Showing results by author "Catherine Khoo" in All Categories

Young Author World is a podcast where we discover the creative mindscapes of our young authors from around Southeast Asia. In each episode, we chat with our Young Authors on the various inspirations and motivations that drive their writing journey. The podcast is produced by the Catherine Khoo Writing Foundation: Building the Next Generation of Thinkers and Writers. Come along and explore with us! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a South Indian village, a girl named Savitri has a greedy brother who summons a mighty demon to work for him. The demon, Rakshasa, tells him he must be kept busy or he will eat the brother. Eventually, the brother runs out of tasks for Rakshasa, and Savitri must think of an impossible task to keep Rakshasa busy–she challenges the demon to straighten her curly hair.

In this latest instalment of the popular picture book series, Asia's Lost Legends, the story travels to the steppes of Mongolia, where lives a young fiddle player named Suho and his beloved horse, Khuur. The two friends are inseparable until a cruel king tries to tear them apart. But the bond between Suho and Khuur is so strong that it cannot be broken. Instead, it inspires the creation of Mongolia's national instrument.

The story of Tokoyo is one of Japan's lesser known legends, yet Tokoyo is widely recognised for her bravery and strength. Tokoyo grew up in a small fishing village as the daughter of a samurai. When her father is banished to the Oki Islands by his warlord, Tokoyo is left behind all alone. Through the strength of her love for her father, Tokoyo gives up everything she owns and travels far and wide to reach him. Yet one obstacle remains before father and daughter can be reunited: the fearsome Yofune Nushi - a sea serpent that terrorises the waters surrounding the Oki Islands.

Dewi had a very mean stepmother and a very lazy stepsister. She was blamed for her father's death and was treated badly. But everything changed on the day the earth shook. It was the day houses toppled and trees crashed to the ground. It was the day Dewi found her stepmother and stepsister trapped under the rubble. How could Dewi save them?

Kompheak was born with no legs. His father, who was ashamed of the child's deformity, ordered that the baby be sent down the river. But as fate would have it, the baby is found and raised by a wise man who teaches the child the ways of healing. In time, Kompheak becomes a famous medicine boy. He travels far and wide in a wheelchair built especially for him. But one day Kompheak meets a dying old man with a familiar face, and his life changes forever.

Renowned for his wisdom and sense of fairness, Justice Bao was a high-ranking magistrate during the Song dynasty in ancient China. In The Case of the Missing Coins, Justice Bao as to decide what to do when a merchant accuses a woodcutter of stealing his money. Should he take the word of the well-dressed merchant or believe the shabby woodcutter who can barely speak for himself?

In ancient Vietnam, there once lived a King called Hung Vuong. He was a benevolent king who ruled wisely and with much kindness. As Hung Vuong grew old, he had to pick one of his children to succeed him. To help him decide, the sons were given an important task to prepare a meal fit for a king. The two older sons journeyed to the farthest lands to find the rarest ingredients.

When Li Po travels from China to Malaysia to marry the Sultan of Malacca, the people are reluctant to welcome her as their Princess. But Li Po embraces all aspects of her new home and very cleverly blends elements of her past and present cultures. With her command of the Malay language and her ability to create new clothes and foods, she forms a hybrid culture—that of the Peranakans. Will the people of Malacca accept her now?