Little Pioneers
by Bessie Chua
Chun lives in a shophouse on Telok Ayer Street where bullock carts and rickshaws clatter by. Her blissful life with her family and her beloved grandmother is upset by the new ideas of a man who looks Chinese but doesn't dress like one. He tells her father that Chun and her sisters should go to school. Mother firmly disagrees. Chun turns to her wise grandmother for help, but she keeps strangely quiet.
To make matters worse, the cooks assistant, Boh Gnee, gives her the creeps – he is always staring at her. One day, he surprises her with something that changes both their lives.
Size: 130 x 195 mm
Extent: 159 pages
Binding: Paperback
Weight: 260 g
ISBN: 978-981-3065-95-8
Reviews
A captivating and heart-warming story of family life during the early days of Singapore's Chinatown – a story growing in Bessie's heart and finally captured in writing rich in detail and colour.
– Jessie Wee, prize-winning children's book author
From Goodreads
I loved how Bessie shared a story of history that is relatable to me, being a Singaporean Daughter. She has added essential little details in her narrative that properly portrays the history of how life in Singapore was, with operas held at the temples, family run shophouses and businesses, as well as the hierarchical life at home – all told in the eyes of a little girl. Definitely a read I would recommend to young readers and readers looking to gain insight into life in Singapore in the olden days.