Starchild: Malaysian children dream of a world filled with peace and happiness

Jodie Tan Li Juen, 12

Imagine a land that’s full of happiness and kindness, where everyone is loving and caring and we all live in peace and harmony. All our wishes can come true in this land – almost sounds like paradise, doesn’t it?

What would you do in a place like this? Who would you want to meet?

Here’s what Starchild readers had to say on the topic, Shangri-La.

Jodie Tan Li Juen, 12, says: “If I am in Shangri-La, I want to be an important knight and advisor to my king. The royalty and people need me and I love to protect them. My uniform would look similar to the black jumpsuit worn by Marvel Comic’s character Black Widow. It looks beautiful and stylish”.

Jayden Tan Li Sheng, 8

Younger sibling Jayden Tan Li Sheng, eight, wishes to drive a jeep with his buddy in Shangri-La. “In this mystical land, I am a helicopter pilot too. So I will fly my family to beautiful places surrounded by mountains and rainbows.”

Eight-year-old Chloe Leong Xizhen’s idea of Shangri-La is living in a big and spacious castle. “Whenever I wish for rain, it will rain and there will be a rainbow thereafter.”

Chloe Leong Xizhen, 8

Sophie Yap Jyn Qing, eight, dreams of studying at Hogwarts School, alongside the fictional characters from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series of books. “When I read the Harry Potter books, it sounds lovely to be at Hogwarts. So many magical things happen there. If I could do magic, I would use the banishing spell to eliminate the Covid-19 virus. This will allow everyone to travel and visit each other.”

Sophie Yap Jyn Qing, 8

Younger sibling Claire Yap Jyn Wei, six, says: “My Shangri-La is near my sister’s Hogwarts School. I imagine the place to be fun and exciting. I can meet new friends and teachers and learn spells. There is a hall, tall tower, and I have a wand to cast spells. I can also fly in the sky with my broom.”

Claire Yap Jyn Wei, 6

Three-year-old Asher Wang Qi Chuen dreams of a kingdom where humans and animals will live peacefully together. “They will not eat each other. I would love to be friends with dinosaurs.”

Asher Wang Qi Chuen, 3

Older sister Bethany Wang Qi Syuen, six, thinks Shangri-La is a place of joy and peace. “I imagine magical creatures roaming the land. Children play happily with their friends and they never go hungry. I don’t think there will be homework to do because everyone will be sufficiently clever.”

Bethany Wang Qi Syuen, 6

“I want my magical land to have candy, fruits and a big fancy house with gadgets. I’d like to share these items with my neighbours and loved ones. In Shangri-La, I will study hard and make my parents proud,” says Nicole Tan Jia Mae, eight. ‑ Compiled by Sheela Chandran

Nicole Tan Jia Mae, 8

Find the hidden words!

ITEM: Halloween is observed around the world on Oct 31. Although it is not a holiday here, people celebrate it for some fun. Festive activities include trick or treat, dressing up in costumes, carving jack-o’-lanterns, playing pranks, telling scary stories, and watching horror films.

Have you celebrated Halloween before?

Well, even if you do not get to celebrate this day, you can imagine how it is like in countries where children look forward to this day each year.

Imagine the carved pumpkins or the costumes you can put on. And some pranks here and there – sounds like a lot of fun! Tell us what you think of Halloween. What other activities do you consider to be fun?

E-mail your contributions to [e-mail] by Oct 15. Please put “STARCHILD: Halloween” in the subject line of your e-mail.

Scanned drawings should be in jpeg format, with a resolution of 200 dpi. Your contributions must carry your full name, age (open to children aged 12 and below only), gender, phone contact, and address. Instead of handwritten letters, please type out your letters.