臺灣文學虛擬博物館

A Duet of Words and Pictures » Taiwan’s Picture Books Travel the World! » Picture Book Covers, Transform!

 

Many picture books from Taiwan have traveled around the world, appearing in different languages and meeting young readers in many countries. Although these stories and illustrations were created by Taiwanese authors and illustrators, they have touched the hearts of readers everywhere and shared new ways of telling stories through pictures with children worldwide.

These books are like old friends. Even when they change into beautiful new outfits, whether in different languages, layouts, or cover designs, they are still just as wonderful. Come travel the world with me and see how many countries these picture books have visited!

 

 

A Duet of Words and Pictures

In picture books, words and pictures do more than simply appear side by side. The text is often short and poetic, providing the backbone of the story and depth to its ideas. Meanwhile, the pictures aren’t just decorations—they create visual metaphors, set the mood, and add details to the story.

Let’s open a picture book and see how words and pictures sing together in harmony, turning reading into a full sensory experience!
 

 

◧ “A Date” Manuscript
Chou Ta-kuan

In this poem, the author draws on the story of the cowherd Niulang and the weaver girl Zhinu who meet on the Qixi Festival despite illness or hardship. Through this imagery, Chou suggests that even cancer cannot stand in the way of love, expressing a steadfast will to live. (Collection of the National Museum of Taiwan Literature)

 

◧ I Still Have One Leg
Chou Ta-kuan 
Translated Editions

Published by Yuan-Liou Publishing Co. in 1997 after the author’s death from cancer, this posthumous collection takes its title from the poem of the same name. The title reflects the author’s resilience and determination to continue exploring the beauty of the world despite physical hardship. Shown here are the Korean edition (1999) and Thai edition (2008), from left to right. (Collection of the National Museum of Taiwan Literature)

 

☗ The Toy Clinic is Open!
Written by Fang Su-zhen
Illustrated by Hao Lou-wen

This picture book has also been translated into Slovak, Malaysian, and German editions. (Courtesy of Hao Lou-wen)

 

☗ Unexpected
Original story by Yang Yun-ping
Adapted and illustrated by Spring Wang

The work was selected as one of the 100 Outstanding Books at the 2023 Bologna Ragazzi Awards. (Courtesy of Spring Wang)

 

☗ Once Upon a Time, a Train Came to the Island
Written and illustrated by Huang Yi-wen

The picture book was selected for the 2021 Bologna Illustrators Exhibition and awarded first prize at the Taiwan National Human Rights Museum Picture Book Workshop, as well as the Golden Tripod Awards for the Children and Juvenile Books category. (Courtesy of Huang Yi-wen)

 

☗ Short-Eared Bunny 3: Tony’s Test Paper Is Missing (Reproduction)
Written by Julia Liu
Illustrated by Leo Tang

The illustrator Leo Tang has been repeatedly selected as a featured artist at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair Taiwan Pavilion. Titles in the Short-Eared Bunny series have been licensed for publication in Korea, Thailand, Turkey, Russia, and other countries. (Courtesy of CommonWealth Education Media and Publishing)

 

☗ Missing Cat Posters
Written by Kuo Nai-wen
Illustrated by Zhou Jian-xin

This work has received the Hsin-Yi Children’s Literature Award and the Golden Butterfly Design Award. It has also been licensed into multiple languages, including Spanish and Belarusian. (Courtesy of Fusheng Illustration Studio)

 

Taiwan’s Picture Books Travel the World! 

The Taiwanese picture books in this section have been published in many languages. Take a look and see if you can spot where they have appeared in countries across Asia, North America, South America, Europe, and Oceania.

Let’s explore how these picture books, with their unique storytelling techniques and finely detailed illustrations, have traveled around the world and reached readers everywhere!

 

 

 

 

◧ Guji Guji
Chen Chih-Yuan 
International Editions

Centered on universal themes such as love, acceptance, identity, and belonging, the picture book has been translated into at least 18 languages and published in many countries. Shown here, from left to right, are editions from Japan, the United States, the Netherlands, France, Korea, New Zealand, and Germany, representing six languages: Japanese, English, Dutch, French, Korean, and German. (Courtesy of the Hsin-Yi Foundation)

 

Picture Book Covers, Transform!

When picture books are translated and published in different countries, some publishers adjust the cover design to match local tastes. For example, the Japanese and American editions of Chen Chih-Yuan’s Guji Guji have different cover illustrations, which create slightly different reading experiences.

Similarly, the cover design for the Japanese edition of Lai Ma’s I’ve Become a Fire-Breathing Dragon! is different from the original Chinese edition. The Taiwanese edition later used the same main visual as the Japanese version.

 

◧ “A Children’s Classic That Won the Nobel Prize: The Wonderful Adventures of Nils” Manuscript
Lin Liang

This manuscript introduces Swedish author Selma Lagerlöf (1858–1940) and her classic fantasy novel The Wonderful Adventures of Nils. Lin Liang regarded the work as equal to other classics of children’s literature. (Collection of the National Museum of Taiwan Literature)

 

◧ Asian Children’s Literature Translation Award Trophy and Speech Manuscript
Pan Renmu

In 1999, Pan Renmu received the Best Translation Award (Taiwan region) at the 5th Asian Children’s Literature Convention. In this speech manuscript, Pan reflects on the challenges and rewards of translation, emphasizing that translators must serve as a bright between writer and reader, connecting with the author’s heart and conveying that emotional resonance to young readers. She concludes by expressing her hope that Taiwan will become not only an exporter of technology, but also of children’s books. (Collection of the National Museum of Taiwan Literature)

 

◧ Memorandum of Publishing Rights for Picture Books and Children’s Literature

This archival document records publishing contracts and copyright agreements signed between Kuang Fu Book Company in Taipei and Japanese publishers Kodansha and Shogakukan. Founded in 1962 and operating until 2002, Kuang Fu began as a children’s book publisher. In 1977, The Colorful World Children’s Literature Collection became the first children’s book series in Taiwan to acquire Chinese-language publishing rights from a foreign publisher, Italy-based Fabbri Publishing. (Collection of the National Museum of Taiwan Literature)