ATMA), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
"Yusof Gajah is all about love. Besides his love for elephants, his love for people is seen in his ability to delight us all, whether we're serious art collectors or children. His willingness to share his skills and passion makes him loved by many artists young and old. And one hopes that his love for nature can inspire our country's leaders to save our rainforests!"
Pang Khee Teik, Arts Programme Director, The Annexe Gallery
Elephabet, a portmanteau of the words “elephant” and “alphabet”, is an elementary revision of the alphabet for grown-ups and children. …Yusof wants his readers to return to the basics of life. His philosophy of life is summed up in the book, which features elephants perched and morphed to form the 26 letters of the Latin alphabet. The enchanting paintings also reveal hidden symbols upon closer observation…
Grace Chin, The Edge
"[Yusof] has invented the alphabet in a new style, the elephant style, creating the Elephabet, an ABC as seen by him.... Colours and shapes go hand in hand, forming a new world, tickling the curiosity. It will be a great book for children to see and learn. At the same time, adults can enjoy all the good advice that flows freely from the pages. We all need people like Yusof Gajah, to brighten our life, to stimulate our imagination and be filled with pleasure.”
Arild Braastad, Ambassador of Norway
"Elephabet is a random journey gleaned from personal experiences, events and the environment. It is a whimsical pictogram filled with rainbow hues, childplay and cartoon-like characters – elements of a psychological experience that is quintessentially Yusof ‘Gajah’."
Ooi Kok Chuen, Art Writer
"Yusof Gajah's elephant art never fails to provoke a smile, and inspires me to paint too. In Elephabet, his words are a further inspiration, provoking thought, questions and ideas."
Daphne Lee, writer, editor and StarMag columnist.
"Yusof Gajah is a brilliant synthesizer. Elephabet is a lovely chorus of colors and textures. For him, art is not optional; it is necessary."
Nani Kahar, Architect, labDNA
Arild Braastad, Ambassador of Norway
"Elephabet is a random journey gleaned from personal experiences, events and the environment. It is a whimsical pictogram filled with rainbow hues, childplay and cartoon-like characters – elements of a psychological experience that is quintessentially Yusof ‘Gajah’."
Ooi Kok Chuen, Art Writer
"Yusof Gajah's elephant art never fails to provoke a smile, and inspires me to paint too. In Elephabet, his words are a further inspiration, provoking thought, questions and ideas."
Daphne Lee, writer, editor and StarMag columnist.
"Yusof Gajah is a brilliant synthesizer. Elephabet is a lovely chorus of colors and textures. For him, art is not optional; it is necessary."
Nani Kahar, Architect, labDNA
Mother&Child
written and illustrated by Yusof Gajah
This delightful book contains a collection of the wonderful Mother & Child series of paintings done by Yusof Gajah. The original paintings were sold out and are now made available for the first time in print. Lovingly compiled by his daughter, Jaja, together with a selection of quotes and poems, Mother & Child is an inspirational and uplifting book that can be enjoyed over and over again.
"Yusof Gajah is the master of colours, of fantasy, of imagination and style. Sometimes he manages to contain the whole world in only one elephant, sometimes he really challenges the viewer’s imagination....at first...the picture looks simple, then they discover more and more details, leading into a pure adventure."
Arild Braastad, Ambassador of Norway
"They say an elephant never forgets, but what has it got to remember? Instructional aphorisms are animated in Yusof Gajah’s highly engaging and sometimes surrealistic style of elephant tales. Traipse the yellow brick road to great minds, and smile ..."
Ooi Kok Chuen, Art Writer
"With their beady, curious eyes and boldly coloured lithe trunks, [the elephants] tease and taunt, inviting viewers to join their universe…which is exactly what artist and author Mohd Yusof Ismail, better known as Yusof Gajah, has done."
Grace Chin, The Edge
Arild Braastad, Ambassador of Norway
"They say an elephant never forgets, but what has it got to remember? Instructional aphorisms are animated in Yusof Gajah’s highly engaging and sometimes surrealistic style of elephant tales. Traipse the yellow brick road to great minds, and smile ..."
Ooi Kok Chuen, Art Writer
"With their beady, curious eyes and boldly coloured lithe trunks, [the elephants] tease and taunt, inviting viewers to join their universe…which is exactly what artist and author Mohd Yusof Ismail, better known as Yusof Gajah, has done."
Grace Chin, The Edge
The Real Elephant
written and illustrated by Yusof Gajah
Noma Concours Grand Prize Winner (1996)
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An elephant ate some forbidden fruit and found itself changing. It changed into a bird, a fish, a crocodile and a dragon. It could fly and swim... but what was it, really?
First published in Malay and translated into Japanese and English
First published in Malay and translated into Japanese and English
The Proud Butterfly and the Strange Tree
written and illustrated by Jainal Amambing
Noma Concours Encouragement Award
The proud butterfly did not like the black tree so it set out to destroy it. But something happened to the proud butterfly. It became what it hated... Will the proud butterfly learn its lesson?
Jainal Amambing lives in Sabah, East Malaysia on the island of Borneo. He has won numerous awards for his illustrations including the second prize in the 12th and 15th Noma Councours, runner-up in the 13th and 14th Noma Concours, and the encouragement prizes in teh 11th and 16th Noma Councours.
Pok Amai Amai
A Selection of Malay Pantun
illustrated by Emila Yusof
The Malay pantun is unique in that it encapsulates the daily lives of the Malays as well as their beliefs, tradition and culture in short pithy sayings in rhythmic form. This book contains a selection of 24 popular pantun. Each pantun has been illustrated by Emila Yusof whose charming illustrations highlight the rural villages or ‘kampung’, the paddy field, school and learning as well as the home where respect of parents is a deeply held ideal.
Tapir ke Kuala Lumpur (Buku 1)
Tapir Goes to Kuala Lumpur (Book 1)
written and illustrated by Mie Mambo
Follow the adventures of Tapir, the Malayan Tapir!
Tapir di Kuala Lumpur (Buku 2)
Tapir in Kuala Lumpur (Book 2)
In Book 2, Tapir arrives in Kuala Lumpur. It is all that he expects and more! He makes friends with a street musician and learns about life in KL.
Coming Soon!
Watch out for more of Tapir adventures! Tapir will be visiting Italy in March. What will Tapir find in Rome? or Florence and Venice?
Tapir is a Malayan Tapir. He lives in the tropical rainforest of Peninsular Malaysia. One day, Tapir comes across a guide book on Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia. Looking through the pages of the guide book, Tapir cannot believe his eyes! Kuala Lumpur is truly a wonderful place. His wanderlust kicks in. From then on, he has only one obsession: to go to Kuala Lumpur. Tapir soon puts his plan into motion. First, he must find out how to get to Kuala Lumpur and maybe one of the humans can help him….
Tapir di Kuala Lumpur Lagi (Buku 3)
Tapir in Kuala Lumpur Again (Book 3)
Tapir learns that to live in KL requires money. Nothing venture, nothing gained, Tapir and his new-found friends form a music band. Will they find fame and fortune?
Mie Mambo is the pseudonym of artist and illustrator Nur Azmi Mokhtar. Nur Azmi is a prolific artist and has illustrated more than 40 children's books and graphic novels. He illustrated the 18-series Animal Adventures at Tipee Hipee Safari Park as well as the 8-series Sydney the Snail. Nur Azmi is also a musician and has produced an album.
ANIMAL ADVENTURES AT TIPEE HIPEE SAFARI PARK
Written by Peter Worthington, Illustrated by Nur Azmi Mokhter
An 18-book series of fun adventures at the Tipee Hipee Safari Park. Located in the tropics, the Tipee Hipee Safari Park is home to komodo dragons, kangaroos, bears, possums, ostriches, leopards, tigers, panthers, lions, camels, elephants, tapirs, crocodiles and many other animals which at one time or another get into scrapes and trouble. Fortunately, the rangers, vet and nurses are there to save them and patch them up....but they can't keep them away from mischief and trouble.
Praise for Tipee Hipee series!
"My Grandson is a bright young seven year old, always curious about how things work and why. I discovered the Tipee Hipee series late last year when looking for something that we could both enjoy reading together over the Christmas holiday period. The animal characters and their adventures are engaging for both Grandson and Grandfather. The artwork is bright and full of movement and the enjoyment of the book is extended by the find out about and learn to draw activities at the back of the book - a real bonus. Congratulations to all involved, I trust that you are going to write more in the series."
John Cupples, Regional Director - Hay Group Worldwide
Sydney, Australia
"My Grandson is a bright young seven year old, always curious about how things work and why. I discovered the Tipee Hipee series late last year when looking for something that we could both enjoy reading together over the Christmas holiday period. The animal characters and their adventures are engaging for both Grandson and Grandfather. The artwork is bright and full of movement and the enjoyment of the book is extended by the find out about and learn to draw activities at the back of the book - a real bonus. Congratulations to all involved, I trust that you are going to write more in the series."
John Cupples, Regional Director - Hay Group Worldwide
Sydney, Australia
Unique presentation for a total educational and entertaining experience!
Each book is uniquely presented and contains two parts. The first part is the story, wonderfully illustrated by Nur Azmi. The second part contains photographs of animals with factual information. This is followed by several pages of How-to-draw animals with step-by-step instructions from the illustrator. Finally, a quiz section to see who knows the most about the animals in the book!
These books are not only beautifully produced, they are bound to keep children occupied for hours and are also ideal for reading and discussing together, whether at home or at school!
Author Peter Worthington has written a number of books for children but the Tipee Hipee series remains his favourite as he recalled the hours of fun he had had with his children in just such a safari park.!
These books are not only beautifully produced, they are bound to keep children occupied for hours and are also ideal for reading and discussing together, whether at home or at school!
Author Peter Worthington has written a number of books for children but the Tipee Hipee series remains his favourite as he recalled the hours of fun he had had with his children in just such a safari park.!
Praise for Tipee Hippe series:
"I have read the whole series of the Tipee Hipee books to my nieces and nephew who absolutely love them.
A particular favourite is “Patricks Terrifying Times” where a mischievous possum has a terrible time with giraffes, hippos and other animals in the park. The children are very amused by this tale and intrigued with the antics of the animals. The Tipee Hipee books keep them amused and fascinated further confirming their love of animals. As a parent, I am particularly impressed with the activities and information at the back of each title. A very thoughtful and impressive part of each book. I would not hesitate to recommend the series to other parents."
Jane Smeaton, Australia
Tipee Hipee Early Readers
Now available due to popular request, the Tipee Hipee series has been made into a series of 18 leveled readers for children ages 4-8.
The Tipee Hipee is the first in the series of the LET's READ! Early Reader Books. These books make reading fun for children. The books are at three levels and colour coded. Children can progress confidently from one level to the next. The books are ideal for reading aloud; the stories and illustrations provide many opportunities for discussion and interaction with children, making reading a fun and memorable experien ce. Simple questions and a picture to draw at the back of each book enhance understanding and encourage realated reading activities.
RED - for ages 3-6: Up to 25 words per page; simple stories in short sentences and easy words
YELLOW - for ages 5-7: Up to 35 words per page; longer sentences and more vocabulary
BLUE - for ages 6-8; 50 or more words per page; more complex stories, richer vocabulary
RED - for ages 3-6: Up to 25 words per page; simple stories in short sentences and easy words
YELLOW - for ages 5-7: Up to 35 words per page; longer sentences and more vocabulary
BLUE - for ages 6-8; 50 or more words per page; more complex stories, richer vocabulary
The Life and Times of Sydney the Snail
written by Peter Worthington
illustrated by Nur Azmi Mokhter
Sydney the snail lives in the garden with his friends and there is never a dull moment! He and his friends, Snelia the beautiful girl snail, Worsley the cool worm, Arabella the captain ant, Lucy the ladybird, Freddy the frog and Catherine the caterpillar have good times together. But they are also faced with dangers in the form of the farmer, Sinister the spider and vicious piranhas! When it gets a bit boring on Earth, they hop onto a special space capsule that Sydney has built and off they go to Mars! However, they realise there is really no place like home!
A series of 8 rollicking fun stories written for the young reader who is starting to enjoy stories.
How Tiffy Found a Home
written by Loh Wan Inn and George Jacobs
illustrated by Sarah Joan Mokhtar
Jason finds a homeless kitten and wants to take it home. Oh no! says mom, we already have two cats at home. But Jason's kind heart wins the day and they take the little kitten home. Jason decides to call it Tiffy. But will the two other cats like Tiffy and will it find a home with them?
Loh Wan Innn has an Ed.D in science education, an M.Ed., and an M.A. She has published books on education and preschool readers, and a book on environmental education for preschool educators for the Singapore Environmental Council.
George M Jacobs has a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and an M.A. in Linguistics. He is a keen advocate on reading aloud and has presented many workshops for teachers and parents on encouraging children to read.
George M Jacobs has a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and an M.A. in Linguistics. He is a keen advocate on reading aloud and has presented many workshops for teachers and parents on encouraging children to read.
Dougie Dung Beetle
by Loh Wan Inn and George Jacobs
Authors Loh Wan Inn and George Jacobs have written another wonderful story for children, this time on the role of dung beetles. Children will be fascinated to learn the life cycle of dung beetles and will definitely enjoy this humorous story.
