**Peel and stick, and I become a bilingual picture book!
(With English stickers)

"Oh no! The reindeers need a break? But who will be pulling the sleigh and deliver the presents?"

Introduction

In life, we will meet people who may need our support. We should help them, but sometimes the ensuing extra work can lead to unhappiness. This can happen in the workplace, where we may need to take on additional responsibilities when colleagues are sick or pregnant. The additional workload thus caused may not be welcomed by colleagues.

This picture book was inspired by my personal observation of some women around me, who were bullied by their superiors and blamed by their colleagues because of certain challenges that they faced during their maternity. Their maternity rights, which are supposed to be protected by law, often are not upheld in reality.

Similarly, as children grow up and socialise with more people, and widen their social circle, they might encounter others who are sick, poor, intellectually challenged, or struggling academically. We should help our children understand the struggles of others and treat them with kindness and empathy. This will not only make our children more compassionate but will also contribute to the building of a more harmonious world.

I hope the story of the picture book will plant a seed of compassion within our young readers so that they will be willing to offer help to their peers who may encounter problems from time to time. Every small gesture of help can comfort someone in need. There is nothing to lose if we go the extra mile to help others. Going the extra step should not be seen as a burden; instead it should be lauded as a step in the journey toward shared happiness.

The "Singapore Kids' Picture Book Series"

The "Singapore Kids' Picture Book Series", published by the Singapore Centre for Chinese Language, is a collection of picture books written exclusively for children in Singapore. Every story in the series carries a typical Singapore cultural theme. The scenes depict the familiar local environment, and the characters possess the unique cultural traits of Singaporeans.

The picture books consist of a medley of simple narrative stories to illustrate how children can learn to handle the uncertainties they may struggle with in their social life experiences. The stories in the series, though simple, are deeply inspiring and are written by experts in the field of early childhood education.

We hope that this picture book series will become a treasured companion of Singapore children in their growing-up years.