My alarm goes off at half past five in the morning. After I turn my mobile off, as it reminds me to get up and get going, I see that the cold night had brought emails from Asia.
My publisher and editor from Asiapac Books, Singapore wrote to me say that last week in Singapore, during the Popular BookFest 2011, one of my titles was nominated for the ReadersChoice Awards. Yay! What a great way to start a day.
Then I checked it out on the Internet. It is among the fiction and non-fiction titles for children and although it didn’t win – it is great to be nominated.
The point about books in Singapore and other Asian countries is that families like non-fiction as much as fiction. Text books and books on improvement sell really well in Singapore. So it is not a miracle to see a book like Top Learning Tips to be on the same list as fiction titles.
How did I get to do Top Learning Tips?
My editor at Asiapac Books, the unflappable Lydia Lum gave me a challenge. 4 pre-defined characters and a title – you will need to write believable stories about these 4 kids and still teach concepts. One of the very first ones I wrote was “Top Health Tips”, about being healthy for young children.
When Top Learning Tips was offered as a commission I jumped at it. Having taught for many years, this was a subject close to my heart. I wrote about lots of different new topics – from preparing for class, listening, to mind-mapping and collaborative learning. We even touched on topics dear to parents’ hearts – preparing ahead for exams, not getting nervous. We also added some local colour by adding Feng Shui tips for decorating a study.
Not only that, the title had an interview from a local student who had excelled. To bring the topics closer to home and make it real.
I enjoyed working on this topic so much and on other top tips books, because I learn as much during the research as much as the readers. I started using mind-maps for fleshing out my picture book ideas during PiBoIdMO2010 and I was glad to pass on some of my teaching wisdom as part of this book.
I am very glad that this book was nominated by readers, because that means, kids are telling me they like the content and they like learning and they like learning in new ways.
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