Shu@ChaiDiamMa

Shu@ChaiDiamMa is a beautifully curated bookshop that will appeal to aficionados of children's books and the local art scene.

The colourful, gigantic glass window of the entrance beckons passersby to come in for awhile ... and trust me, you will not be disappointed by this little gem of a bookshop. There is a whitewashed wooden arch right at the entrance topped with cutesy birds that forces you to pause and stoop a bit when you first step in. You'd then catch your breath.

The tiny store is filled with an eclectic mix of vintage furniture and whimsical paintings. There were bright pennant banners stretched across from each corner, quirky soft toys scattered around, low shelves filled with books, it was all very kid friendly and funky. There was also a section showcasing works by local artists and prices are very reasonable, starting from around RM3 for postcards. I saw some pencil sketches of pre-war buildings and the nearby Goddess of Mercy temple going for around RM20 which I thought would make wonderful mementos of Penang.

A chalkboard wall with a bench and a tin of chalk for little ones (and not so little ones) to sketch to their hearts' desire. If I'm not mistaken, Shu@ChaiDiamMah holds a storytelling session here every Saturday morning.

The very friendly uncle at the store told me that these old school picture block puzzles were every kid's favourite and they're so hard to find these days. I vaguely remember playing with these when I was small!

There was a good selection of English (both second hand and new) and Chinese children's books. The choices of Chinese books were fantastic, they had translations of Where the Wild Things are, Owl Babies and many more. I was fascinated by them and was thinking of getting them for Bubs but when I thumbed through a few pages, I realised some of the Chinese words in them were too difficult for me :( Okay, it feels terrible to know that my Chinese reading is worse than a kindergarten kid ...

Bubs and I were delighted to find second hand Berenstain bears books going for RM6 a copy and a hardcover copy of the Little Princess for RM12. We were both very happy campers :D

Shu@ChaiDiamMa

Mon - Sat: 11:00 am - 6:00 pm

 04-261 8117

78, Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling,10200 George Town, Penang, Malaysia, 10200 Penang