深圳小插画家亮相香港书展签名售书

Newman Huo

The book, "Happiness Is Having a Positive Attitude," illustrated by young Shenzhen painter Peng Xilin, attracted lots of visitors at the seven-day Hong Kong International Book Fair in the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center from July 21 until 26.

Peng, 10, a grade four student from the Yucai Third Primary School in Shekou, Nanshan District, participated in a book-signing promotion and demonstrated her painting skills for readers at the book fair on July 21.

The book, published by the Wan Li Co., Ltd., a printing and publishing house in Hong Kong, was written by Yin Pu, a Chinese psychologist and a specialist in employee assistance programs (EAP).

It tells readers how to cope with psychological crises or issues they would encounter in their daily lives, such as self-confidence, dating, marriage, family, education, career, aging and a generation gap.

During February this year, an editor from the Wan Li Co., Ltd. saw several of Peng's paintings at his friend's home in Shenzhen and was immediately attracted by her personality, ingenuity and creativity.

The editor contacted Peng's mother Wang Qing and asked if her daughter would be happy to illustrate a forthcoming book on psychology.

After getting the approval of Peng, the editor left the young painter a sample book, saying she can illustrate the book after reading the whole thing.

In April this year, Peng spent more than two weeks creating about 100 illustrations, and finally almost every one was included in the final book.

Peng said her illustrations had been deeply influenced by the drawing skills which her favorite Japanese cartoonist Takagi Naoko used in her books, such as "Going to Tokyo on My Own," "The Fifth Year of Living on My Own," and "Days Wandering on My Own."

Born in Shenzhen in 2001, Peng learned painting and piano at age 4 and dancing at age 6.

One year ago, she began to learn painting from Wu Xiaoyan and Dong Jianguo, a husband and wife team teaching at the Shenzhen Xiaoyan Children's Art School in Futian District, who is running a branch school in Shekou, Nanshan District.

"Peng is gifted and outstanding, and has the potential to become a great artist," Wu said.

"Peng is also a sunny, open-minded and generous girl, who enjoys sharing her work with her peers and passing her joy and happiness to everyone who appreciates her works," Wu said.