All ready to start November on a “write” note?
This year’s Singapore Writers Festival 2021 is all about Guilty Pleasures and held between 5 to 14 November. Organised by Arts House Limited, commissioned by National Arts Council and supported by Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY), the festival has plenty of programmes for children and teens!
Singapore Writers Festival 2021 also pays tribute to Hedwig Anuar, Singapore’s First Lady of books! Learn more about her through the festival’s first playground-themed exhibition digitally which will nurture your little ones’ love for stories and spark their creativity.
Inspire the next generation of aspiring writers with specially curated programmes! From bilingual storytelling, live drawing, unpacking KPOP to gaming stories, the themes are rich enough for any child to choose a programme that appeals.
Enjoy free and individually ticketed programmes, and download a specially commissioned e-book, Gulabi’s Guilty Pleasures from 5 Nov onwards. Better yet, get a festival pass, starting from $20, for access to a buffet of over 140 onsite and online programmes as well as video on demand content!
Festival passes can be purchased at singaporewritersfestival.com!
SWF Playground at Singapore Writers Festival 2021
Everyone has guilty pleasures, including children!
Indulge them this year at Singapore Writers Festival Playground – just for kids. There is plenty of space for them to imagine, dream, draw, write and expand their world, all from the comfort of home.
Teens are not forgotten! The Youth Fringe programmes will draw them into aspects of teen culture like horror, gaming and the K-Pop phenomena.
Find out more about the programmes for children, teens and families below.
Programmes for 4 to 8 Year Olds
Bilingual Storytime with Quek Hong Shin
Join author Quek Hong Shin who will read from the English and Chinese editions of his book The Amazing Sarong in this bilingual storytelling session. Details here.
Free with Registration
Digital Format
Date: 6 Nov, Sat, 2 pm to 2.30 pm
Bilingual Storytime with Abhi Krish
Be careful what you wish for! Paaru and Shivam makes a wish about a magic box with an endless supply of junk food. What happens next? Is it a dream come true? Join Abhi Krish in this storytelling session in Tamil and English. Details here.
Free with Registration
Digital Format
Date: 6 Nov, Sat, 4 pm to 4.30 pm
Bilingual Storytime with Nur-El-Hudaa Jaffar
A-choo! What made Grandaunt Tina sneeze? No it’s not COVID-19! Find out how Nuha and her family identify the cause of the sneeze and learn how to problem-solve in this storytelling session conducted in Malay and English. Details here.
Free with Registration
Digital Format
Date: 7 Nov, Sun, 2 pm to 2.30 pm
TomDogfoolery and Other Animal Shenanigans
Animals? Mischief? Children can surely identify with that. Ross Collins reads from his hilarious picture books such as This is a Dog and There’s a Bear on My Chair. What are the animals up to? Find out in the award-winning picture book author’s live drawing session. Details here.
Festival Pass
Digital Format
Date: 7 Nov, Sun, 1 pm to 1.45 pm
Hedwig’s Adventures
Ever wondered who was the founder of our modern library system? She was also the first Singaporean Director of the National Library. Big eyes, curly hair – she is Hedwig Anuar. Discover more about the awesome woman behind our public libraries in this storytelling session with Amy J Cheng. Details here.
Digital Format
Date: 13 Nov, Sat, 10.30 am to 11.15 am
Programmes for 7 to 12 Year Olds
Free E-Picture Book – Gulabi’s Guilty Pleasures by Debasmita Dasgupta
Being little can be tough because you have to follow all the rules made by big people. Gulabi tries her best but she doesn’t want to do what she is told. Explore the theme of Singapore Writers Festival 2021 “Guilty Pleasures” through an animated e-picture book specially written and illustrated by Debasmita Dasgupta! Debasmita is a Singapore-based, internationally published, Kirkus Best Prize-nominated illustrator and graphic novelist. Her animated stories have been showcased at Raindance Film Festival in London and Toronto.
Download it here for free, it is recommended for your 7 to 10 year old and your inner child.
Adventures in My Lunchbox with Little Miss Bento
Join celebrity food artist Little Miss Bento to make bentos! Learn bento-making skills and techniques with Shirley Wong. Create an appetising character bento box inspired by the Percy and Pam series, just in time for lunchtime! Details here.
Participants will have to prepare ingredients and tools ahead of the workshop.
Ticketed. Book here.
Digital Format
Date: 6 Nov 12 pm to 1pm, 13 Nov, 12.30 pm to 1.30 pm
Write Your Next Adventure
Want to know how to create characters? Learn from Debbi Michiko Florence, US-based author of the award-winning Jasmine Toguchi series in this workshop. Debbi will also share how to use personal experiences, hopes and dreams to create compelling story characters. Details here.
Festival Pass with registration
Digital Format
Date: 6 Nov, Sat, 8 pm to 9.30 pm
On the Trail of a Red Herring
Yearning to write an exciting mystery story? In this workshop, learn how to lay out clues that mislead the detective yet make sense in the end! Join Sylvia Bishop, author of The Secret of the Night Train and other adventurous middle-grade mysteries. Details here.
Festival Pass with registration
Digital Format
Date: 6 Nov, Sat, 5.30 pm to 7 pm
Detectives and Agents on Tour!
Ready for a mission? Travel with teen detectives and cat agents to solve mysteries and save the world! Sylvia Bishop and Darren Lim will be sharing how research is essential for vivid descriptions of journeys and destinations in books like The Secret of the Night Train and Ace Agent Spycat and the Flying Sidekick. Details here.
Festival Pass
Digital Format
Date:7 Nov, Sun, 4.30 pm to 5.30 pm
Programmes for Teens
How You Like That: Unpacking K-Pop
Everyone knows K-Pop – slick choreography, quality production, die-hard fans. Dive into music videos, teasers, comics, secret notes of K-Pop superstars like BTS, EXO and Loona to explore the world behind K-Pop. Is it really pop music on crack that has sucked billions into its fanbase? Details here.
Festival Pass with registration
Hybrid Format (Digital & The Arts House)
Date: 6 Nov, Sat, 12.30 pm to 1.30 pm
Script-writing workshop by Jamal Ismail
Learn the art of script-writing from seasoned scriptwriter and director Jamal Ismail. He will be focusing on story-telling, plot development, characterisation and creating believable dialogues. Details here.
Ticketed. Book here.
Venue: Malay Heritage Centre
Date: 6 Nov, Sat, 3 pm to 6 pm
Rhianna Pratchett: Achievement Unlocked
Award-winning game writer Rhianna Pratchett, also the author behind popular games like Tomb Raider and Overlord and Fighting Fantasy adventure novel, will unpack what makes a compelling storyline. If you love a good action-packed game with death-defying protagonists and intriguing origin stories, you will love this session which includes a live Q&A. Details here.
Festival Pass Plus
Digital Format
Date: 12 Nov, Fri, 9 pm to 10 pm
Programmes for Families
2021 Literary Pioneer Exhibition
Families can step into the many worlds that Hedwig Anuar has brought us to and unearth libraries and books as spaces of literary imagination, exploration and discovery. The importance of the modern library system is attributed to Anuar’s contribution as first Singaporean director of the National Library, champion of children’s literature and pioneer. Details here.
Hybrid Format (Digital & National Library Plaza)
Dates: Digital from 5 Nov onwards; National Library Plaza from 6 to 14 Nov
Creature Comforts
Does your child have a chou chou? Unable to wash your child’s stinky blanket or pillow? Or maybe you are the one with the bantal busuk and an army of plushies! Join in the celebration of our favourite comfort objects. This session is for children and families, and includes a live Q&A. Details here.
Festival Pass with registration
Hybrid Format (Digital & The Arts House)
Date: 6 Nov, Sat, 5 pm to 6 pm
How do we discuss complex issues like ageing, health with our children in a sensitive and engaging way? The reality of living in an ageing society is undeniable and many families have to grapple with such issues. Join authors Melanie Lee and Daryl Kho as they discuss how to use fantasy elements like mythical creatures and superpowers to explore dementia in stories for tweens. This session is recommended for children and families. Details here.
Festival Pass with registration
Hybrid Format (Digital & The Arts House)
Date: 13 Nov, Sat, 6 pm to 7 pm
Be Inspired to Start the Conversation “Write” Away at Singapore Writers Festival 2021
Don’t miss the Singapore Writers Festival 2021 from 5 to 14 November for a chance to meet your child’s favourite authors and spark conversation and creativity in your child. The hybrid format is a refreshing one for all audiences whether you choose to stay home or be physically present.
For more programme details and how to purchase festival passes, head to singaporewritersfestival.com.
This feature is brought to you by Singapore Writers Festival. All information is correct at time of publication.
