ABSTRACT
In the diverse countries of the Far East, attitudes to the reading and publishing of children's books vary widely. Levels of literacy are generally related to the wealth of the country. Some countries have been swamped by British and American children's books, and have had to struggle against this flood of imports to produce indigenous children's literature. This is particularly true of Malaysia and Singapore where the influence of writers such as Enid Blyton is apparent. Political climates vary too. China, Mongolia and Vietnam, for example, have a very positive attitude towards children's books, and reading is seen as a popular activity. In the wealthiest countries, such as Japan and Singapore, life is earnest and children's books are assessed in terms of the contribution they make to the educational process. Japan has long imported and translated Western books, and now, in return, exports its own books to the West, where the work of Anno, the picture book author/illustrator, for example, is well known and admired. Singapore imports so many English and American children's books, with no need for translation, that local publishers see little point in trying to compete.
