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Where to buy SingLit books in Singapore: A guide
Including SingLit book recommendations for fiction and non-fiction titles
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PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES
If you didn’t know already, the SG Culture Pass can be used for qualifying Singapore literature (SingLit) books from Mar 1 2026
The announcement was first made
Regardless of whether they are SG Culture Pass-approved or not, there are many SingLit books worth buying and reading. In this article, learn more about the SG Culture Pass and where you can buy SingLit books - in stores or online - to nurture your love for reading.
In this article
Which books are eligible for the SG Culture Pass?
How to use SG Culture Pass to buy books?
Our top picks: Recommendations for SingLit fiction books
Other non-fiction SingLit books to read
Which books are eligible for the SG Culture Pass?
There are about 1,500 approved SingLit books across categories such as fiction, poetry, short essays and plays. To be eligible for the SG Culture Pass, a book must:
Include fiction, poetry, plays and literary short essays in one of the four official languages
Be authored by a Singapore citizen or permanent resident
Be a physical copy bought at participating bookshops
Look out for the official “SG Culture Pass eligible!” sticker tagged to the eligible books.
How to use SG Culture Pass to buy books?
Head down to a participating bookstore
At the check-out counter, log in to your SG Culture Pass account
If your account’s balance is insufficient, you can pay for the remaining amount with available payment methods such as cash or credit card. Refunds on these books are not allowed.
Do note that independent pop-ups and book fairs may also stock eligible books. For example, the Singapore Chinese Book Fair happening on Apr 17-21 and AFCC Book Fair which runs from May 21-24 will have SG Culture Pass eligible books on sale.
Our top picks: Recommendations for SingLit fiction books
To buy books using the SG Culture Pass credits, you must buy a physical copy of the book in stores. It is worth noting prices can vary between bookstores.
If you’re not sure what to read, here are our top picks for 4- and 5-star SingLit books
Additionally, here are more recommendations for SingLit fiction books.
The Great Reclamation by Rachel Heng, $21.10
Original price: $22.89 (8 per cent off) Buy here
PHOTO: AMAZON
Journey through heartache and grapple with what it means to call a place home in this bittersweet coming-of-age story.
Set in 1940s Singapore, this historical fiction novel follows Ah Boon, a boy from a fishing village who possesses a unique gift, as changing tides and greater power conflicts rock the island.
Altered Straits by Kevin Martens Wong, $29.32
PHOTO: SHOPEE
Altered Straits is a piece of speculative fiction that blends science fiction and fantasy, while providing insightful and sharp social commentary.
Its action-packed pages feature mystical creatures, time travel and larger conspiracies - ripe ingredients that promise a deliciously entertaining read.
When They Burned The Butterfly by Wen-yi Lee, $34.95
PHOTO: KINOKUNIYA
A girl with fire powers, gangs and the search for her mother’s killer. This thriller, which reimagines the secret societies of a newly-independent Singapore, follows schoolgirl Adeline Siow as she navigates social complexities and a fast-changing world.
Read this in-depth review of When They Burned The Butterfly
Almost a Love Story by Carissa Foo, $19.36
Original price: $22.78 (15 per cent off) Buy here
PHOTO: KINOKUNIYA
If you want a book that touches on the themes of deep emotional intimacy, second chances and romantic tension, try Almost a Love Story by Carissa Foo.
Erin is a married homemaker who has not read a book in ages. Her ex-partner, Wendell, returns after 12 years and has become a published author. She reads his book about a professor and his note-taker and finds parallels to their relationship immortalised within its pages.
The act of reading becomes a way for them to confront old wounds and unspoken feelings from their unrealised relationship.
Other non-fiction SingLit books to read
Currently, you cannot purchase non-fiction SingLit books using SG Culture Pass credits. However, there are many interesting titles worth reading to learn more about Singapore’s history and society.
They Told Us To Move: Dakota-Cassia by Ng Kok Hoe, $28.34
PHOTO: KINOKUNIYA
In 2016, Dakota Crescent residents were asked to relocate in the name of redevelopment; many from this old neighbourhood, which housed rental flats, were elderly.
Through the testimonies of these residents, reflections from volunteers who helped them move and essays by academics, this book explores the “human stories of devotion, expectation, and remembrance” of how relocation affects people.
This Is What Inequality Looks Like by Teo You Yenn, $28.34
PHOTO: KINOKUNIYA
First published in 2018, This is What Inequality Looks Like remains a defining piece of literature which propelled inequality to the forefront of political discussions
It is a collection of essays by NTU professor Teo You Yenn on how class inequalities are deeply embedded in our systems of education, care, welfare and labour. The interviews with low-income Singaporeans featured in the book took place over three years.
Lancing Girls of a Happy World by Adeline Foo, $12.11
PHOTO: KINOKUNIYA
Take a peek into the world of cabaret girls who danced in New World, Great World and Happy World from the 1930s to 1960s.
This short, 98-page book covers who these girls were and their contributions to charity. It will likely interest those who enjoy learning more about less-known histories.
The Sound of School by Danielle Lim, $20.27
PHOTO: KINOKUNIYA
For those seeking insight into mental health, caregiving and the social stigma surrounding mental illness in Singapore.
Author Danielle Lim writes about her family’s struggles against the backdrop of a quickly-developing and changing Singapore, between 1961 and 1994.
All prices and deals are correct at time of publication
Other online and physical book stores: Where to buy SingLit books
Where to buy SingLit books online
Amazon: You can buy SingLit books or books on Singapore online on the Amazon website. A good selection of non-fiction books on Singapore daily deals page
Epigram Books: As “the” bookstore for all books published locally, you will be able to find the largest collection of SingLit here. Aside from their physical shop, you could buy directly from their website or find them on Shopee Mall
Physical book stores to buy SingLit books
PHOTO: CAT SOCRATES
While the following bookstores are not listed on the SG Culture Pass website, you can find SingLit books stocked in their stores.
Cat Socrates: The lifestyle and gift shop focuses on locally-designed Singaporean products. They have two stores, one at 78 Yong Siak Street and another at 448 Joo Chiat Road.
Their resident shop cat ‘meownagers’ roam around and will watch you as you browse the store’s various books, stationery, home decor and other trinkets.
Grassroots Book Room: This bookstore stocks mostly Chinese titles, but does have an English selection too. You can take a look at both their books and merchandise at 25 Bukit Pasoh Road.
Littered with Books: This indie book store is housed in a Tanjong Pagar conservation shophouse at 20 Duxton Road.
Woods in the Books: For those who have children, you can browse this bookstore which specialises in children’s picture books and illustrated books. It has two outlets, one at 46 Kim Yam Road and the other at 206 East Coast Road.
FAQs: SG Culture Pass
What is the SG Culture Pass?
The SG Culture Pass is a government scheme spearheaded by the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY). It gives Singaporeans aged 18 and above $100 each to spend on local arts and heritage experiences.
Where can I use my SG Culture Pass?
Currently, you can use your SG Culture pass for over 600 exhibitions, plays, workshops and concerts. You can search for these programmes and events on the SG Culture Pass website
You could even head over to the Klook Pelago Trip.com
How to redeem SG Culture Pass $100 credits?
Head over to the SG Culture Pass website and log in with your SingPass. Once you are logged in, verify your profile to start using your $100 credits.
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