Young Singaporean Sisters Create Storybook, Gifted to PM Lee for Grandkids

What were you doing at 10? For Eden Teoh, a 10-year-old Singaporean, it involved creating a children’s book called Ekor’s Tail. Released in August, this charming story follows a mousedeer and a lion on adventures around Singapore, with the lion seeking his lost tail and a sense of belonging. Eden took charge of writing, while her younger sisters April, 8, and Quinn, 6, illustrated the book.

The Teoh sisters even had the chance to gift a copy of Ekor’s Tail to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at a Teck Ghee Community Club event on September 3. PM Lee later posted on Facebook that he would read it with his grandchildren, adding to the family’s joy over their creation.

Inspiration Behind Ekor’s Tail

The story came to life after a family vacation in Perth. A rainy day indoors inspired Eden and her sisters to write a story featuring Singaporean animals. They chose the lion, which turns into a Merlion, and the mousedeer, a native species, as main characters. The tale also celebrates local culture with alliterations like “chicken rice at Changi” and “kambing soup at Kranji.” Eden said the book’s rhymes were influenced by Australian children’s author Mem Fox, who once encouraged her to write her “own treasure.”

Illustration and Publishing Journey

With colored rice paper and magic markers, the sisters created vibrant illustrations. April, who loves art, guided the team to keep the characters consistent. They even self-published with help from their mom, eventually achieving bestseller status on Amazon in the “multicultural children’s books” category.

The sisters hope to release Chinese and bilingual editions, as well as versions in Braille and audiobook formats. Eden, who aspires to attend Singapore’s School of the Arts (SOTA), is already at work on her next book and encourages young authors to “write about something you’d want to read yourself.”

The paperback version of Ekor’s Tail is available on Amazon Singapore and Barnes & Noble.