2 free children’s books bring Singapore’s past to life through kaya toast and ice-cream bread
One book features Hainanese cuisine and culture, while the other shines the spotlight on the ice-cream uncle.
Singapore's rich heritage comes to life for children through the story of Bo’ Hou And The Grand Feast and My Ice Cream Uncle, two picture books created by young Hainanese immigrants. The Hainanese Cooked, a group of 24, 27, and 25-year-olds, have brought their heritage to the pages of a free online book, introducing young readers to dialect phrases and lesser-known delicacies like ge bia - a Hainanese-style mooncake.
Accompanying the book is a web map that highlights local eateries, a heritage temple, and a troupe preserving the art of Hainanese tiger dance. Another initiative, My Ice Cream Uncle, created by Scoops of Memory, features an e-book and a YouTube documentary on the disappearing ice cream hawker culture. These projects are part of the inaugural Temasek Foundation-National University of Singapore (NUS) Heritage Champions programme, where 125 tertiary students from two cohorts developed heritage projects supported by NUS Libraries, Temasek Foundation, and the National Heritage Board.
The books and projects aim to preserve stories and make them accessible to new generations, showcasing the importance of young voices in keeping heritage alive.
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