For those who understands me, it's really tough to get me to read a book. I've bought many books where I've had the urge to read them, but really, they just end up in a pile in some corner of my room. I want to read them. I just haven't found the right timing (maybe...). There has only been a few books which I really read them, page to page. Harry Potter being one of the series. If you count graphic books, I'm following a series by a famous Taiwanese blogger/illustrator.
It's just like blogging. No point saying I want to pick up blogging again if I end up not doing it! Figured I would just write whenever I feel like to. Or like keeping a diary like in "The Diary of Amos Lee".
It's a new book I got from Popular bookstore on Saturday evening. And I couldn't really put it down. It's a book for Young/Intermediate Readers - so it's simple and easy to read, not a lot of text, has attractive illustrations. But I also thought it was interesting! In fact, after finishing the whole book, I found some of the stories quite motivating.
It's written by a local author, Adeline Foo (whom I later found out to be the wife of my brother-in-law's boss). And it began with the boy ("Amos Lee") starting to write his diary in the toilet "when (he is) doing (his) big business." Story after story, the diary takes the readers into the mind of a 10-year-old boy living in Singapore. Amos Lee writes about everything and anything! Things that happened in school, activities he did with his family, assignments his mother took him and the sister out for, his relationship with his best friends, things he desires/enjoys, things he hates, things he did good or wrong. He is absolutely honest in his diary, despite knowing that his mother is reading it (and father too). While I wonder how much of all that is true story, and if any of it is true, it was entertaining to pick up a few facts (on frogs and pangolins!), and just see what life of a 10-year-old boy could be like. (I thought Amos Lee is rather fortunate to have experienced all that!)
You may also find some of the stories rather motivating for adults.
For example, a 10-year-old boy who makes his goods to sell? I'm sure adults can have more better ideas at entrepreneurship! What about a 10-year-old who raises funds to help a schoolmate who has bullied him before? We can do more with being generous and forgiving in this society!
I've never paid much attention to local publications. But I think "The Diary of Amos Lee" has completely changed my opinion. It's a diary, basically one anecdote after another, which makes it real easy to just pick up and put down the book anytime and anywhere you want, e.g. while waiting for bus to come, commuting on MRT to work, at a restaurant waiting for food to be served, on the bed waiting to fall asleep or when you're in the toilet for 'big business'! Most of the stories are lighthearted to read. Some may get down to more serious business, but things do smooth out eventually. There is a lot of character development towards the end of the book too.
"The Diary of Amos Lee" series also had great illustrations. That was what caught my eye at the bookstore. Illustrated by local designer/illustrator, Stephanie Wong, the doodles are cute, interesting, eye-catchy, appropriate, making the book an enjoyable item to hold and keep.
Overall, a thumbs-up for this book! Also, I just went to the bookstore today and bought #2, 3, 3.5 and 4 of the series.
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