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  The New Paper 5 Jun 07
Boy, 7, gets dad to write book to sell for President's Challenge
By Andrew Chin

HE emptied his piggy bank for charity, on Be Yourself Day, for the President's Challenge last year. The President noticed, and little Chua Jin Chou was invited to the Istana in November.

This year, he wanted to do something different. Sell drinks? No, replied his mother, because the school canteen already had a stall. Sell books? Hmm... novel idea.

Naturally, his parents asked where he would get the books, wondering how their wide-eyed 7-year-old was going to go head to head against the Borders and Kinokuniyas of the world. Jin Chou's reply was equally novel.

'Dad can write a book,' he said. And that's just what his father, Mr Chua Weng Foo, 41, a senior manager, did. After all, Be Yourself Day is a charity event held in schools every year to raise funds for the President's Challenge.

And Mr Chua took it up as his 'Son's Challenge'. Initially he could not think of what to write about. Then, he told Jin Chou: 'I'm going to write a storybook about global warming.' Mr Chua told The New Paper: 'I wanted to raise awareness of this issue among the young readers.'

He took about three months to write the story. He then found an artist from Spain to do the illustrations. He also approached the President's Challenge secretariat for approval of Jin Chou's idea. Three weeks ago, 1,000 copies of the book, The World of the Gagababas - Global Cooling, were delivered to the Chuas.

The book is being sold at $10 per copy. The family plans to donate all proceeds to the President's Challenge, without recovering the production costs of about $5,000.

Jin Chou was excited at seeing the book. 'I've sold 15 to 20 books so far,' he said proudly. His buyers have been mostly family friends or neighbours. He tried selling the book to his school bus driver. 'He turned me down. He said he can't read English,' said Jin Chou. But he wouldn't let it go at that. 'You can buy the book for your children,' he recalled telling the driver. Jin Chou said the driver smiled and told him his children are adults.

'When I tried to sell to the auntie who sells vegetarian food (at school), she also said she couldn't read (English),' he added.

But he remains optimistic that all the books will be sold. How long did he think it would take? 'Maximum two years,' he said cheekily. Not that he is just sitting down and waiting for the book to sell. He got his parents to write to his principal for permission to sell the books in school.

SELLING IN SCHOOL

The principal of Maha Bodhi School, Mrs Lim Bee Lay, went further. She suggested setting aside a session in school, so Jin Chou and his parents could promote the book. 'This book has a very good storyline. Plus its price is reasonable compared to books on sale in bookshops,' she told The New Paper. 'This is a significant effort for a child so young.'

Jin Chou also sponsors a child's education in Mongolia with his Chinese New Year hongbao money. He continues to pay frequent visits to old folks' homes. And he is emptying his five piggy banks for Be Yourself Day this year too.

But right now, the big thing is the book. As our interview ended, he told this reporter: 'Please buy my book...'
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