Southeast Asia’s literature is as rich and diverse as the region itself, but unfortunately, there’s still a dearth of books for children by Southeast Asian authors translated into English. Even when they are written in English by Southeast Asian writers, such as the books by Singaporean Shamini Flint and Malaysian Margaret Lim, they rarely find their way into the US or other English-speaking countries. It’s fairly easy to find factual books or folktale retellings, but the majority of the books in English related to the region are written by European or American authors.

PaperTigers this week joins many other bloggers on a virtual tour of children’s literature from/about Southeast Asia by pointing readers to reviews and blog posts written by our team:

Former PaperTigers blog contributor Janet Brown has looked closely at the book Happiness of Kati, by Thai writer Jane Vejjajiva. Aimed at 12+ year-olds, the book was the first children’s book to win the S.E.A. Write Award, given to the best literature by Southeast Asians. Read Janet’s three posts about the book (1, 2, 3), as she gets deeper into this beautifully layered story of a Thai girl and her family. And for an interesting look at the world of children’s books in Thailand, read the transcript of a paper by Jane Vejjajiva, presented at the IBBY Congress, in 2008.

Reviewed by Charlotte, The Killing Sea (Simon & Schuster) by lifelong Bali resident Richard Lewis is a fictionalized account of the impact of the 2004 Tsunami in Aceh, Indonesia, particularly on the lives of two teenagers caught up in the tragedy. Lewis’ The Flame Tree, also set in Indonesia in post 9/11, is another important title, as it helps dispel stereotypes, especially common since then, about the Islamic world.

The Bee Tree, written by Stephen Buchmann and Diana Cohn, illustrated by Paul Mirocha (Cinco Puntos), is a coming-of-age story that blends “myth, geography, and harvest and Islamic rituals to create a rich tapestry of multicultural experiences”.

The round-up of the Southeast Asia blog tour, with links to all participating posts, will be posted at Chasing Ray on Wednesday, August 12th (which means bloggers still have time to send in their posts!). We are looking forward to finding out what others have contributed to the feast!

Coleen Mondor (Chasing Ray), Liz Burns (A Chair, A Fireplace and a Tea Cozy) and other bloggers are organizing a new “One Shot World Tour,” a multi-blog effort to promote children and ya literature from/about different parts of the world.

Some of you might remember their Australia edition in 2007, and the Canada one in 2008. This time they encourage everyone to explore Southeast Asia. Needless to say, we will be joining in on the fun (there’s even rumor of an interview with PaperTigers, which will be such an honor for us!). The round-up of posts will be hosted by Chasing Ray on Aug 12, so if you have book reviews, interviews or other content that relate to the region by way of author, illustrator or theme, make sure to send them your permalinks. For the sake of this project, the focus will be on: Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and The Philippines, so don’t miss out on the chance to participate and share your old favorites and/or new discoveries with all of us!

Nine-year-old Kati lives an idyllic life in rural Thailand, cherished by her grandparents, surrounded by people who care about her, a modern girl whose days are shaped by customs that are steeped in tradition. Her world is secure and she is happy, except for the nights when storms blow in, lightning fills the sky and following the rumbles of thunder, Kati can hear cries of “heart-stopping despair” mingled with the sound of the rain.

Nothing in her life has ever been tinged with the sadness Kati hears in these cries–or has it? Is her imagination playing tricks on her or are these sounds emerging from forgotten memories? When Kati discovers the answer to these questions, she also discovers joy and the true meaning of family, as well as grief that few girls her age have to face.

In this slender little book, Jane Vejjajiva illuminates another culture while exploring the universality of love and loss. The 2006 winner of Thailand’s S.E.A. Write Award that is given annually for outstanding Southeast Asian literature, this is a novel that celebrates life’s everyday pleasures as thoroughly as it examines some of its deepest questions.

Please join us in reading and discussing The Happiness of Kati.