Singapore Book Awards

Celebrating Excellence in Singapore Publishing

The Singapore Book Awards, organised annually by the Singapore Book Publishers Association (SBPA), honours the very best in book publishing across Singapore. From literary works and children’s books to professional titles and non-fiction, these awards spotlight outstanding creativity, craftsmanship, and impact across all four official languages.

Why the Awards Matter?

Raising Industry Standards

Recognising excellence in editorial, design, and publishing quality.

Boosting Visibility

Showcasing authors, illustrators, and publishers locally and abroad.

Fostering Literary Culture

Encouraging reading, innovation, and storytelling across all languages.

Categories & Eligibility

The Singapore Book Awards recognises a wide spectrum of publishing excellence. From captivating fiction and insightful non-fiction to beautifully illustrated children’s titles and professional works, the Awards celebrate the breadth of Singapore’s publishing scene. To qualify, entries must be locally published, hold a Singapore ISBN or author, and comply with SBPA’s submission, deposit, and distribution requirements.

Diverse Award Categories

The Singapore Book Awards spans a wide range of genres, including fiction, non-fiction, children’s and young adult titles, illustrated works, and professional publications. This variety ensures that every corner of Singapore’s vibrant publishing industry is recognised and celebrated for its creativity and impact.

Clear Entry Requirements

Eligible titles must be locally published, carry a Singapore ISBN or be authored by a Singaporean, and meet SBPA’s deposit and distribution criteria. These requirements maintain fairness and highlight the excellence of works that contribute meaningfully to Singapore’s publishing landscape.

Submission Criteria

01.

Be published in one of the four official languages of Singapore.

02.

Have a Singapore ISBN number OR a publisher based in Singapore, with a Singaporean/PR author

03.

Hard copies must be legally deposited with the National Library Board.

04.

Books that are sold in print must be sold in retail stores locally and/or overseas.

05.

Be published in the calendar year before the Awards (ie for the 2024 Awards, books should have been published in 2023)

Translated Works

Translated works (from a foreign language to a Singapore official language) are also acceptable, provided that they meet the above criteria.

Previous Awards

THE MARKONO BEST LITERARY WORK AWARD

WINNER:Ownself Say Ownself by Joshua Ip (Landmark Books)

FINALISTS

  • Be Your Own Bae by Daryl Qilin Yam (Epigram Books)
  • Burn After Dawn by Chim Sher Ting (Landmark Books)
  • Deplorable Conversations with Cats and Other Discussions by Yeoh Jo-Ann (Penguin Random House SEA)
  • Neverness by Fairoz Ahmad (Ethos Books)

BEST GRAPHIC NOVEL

WINNER:Amber & Blue and the Hunt for DNA by Claudia Flandoli (WS Education)

FINALISTS

  • Classroom Critters: Birds Let Loose! by Maureen Yeo and Vandana Tjendana (Epigram Books)
  • Vanishing Point: The Comic Book by Felix Cheong ((Marshall Cavendish International)

BEST NON-FICTION TITLE

WINNER:If I were King of Singapore by Adrian Tan (Landmark Books)

FINALISTS

  • S. Rajaratnam, The Authorised Biography, Volume Two: The Lion’s Roar by Irene Ng (ISEAS Publishing)
  • The Great Port Cities of Asia: In History by Kennie Ting (Talisman Publishing)
  • Ayam Buah Keluak and the Art of Writing: a memoir on living creatively by Josephine Chia (Ethos Books)
  • Enigmas: Tay Seow Huah, My Father, Singapore’s Pioneer Spy Chief by Simon Tay (Landmark Books)

BEST ILLUSTRATED NON-FICTION TITLE

WINNER:BMT Sketchbook by Asher Ong (Landmark Books)

FINALISTS

  • Once Upon an Island: Images of Singapore (1950-1980) through the lens of Dr. Ivan Polunin by Ivan Polunin and Asmara Rabier (Suntree Media)
  • Collide: Embracing Conflict to Boost Creatively by Tay Guan Hin (Penguin Random House SEA)
  • Teo Eng Seng: We’re Happy. Are You Happy? (National Gallery Singapore)
  • Kueh-ving! An Illustrated Guide to Southeast Asian Cakes & Snacks by Clement Tea (Lioncake Studio)

BEST PROFESSIONAL TITLE

WINNER:Behind the Banyan: Ho Kwon Ping on building a global brand by Aaron Low (World Scientific Publishing)

FINALISTS

  • Future Human: Consciousness, Cognition and the Role of Human Insights in an AI Future by Tony Tan World Scientific Publishing)
  • Head to Heart to Habit: Why 90% of Efforts at Behavioural Change Fail and How to Overcome it by Oliver Foo (Marshall Cavendish International)
  • Rewrite the Rules: How Women Leaders in Asia are Changing the Leadership Paradigm by Ritu G. Mehrish and Rajita Saxena (Penguin Random House SEA)
  • The STAR System: Applying Visual Thinking for Business Success by Ai Yat Goh and Sherrie Low (Marshall Cavendish International)

THE JULIET DAVID BEST FOOD BOOK

WINNER:Lala-Land: Singapore’s Seafood Heritage by Anthony D. Medrano (Epigram Books)

FINALISTS

  • Can I Lick the Spoon, Mum? A Comic-Style Cookbook for Creating Asian Bakes and Family Memories in the Kitchen by Pamela Lim, illustrated by Japher Lim and Eliz Ong (WS Education)
  • NerdBaker 2: Tales from the Yeast Indies by Christopher Tan (Epigram Books)
  • The Tastes of Home: Easy-to-Cook Dishes from Singapore and Malaysia by Ong Jin Teong (Landmark Books)

BEST YOUNG PERSON’S FICITON TITLE

WINNER:The Travelling Library Chronicles of Maizey Lee: The Road to Bangkok by Erni Salleh (Epigram Books)

FINALISTS

  • Afternoon Yuan Yang Club by Jojo Chia (Epigram Books)
  • The Epic Tale of Mikaela Kong by Vivian Teo (Epigram Books)
  • The Twin Blades of Doom: Book 3 of Prophecy of the Underworld by Low Ying Ping (Penguin Random House SEA)

BEST YOUNG PERSON’S NON-FICTION TITLE

WINNER:The Rainforest Adventures of Biogirl MJ: Exploring Our Tropical Rainforests To Solve a Magical Mystery by Kong Man Jing and Raye Ng, illustrated by Alan Bay (WS Education)

FINALISTS

  • Dangerous or Endangered? Discover the Fascinating Truths of 25 Marine Creatures by Neo Mei Lin, illustrated by Adel Lee (WS Education)
  • Secret of Singapore: Mission Maritime by Angèle Lee, illustrated by Alan Bay (Epigram Books)

BEST PICTURE BOOK

WINNER:Jemma Dreams of Sushi by Ruo-Ting & Mark Chen, illustrated by Cacticyn (Epigram Books)

FINALISTS

  • Augustus Romulus: The Tale-Us of the Tigerus Who Would Like To Get Out of This Bookus by Fleur Vella-Chang (Ethos Books)
  • Dung, Dung, Dung, DUNG!, by Emily Lim-Leh and Pauline Loh, illustrated by Cheng Puay Koon (Graceworks Pte Ltd)
  • Madam Jug Finds Kindness by Sophia Huang, illustrated by Evelyn Ghozalli (Marshall Cavendish International)
  • Santa’s Little Goblins by Janina Kutyn, illustrated by Junis Laureano (Pepper Dog Press)

THE CLASS BEST TEXTBOOK

WINNER:Digital Literacy and Computing Grades 1 to 6 (Marshall Cavendish Education)

FINALISTS

  • Character and Citizenship Education Primary 1 (Star Publishing)
  • Malay Language For Primary Schools (CITA) Textbook P1B (Marshall Cavendish Education)

BEST EDUCATIONAL SUPPLEMENT

WINNER:Singapore Maths Calendar 2025 (Child Education Co.)

FINALISTS

  • iCritic: Flip Over, Think Bolder Issue 3: The Green Path (ilovereading.sg)
  • One Tough Ball: A story about the courage to stand tall by Daphne Ang and Han Jiamin, illustrated by Richelle Araujo (My Curious Child)
  • Quiz Champs: Adaptations by Manisha Nayak (WS Education)
  • Timmy & Tammy: At The National Library by Ruth Wan-Lau, illustrated by Eliz Ong (WS Education)

BEST MARKETING CAMPAIGN

WINNER: Huế City by Claire Betita de Guzman (Penguin Random House SEA)

FINALISTS

  • Be Your Own Bae by Daryl Qilin Yam (Epigram Books)
  • S. Rajaratnam, The Authorised Biography, Volume Two: The Lion’s Roar by Irene Ng (ISEAS Publishing)

BEST BOOK COVER DESIGN

WINNER:Sister Snake by Amanda Lee Koe, cover design by Tororo.aoi (Ethos Book)

FINALISTS

  • Gus: The Life and Opinions of the Last Raffles’ Banded Langur by Jon Gresham, cover design by Priscilla Wong (Epigram Books)
  • Huế City by Claire Betita de Guzman, cover design by Divya Gaur(Penguin Random House SEA)
  • Lala-Land: Singapore’s Seafood Heritage by Anthony D. Medrano, cover design by Priscilla Wong (Epigram Books)

THE KHL BEST CUSTOM PUBLISHING TITLE

WINNER:Timmy and Bill Meet The Explorers of Sentosa (Sentosa Development)

FINALISTS

  • By Generations, For Generations: Fifty Years of Temasek as Told by the People Who Shaped it (Marshall Cavendish International)
  • Humanity: Behind Every Face (Marshall Cavendish International)
  • Voices From Comcentre: A Legacy Remembered (Singtel)

BEST NON-FICTION TITLE

WINNER:The Comfort Women of Singapore in History and Memory, by Kevin Blackburn (NUS Press)

FINALISTS

  • Searching for Lee Wen: A Life in 135 Parts, by Chan Li Shan (Epigram Books)
  • Small States In A Big World: Size Is Not A Destiny, by Tommy Koh (Straits Times Press)
  • One United People: Essays from the People Sector on Singapore’s Journey of Racial Harmony, by Koh Buck Song (Marshall Cavendish International Asia)

BEST LITERARY WORK

WINNER:Work-Life Balance: Malevolent Managers and Folkloric Freelancers, by Benjamin Chee & Wayne Rée (Difference Engine)

FINALISTS

  • The Accidental Malay, by Karina Robles Bahrin (Epigram Books)
  • Dearest Intimate, by Suchen Christine Lim (Marshall Cavendish International Asia)
  • The House of Little Sisters, by Eva Wong Nava (Penguin Random House SEA)

BEST ILLUSTRATED NON-FICTION

WINNER: Eat Here or Take Away: All About Singapore Hawker Culture, by various contributors (Landmark Books)

FINALISTS

  • A Cry in the Dark: A Stroke Survivor’s Story of Hope and Recovery, by Radiance Leong and Terence Ang (Focus Publishing)
  • The Pandemic Cookbook, by Hsu Li Yang & Sonny Liew (Epigram Books)
  • Heritage Shops of Singapore, by Steve Golden (Talisman Publishing)
  • The Tea Sommelier: The Art of Selecting, Pairing and Appreciating the World’s Finest Teas, by Tea Parker (Chih Jung-Sien) (Marshall Cavendish International Asia)

BEST YOUNG PERSONS TITLE

WINNER: Amazing Ash & Superhero Ah Ma #2: Coming of Age, by Melanie Lee & Arif Rafhan (Difference Engine)

FINALISTS

  • Secrets of Singapore: Fabulous Food, by Angèle Lee, Elvin Ching (Epigram Books)
  • Sherlock Sam and the Kidnapped Gamer in Taipei, by AJ Low (Epigram Books)
  • Screen Smart: Growing Up in the Digital Age, by May O. Lwin, Wonsun Shin & Alan Bay (World Scientific Education)

BEST CUSTOM PUBLISHING TITLE

WINNER: A Reverent Journey: Masjid Omar Kampong Melaka, edited by Sharifah Zahra Aljunied & Syed Abdullah Abdul Rahman Aljunied (Opus Editorial Pte Ltd)

FINALISTS

  • Hinduism in Singapore and the Hindu Endowments Board, by Lavanya Balachandran, Sylvia Koh (Marshall Cavendish International Asia)
  • A Blossoming City Garden: 10 Years Of Gardens By The Bay, by Audrey Tan (Straits Times Press)
  • Coming Together: Caring as One in the COVID-19 Journey, by Tan Tock Seng Hospital (Write Editions)

BEST PROFESSIONAL TITLE

WINNER:The Millennial Leader: Working across Generations in the New Normal, by Vivek Iyyani (Penguin Random House SEA)

OTHER FINALISTS

  • The Great Career Paradox: When pursuing career success may not lead to career happiness, by Adrian Choo & Sze-Yen Chee (Penguin Random House SEA)
  • Start With Who: Reveal the Hidden Power of Identity to Create a Purposeful Life, by Marcus Marsden (Candid Creation Publishing)
  • Wealth Wisdom for Everyone: An Easy-To-Use Guide to Personal Financial Planning and Wealth Creation, by Mark Daniell & Karin Sixl-Daniell (World Scientific)

BEST COVER DESIGN

WINNER:M/other: 20 Powerful Stories of Parental Love Against All Odds, Creative Director Lock Hong Liang (Straits Times Press)

OTHER FINALISTS

  • In This Together: Singapore’s COVID-19 Story, Creative Director Lock Hong Liang (Straits Times Press)
  • Depression: The Misunderstood Illness (Armour Publishing)
  • A Reverent Journey: Masjid Omar Kampong Melaka (Opus Editorial Pte Ltd)
  • A Cry in the Dark: A Stroke Survivor’s Story of Hope and Recovery, Designers Janice Tan & Alex Goh (Focus Publishing)

BEST PICTURE BOOK

WINNER:Grandma’s Tiger, by Alan John & Quek Hong Shin (Straits Times Press)

OTHER FINALISTS

  • Tribeca, by Howard Pearlstein, Amanda Pearlstein, Renate Potter (Marshall Cavendish International)
  • Catch Mee If You Can: Find the Noodles, Eat the Noodles!, by Low Lai Chow & Lee Jia Zhen (Epigram Books)
  • Where Shall I Sleep Tonight? by Joanne Poon & Heng Li Ching (Landmark Books Pte Ltd)

BEST EDUCATIONAL TITLE

WINNER:The Intertidal Adventures of BioGirl MJ, by Man Jing Kong & Raye Ng (World Scientific Education)

OTHER FINALISTS

  • INSPIRE, by Shoba Nair, Azura Azmir & Khairina Marzuki (ILOVEREADING.SG)
  • New Discovering Mathematics 3A, by Chow Wai Keung, Dr Ng Kok Min, Huo Da (Star Publishing Pte Ltd)
  • My Pals are Here! Maths 4th Edition Pupil’s Book 1A, by Dr. Fong Ho Kheong, Dr. Darren J. Yeo, Dr. Foo Kum Fong & Julia Fong (Marshall Cavendish Education)

The 2021 Singapore Book Awards Ceremony was successfully held as a hybrid event at the Auditorium in Jurong Town Hall and live-streamed at SBPA’s Facebook Page and YouTube Channel on Friday 24 September.

The winners of each category and Book of the Year were selected by a panel of judges comprising key industry personalities in Singapore known for their publishing, literary and media expertise. The winners, selected from 38 finalists in nine categories, cover multiple genres including autobiography and biography, creative non-fiction, graphic novels, Singapore history, local community history, local heritage cuisine, textbooks and supplementary educational titles.

The 2021 Book Awards also saw the introduction of the winners of the new Best Hybrid Book and Readers’ Choice Award as well as Honorary Mentions for the Best Book Cover Design, Best Hybrid Book and the Book of the Year category.

Winners of the 2021 Singapore Book Awards

BEST AUDIOBOOK

WINNER:The Impractical Uses of Cake

  • Publisher: Storytel Singapore
  • Author: Yeoh Jo-Ann
  • Narrator: Joshua Lim

BEST BOOK COVER DESIGN

WINNER:Early Hawkers of Singapore

  • Publisher: Focus Publishing
  • Designers: Tony Law and Fish Chan

BEST EDUCATION TITLE

WINNER:Under the Stars

  • Publisher: World Scientific Publishing Co.
  • Author: Lisa Harvey-Smith

BEST HYBRID BOOK

WINNER:One Havelock Square

  • Publisher: State Courts
  • Project Management: Redbean De
  • Author: The Nutgraf LLP

BEST ILLUSTRATED NON-FICTION BOOK

WINNER:How To Cook Everything Singaporean

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Author: Denise Fletcher
  • Designer: Jael Ng

BEST LITERARY WORK

WINNER:And Softly Go The Crossings

  • Publisher: Penguin Random House SEA
  • Author: Danielle Lim

BEST NON-FICTION WORK

WINNER:lives and times of hrh

  • Publisher: NUS Press
  • Author: Herman Ronald Hochstadt

BEST PICTURE WORK

WINNER:Captain Green and the Tree Machine

  • Publisher: Marshall Cavendish International (Asia)
  • Author: Evelyn Bookless
  • Illustrator: Danny Deeptown

BEST YOUNG PERSON’S TITLE

WINNER:Sherlock Sam and the Seafaring Scourge of Sentosa

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Author: A.J. Low

BOOK OF THE YEAR

WINNER:And Softly Go The Crossings

  • Publisher: Penguin Random House SEA
  • Author: Danielle Lim

BEST BOOK COVER DESIGN (HONORARY MENTION)

WINNER:

The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Designer: Yong Wen Yeu

BOOK HYBRID BOOK (HONORARY MENTION)

WINNER:Our Blood Runs Red Just Like Yours

  • Publisher: Tusitala
  • Author: Eric WK Ng and matte Pte Ltd

BOOK OF THE YEAR (HONORARY MENTION)

WINNER:How To Cook Everything Singaporean

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Author: Denise Fletcher
  • Designer: Jael Ng

READERS’ CHOICE

WINNER:think! Mathematics 2A & 2B

  • Publisher: Shing Lee Publishers
  • Authors: Dr Joseph B.W. Yeo, Dr Choy Ban Heng, Teh Keng Seng, Wong Lai Fong and Sharon Lee
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The 2019 Singapore Book Awards Ceremony was successfully held on Wednesday, 2 October 2019 at the Pavilion in the Conrad Centennial Singapore Hotel.

The winners of each category and Book of the Year were selected by a panel of judges comprising key industry personalities in Singapore known for their publishing, literary and media expertise. The winners, selected from a shortlist of 36 finalists in seven categories, cover multiple genres including architecture, biography, history, drama, and supplementary educational titles.

Winners of the 2019 Singapore Book Awards

BEST BOOK COVER DESIGN

WINNER:The Minorities

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Designer: Chee Jia Yi

BEST EDUCATION TITLE

WINNER:The First of Everything

  • Publisher: World Scientific Publishing Co
  • Author: Nury Vittachi

BEST ILLUSTRATED NON-FICTION BOOK

WINNER:Between the Lines– Early Advertising in Singapore, 1830s–1960s

  • Publisher: Marshall Cavendish and National Library Board
  • Editors: Text (Various), Images by National Library Board

BEST LITERARY WORK

WINNER:Lion City

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Author: Ng Yi-Sheng

BEST NON-FICTION WORK

WINNER:Flying Sleeves – The Grandeur of Chinese Opera

  • Publisher: Simply Green
  • Author: Ee Kiam Chua

BEST PICTURE BOOK

WINNER:The Incredible Basket

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Author: Quek Hong Shin

BEST YOUNG PERSON’S TITLE

WINNER:Big Tree in a Small Pot

  • Publisher: Marshall Cavendish International (Asia)
  • Author: Josephine Chia

BOOK OF THE YEAR

WINNER:The Naysayer’s Book Club

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Authors: Simon Vincent

The 2017 Singapore Book Awards Ceremony was successfully held on 28 March at the Pan Pacific Hotel. The winners of each category and Book of the Year were selected by a panel of judges comprising key industry personalities in Singapore known for their publishing, literary and media expertise. The winners, selected from a shortlist of 39 finalists in seven categories, cover multiple genres including architecture, biography, history, drama, and supplementary educational titles.

Winners of the 2017 Singapore Book Awards

BEST BOOK COVER DESIGN

WINNER:扬声堂

  • Publisher: Global Publishing
  • Designer: Danny Yeo Chin Wei

BEST EDUCATION TITLE

WINNER:看图词典

  • Publisher: Marshall Cavendish Education
  • Author: Shi Bin

BEST ILLUSTRATED NON-FICTION BOOK

WINNER:Building Memories

  • Publisher: Achates 360
  • Authors: Lai Chee Kien, Koh Hong Teng & Chuan Yeo

BEST LITERARY WORK

WINNER:Now That It’s Over

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Author: O Thiam Chin

BEST NON-FICTION WORK

WINNER:EW Barker: The People’s Minister

  • Publisher: Straits Times Press
  • Author: Susan Sim

BEST PICTURE BOOK

WINNER:A Stray

  • Publisher: Marshall Cavendish International (Asia)
  • Author: Michael Wang & Neal Sharp

BEST YOUNG PERSON’S TITLE

WINNER:Mount Emily Revisited

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Author: Low Ying Ping

BOOK OF THE YEAR

WINNER:Building Memories

  • Publisher: Achates 360
  • Authors: Lai Chee Kien, Koh Hong Teng & Chuan Yeo

The Singapore Book Publishers Association (SBPA) started the inaugural Publishing Awards in 2012. There were five award categories for the 2012 Awards.

Winners of the 2012 Singapore Book Awards

BEST BOOK COVER DESIGN

WINNER:The Devil’s Garden

  • Publisher: Monsoon Books
  • Author: Nigel Barley

BEST DEBUT WORK

WINNER:Shadow Play

  • Publisher: Monsoon Books
  • Author: Barbara Ismail

BEST FICTION WORK

WINNER:When All the Lights Are Stripped Away

  • Publisher: Marshall Cavendish International (Asia)
  • Author: Sunil Nair

BEST NON-FICTION WORK

WINNER:An Unexpected Journey: Path to the Presidency

  • Publisher: Editions Didier Millet
  • Author: S. R. Nathan

BEST RETAIL

WINNER:Annual Teach Yourself Promotion

  • Retailer: Prologue @ ION Orchard

BEST LITERARY WORK

WINNER:Catskull by Myle Yan Tay (Ethos Books)

FINALISTS

  • The Enigmatic Madam Ingram by Meihan Boey (Epigram Books)
  • The Second Link, edited by Daryl Lim Wei Jie, Hamid Roslan,Melizarani T. Selva, William Tham (Marshall Cavendish International Asia Pte Ltd)
  • Nine Yard Sarees by Prasanthi Ram (Ethos Books)

BEST NON-FICTION TITLE

WINNER:Not Without Us: Perspectives on Disability and Inclusion, edited by Kuansong Victor Zhuang, Meng Ee Wong and Dan Goodley (Ethos Books)

FINALISTS

  • Strictly Business: The Kwek Leng Beng Story, by Peh ShingHuei (World Scientific Publishing)
  • Art of Joy: The Journey of Yip Yew Chongby Woon Tai Ho (World Scientific Publishing)
  • The Price of Being Fair: The FairPrice Group Story, edited by Sue-Ann Chia and Peh Shing Huei (The Nutgraf Books)
  • A New World in the Making: Life and Architecture in Tropical Asia, byTay Kheng Soon (NUS Press)

BEST ILLUSTRATED NON-FICTION TITLE

WINNER:Twenty Years of WILD Rice by Alfian Sa’at (Epigram Books)

FINALISTS

  • Liu Kuo-Sung: Experimentation as Method (National Gallery Singapore)
  • Goh Keng Swee: A Singaporean for All Seasons, by Felix Cheong and Cheah Sinnan (Marshall Cavendish International)

BEST CUSTOM PUBLISHING TITLE

WINNER:The Sentosa Story (Redbean De)

FINALISTS

  • Five Stones and a Sling, by Arthur Kiong, David Shaw and Cassandra Yeap (Marshall Cavendish International)
  • No Complaints, No Regrets, by Louis B Soliano (Opus Editorial)
  • On the Road Again (Epigram Books)

BEST YOUNG PERSON’S FICITON TITLE

WINNER:Escape from Bussorah Street, by A.K. Zai (Epigram Books)

FINALISTS

  • Afterlife: The Boy Next Realm, by Gina Chew and Nadhir Nor (Difference Engine)
  • Mammals Get Schooled!, by Maureen Yeo and Elizabeth Goh (Epigram Books)
  • Our Singapore River, by Tina Sim and Alan Bay (WS Education)
  • Freddy the Dogged Rescuer, by Swapnil Mishra (Epigram Books)

BEST YOUNG PERSON’S NON-FICTION TITLE

WINNER:Secrets of Singapore: Spectacular Sports, by Lesley-Anne and Monica Lim (Epigram Books)

FINALISTS

  • World of Science Heroes: Our Innovators, by Benedict Boo and AlanBay (WS Education)
  • Science Battles: TotoEnters the Virus Universe, by Kim Jeongwook,Lee Yoochul and Carmen Chan (WS Education)

BEST PICTURE BOOK

WINNER:Miss Jug Finds a Home,by Evelyn Ghozalli and Sophia Huang (Marshall Cavendish International)

FINALISTS

  • The ABCs of Old Singapore, by Hwee Goh and Jayne Ong (Epigram Books)
  • Theodore Finds His Spot, by Mabelle Yeo Hui Leng and See Hui Qin(Armour Publishing)
  • Orang and Hutan, by J.H. Low (Marshall Cavendish International
  • Baiknya Hadi!, by Kaniz Zahra and Wina Witaria (Mama,nak!)

BEST EDUCATION TITLE

WINNER:inspire (ILOVEREADING.SG)

FINALISTS

  • MPaH Maths 4E Pupil’s Book 3A,by Dr Fong Ho Kheong, Dr DarrenJ. Yeo and Dr Foo Kum Fong (Marshall Cavendish Education)
  • Buku Text Bahasa Melayu JATI Lanjutan Menengah 3 (Marshall Cavendish Education)
  • ithink (ILOVEREADING.SG)
  • i (ILOVEREADING.SG)

BEST FOOD BOOK

WINNER:Chinese Pastry School, by Yee Min (Marshall Cavendish International)

FINALISTS

  • Masak-Masak: Asian Cooking for Kids, by Elena Yeo and ArtiDaryanani (Epigram Books)
  • Growing Up in a Nonya Kitchen, by Sharon Wee (Marshall Cavendish International)

BEST MARKETING CAMPAIGN

WINNER:The American Boyfriend, by Ivy Ngeow (Penguin RandomHouse SEA)

FINALISTS

  • Amazing Ash & Superhero Ah Ma: End of an Era, by Melanie Lee andArif Rafhan (Difference Engine)
  • Maths Campaign: MPaH 4th edition Workbook 3A,by Dr Fong HoKheong, Dr Darren J. Yeo and Dr Foo Kum Fong (Marshall Cavendish Education)

BEST PROFESSIONAL TITLE

WINNER:Leaders People Love, by Yeo Chuen Chuen (Penguin RandomHouse SEA)

FINALISTS

  • The Future of Work: Social Commerce and Martech, by Joanna Hutchins (Marshall Cavendish International)
  • THINK. COACH. THRIVE. Fortifying Antifragility in Organisationsthrough Workplace Coaching, by Dr Henry Toi and Thomas Lim (Write Editions)
  • The Friday Email: 88 Tips for Aspiring Leaders, by Renée McGowan (World Scientific Publishing)

BEST BOOK COVER DESIGN

WINNER:A Walk With My Pig, by Mervin Mirapuri (Pagesetters Services)(AnngeeNeo (illustrator); June Lin (book designer))

FINALISTS

  • My Mother Pattu, designed by Neelima P Aryan (Penguin RandomHouse SEA)
  • A New World in the Making: Life and Architecture in Tropical Asia,designed by Peter Schoppert & Nelani Jinadasa (NUS Press)
  • Shicha (Time Difference), designed by Zhang Midi (Writers Press)
  • Afterlife: The Boy Next Realm, designed by Yong Wen Yeu (Difference Engine)

The 7th edition of the Singapore Book Awards returned this year with 163 submissions from 35 publishers. After months of careful reviews, our judges shortlisted 42 titles. The results were announced at a gala ceremony at Fullerton Hotel, and we’re pleased to announce the winners of the 13 categories as follows:

BEST AUDIOBOOK

WINNER:Timothy and the Phubbers

  • Publisher: Storytel Singapore
  • Authors: Ken Kwek, Lolita Chiong
  • Narrator: Adrian Pang

BEST BOOK COVER DESIGN

WINNER:The Punkhawala and the Prostitute

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Author: Wesley Leon Aroozoo
  • Designer: Priscilla Yamaguchi

BEST EDUCATION TITLE

WINNER:Your Adventures at CERN: Play the Hero Among Particles and a Particular Dinosaur

  • Publisher: World Scientific Publishing Co.
  • Author: Letizia Diamante, illustrated by Claudia Flandoli

BEST MAGAZINE TITLE

WINNER:BBC Earth

  • Publisher: Jsim Education

BEST PROFESSIONAL TITLE

WINNER:Super Scaling: Systemise, Break Free, and Skyrocket Your Business to Millions

  • Publisher: Candid Creation Publishing
  • Author: Alvin Poh

BEST CUSTOM PUBLISHING

WINNER:SCO: Hidden Gems

  • Publisher: Focus Publishing

BEST ILLUSTRATED NON-FICTION BOOK

WINNER:The Food of Singapore Malays

  • Publisher: Marshall Cavendish
  • Author: Khir Johari

BEST LITERARY WORK

WINNER:The Formidable Miss Cassidy

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Author: Meihan Boey

BEST NON-FICTION WORK

WINNER:A History of Money in Singapore

  • Publisher: Talisman Publishing
  • Author: Clement Liew, Peter Wilson

BEST PICTURE BOOK

WINNER: Mr Roll Finds New Life

  • Publisher: Marshall Cavendish International (Asia)
  • Author: Sophia Huang
  • Illustrator: Evelyn Ghozalli

BEST YOUNG PERSON’S TITLE

WINNER:Mist-bound: How to Glue Back Grandpa

  • Publisher: Penguin Random House SEA
  • Author: Daryl Kho

BOOK OF THE YEAR

WINNER:The Food of Singapore Malays

  • Publisher: Marshall Cavendish
  • Author: Khir Johari

READER’S CHOICE

WINNER:Larger Than Life: Celebrating the Human Spirit

  • Publisher: Storytel Singapore
  • Authors: Belinda Lee

The 2020 Singapore Book Awards Ceremony was successfully held online on Thursday 13 August at SBPA’s Facebook Page and YouTube Channel.

The winners of each category and Book of the Year were selected by a panel of judges comprising key industry personalities in Singapore known for their publishing, literary and media expertise. The winners, selected from 46 finalists in ten categories, cover multiple genres including architecture history, autobiography and biography, creative non-fiction, manga, graphic novels, Singapore history, local community history, local heritage cuisine, textbooks and supplementary education titles.

The 2020 Book Awards saw the introduction of the winners of the new award categories Best Audiobook Title, Best Digital Marketing Campaign and Best E-Book Title, as well as Special Mention for the Best E-Book Title and a Honorary Mention for the Book of the Year category.

Winners of the 2020 Singapore Book Awards

BEST AUDIOBOOK

WINNER:Penghuni Rumah Tua

  • Publisher: Pustaka Nasional
  • Author: Januarsyah Sutan
  • Narrator: Erul Samah

BEST BOOK COVER DESIGN

WINNER:The Angel Tiger and Other Stories

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Designer: Liak Yuan Ying

BEST EDUCATION TITLE

WINNER:How to Build a Dragon or Die Trying

  • Publisher: World Scientific Publishing Co.
  • Author: Paul Knoepfler and Julie Knoepfler

BEST DIGITAL MARKETING CAMPAIGN

WINNER:Storytel Singapore

BEST ILLUSTRATED NON-FICTION BOOK

WINNER:The Way of Kueh

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Author: Christopher Tan
  • Designer: Marco Salazar

BEST LITERARY WORK

WINNER:Fall Baby

  • Publisher: Penguin Random House SEA
  • Author: Laksmi Pamuntjak

BEST NON-FICTION WORK

WINNER:homeless

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Author: Liyana Dhamirah

BEST PICTURE WORK

WINNER:Counting Sheep

  • Publisher: Marshall Cavendish International (Asia)
  • Author: Pippa Chorley
  • Illustrator: Danny Deeptown

BEST YOUNG PERSON’S TITLE

WINNER:Luminous Sword: Keys of Archellos

  • Publisher: Armour Publishing
  • Author: Eunice Li-Tan

BOOK OF THE YEAR

WINNER:The Way of Kueh

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Author: Christopher Tan

BEST EBOOK TITLE

WINNER:think! Additional Mathematics

  • Publisher: Shing Lee Publishers
  • Authors: Dr Joseph B.W. Yeo, Dr Choy Ban Heng, Teh Keng Seng, Wong Lai Fong and Sharon Lee

BOOK EBOOK (HONORARY MENTION)

WINNER:BAM!!and Let’s Play With Grandma

  • Publisher: Pustaka Nasional
  • For the Adept Use of Technology in Creating Bilingual Resources

BOOK OF THE YEAR (HONORARY MENTION)

WINNER:Loss Adjustment

  • Publisher: Ethos Books
  • Author: Linda Collins
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The 2018 Singapore Book Awards Ceremony was successfully held on Friday 21 September at the Arts House.

The winners of each category and Book of the Year were selected by a panel of judges comprising key industry personalities in Singapore known for their publishing, literary and media expertise. The winners, selected from a shortlist of 31 finalists in seven categories, cover multiple genres including architecture, biography, history, drama, and supplementary educational titles.

Winners of the 2018 Singapore Book Awards

BEST BOOK COVER DESIGN

WINNER:The Gatekeeper

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Designer: Yong Wen Yeu

BEST EDUCATION TITLE

WINNER:Mastering English with the Straits Times

  • Publisher: Straits Times Press
  • Author: Straits Times Schools Team Writers

BEST ILLUSTRATED NON-FICTION BOOK

WINNER:Tomas Saraceno: Arachnid Orchestra.
Jam Sessions

  • Publisher: NTU Centre for Contemporary Art Singapore
  • Editors: Ute Meta Bauer and Anca Rujoiu

BEST FICTION TITLE

WINNER:The Gatekeeper

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Author: Nuraliah Norasid

BEST NON-FICTION WORK

WINNER:Stranger to Myself

  • Publisher: Landmark Books
  • Author: MD Sharif Uddin

BEST PICTURE WORK

WINNER:The First Journey

  • Publisher: Scholastic Asia
  • Author: Phung Nguyen Quang and Huynh Kim Lien

BEST YOUNG PERSON’S TITLE

WINNER:Understanding Singaporeans

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Author: Edmund Wee

BOOK OF THE YEAR

WINNER:Robert Kuok: A Memoir

  • Publisher: Landmark Books
  • Authors: Robert Kuok with Andrew Tanzer

The Singapore Book Publishers Association (SBPA) relaunched the Book Awards in 2016. The winners of the 2016 Singapore Book Awards were announced on 11 May 2016, at a gala dinner in Hotel Rendezvous Singapore. There were eight categories for the 2016 Awards, up from six categories in 2012, to take into account the growth and development of the publishing industry during this period.

Winners of the 2016 Singapore Book Awards

BEST BOOK COVER DESIGN

WINNER:The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Designer: Sonny Liew

BEST EDUCATION TITLE

WINNER:Singapore: The Making of a Nation State,
1300-1975

  • Publisher: Star Publishing
  • Author: Curriculum Planning and Development Division, Ministry of Education

BEST ILLUSTRATED NON-FICTION BOOK

WINNER:Building Memories

  • Publisher: Achates 360
  • Authors: Lai Chee Kien, Koh Hong Teng & Chuan Yeo

BEST FICTION WORK

WINNER:Ministry of Moral Panic

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Author: Amanda Lee Koe

BEST NON-FICTION WORK

WINNER:Through the Lens of Lee Kip Lin

  • Publisher: National Library Board and Editions Dider Millet
  • Author: Dr Lai Chee Kien

BEST CHILDREN’S TITLE

WINNER:寻找

  • Publisher: Lingzi Media
  • Author: Lee Kow Fong

BEST YOUNG ADULT’S TITLE

WINNER:The Rock and the Bird

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Author: Chew Chia Shao Wei

BEST DIGITAL WORK

WINNER:不只是彩色笔

  • Publisher: Candid Creation
  • Author: Liow Yuting

BOOK OF THE YEAR

WINNER:The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Designer: Sonny Liew

THE MARKONO BEST LITERARY WORK AWARD

WINNER:Ownself Say Ownself by Joshua Ip (Landmark Books)

FINALISTS

  • Be Your Own Bae by Daryl Qilin Yam (Epigram Books)
  • Burn After Dawn by Chim Sher Ting (Landmark Books)
  • Deplorable Conversations with Cats and Other Discussions by Yeoh Jo-Ann (Penguin Random House SEA)
  • Neverness by Fairoz Ahmad (Ethos Books)

BEST GRAPHIC NOVEL

WINNER:Amber & Blue and the Hunt for DNA by Claudia Flandoli (WS Education)

FINALISTS

  • Classroom Critters: Birds Let Loose! by Maureen Yeo and Vandana Tjendana (Epigram Books)
  • Vanishing Point: The Comic Book by Felix Cheong ((Marshall Cavendish International)

BEST NON-FICTION TITLE

WINNER:If I were King of Singapore by Adrian Tan (Landmark Books)

FINALISTS

  • S. Rajaratnam, The Authorised Biography, Volume Two: The Lion’s Roar by Irene Ng (ISEAS Publishing)
  • The Great Port Cities of Asia: In History by Kennie Ting (Talisman Publishing)
  • Ayam Buah Keluak and the Art of Writing: a memoir on living creatively by Josephine Chia (Ethos Books)
  • Enigmas: Tay Seow Huah, My Father, Singapore’s Pioneer Spy Chief by Simon Tay (Landmark Books)

BEST ILLUSTRATED NON-FICTION TITLE

WINNER:BMT Sketchbook by Asher Ong (Landmark Books)

FINALISTS

  • Once Upon an Island: Images of Singapore (1950-1980) through the lens of Dr. Ivan Polunin by Ivan Polunin and Asmara Rabier (Suntree Media)
  • Collide: Embracing Conflict to Boost Creatively by Tay Guan Hin (Penguin Random House SEA)
  • Teo Eng Seng: We’re Happy. Are You Happy? (National Gallery Singapore)
  • Kueh-ving! An Illustrated Guide to Southeast Asian Cakes & Snacks by Clement Tea (Lioncake Studio)

BEST PROFESSIONAL TITLE

WINNER:Behind the Banyan: Ho Kwon Ping on building a global brand by Aaron Low (World Scientific Publishing)

FINALISTS

  • Future Human: Consciousness, Cognition and the Role of Human Insights in an AI Future by Tony Tan World Scientific Publishing)
  • Head to Heart to Habit: Why 90% of Efforts at Behavioural Change Fail and How to Overcome it by Oliver Foo (Marshall Cavendish International)
  • Rewrite the Rules: How Women Leaders in Asia are Changing the Leadership Paradigm by Ritu G. Mehrish and Rajita Saxena (Penguin Random House SEA)
  • The STAR System: Applying Visual Thinking for Business Success by Ai Yat Goh and Sherrie Low (Marshall Cavendish International)

THE JULIET DAVID BEST FOOD BOOK

WINNER:Lala-Land: Singapore’s Seafood Heritage by Anthony D. Medrano (Epigram Books)

FINALISTS

  • Can I Lick the Spoon, Mum? A Comic-Style Cookbook for Creating Asian Bakes and Family Memories in the Kitchen by Pamela Lim, illustrated by Japher Lim and Eliz Ong (WS Education)
  • NerdBaker 2: Tales from the Yeast Indies by Christopher Tan (Epigram Books)
  • The Tastes of Home: Easy-to-Cook Dishes from Singapore and Malaysia by Ong Jin Teong (Landmark Books)

BEST YOUNG PERSON’S FICITON TITLE

WINNER:The Travelling Library Chronicles of Maizey Lee: The Road to Bangkok by Erni Salleh (Epigram Books)

FINALISTS

  • Afternoon Yuan Yang Club by Jojo Chia (Epigram Books)
  • The Epic Tale of Mikaela Kong by Vivian Teo (Epigram Books)
  • The Twin Blades of Doom: Book 3 of Prophecy of the Underworld by Low Ying Ping (Penguin Random House SEA)

BEST YOUNG PERSON’S NON-FICTION TITLE

WINNER:The Rainforest Adventures of Biogirl MJ: Exploring Our Tropical Rainforests To Solve a Magical Mystery by Kong Man Jing and Raye Ng, illustrated by Alan Bay (WS Education)

FINALISTS

  • Dangerous or Endangered? Discover the Fascinating Truths of 25 Marine Creatures by Neo Mei Lin, illustrated by Adel Lee (WS Education)
  • Secret of Singapore: Mission Maritime by Angèle Lee, illustrated by Alan Bay (Epigram Books)

BEST PICTURE BOOK

WINNER:Jemma Dreams of Sushi by Ruo-Ting & Mark Chen, illustrated by Cacticyn (Epigram Books)

FINALISTS

  • Augustus Romulus: The Tale-Us of the Tigerus Who Would Like To Get Out of This Bookus by Fleur Vella-Chang (Ethos Books)
  • Dung, Dung, Dung, DUNG!, by Emily Lim-Leh and Pauline Loh, illustrated by Cheng Puay Koon (Graceworks Pte Ltd)
  • Madam Jug Finds Kindness by Sophia Huang, illustrated by Evelyn Ghozalli (Marshall Cavendish International)
  • Santa’s Little Goblins by Janina Kutyn, illustrated by Junis Laureano (Pepper Dog Press)

THE CLASS BEST TEXTBOOK

WINNER:Digital Literacy and Computing Grades 1 to 6 (Marshall Cavendish Education)

FINALISTS

  • Character and Citizenship Education Primary 1 (Star Publishing)
  • Malay Language For Primary Schools (CITA) Textbook P1B (Marshall Cavendish Education)

BEST EDUCATIONAL SUPPLEMENT

WINNER:Singapore Maths Calendar 2025 (Child Education Co.)

FINALISTS

  • iCritic: Flip Over, Think Bolder Issue 3: The Green Path (ilovereading.sg)
  • One Tough Ball: A story about the courage to stand tall by Daphne Ang and Han Jiamin, illustrated by Richelle Araujo (My Curious Child)
  • Quiz Champs: Adaptations by Manisha Nayak (WS Education)
  • Timmy & Tammy: At The National Library by Ruth Wan-Lau, illustrated by Eliz Ong (WS Education)

BEST MARKETING CAMPAIGN

WINNER: Huế City by Claire Betita de Guzman (Penguin Random House SEA)

FINALISTS

  • Be Your Own Bae by Daryl Qilin Yam (Epigram Books)
  • S. Rajaratnam, The Authorised Biography, Volume Two: The Lion’s Roar by Irene Ng (ISEAS Publishing)

BEST BOOK COVER DESIGN

WINNER:Sister Snake by Amanda Lee Koe, cover design by Tororo.aoi (Ethos Book)

FINALISTS

  • Gus: The Life and Opinions of the Last Raffles’ Banded Langur by Jon Gresham, cover design by Priscilla Wong (Epigram Books)
  • Huế City by Claire Betita de Guzman, cover design by Divya Gaur(Penguin Random House SEA)
  • Lala-Land: Singapore’s Seafood Heritage by Anthony D. Medrano, cover design by Priscilla Wong (Epigram Books)

THE KHL BEST CUSTOM PUBLISHING TITLE

WINNER:Timmy and Bill Meet The Explorers of Sentosa (Sentosa Development)

FINALISTS

  • By Generations, For Generations: Fifty Years of Temasek as Told by the People Who Shaped it (Marshall Cavendish International)
  • Humanity: Behind Every Face (Marshall Cavendish International)
  • Voices From Comcentre: A Legacy Remembered (Singtel)

BEST LITERARY WORK

WINNER:Catskull by Myle Yan Tay (Ethos Books)

FINALISTS

  • The Enigmatic Madam Ingram by Meihan Boey (Epigram Books)
  • The Second Link, edited by Daryl Lim Wei Jie, Hamid Roslan,Melizarani T. Selva, William Tham (Marshall Cavendish International Asia Pte Ltd)
  • Nine Yard Sarees by Prasanthi Ram (Ethos Books)

BEST NON-FICTION TITLE

WINNER:Not Without Us: Perspectives on Disability and Inclusion, edited by Kuansong Victor Zhuang, Meng Ee Wong and Dan Goodley (Ethos Books)

FINALISTS

  • Strictly Business: The Kwek Leng Beng Story, by Peh ShingHuei (World Scientific Publishing)
  • Art of Joy: The Journey of Yip Yew Chongby Woon Tai Ho (World Scientific Publishing)
  • The Price of Being Fair: The FairPrice Group Story, edited by Sue-Ann Chia and Peh Shing Huei (The Nutgraf Books)
  • A New World in the Making: Life and Architecture in Tropical Asia, byTay Kheng Soon (NUS Press)

BEST ILLUSTRATED NON-FICTION TITLE

WINNER:Twenty Years of WILD Rice by Alfian Sa’at (Epigram Books)

FINALISTS

  • Liu Kuo-Sung: Experimentation as Method (National Gallery Singapore)
  • Goh Keng Swee: A Singaporean for All Seasons, by Felix Cheong and Cheah Sinnan (Marshall Cavendish International)

BEST CUSTOM PUBLISHING TITLE

WINNER:The Sentosa Story (Redbean De)

FINALISTS

  • Five Stones and a Sling, by Arthur Kiong, David Shaw and Cassandra Yeap (Marshall Cavendish International)
  • No Complaints, No Regrets, by Louis B Soliano (Opus Editorial)
  • On the Road Again (Epigram Books)

BEST YOUNG PERSON’S FICITON TITLE

WINNER:Escape from Bussorah Street, by A.K. Zai (Epigram Books)

FINALISTS

  • Afterlife: The Boy Next Realm, by Gina Chew and Nadhir Nor (Difference Engine)
  • Mammals Get Schooled!, by Maureen Yeo and Elizabeth Goh (Epigram Books)
  • Our Singapore River, by Tina Sim and Alan Bay (WS Education)
  • Freddy the Dogged Rescuer, by Swapnil Mishra (Epigram Books)

BEST YOUNG PERSON’S NON-FICTION TITLE

WINNER:Secrets of Singapore: Spectacular Sports, by Lesley-Anne and Monica Lim (Epigram Books)

FINALISTS

  • World of Science Heroes: Our Innovators, by Benedict Boo and AlanBay (WS Education)
  • Science Battles: TotoEnters the Virus Universe, by Kim Jeongwook,Lee Yoochul and Carmen Chan (WS Education)

BEST PICTURE BOOK

WINNER:Miss Jug Finds a Home,by Evelyn Ghozalli and Sophia Huang (Marshall Cavendish International)

FINALISTS

  • The ABCs of Old Singapore, by Hwee Goh and Jayne Ong (Epigram Books)
  • Theodore Finds His Spot, by Mabelle Yeo Hui Leng and See Hui Qin(Armour Publishing)
  • Orang and Hutan, by J.H. Low (Marshall Cavendish International
  • Baiknya Hadi!, by Kaniz Zahra and Wina Witaria (Mama,nak!)

BEST EDUCATION TITLE

WINNER:inspire (ILOVEREADING.SG)

FINALISTS

  • MPaH Maths 4E Pupil’s Book 3A,by Dr Fong Ho Kheong, Dr DarrenJ. Yeo and Dr Foo Kum Fong (Marshall Cavendish Education)
  • Buku Text Bahasa Melayu JATI Lanjutan Menengah 3 (Marshall Cavendish Education)
  • ithink (ILOVEREADING.SG)
  • i (ILOVEREADING.SG)

BEST FOOD BOOK

WINNER:Chinese Pastry School, by Yee Min (Marshall Cavendish International)

FINALISTS

  • Masak-Masak: Asian Cooking for Kids, by Elena Yeo and ArtiDaryanani (Epigram Books)
  • Growing Up in a Nonya Kitchen, by Sharon Wee (Marshall Cavendish International)

BEST MARKETING CAMPAIGN

WINNER:The American Boyfriend, by Ivy Ngeow (Penguin RandomHouse SEA)

FINALISTS

  • Amazing Ash & Superhero Ah Ma: End of an Era, by Melanie Lee andArif Rafhan (Difference Engine)
  • Maths Campaign: MPaH 4th edition Workbook 3A,by Dr Fong HoKheong, Dr Darren J. Yeo and Dr Foo Kum Fong (Marshall Cavendish Education)

BEST PROFESSIONAL TITLE

WINNER:Leaders People Love, by Yeo Chuen Chuen (Penguin RandomHouse SEA)

FINALISTS

  • The Future of Work: Social Commerce and Martech, by Joanna Hutchins (Marshall Cavendish International)
  • THINK. COACH. THRIVE. Fortifying Antifragility in Organisationsthrough Workplace Coaching, by Dr Henry Toi and Thomas Lim (Write Editions)
  • The Friday Email: 88 Tips for Aspiring Leaders, by Renée McGowan (World Scientific Publishing)

BEST BOOK COVER DESIGN

WINNER:A Walk With My Pig, by Mervin Mirapuri (Pagesetters Services)(AnngeeNeo (illustrator); June Lin (book designer))

FINALISTS

  • My Mother Pattu, designed by Neelima P Aryan (Penguin RandomHouse SEA)
  • A New World in the Making: Life and Architecture in Tropical Asia,designed by Peter Schoppert & Nelani Jinadasa (NUS Press)
  • Shicha (Time Difference), designed by Zhang Midi (Writers Press)
  • Afterlife: The Boy Next Realm, designed by Yong Wen Yeu (Difference Engine)

BEST NON-FICTION TITLE

WINNER:The Comfort Women of Singapore in History and Memory, by Kevin Blackburn (NUS Press)

FINALISTS

  • Searching for Lee Wen: A Life in 135 Parts, by Chan Li Shan (Epigram Books)
  • Small States In A Big World: Size Is Not A Destiny, by Tommy Koh (Straits Times Press)
  • One United People: Essays from the People Sector on Singapore’s Journey of Racial Harmony, by Koh Buck Song (Marshall Cavendish International Asia)

BEST LITERARY WORK

WINNER:Work-Life Balance: Malevolent Managers and Folkloric Freelancers, by Benjamin Chee & Wayne Rée (Difference Engine)

FINALISTS

  • The Accidental Malay, by Karina Robles Bahrin (Epigram Books)
  • Dearest Intimate, by Suchen Christine Lim (Marshall Cavendish International Asia)
  • The House of Little Sisters, by Eva Wong Nava (Penguin Random House SEA)

BEST ILLUSTRATED NON-FICTION

WINNER: Eat Here or Take Away: All About Singapore Hawker Culture, by various contributors (Landmark Books)

FINALISTS

  • A Cry in the Dark: A Stroke Survivor’s Story of Hope and Recovery, by Radiance Leong and Terence Ang (Focus Publishing)
  • The Pandemic Cookbook, by Hsu Li Yang & Sonny Liew (Epigram Books)
  • Heritage Shops of Singapore, by Steve Golden (Talisman Publishing)
  • The Tea Sommelier: The Art of Selecting, Pairing and Appreciating the World’s Finest Teas, by Tea Parker (Chih Jung-Sien) (Marshall Cavendish International Asia)

BEST YOUNG PERSONS TITLE

WINNER: Amazing Ash & Superhero Ah Ma #2: Coming of Age, by Melanie Lee & Arif Rafhan (Difference Engine)

FINALISTS

  • Secrets of Singapore: Fabulous Food, by Angèle Lee, Elvin Ching (Epigram Books)
  • Sherlock Sam and the Kidnapped Gamer in Taipei, by AJ Low (Epigram Books)
  • Screen Smart: Growing Up in the Digital Age, by May O. Lwin, Wonsun Shin & Alan Bay (World Scientific Education)

BEST CUSTOM PUBLISHING TITLE

WINNER: A Reverent Journey: Masjid Omar Kampong Melaka, edited by Sharifah Zahra Aljunied & Syed Abdullah Abdul Rahman Aljunied (Opus Editorial Pte Ltd)

FINALISTS

  • Hinduism in Singapore and the Hindu Endowments Board, by Lavanya Balachandran, Sylvia Koh (Marshall Cavendish International Asia)
  • A Blossoming City Garden: 10 Years Of Gardens By The Bay, by Audrey Tan (Straits Times Press)
  • Coming Together: Caring as One in the COVID-19 Journey, by Tan Tock Seng Hospital (Write Editions)

BEST PROFESSIONAL TITLE

WINNER:The Millennial Leader: Working across Generations in the New Normal, by Vivek Iyyani (Penguin Random House SEA)

OTHER FINALISTS

  • The Great Career Paradox: When pursuing career success may not lead to career happiness, by Adrian Choo & Sze-Yen Chee (Penguin Random House SEA)
  • Start With Who: Reveal the Hidden Power of Identity to Create a Purposeful Life, by Marcus Marsden (Candid Creation Publishing)
  • Wealth Wisdom for Everyone: An Easy-To-Use Guide to Personal Financial Planning and Wealth Creation, by Mark Daniell & Karin Sixl-Daniell (World Scientific)

BEST COVER DESIGN

WINNER:M/other: 20 Powerful Stories of Parental Love Against All Odds, Creative Director Lock Hong Liang (Straits Times Press)

OTHER FINALISTS

  • In This Together: Singapore’s COVID-19 Story, Creative Director Lock Hong Liang (Straits Times Press)
  • Depression: The Misunderstood Illness (Armour Publishing)
  • A Reverent Journey: Masjid Omar Kampong Melaka (Opus Editorial Pte Ltd)
  • A Cry in the Dark: A Stroke Survivor’s Story of Hope and Recovery, Designers Janice Tan & Alex Goh (Focus Publishing)

BEST PICTURE BOOK

WINNER:Grandma’s Tiger, by Alan John & Quek Hong Shin (Straits Times Press)

OTHER FINALISTS

  • Tribeca, by Howard Pearlstein, Amanda Pearlstein, Renate Potter (Marshall Cavendish International)
  • Catch Mee If You Can: Find the Noodles, Eat the Noodles!, by Low Lai Chow & Lee Jia Zhen (Epigram Books)
  • Where Shall I Sleep Tonight? by Joanne Poon & Heng Li Ching (Landmark Books Pte Ltd)

BEST EDUCATIONAL TITLE

WINNER:The Intertidal Adventures of BioGirl MJ, by Man Jing Kong & Raye Ng (World Scientific Education)

OTHER FINALISTS

  • INSPIRE, by Shoba Nair, Azura Azmir & Khairina Marzuki (ILOVEREADING.SG)
  • New Discovering Mathematics 3A, by Chow Wai Keung, Dr Ng Kok Min, Huo Da (Star Publishing Pte Ltd)
  • My Pals are Here! Maths 4th Edition Pupil’s Book 1A, by Dr. Fong Ho Kheong, Dr. Darren J. Yeo, Dr. Foo Kum Fong & Julia Fong (Marshall Cavendish Education)

The 7th edition of the Singapore Book Awards returned this year with 163 submissions from 35 publishers. After months of careful reviews, our judges shortlisted 42 titles. The results were announced at a gala ceremony at Fullerton Hotel, and we’re pleased to announce the winners of the 13 categories as follows:

BEST AUDIOBOOK

WINNER:Timothy and the Phubbers

  • Publisher: Storytel Singapore
  • Authors: Ken Kwek, Lolita Chiong
  • Narrator: Adrian Pang

BEST BOOK COVER DESIGN

WINNER:The Punkhawala and the Prostitute

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Author: Wesley Leon Aroozoo
  • Designer: Priscilla Yamaguchi

BEST EDUCATION TITLE

WINNER:Your Adventures at CERN: Play the Hero Among Particles and a Particular Dinosaur

  • Publisher: World Scientific Publishing Co.
  • Author: Letizia Diamante, illustrated by Claudia Flandoli

BEST MAGAZINE TITLE

WINNER:BBC Earth

  • Publisher: Jsim Education

BEST PROFESSIONAL TITLE

WINNER:Super Scaling: Systemise, Break Free, and Skyrocket Your Business to Millions

  • Publisher: Candid Creation Publishing
  • Author: Alvin Poh

BEST CUSTOM PUBLISHING

WINNER:SCO: Hidden Gems

  • Publisher: Focus Publishing

BEST ILLUSTRATED NON-FICTION BOOK

WINNER:The Food of Singapore Malays

  • Publisher: Marshall Cavendish
  • Author: Khir Johari

BEST LITERARY WORK

WINNER:The Formidable Miss Cassidy

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Author: Meihan Boey

BEST NON-FICTION WORK

WINNER:A History of Money in Singapore

  • Publisher: Talisman Publishing
  • Author: Clement Liew, Peter Wilson

BEST PICTURE BOOK

WINNER: Mr Roll Finds New Life

  • Publisher: Marshall Cavendish International (Asia)
  • Author: Sophia Huang
  • Illustrator: Evelyn Ghozalli

BEST YOUNG PERSON’S TITLE

WINNER:Mist-bound: How to Glue Back Grandpa

  • Publisher: Penguin Random House SEA
  • Author: Daryl Kho

BOOK OF THE YEAR

WINNER:The Food of Singapore Malays

  • Publisher: Marshall Cavendish
  • Author: Khir Johari

READER’S CHOICE

WINNER:Larger Than Life: Celebrating the Human Spirit

  • Publisher: Storytel Singapore
  • Authors: Belinda Lee

The 2021 Singapore Book Awards Ceremony was successfully held as a hybrid event at the Auditorium in Jurong Town Hall and live-streamed at SBPA’s Facebook Page and YouTube Channel on Friday 24 September.

The winners of each category and Book of the Year were selected by a panel of judges comprising key industry personalities in Singapore known for their publishing, literary and media expertise. The winners, selected from 38 finalists in nine categories, cover multiple genres including autobiography and biography, creative non-fiction, graphic novels, Singapore history, local community history, local heritage cuisine, textbooks and supplementary educational titles.

The 2021 Book Awards also saw the introduction of the winners of the new Best Hybrid Book and Readers’ Choice Award as well as Honorary Mentions for the Best Book Cover Design, Best Hybrid Book and the Book of the Year category.

Winners of the 2021 Singapore Book Awards

BEST AUDIOBOOK

WINNER:The Impractical Uses of Cake

  • Publisher: Storytel Singapore
  • Author: Yeoh Jo-Ann
  • Narrator: Joshua Lim

BEST BOOK COVER DESIGN

WINNER:Early Hawkers of Singapore

  • Publisher: Focus Publishing
  • Designers: Tony Law and Fish Chan

BEST EDUCATION TITLE

WINNER:Under the Stars

  • Publisher: World Scientific Publishing Co.
  • Author: Lisa Harvey-Smith

BEST HYBRID BOOK

WINNER:One Havelock Square

  • Publisher: State Courts
  • Project Management: Redbean De
  • Author: The Nutgraf LLP

BEST ILLUSTRATED NON-FICTION BOOK

WINNER:How To Cook Everything Singaporean

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Author: Denise Fletcher
  • Designer: Jael Ng

BEST LITERARY WORK

WINNER:And Softly Go The Crossings

  • Publisher: Penguin Random House SEA
  • Author: Danielle Lim

BEST NON-FICTION WORK

WINNER:lives and times of hrh

  • Publisher: NUS Press
  • Author: Herman Ronald Hochstadt

BEST PICTURE WORK

WINNER:Captain Green and the Tree Machine

  • Publisher: Marshall Cavendish International (Asia)
  • Author: Evelyn Bookless
  • Illustrator: Danny Deeptown

BEST YOUNG PERSON’S TITLE

WINNER:Sherlock Sam and the Seafaring Scourge of Sentosa

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Author: A.J. Low

BOOK OF THE YEAR

WINNER:And Softly Go The Crossings

  • Publisher: Penguin Random House SEA
  • Author: Danielle Lim

BEST BOOK COVER DESIGN (HONORARY MENTION)

WINNER:

The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Designer: Yong Wen Yeu

BOOK HYBRID BOOK (HONORARY MENTION)

WINNER:Our Blood Runs Red Just Like Yours

  • Publisher: Tusitala
  • Author: Eric WK Ng and matte Pte Ltd

BOOK OF THE YEAR (HONORARY MENTION)

WINNER:How To Cook Everything Singaporean

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Author: Denise Fletcher
  • Designer: Jael Ng

READERS’ CHOICE

WINNER:think! Mathematics 2A & 2B

  • Publisher: Shing Lee Publishers
  • Authors: Dr Joseph B.W. Yeo, Dr Choy Ban Heng, Teh Keng Seng, Wong Lai Fong and Sharon Lee

The 2020 Singapore Book Awards Ceremony was successfully held online on Thursday 13 August at SBPA’s Facebook Page and YouTube Channel.

The winners of each category and Book of the Year were selected by a panel of judges comprising key industry personalities in Singapore known for their publishing, literary and media expertise. The winners, selected from 46 finalists in ten categories, cover multiple genres including architecture history, autobiography and biography, creative non-fiction, manga, graphic novels, Singapore history, local community history, local heritage cuisine, textbooks and supplementary education titles.

The 2020 Book Awards saw the introduction of the winners of the new award categories Best Audiobook Title, Best Digital Marketing Campaign and Best E-Book Title, as well as Special Mention for the Best E-Book Title and a Honorary Mention for the Book of the Year category.

Winners of the 2020 Singapore Book Awards

BEST AUDIOBOOK

WINNER:Penghuni Rumah Tua

  • Publisher: Pustaka Nasional
  • Author: Januarsyah Sutan
  • Narrator: Erul Samah

BEST BOOK COVER DESIGN

WINNER:The Angel Tiger and Other Stories

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Designer: Liak Yuan Ying

BEST EDUCATION TITLE

WINNER:How to Build a Dragon or Die Trying

  • Publisher: World Scientific Publishing Co.
  • Author: Paul Knoepfler and Julie Knoepfler

BEST DIGITAL MARKETING CAMPAIGN

WINNER:Storytel Singapore

BEST ILLUSTRATED NON-FICTION BOOK

WINNER:The Way of Kueh

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Author: Christopher Tan
  • Designer: Marco Salazar

BEST LITERARY WORK

WINNER:Fall Baby

  • Publisher: Penguin Random House SEA
  • Author: Laksmi Pamuntjak

BEST NON-FICTION WORK

WINNER:homeless

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Author: Liyana Dhamirah

BEST PICTURE WORK

WINNER:Counting Sheep

  • Publisher: Marshall Cavendish International (Asia)
  • Author: Pippa Chorley
  • Illustrator: Danny Deeptown

BEST YOUNG PERSON’S TITLE

WINNER:Luminous Sword: Keys of Archellos

  • Publisher: Armour Publishing
  • Author: Eunice Li-Tan

BOOK OF THE YEAR

WINNER:The Way of Kueh

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Author: Christopher Tan

BEST EBOOK TITLE

WINNER:think! Additional Mathematics

  • Publisher: Shing Lee Publishers
  • Authors: Dr Joseph B.W. Yeo, Dr Choy Ban Heng, Teh Keng Seng, Wong Lai Fong and Sharon Lee

BOOK EBOOK (HONORARY MENTION)

WINNER:BAM!!and Let’s Play With Grandma

  • Publisher: Pustaka Nasional
  • For the Adept Use of Technology in Creating Bilingual Resources

BOOK OF THE YEAR (HONORARY MENTION)

WINNER:Loss Adjustment

  • Publisher: Ethos Books
  • Author: Linda Collins
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The 2019 Singapore Book Awards Ceremony was successfully held on Wednesday, 2 October 2019 at the Pavilion in the Conrad Centennial Singapore Hotel.

The winners of each category and Book of the Year were selected by a panel of judges comprising key industry personalities in Singapore known for their publishing, literary and media expertise. The winners, selected from a shortlist of 36 finalists in seven categories, cover multiple genres including architecture, biography, history, drama, and supplementary educational titles.

Winners of the 2019 Singapore Book Awards

BEST BOOK COVER DESIGN

WINNER:The Minorities

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Designer: Chee Jia Yi

BEST EDUCATION TITLE

WINNER:The First of Everything

  • Publisher: World Scientific Publishing Co
  • Author: Nury Vittachi

BEST ILLUSTRATED NON-FICTION BOOK

WINNER:Between the Lines– Early Advertising in Singapore, 1830s–1960s

  • Publisher: Marshall Cavendish and National Library Board
  • Editors: Text (Various), Images by National Library Board

BEST LITERARY WORK

WINNER:Lion City

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Author: Ng Yi-Sheng

BEST NON-FICTION WORK

WINNER:Flying Sleeves – The Grandeur of Chinese Opera

  • Publisher: Simply Green
  • Author: Ee Kiam Chua

BEST PICTURE BOOK

WINNER:The Incredible Basket

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Author: Quek Hong Shin

BEST YOUNG PERSON’S TITLE

WINNER:Big Tree in a Small Pot

  • Publisher: Marshall Cavendish International (Asia)
  • Author: Josephine Chia

BOOK OF THE YEAR

WINNER:The Naysayer’s Book Club

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Authors: Simon Vincent
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The 2018 Singapore Book Awards Ceremony was successfully held on Friday 21 September at the Arts House.

The winners of each category and Book of the Year were selected by a panel of judges comprising key industry personalities in Singapore known for their publishing, literary and media expertise. The winners, selected from a shortlist of 31 finalists in seven categories, cover multiple genres including architecture, biography, history, drama, and supplementary educational titles.

Winners of the 2018 Singapore Book Awards

BEST BOOK COVER DESIGN

WINNER:The Gatekeeper

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Designer: Yong Wen Yeu

BEST EDUCATION TITLE

WINNER:Mastering English with the Straits Times

  • Publisher: Straits Times Press
  • Author: Straits Times Schools Team Writers

BEST ILLUSTRATED NON-FICTION BOOK

WINNER:Tomas Saraceno: Arachnid Orchestra.
Jam Sessions

  • Publisher: NTU Centre for Contemporary Art Singapore
  • Editors: Ute Meta Bauer and Anca Rujoiu

BEST FICTION TITLE

WINNER:The Gatekeeper

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Author: Nuraliah Norasid

BEST NON-FICTION WORK

WINNER:Stranger to Myself

  • Publisher: Landmark Books
  • Author: MD Sharif Uddin

BEST PICTURE WORK

WINNER:The First Journey

  • Publisher: Scholastic Asia
  • Author: Phung Nguyen Quang and Huynh Kim Lien

BEST YOUNG PERSON’S TITLE

WINNER:Understanding Singaporeans

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Author: Edmund Wee

BOOK OF THE YEAR

WINNER:Robert Kuok: A Memoir

  • Publisher: Landmark Books
  • Authors: Robert Kuok with Andrew Tanzer

The 2017 Singapore Book Awards Ceremony was successfully held on 28 March at the Pan Pacific Hotel. The winners of each category and Book of the Year were selected by a panel of judges comprising key industry personalities in Singapore known for their publishing, literary and media expertise. The winners, selected from a shortlist of 39 finalists in seven categories, cover multiple genres including architecture, biography, history, drama, and supplementary educational titles.

Winners of the 2017 Singapore Book Awards

BEST BOOK COVER DESIGN

WINNER:扬声堂

  • Publisher: Global Publishing
  • Designer: Danny Yeo Chin Wei

BEST EDUCATION TITLE

WINNER:看图词典

  • Publisher: Marshall Cavendish Education
  • Author: Shi Bin

BEST ILLUSTRATED NON-FICTION BOOK

WINNER:Building Memories

  • Publisher: Achates 360
  • Authors: Lai Chee Kien, Koh Hong Teng & Chuan Yeo

BEST LITERARY WORK

WINNER:Now That It’s Over

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Author: O Thiam Chin

BEST NON-FICTION WORK

WINNER:EW Barker: The People’s Minister

  • Publisher: Straits Times Press
  • Author: Susan Sim

BEST PICTURE BOOK

WINNER:A Stray

  • Publisher: Marshall Cavendish International (Asia)
  • Author: Michael Wang & Neal Sharp

BEST YOUNG PERSON’S TITLE

WINNER:Mount Emily Revisited

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Author: Low Ying Ping

BOOK OF THE YEAR

WINNER:Building Memories

  • Publisher: Achates 360
  • Authors: Lai Chee Kien, Koh Hong Teng & Chuan Yeo

The Singapore Book Publishers Association (SBPA) relaunched the Book Awards in 2016. The winners of the 2016 Singapore Book Awards were announced on 11 May 2016, at a gala dinner in Hotel Rendezvous Singapore. There were eight categories for the 2016 Awards, up from six categories in 2012, to take into account the growth and development of the publishing industry during this period.

Winners of the 2016 Singapore Book Awards

BEST BOOK COVER DESIGN

WINNER:The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Designer: Sonny Liew

BEST EDUCATION TITLE

WINNER:Singapore: The Making of a Nation State,
1300-1975

  • Publisher: Star Publishing
  • Author: Curriculum Planning and Development Division, Ministry of Education

BEST ILLUSTRATED NON-FICTION BOOK

WINNER:Building Memories

  • Publisher: Achates 360
  • Authors: Lai Chee Kien, Koh Hong Teng & Chuan Yeo

BEST FICTION WORK

WINNER:Ministry of Moral Panic

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Author: Amanda Lee Koe

BEST NON-FICTION WORK

WINNER:Through the Lens of Lee Kip Lin

  • Publisher: National Library Board and Editions Dider Millet
  • Author: Dr Lai Chee Kien

BEST CHILDREN’S TITLE

WINNER:寻找

  • Publisher: Lingzi Media
  • Author: Lee Kow Fong

BEST YOUNG ADULT’S TITLE

WINNER:The Rock and the Bird

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Author: Chew Chia Shao Wei

BEST DIGITAL WORK

WINNER:不只是彩色笔

  • Publisher: Candid Creation
  • Author: Liow Yuting

BOOK OF THE YEAR

WINNER:The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye

  • Publisher: Epigram Books
  • Designer: Sonny Liew

The Singapore Book Publishers Association (SBPA) started the inaugural Publishing Awards in 2012. There were five award categories for the 2012 Awards.

Winners of the 2012 Singapore Book Awards

BEST BOOK COVER DESIGN

WINNER:The Devil’s Garden

  • Publisher: Monsoon Books
  • Author: Nigel Barley

BEST DEBUT WORK

WINNER:Shadow Play

  • Publisher: Monsoon Books
  • Author: Barbara Ismail

BEST FICTION WORK

WINNER:When All the Lights Are Stripped Away

  • Publisher: Marshall Cavendish International (Asia)
  • Author: Sunil Nair

BEST NON-FICTION WORK

WINNER:An Unexpected Journey: Path to the Presidency

  • Publisher: Editions Didier Millet
  • Author: S. R. Nathan

BEST RETAIL

WINNER:Annual Teach Yourself Promotion

  • Retailer: Prologue @ ION Orchard