[Book Review] Ho Weng Toh: Singapore's Flying Tiger (Our Amazing Heroes)

If you have been regularly following my blog posts, you would know that I'm an avid fan of creative non-fictions aimed at Singaporean children. And my most recent book reviews have revolved around the 'Our Amazing Pioneers' series, written by Shawn Seah and illustrated by Patrick Yee. 

So, when both of these amazing creators come together to create yet another new series, of course I would be eager to get my hands on it as soon as possible??

I came to know of this series through the author's Instagram post (link can be found here), in which he explained his motivation behind creating such books. It was truly inspiring; and to my readers: I'd suggest you watch it too! As a Singaporean, I agree with the author that we have a huge responsibility to pass the knowledge of our ancestors to future generations so that we could all collectively appreciate the way Singapore has developed into a formidable sovereign state. And 'Our Amazing Heroes' series is an ambitious creation to do just that. 

Ho Weng Toh: Singapore's Flying Tiger (Our Amazing Heroes series)

2025

Published by: WS Education

Written by: Shawn Seah, Illustrated by: Patrick Yee

Knowing that Captain Ho Weng Toh was a real-life hero who made invaluable contributions towards Singapore's betterment, one would expect him to be born and brought up in Singapore. But I was surprised to learn that he was initially a Chinese national. In fact, he was one of China's best fighter pilots. So how did a patriotic Chinese individual become a Singaporean hero?

The story delves into Captain Ho's transition from a Chinese fighter pilot to a Singaporean pilot who heavily contributed to the Singapore aviation industry's insurmountable growth. The narrative also elegantly weaves in good moral values and exemplary character traits that children can learn from when reading the series. 

"Captain Ho felt really stuck. He had just protected everyone, so why would he fight some of them now?"

Captain Ho had always acted upon his own principles and never committed to actions that he did not believe in. When he was ordered by the ruling party, the Nationalists, to fight the Communist party in China, Captain Ho refused to partake in it. He believed in protecting all Chinese nationals and did not want to fight them, even if it meant that he would be disobeying his higher authorities. His tenacity to stick to his own moral compass even under severe pressure is admirable. 

"He resigned from flying and had to give up his China citizenship. [...] In a ceremony held in 1957, Captain Ho and his family raised their hands and pledged that they would be Singaporeans."

Captain Ho constantly strived towards improving the welfare of people around him. During his time as a Chinese fighter pilot, he was protecting lives on a daily basis. When he became a Singaporean, he advocated for equality among Singaporean and Western pilots. He had a tireless heart that was always willing to serve, and I was in awe of that. 

"In January 1964, Malaysian Airways appointed Captain Ho as a Training Captain, in charge of leading the training programme for all local cadets. Singaporean pilots were now rising up the ranks!" 

Captain Ho believed in sharing the wealth of his abundant knowledge. He not only fought for equal pay rights between local and Western pilots but also made sure that those local pilots had the necessary qualifications to receive a higher pay. He was an exemplary leader who had a clear vision and consistently worked towards achieving that goal. 

In summary, this book was undoubtedly an educational and enjoyable read. Kudos to the illustrator for using a bright and vivid colour palette throughout the series as it would surely capture the attention of any child. In the Instagram post that I had mentioned above, the writer described himself as being both a historian and a chronicler. I find that to be completely true. As a chronicler, he makes sure to include pockets of information in some pages to clarify on the historical timeline of events. As a historian, he spins a narrative that would teach children on many good values that they can learn from their predecessors. It is evident that every single element of this book has been crafted with so much thought, and I would strongly recommend it to anyone looking for an engaging storytelling session with their child! 

You can choose to purchase this book at this link (it is discounted if you buy the whole set of series and... P.S. I have the full set with me right now!): https://www.lazada.sg/products/preorder-ws-our-amazing-heroes-full-set-3-books-children-book-age-312-i3332651944.html 

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