The people behind Red Dot Stories narrate stories of the quiet, often unseen contributions of ordinary Singaporeans, acts of kindness, resilience, and courage that strengthen our society and, in turn, our collective defence.
And they have released this amazing video featuring Karen Hoisington and Claire Koh talking about Elizabeth Choy: Singapore’s Kind Heroine (see YouTube and Instagram videos below)!
I am delighted to share that this video is based on my children’s book series, Our Amazing Heroes (2025), written by me and illustrated by the talented artist Patrick Yee.
The trailer was released earlier (see YouTube and Instagram videos below):
As a Singapore history author writing about Singapore pioneers, I support National Education and Total Defence. I believe that our unique Singapore stories help us understand who we are, what values define us, and what we must protect.
As we reflect on the importance of Total Defence Day (15 February), we must appreciate that Total Defence is more than just military readiness, which is important, but about social cohesion, economic resilience, digital and online responsibility, civil defence, and psychological strength.
In 2025, talented illustrator Patrick Yee and I launched our children’s book series Our Amazing Heroes to share stories of courage, compassion, and contribution by Singapore pioneers. This series was a sequel to Our Amazing Pioneers (2023), a children’s book series of Singapore’s pioneers, including Teochew pioneers Seah Eu Chin, Seah Liang Seah, and Tan Seng Poh, among many others.
One of the historical figures Patrick and I brought to life through Our Amazing Heroes was Mrs Elizabeth Choy. As Singapore’s kind heroine, she demonstrated courage and compassion even in the darkest days of the Imperial Japanese occupation of Singapore.
In my children’s book Elizabeth Choy: Singapore’s Kind Heroine, I wrote about how she was arrested for smuggling supplies to prisoners of war, how she endured imprisonment and torture, and how she remained steadfast.
To mark Total Defence, such significant examples matter. They show our young that courage and compassion under pressure are real.
The team behind the video drew inspiration from the books and illustrations as part of their base material. I was genuinely encouraged to see how thoughtfully the values were brought across. The video brings out strong National Education and Total Defence themes for children in a way that is clear, accessible, and engaging.
As a Singapore history author and public speaker, this is what I believe in. I often tell pupils during school assembly talks that everyone has a role in keeping Singapore strong.
As we remember the importance of Total Defence, I hope this video encourages meaningful conversations. I hope it reminds our young Singaporeans that they are not bystanders in Singapore’s story, because every one of us has a part to play.
Thank you for reading.
Cheers,
Shawn Seah
About the Author
Shawn Seah is a published author and public speaker who makes Singapore’s history come alive through engaging storytelling. He is the author of the children’s non-fiction series Our Amazing Pioneers (2023) and Our Amazing Heroes (2025), fully-illustrated books aimed at primary school pupils. He has also written non-fiction books for the general reader on Singapore family history, Teochew pioneers like Seah Eu Chin and Seah Liang Seah, and a Singapore Book Awards 2021 finalist My Father’s Kampung: A History of Aukang and Punggol. A recipient of the NUS Outstanding Young Alumni Award (2023), he speaks regularly about family history research, Singapore history, and the art of storytelling at schools, literary festivals, and museums.
Shawn Seah Li Song 
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