Such a delight it was to see both books sitting side by side on the shelf of the Singapore Collections in a regional library that I had to (sadly) put back two books from the shortlisted pile in favor of them two.
Because whilst it can be possible to see either book on the shelf at any one point in time, much harder is it to see both books together on the shelf at the same time.
And whilst you can (technically) read either the Textbook or the Workbook on its own, this is one series that I've found best to be read together.
I like to think that it was written to be that way.
See, I've read The Textbook on its own. I've also read The Workbook on its own. But none of those times have left an impression on me as deep as this time when I read The Textbook first, then followed up by the Workbook immediately after.
For the first time in a long while I remember the names of the characters, I remember the name of the junior college, and I remember the name of the principal and the notable teachers.
There was the average-everything dude named Chung Kai, the studious one with the files and notes named Mui Ee (whom had a crush on the playboy Eurasian in the same school), the voluptuous sexy one named Sissy Song (whom everyone thought was a flirt and easy to conquer but who turned out otherwise), the dandy rich one named Loo Kok Sean (who lisped and whom everyone called Sean) and finally the good looking, clean-cut, desirable one named Daniel (something) who turned out to be the younger brother of a teacher in Paya Lebar Junior College named Miss Boon, and who in turn was dating an expatriate fellow teacher named Mir. Mills. Not forgetting, of course, the very strict Principal named E. (something) (something) Subramaniam and whom, in the course of reading the Workbook, would discover a little more about his wife, his family life, and his first name.
There's a lot about Mui Ee, her mother, her aunt, her flat, her neighborhood, and her room. There's also a lot about her mother being traditional and racially biased when it comes to her daughter's boyfriend, and being even more traditional when it comes to her daughter not having a boyfriend whilst she's still in school.
There's also quite a bit about Chung Kai and his father and his family, as much as there is about Daniel, his lovely home, his mother, her friends, and his kitchen which he cooks in. Then there's Sean and the fast car he drives and the parties he goes to, and finally there's Sissy and a tiny little bit about her room, and the magazines in her room.
Altogether the series is a heartwarming, simple, almost-autobiographical one, and for someone who had a year of college during the very time frame that this story is set within- we're talking the 90's- very touching, and very nostalgic even it is to be able to read it once again, in 2020.
At least, through the pages of this story, the teenagers of yesteryear won't forget what Far East Plaza at Scotts Road used to be.
Because whilst it can be possible to see either book on the shelf at any one point in time, much harder is it to see both books together on the shelf at the same time.
And whilst you can (technically) read either the Textbook or the Workbook on its own, this is one series that I've found best to be read together.
I like to think that it was written to be that way.
See, I've read The Textbook on its own. I've also read The Workbook on its own. But none of those times have left an impression on me as deep as this time when I read The Textbook first, then followed up by the Workbook immediately after.
For the first time in a long while I remember the names of the characters, I remember the name of the junior college, and I remember the name of the principal and the notable teachers.
There was the average-everything dude named Chung Kai, the studious one with the files and notes named Mui Ee (whom had a crush on the playboy Eurasian in the same school), the voluptuous sexy one named Sissy Song (whom everyone thought was a flirt and easy to conquer but who turned out otherwise), the dandy rich one named Loo Kok Sean (who lisped and whom everyone called Sean) and finally the good looking, clean-cut, desirable one named Daniel (something) who turned out to be the younger brother of a teacher in Paya Lebar Junior College named Miss Boon, and who in turn was dating an expatriate fellow teacher named Mir. Mills. Not forgetting, of course, the very strict Principal named E. (something) (something) Subramaniam and whom, in the course of reading the Workbook, would discover a little more about his wife, his family life, and his first name.
There's a lot about Mui Ee, her mother, her aunt, her flat, her neighborhood, and her room. There's also a lot about her mother being traditional and racially biased when it comes to her daughter's boyfriend, and being even more traditional when it comes to her daughter not having a boyfriend whilst she's still in school.
There's also quite a bit about Chung Kai and his father and his family, as much as there is about Daniel, his lovely home, his mother, her friends, and his kitchen which he cooks in. Then there's Sean and the fast car he drives and the parties he goes to, and finally there's Sissy and a tiny little bit about her room, and the magazines in her room.
Altogether the series is a heartwarming, simple, almost-autobiographical one, and for someone who had a year of college during the very time frame that this story is set within- we're talking the 90's- very touching, and very nostalgic even it is to be able to read it once again, in 2020.
At least, through the pages of this story, the teenagers of yesteryear won't forget what Far East Plaza at Scotts Road used to be.