The 2016 work "Dao Wu Gui Guo Qu (到烏龜國去)" by Taiwanese children’s book illustrator Liu Hsu-kung (劉旭恭) was translated into Swedish in April this year, and was well-received after it was published in Sweden.
"Dao Wu Gui Guo Qu" is the second work released by Liu Hsu-kung in Sweden. "The Orange Horse (橘色的馬)" published in 2015 (Swedish version translated into Är du min bror? "Are you my brother?") was awarded silver of Peter Pan Prize by the Swedish International Board on Books for Young People.
"The Orange Horse" was selected in Sweden’s classic collection of children's literature "Vår skattkammare" in 2017, and is the only Taiwanese work included in the book.
“Dao Wu Gui Guo Qu" published this time explores the unfamiliar and uncomfortable feelings of traveling in other places from the children’s perspective, as well as empathy and the notion of time. The simple and profound story has won praise from Sweden’s children's literature community.
The Swedish daily newspaper "Sydsvenskan" selected "Dao Wu Gui Guo Qu" as part of the list of recommendation for children’s literature in July. The article stated that Liu Hsu-kung used the classic story of the tortoise and the hare to transform the tortoise and the hare from a hostile relationship into a friendship, in addition to discussing friendship and mutual understanding through their story.
The monotonous gray and yellow colors in the book may not be pleasing, but the story may foster children's interest in the warm smiles of the animals and the neatly arranged objects in the book. At the end of the story, the rabbit's expression after hearing the plane's delay for six months was also very intriguing and interesting.
Liu Hsu-kung has produced many works that won him many domestic and foreign awards. In addition to winning the Peter Pan Prize, he also won Hsin-yi Children Literature Award, Chen Bochui Children's Literature Award, Golden Tripod Awards and the BolognaRagazzi Award.