Publishing My First Book!

KING EDWARD’S SCHOOL STUDENT PUBLISHING HIS FIRST BOOK

Yes, you read that headline right…to those who didn’t know yet, I’m publishing my first book! It’s been a while since I shared my humble story with Ms Nenie Kairuman from Berita Harian Singapura 🇸🇬 I was so honoured to be featured in a very prestigious Singaporean newspaper – thank you for your PAWSOME support! So I guess it’s not really a secret anymore. Are you eager to know more about my first book? Stay tuned for more news and updates – COMING YOUR WAY VERY SOON!

The 12-year-old author,

Omar Mukhtar a.k.a. The Pawsome Lion

#BornToWrite

p/s: Follow me on my family’s Instagram account @thefamily.uk for regular updates. Stay tuned for my new video tomorrow! 😉

Mostly Bitter, Not So Sweet…

One night, while I lay in bed, I found myself tossing and turning, not being able to sleep. As I lay there counting sheep, a poem kept ringing in my head, ‘Brother and Sister’ by Lewis Carroll, who also wrote the famous ‘Alice In Wonderland’. I had actually read it earlier on, and it became my new favourite poem! Becoming inspired to write my own twisted version, I quickly pulled out my mini notebook from under my pillow (yep, I keep a notebook under my pillow) and penned down my ideas! Here’s the finished product, which is about a brother and a sister with a bittersweet relationship, which, as the title implies, is mostly bitter, but not so sweet…

Mostly Bitter, Not So Sweet…

A Poem By O. Mukhtar O. Mukhlis a.k.a The Pawsome Lion

There was once a boy, a boy and a girl,

And that little girl made her brother hurl

“Oh sister!” he said,

“I must rest my head!

So I’m calling Doc Crest

To get rid of you pest!”

“Such rudeness, boy!

I am not your toy!”

Her brother replied

“I shall smack your hide,

Or would you, perhaps, like a scratch,

So on your face, you’ll wear a patch?”

Doc Crest came bursting through the door,

“Where is the little pest, so poor?”

And thus replied the young girl’s brother,

“There is the stinky little bother!”

“What special treatment do you require?”

“Please tie her to a castle spire!

Or better still, just put her in

A soup we can put in the bin.”

“A soup it is!

First cut then whizz!”

The poor girl fainted,

It looked like red, her face had been painted

When she woke up,

She was tied up

Next to a pot

So boiling hot

She felt like she had just been shot

Right when her brother picked her up,

The cops came in and shouted “Stop!

Don’t put her in!

That’ll be a sin!”

He said “I don’t care,

She’s a rotten old pear”

And just when he was feeling bold,

The policemen knocked him out cold

He was dragged to jail

So young and frail

And was never heard from ever again

“So now you see,” said a coffee barista,

“No good comes out of cooking your sister!”

(Who, in actual fact, was drinking his brother, in the form of an innocent coffee cup)

So, what do you think of it?

The message that I wanted this poem to send was to BE NICE! Whether you’re brother and sister, best friends, colleagues or any other relationship, being kind is key. Typical me, I like to be different, so instead of writing about what to do, I wrote about what not to do! Remember how the brother tries putting his sister in a soup? That represents a bad action, and just by doing it, he releases the darker side of relationships. Of course, there are consequences for these things. Like how the brother was ‘dragged off to jail’ in this piece, the consequences are serious, and trust me, you don’t want to face them. And of course, the very end teaches us not to judge a book by its cover…or the contents of a coffee cup by its label (honestly, you never know what a two-faced person your coffee barista could be). The coffee barista in this poem represents the many two-faced people in this world that give out words of wisdom but do the exact opposite of their own advice! Nobody should be like this. Instead, we should all be our true selves and try to be the best we can and help others be their best every day!

p/s: Oh yes, and not to forget, cannibalism is BAD!!! 😬

You’re Not ‘Special’, But You Can Change The World!

 

 

Every 21st March marks World Down Syndrome Day, bringing awareness to everyone about people with Down Syndrome, or ‘SPECIAL’ people with ‘SPECIAL NEEDS’. Special? Where’d that come from? Yes, they may be different, but they still live among us in the same way that we do; they eat, sleep, breathe, walk, talk – just like us! Yet they are still being labelled differently from us. I personally disagree with labelling them special.

The world calls people with Down Syndrome, autism, or other syndromes ‘SPECIAL’ and they are said to have ‘SPECIAL NEEDS’. They think sugar-coating ‘disabled’ will lighten the effect, but from my humble point of view, it only hurts even more. For a start, being labelled differently means that they will only be separated from the crowd. It makes them feel alone and puts them on a different path from us in life. Do you realise that we are pushing them even further away from us? Since ‘special needs’ is just a polite term for something else, it may come across as sarcastic to people with Down Syndrome too! It also makes them feel more dependent because if they have ‘special NEEDS’, they would have to be treated specially by a specialist.

Why is this happening? They are just normal people! Sure, they may be different in how they act or look, but aren’t we all different? God made us in all different forms, shapes, sizes and colours, and while this is important to keep in mind, it is also important to remember that we are all from one human race! So even though you think you are ‘softening the blow’ by using a positive word like ‘special’, it only makes them feel different in a negative way! Try putting yourselves in their shoes! I know I wouldn’t want to be labelled ‘special’ the way they are! They want people to recognise their differences and understand their feelings, which I am sure is also true with the rest of us!

So what do we call them then? Why not try calling them by the name their parents gave them if you know them well, or if you don’t, respect the fact that they are humans as well, then recognise that they have Down Syndrome, autism or anything of the sort.

Let’s not label them ‘special’, but recognise their illness! This way, we can study them, recognise their needs, identify the assistance they require – and help them break through. Instead of putting all the responsibility on the parents, we should take it upon ourselves to play a role in helping them. Whether you’re a friend, neighbour, or simply a member of the community, you should help them every chance you get! Rather than making them fit into our world, why not we try to fit into their world? If we can understand them, this will help them to live among us and make it easier for all of us! Be it at school, in a workplace, or in public places, this awareness will help us blend into their world!

We also need to be aware that people with Down Syndrome are with us every day, therefore, we need to know of the vital importance of WDSD! This knowledge is key in understanding the diverse people of today’s world. So, please, oh please, keep in mind before you call somebody with Down Syndrome ‘special’, just think – maybe they aren’t so dependent! Maybe they could go on to do great things in the future! Maybe they could CHANGE THE WORLD!

“I see people with Down Syndrome more superior than me – after all, they do have extra chromosomes!”

– O. Mukhtar O. Mukhlis

21/03/2018

p/s: I’m an 11-year-old writer, and this is my humble point of view.

 

Simply The Best!

There are two dates in November that are special to my family: the 10th and the 14th.

Mrs Mom always told us that me, Fatimah and Ali were lucky to have a second mother.

Fatimah and Ali used to ask who that other mother was, but I knew just the person Mrs Mom was talking about. Dr Auntie, Mrs Mom’s elder sister, was someone who had been there for us right from the start. She’s not just your average auntie! Out of everybody on Earth, I haven’t met anybody that could replace her! She’s loving and understanding, and it seems that her heart is made of pure gold.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a day go by without Mrs Mom and Dr Auntie talking to each other, and by that, I don’t mean just once, I mean at least 10 times (or 100, I lose count)! Mrs Mom and Dr Auntie are tightly knit and are very close sisters; I think we only ever need to make a phone call if we’re in urgent need of help! Sometimes, Mrs Mom doesn’t break any good news to us until Dr Auntie is tuned in and listening! And that is how important she is to the family!

Another great trait that makes Dr Auntie ‘Dr Auntie’ is that she’ll never say no, and will do anything to fulfil our needs. I think that if I asked her for £1,000,000, she’d rob a bank just for me (although, of course, she’s an honest and kind person, so I highly doubt that she’ll do anything of the sort. I really need to read those T’s and C’s.)!

I can still remember how she used to always find a way to make me happy when I was little. She knew I was the kind of kid that absolutely LOVED opening presents, so, on top all the other presents she’d got for my birthday, she’d take the wrapping paper and wrap anything she could find – literally. Books, socks, pens, plates. In fact, I still recall one account where I was surprised with a biscuit! Isn’t she sweet?

There’s many other qualities that make her probably the best auntie ever (subject to prejudice and sheer adoration!), so it’s no wonder nobody was like her! She’s my biggest inspiration and is somebody that always tries hard! She won’t give up and will not stop at anything to help her family! She’s definitely the role model to follow! Now, coming back to those two special dates in November, the 14th marks Dr Auntie’s birthday! The whole family looks forward to this day, because it’s that time of the year when we can really thank her for everything she’s done for us!

Dr Auntie has, of course, done many favours for me too, so I have specially dedicated a poem to her, which, I must admit, is small compared to what she has done for me, but is my way of saying thank you. Dr Auntie, this is for you!

Simply The Best!

By The Pawsome Lion

Dedicated to Dr Auntie

There’s millions of people in the world,

But none of them are quite like you,

You’re funny, loving, you’ve got a heart of gold!

And you make us feel like “YAY!” when we’re blue

You’re always there when we need help,

We can just give you a yelp!

A mother you are similar to,

It seems there’s nothing you can’t do!

You’re always by our side,

In the dark, you’re our brightening guide!

And I’d gladly go on and on,

Because when you’re around, no hope is gone!

But it is somebody’s special day,

And it’s a reason for you to shout HOORAY!

Because HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

It’s YOUR special day!

Happy birthday, Dr Auntie! May God make this the best birthday ever!

p/s: Dear Dr Auntie, please pray for my interview, so I can bring back the biggest birthday present of all!

Your favourite nephew (self-claimed! 😁),

Omar Mukhtar – The Pawsome Lion

Under The Lake

Every day is just about the same for me. Wake up, brush my teeth, wash my face, grab an apple and walk straight into that 300-foot deep lake outside.

I work under the surface – well, when I say under, I mean on the other side. There’s plenty of other people that come too, it’s part of life for us. We work for Death, writing reports on certain people that are assigned to us, then calculating their life expectancy. Death has less on his plate because of us, so all he needs to do is fix his schedule.

Everything we do, think and feel is written on our bodies as soon as we pass through the portal. When we resurface, the writing disappears. Death pays us quite a fair salary each week, so life is sweet. There’s just one catch: whenever I start work, my skin is empty.

Death doesn’t favour me as much as the others, even though my wages are the same. There was another one like me, but she died sometime before I started. They call us Outsiders, which is pretty rude, but I don’t care.

I was always empty-skinned until that one day when my life seemed to change forever. I went through the same morning routine: brush teeth, wash face, eat apple, walk into lake. I just didn’t know that under the lake, it would be different.

The first few steps in are through the water barrier, then we should arrive on the other side. This time around, though, the journey seemed longer, and as I delved deeper and deeper, I could make out the distinctive shape of a person in the distance, a man, tall and skinny. He gradually came closer and closer, until I could see his face. It was Death himself, and he had grabbed hold of my hand. Before he pushed me up to the surface, he uttered four words: “You, master of me.”

And suddenly I was floating back up, and I flew out of the lake, landing on my feet. I wasn’t the slightest bit wet, as always. There was a piece of paper in my hand, reading:

Take my place under the lake.

Yours,

D.

And on my hand was a single word, as if written in black ink. ‘No need to ask for wages anymore.’ I thought to myself as I walked back to my cosy little home, smiling at my own hand, reading over and over again ‘Death’.

Hansel & Gretel – A Twisted Tale!

 

You’ve probably heard of the tale of Hansel and Gretel. They sound like really nice people who help around and save people from witches – but they aren’t. They are actually horrid witch hunters practicing the Dark Arts.

My sister, Alexis, was a good witch who wanted to save people from the Dark witches and wizards. But then she died and I watched it all from a window. From then on, I hid in the forest and tried to find a way to get revenge on Hansel and Gretel. Of course, I knew that it was virtually impossible, but something deep inside me, something that raged fiercely like a fire, pushed me more and more.

It all started on a cool spring day. The sparrows were tweeting away happily in the havens of leaves above. Sunshine illuminated every part of the forest. Everything seemed perfect. Me and Alexis had finally finished building the candy house for children and adults who were lost in the woods. It had shiny windows made of sugar, scrumptious gingerbread walls and a door created with the finest chocolate in the world. A fence of candy canes and strawberry string acted as a border around the dwelling. There was a small space left for a gate built of marzipan. All of it was finished off with a shortbread door knocker and a single cookie stepping stone.

“The people will absolutely love this!” said Alexis excitedly, a huge smile on her face.

 

Later on in the day, I went to collect some food from the forest whilst Alexis stayed at the house. With me, I took my satchel and dark blue travelling cloak. I managed to gather enough mushrooms and wild berries for both of us. When I came back, I heard several voices inside, Alexis’, a man’s and woman’s. Suddenly, there was a loud smash. I looked through one of the windows and saw the owners of the other voices inside. The woman, who was dressed head to toe in dark-coloured clothes, was rushing to to get a broom and clean up a pile of shattered glass. Meanwhile, the man was apologising to Alexis for his sister’s ‘foolish actions’. He was clad in a checkered shirt, with colours of green and red blending together, and baggy, patched trousers. Then, I realised that a brown stick was sticking out of a pouch in each of their trousers. They had ancient runes and symbols carved on them. I couldn’t believe it! Could they be Hansel and Gretel? But if they were, why were they being so friendly?

 

Alexis went over to turn the oven on. As she twisted a knob, orangey-blue flames blazed behind the glass pane. She opened the oven door and walked over to a two-tiered cake sitting on the worktop. Just as she turned around, Hansel and Gretel immediately leapt to their feet, got their wands out and pointed them at Alexis, who suddenly started screaming. I wanted to go and help her, but my foot was being held captive by a gnarled vine snaking out of the ground. I pulled and tugged but it was no use. An impenetrable plant. Inside, the treacherous witch hunters waved their wands over to a spot in front of the open oven. Alexis was dragged to the same location.

“Ha! You thought you could hide from us? You were wrong!” yelled Gretel.

“W-W-What do y-you- want?” Alexis spluttered.

“You know what,” replied Hansel, evil drifting around in his voice. “We want to rid the world of all the good witches and wizards.”

Then, without warning, they stuck their wands out even further and shouted in unison, “TIMORIOS ET MORTEMIS!!!”

A strong wind blew through the house and splintered the window, making my cloak billow out behind me. I nearly fell back but managed to regain balance. Alexis jerked and choked. Then she staggered back and fell into the oven. Her screams were most unpleasant. It lasted for about half a minute and then there was only silence. The vine holding my foot released. Smash! A long object crashed through another of the sugar windows, shattering the peace that had once deluged the woods. I ran deep into the forest and went into hiding. One might say that I went crazy after spending such a long time in the woods, but they don’t know the truth. And as for Hansel and Gretel, well, I’ve heard they’re going to twist the tale again.

 

Create A Story – 11 Reasons Why I Love It

As a writer, I’m always looking for ways to improve, however I need to. Then I came across Create A Story, a children’s creative writing book in the making, and guess what? They asked me to review their early preview of the book! It was an honour to be offered something such as this! I agreed and tried it out, and let me tell you this: it was PAWSOME! Create A Story is definitely the go-to book for children between 7-11 who are new to the world of writing, but even kids who have been writing stories for a long time will benefit from it! I must admit, even I did! And, as promised, I am sharing my thoughts on the early preview book. Below are the 11 reasons why I love Create A Story!

1. A writing topic is given and clearly explained so you have a better image in your head of what you are going to be writing about.
2. The story is split into sections, making it easier for you to plan each part.
3. Examples of main characters, villains and optional pets are shown so you have more ideas about your own characters.
4. Once you choose a main character, you analyse them step by step, from their personality to the items that they are carrying. Very helpful so you know what your character is going to do in the story.
5. Powerful vocabulary is used in the explanations to enrich knowledge and tricky words are underlined with meanings given beside them.
6. To prompt setting descriptions, small spaces for the five senses are used so you can note down what you see, smell, taste, feel and hear.
7. A space for drawing the setting can be used so that you have a clearer image of it in your head.
8. The book gives examples of high-level grammar features that could be used in the story. These features are practised in short learning activities.
9. At the end of the planning, a tick list is shown for you to be able to check that you have everything for your story.
10. Before beginning writing, fun facts about the writing topic are given so that they can be used in the story, bringing it more to life.
11. And most importantly, it makes writing fun!

Once again, I would like to say that I definitely recommend Create A Story to children writer wannabes and those who want to improve their writing! Parents can buy this book for their children as its features are hugely beneficial , and I have enjoyed writing with it! Keep an eye out for its launch very soon!

p/s: Special thanks to Andrew Massingham for honouring me with the early preview of the book!

Create A Story

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Who Else But Mum!?

Who Else But Mum!?

(A poem written by The Pawsome Lion)

~Dedicated to Mrs Mom

I still remember how you smiled at me,

And that twinkle in your eyes,

Our laughs when we had fun,

The tears of joy we shared

I still remember how you helped me up

When I fell to the floor,

Your hugs when I felt down,

Your praise when I had done well

I still remember after all these years

How kind you’ve been to me,

How great you’ve been to my brother,

How great you’ve been to my sister

And I still come to you for hugs,

For smiles, for advice, for a laugh,

Because I think,

Who else but mum,

To go to for joy!?

Who else but mum,

To go to for help!?

Who else? Who else? Who else but mum!?

And on this very special day,

I’d like to say…

Happy Birthday!

To the best mother in the world!

 

Come Rain or Shine…

Come Rain or Shine…

(A poem written by The Pawsome Lion)

~ Dedicated to Mr OCD Uncle, Dadajee & Khun Yai Thi Rak Khong Phom ~

Our laughter used to fill every room,

They’re now the carriers of our sweet memories

Our love was strong, so tightly knit,

It seemed impossible to get in the way

Our smiles were sunshine,

Our eyes were stars,

We brightened up every dark corner

But then one day, you went away

It broke my heart to say goodbye

And as you left me all alone,

I shared my sorrow with the sky

Its cold tears washed my face

And thunder rolled as my own dripped

It knew how I was feeling

But I know that you’ll come back

To make more memories,

To laugh even more

And I also know that come rain or shine,

I’ll still love you and you’ll still love me

Saturday, 16th September 2017

p/s: Photo of The Pawsome Lion, 3 years old – by Mr Dad © 2009

Sunday with Adam – The Brains Behind the Burger!🍔

Howdy y’all! It’s The Pawsome Lion! Did you enjoy last week’s video? Have any of you given it a try? If you haven’t, then you should! Now Episode 3 of the kids’ series is out! For this video, it’s…Lamb Burgers! This is a lovely delicacy that we all enjoy. But, what about the history of this dish?

The Origin of Burgers

Long long ago, burgers weren’t the type of burgers that we all know today. They were something slightly different. The first burgers came around in the Middle Ages. Travelling merchants from Hamburg learnt how to make patties from The Tartars of the Baltic Lands. They used raw meat for the patties and seasoned them with salt, pepper and onion juice. Pretty basic, right?

Then another cook (nobody knows his name) improvised on the patties. He got pieces of beef, shaped them into round patties and broiled them.When these burgers arrived in the U.S, they were eaten quite raw, like the French still prefer their meat.

The English and Irish were the first ones to cook their beef patties well done throughout. People in England named the burger ‘Salisbury Steak’, after Dr. James H. Salisbury, who advised his patients to eat a well done beef patty three times a day, followed by a cup of hot water to cure colitis, anemia and other illnesses.

The First ‘Burger Sandwich’

The first burgers weren’t actually eaten between two sliced buns though. It was only until the early 1900s (when burgers were popularised in America) that this eating fashion began. Apparently, the idea was invented by a gambler called John Montagu, the fourth earl of Sandwich. He stuffed his patties between slices of bread so it was more convenient for him. This way, he could eat right at the gambling table! The official appearance of the first ‘hamburger’ sandwich took place at the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis, Missouri (this is also the birthplace of the much loved ice cream cone).

Burger Evolution!

 

The Delicious Veggie Burger!

In where we are today, the burger has many different varieties. For example, vegetarians can enjoy burgers in the form of ‘veggie burgers’! The patties in these burgers are made from soy protein and vegetables. A lot of people are also creating new types of burgers. A Welsh zoologist is working on a high-protein burger patty made from rat meat!🐭 A group of scientists with tainted tastebuds are also trying to make a new burger. They’re going to use cotton for the patty! I wonder how they will taste like?

Another type of burger is the renowned Ramen Burger! The creator of this burger is a Japanese man called Keizo Shimamoto. He grew up in California and loved both parts of his culture: L.A (burgers) and Tokyo (ramen). He decided to merge both of these dishes together and create a whole new unique dish – The Ramen Burger, a twist on two dishes! In this dish, the normal burger bun is replaced with two circles of delicious, well-seasoned ramen! The Ramen Burger has spread worldwide and everybody loves it! Sounds PAWSOME!

A burger that is similar to the Ramen Burger is the Rice Burger created by MOS Burger in Japan. MOS Burger is a fast-food restaurant chain known in various parts of the world. In this burger, two compressed rice cakes are used as an alternative for normal burger buns. The Rice Burger has become popularised in many parts of East Asia and other places like Australia and Indonesia. I really want to taste on of those! 😁

Burgers with fish patties are also very popular. Take the Salmon Burger for example, the patty in this burger is substituted with a chunk o’ salmon! The majority of people like this burger because it’s meaty and full of flavour. I bet it’s delicious! YUM!!! 😛

100 Billion Burgers!!! 😵

McDonald’s is one of the best selling fast-food restaurants that sells burgers. Till date, they have sold over 100 billion burgers!!! Stack all of them up and you’d get the height of 100 of the world’s tallest buildings!😱 McDonald’s also owns a place known as ‘Hamburger University’, where people are taught the basics of hamburgerology. It is located in Elk Grove Village, Illinois.

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So now you know a bit more about one of the dishes you love. It’s pretty amazing, huh? There’s been a lot of change over time! Don’t forget to watch the latest episode of the Sunday with Adam kids series! And in case you were wondering, hamburgers aren’t made of ham (they’re from Hamburg! 😛 ).

p/s: Let’s Cook & Sway!

p/p/s: Don’t forget to follow Mr OCD Uncle on Instagram & Facebook: @adamdidam & subscribe to his YouTube channel too!😉