Read an excerpt from our Stories of Cities, Cities of Stories Jakarta virtual residents’ picture book.

National Centre for Writing and Jakarta UNESCO City of Literature completed a virtual residency exchange in April-May 2023 for children’s writers and illustrators to reflect on their own creative practice and learn more about the ecosystem for children’s books in each city. Author Noor H. Dee and illustrator Andina Subarja created this heartfelt story of a statue and the wind’s friendship and ensuing adventure all over the world.

Hear more about Noor and Andina’s residency at our free online Meet the World event →

Noor and Andina’s residencies are supported by the International Literature Showcase Collaboration Fund. The International Literature Showcase is a partnership between the National Centre for Writing and the British Council.

Have a read of Noor and Andina’s story and click the link at the end to access the rest of the book.

Read the full book →

This project is seeking publication.

Noor H. Dee is a children’s book author and has published 20 children’s book. Over the years, four of his books have been translated into English and his book entitled 25 Nabi & Rasul (25 Prophet & Apostle), was ranked as a bestseller in the country. In 2019, he was invited to The Asian Publisher Fellowship Program in Seoul, South Korea, discussing Children’s Books and Future Reading in the Digital Age with other delegations from Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, etc. Two of his recent self-published books, Jus Puisi (Poetry Juice) and Siapa yang Kentut? (Who Farted?) received a positive response by children and parents in Indonesia. Apart from writing children’s books, he is also working as a children’s book editor for Noura Publishing, an imprint of Mizan, one of the major publishers in Indonesia.

Andina Subarja is a children’s book author and illustrator. She lives in Jakarta and has been a children’s book illustrator from 2013, working along with multiple publishers and children’s organizations. Her published picture books as author-illustrator are Kejutan Kungkang (Sloth’s Surprise) and Gelinding (Rolling). In her spare time, she also writes children’s short stories and poems. Her unpublished picture book MUSIC was included in The Unpublished Picturebook Showcase 2022 by dPictus.