This former lawyer writes inclusive children’s books so kids of different abilities can enjoy the same stories

Lee Seow Ser, a former lawyer, has dedicated her life to writing inclusive children’s books that cater to children of different abilities. In 2014, during a sabbatical from her legal career, she fell ill and underwent major surgery, which she described as a "major turning point" in her life. This event prompted her to leave her job and pursue other life aspirations.

While working as a lawyer, Lee had been writing as a hobby and volunteered with the National Parks Board, taking photos and writing about Singapore’s parks. She would attend literary festivals to stimulate her creative juices. During one such event, she inquired about the lack of books for visually impaired people in Singapore’s bookstores. Despite having no personal connection with visually impaired individuals, Lee felt compelled to make their experiences accessible.

With the help of Hidayah Amin, founder of Helang Books, Lee decided to transcribe Hidayah’s award-winning children’s book, The Mango Tree, into braille. They also added a tactile cover image of the mango tree and its fruits, allowing blind children to feel the picture. This successful launch led to the creation of To SIR (Socially Inclusive Reads) With Love, a ground-up initiative founded by Lee, Hidayah, and Tan Ai Khim in 2015.

To SIR has produced two book series: Little Kids, Big Ideas and I Am Unique. The Little Kids, Big Ideas series retells Asian stories and folktales with good values, featuring young children from various ethnic backgrounds. All books in this series use dyslexia-friendly text, braille, and tactile pictures. Notably, Hang Nadim And Garfish and Siti Wan Kembang And The Deer were recognized as a 2017 IBBY Outstanding Book for Young People with Disabilities.

The I Am Unique series focuses on the stories of real individuals with special needs and disabilities, such as autism, Down syndrome, motor neurone disease, and cerebral palsy. Seven books have been published so far, with a forthcoming book on thalassaemia. Lee's involvement in SIR has helped her build friendships with people who are blind or have disabilities, like Tan Siew Ling. She wrote a book about her experiences, My Name Is Siew Ling. I am Deafblind, published in June 2026.

In 2024, Lee enrolled in a six-month specialist diploma in social entrepreneurship at the Dr Richard KM Eu – SIM Social Entrepreneurship Centre. She aimed to deepen her understanding of social entrepreneurship and grow To SIR using this model. This educational pursuit not only helped Lee grow as a community advocate but also exposed her to new networks for collaboration.