“Where can I find good Chinese storybooks for my primary school kid?”
This is one question that I get asked every year during my parent teacher meeting (PTM) sessions.
Today, I’ll answer this once and for all and recommend 3 popular bookstores that Chinese teachers in Singapore often go to to get our Chinese resources.
(Although the first bookstore that comes to mind is your child’s school bookshop, I realised that not every school bookshop has Chinese storybooks. Most of the time, they have more assessment books and exercise books than that. Anyway, you might want to try that first just in case your child’s school bookshop is the odd one out.)
Bookstore #1: Popular Bookstore
Every parent in Singapore visits Popular bookstore to get textbooks, English storybooks and stationery. Do you know that they sell Chinese storybooks too?
The only thing that you need to note is that the selection of Chinese reading materials is different at different branches. Some sell just a few common Chinese books while others have a large collection of Chinese comics, picture books or storybooks.
Personally, I like the Popular branch that is located at Bras Brasah. The location is more centralized and I find the variety of books there more interesting too.
Bookstore #2: Your neighbourhood library
Ok, this is not really a bookstore, but if you don’t mind sharing, your neighbourhood library can be another great place to visit for free Chinese resources.
The books in our Singapore libraries have all been carefully curated and sourced from many different parts of the world. You can expect to find many enjoyable kid-friendly Chinese literature and classics in the Chinese section. These books have been written by famous authors from China and Taiwan.
Most of the time, I find that the selection in our neighbourhood library is more imaginative in nature and cover a variety of topics from history, science, art and humour. Whether your child is a serious reader or just beginning to explore reading Chinese books, you’ll definitely what you want to expose them to these gems.
Pick one of these super kid-friendly libraries in Singapore this weekend and begin your journey of discovery with your child.
Bookstore #3: Lingzi online bookstore
Since the previous two recommendations are offline ones, let me recommend a personal favourite online bookstore – lingzi online bookstore. I’ve bought many books from lingzi bookstore over the years and find that their books are very good supplements to what our primary school kids are learning in school.
They have picture books, comics and Chinese storybooks that are catered to the different levels. This is especially helpful if you want to get reading material that are curriculum-relevant. If you are feeling a bit lazy, I think they offer free delivery above a certain price as well.
Conclusion
Now that you know where are the popular bookstores to get good reading material for your child, it’s time to go shopping! Let me know what you got in the comments below.
