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Mr Moorthy reads regularly to his nieces and nephews, including Tivakar. Name: V. A. Moorthy
Age: 50
Occupation: Taxi driver
Book-lover V. A. Moorthy drives a cab on weekdays, but when the weekend comes, he takes on different roles.
On some evenings, he plays a scary ghost. On others, a worldly king and sometimes, even an ethereal fairy.
But it all really depends on what his three nieces and nephew want him to read to them.
'It makes them all excited like they are watching a movie,' he said.
Aged around 10 and 11, the group sits enraptured by his every word, occasionally breaking into laughter whenever a funny part is read out.
His animated storytelling sessions not only tickle the children but also give him a chance to de-stress after a long work week.
He said: 'I feel like a kid again. It feels nice.'
Mr Moorthy, who has a son and daughter in their 20s, said he used to read to them when they were young children, too.
'I wanted them to keep studying and find out more,' he said.
His efforts to instill a strong reading habit have paid off.
His daughter, Mitravathy, 24, is in Tasmania pursuing a degree in science and zoology. His son, Navin, 26, is completing a part-time business management degree at the Singapore Institute of Management.
But apart from inspiring kids' enthusiasm to learn, reading sessions are great for bonding, said Mr Moorthy.
His nieces and nephew, he added, interupt him during their reading sessions to ask for advice about school and friends.
He is particularly close to his nephew Tivakar Tamilselvan, who shares his love of books. The 10-year-old, who reads at least five hours a day, calls his uncle about his choice of books whenever he makes his weekly trips to Ang Mo Kio library.
He looks forward to the reading sessions with his cousins as his uncle's funny stories 'make us laugh very loud'.
His uncle also does not stint on buying books for his weekly storyteller duties. Mr Moorthy and his wife spend about $60 a month on children's books.
He chuckled: 'For food, maybe I'll be stingy. But for books and knowledge, I'll go all the way.'
This article was first published in The Sunday Times.
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