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Creating Touching Stories from Chinese Perspective

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In-depth / Exclusives

Creating Touching Stories from Chinese Perspective

ByWang Shasha　April 21, 2022

Jin Xiaojing is an author and illustrator of picture books. Her first English picture book, I Miss My Grandpa, was selected as one of the 2019 New York Times/New York Public Library (NYT/NYPL) Best Illustrated Children's Books. "I feel lucky and happy that I can follow my dream and create stories, from a Chinese perspective," Jin says.

Jin, who was born in 1990, graduated from the picture book creation studio, under the Central Academy of Fine Arts, in Beijing, in 2013. Two years later, she was admitted to a master's program, at the School of Visual Arts (SVA), in New York, the United States. Her mentor was Guy Billout, a renowned artist and illustrator.

During the two years she studied at SVA, Jin was an assistant of Ed Young, a three-time winner of the Caldecott Medal (the most acclaimed award for artists in the picture book world), and Leonard S. Marcus, a preeminent author, critic and historian of children's books.

After she graduated from SVA, in May 2017, Jin chose to stay in New York, where she continued to write and illustrate picture books. At that time, Jin worked on her books each morning and she tutored two American boys — painting and the Chinese language — each afternoon.

"The part-time job was an inspirational life experience for me. I could find inspiration for my work, observe children's interests and reading habits, and observe the use of picture books in American families. At that time, I often visited book stores in New York, and I wished my picture book would be displayed there one day," Jin recalls.

Creating Touching Stories from Chinese Perspective

Jin Xiaojing (middle) and Alvina Lin (left)

Dream Comes True

I Miss My Grandpa was published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers in September 2019. Jin wrote the story — about a Chinese family's memories of their deceased grandfather — during her first year at SVA.

"The story is based on my personal experience. I never met my grandpa, who passed away before I was born. The picture book is about the feelings of Chinese people, about the blood ties and family bond, which is also the common feelings of mankind. As long as the deceased loved ones are remembered and loved, they will always live in the hearts of their family members," Jin says.

I Miss My Grandpa has touched the hearts of countless readers. One netizen, Julie, commented, "I loved the idea of 'meeting' a relative you have never known through the narrative of your family. My favorite line is 'You can meet him in your heart.'"

Cat Gemkow, another netizen, proclaimed the book to be a "wonderful story of a grandmother telling her grandchild what her grandfather looked like, and who in their family carries on his traits." She added, "Coming from a large family myself, I enjoyed the way the story conveyed the lasting bonds of family history that continues to live on in younger generations … I would definitely recommend this for young readers, who have a lot of questions about family history, and those who are grieving a loved one who has passed."

Dropping Gift《掉落的礼物》

Assisted by Alvina Lin, her editor, Jin made numerous changes, to improve her work, before publication. Lin, of Chinese origin, is editor-in-chief of the publishing house.

"The process of publishing has taught me that creating is not only for authors themselves, but also for the readers. But creation comes first, and foremost, from the author's relationship with life. Life is like the soil, the author is like a tree and the editor is like a gardener. A good author is loyal to life, while a good editor will help authors harvest the most nutritious fruits. As a newcomer, I feel very lucky that I have met Lin, an experienced editor, who has helped me a lot," Jin says.

In November 2019, the New York Times Book Review revealed its 67th annual list of Best Illustrated Children's Books. I Miss My Grandpa made the 2019 list; in fact, it became just the third picture book created by a Chinese author to make the list. The previous two picture books were A New Year's Reunion (2011) and The Only Child (2015).

The list recognizes the 10 best picture books published each year, and the books are selected purely for artistic merit. The New York Times in 1952 began appointing an annually shifting trio of judges to select the books to make the list. The panel, composed of a children's librarian, a literary critic and an artist (usually a previous winner), considers every illustrated children's book published each year in the US for the list. Since 2017, NYPL has co-presented the list and
hosted the awards luncheon.

As written in the New York Times, "The jury thought the use of illustration in I Miss My Grandpa was particularly strong — a variety of visual styles are skillfully dispatched to deftly explore the idea of ancestry and absence. What makes us unique also binds us together."

Marcus, one of the judges, commented, "A wise and joyful reflection on family resemblance and family feeling across generations. It's rare for a picture book to come along that is unlike any that we remember from the past. I Miss My Grandpa is such a book!"

Added Young: "I Miss My Grandpa shares the universal sentiment between grannies and their children. The touching tale comes from the heart of a Chinese perspective made real by Jin. It will touch many hearts."

Jin Xiaojing (left) and Alvina Lin hold the certificate of excellence presented by New York Times and New York Public Library.

To Be a Happy Author

Jin has had two wordless picture books — There You Are and Dropping Gift — published in China. There You Are was published by Ningbo Publishing House in 2018, while Dropping Gift was published by New World Press in December 2019. The Chinese version of I Miss My Grandpa was published by Guizhou People's Publishing House in June 2020. Jin translated the book into Chinese.

Picture books are generally classified as children's books in most bookstores in China, and few adults read such books. "Pictures have power. I think people of all ages can read picture books in their own way. The purpose of a picture book is to let people see themselves in it, and to get inspiration from it. One of my favorite picture book authors is Shel Silverstein (1932-2000). His books, such as The Missing Piece and Falling Up, resonate with readers of different ages," Jin says.

A Chinese proverb stresses that "slow work yields fine products." Jin says that is also true about creating picture books. "From creation to publication, it usually takes more than a year to finish a picture book. Although it may not have many pages, authors must work hard to present the best of each page; for example, how the pictures can be improved to attract more readers, whether each word on the page is necessary, and reasonable or not, or how to bury clues in the plot. Sometimes, authors may start the creation all over again after they discuss with their editors," Jin says.

Jin returned to China in 2020. She now works at an education company that focuses on providing online Chinese-language education to overseas Chinese and foreigners who are interested in China and Chinese culture. She is in charge of a visualcreation team, which is responsible for creating interesting online videos. During her spare time, she records short videos on family education and picture book reviews, and she shares them with netizens on social-media platforms.

Jin says she is working on a picture book that she has been preparing for several years. "Creating a picture book not only counts on an author's talent, but is also based on his/her life experiences. For me, the world of a picture book is like Alice's wonderland. I feel happy that I can keep creating touching stories in the wonderland," Jin says.

Photos Supplied by Interviewee

(Women of China English Monthly March 2022 issue)

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