Wang Linjun
Mr. A Jia, a children's book reading promoter, published a small history of picture books (Jiangsu Phoenix Fine Arts Publishing House, June 2021) was well received. This book is his dedication to reading, researching and promoting children's books for nearly two decades, and the manuscript is informative and rich in pictures. The author summarizes the development history of picture books for more than 100 years in an eloquent manner, including a general and interesting discussion of the picture book for a hundred years, a thematic sub-theory, and a description of the author's cordial exchanges with picture book masters. For publishers, the index of hundreds of picture book theme words attached to the book is a rare documentary material.
After careful reading, I deeply feel that this book has a non-underestimated value in the advanced learning of children's book editors, the shopping guide service for picture book readers, and the topic selection and planning of publishing practitioners, and has a very important guiding role in the current development of children's book publishing, especially picture books (picture books).
A precedent in the history of picture book publishing
As an expert in the children's book industry who reads tens of thousands of picture books and translates nearly 200 kinds, Ajia's original intention in writing the history of picture books is that "because the books he wanted to read could not be found, he had to write one himself." Since he began his picture book reading journey in 2002, he has been looking for a book that can concisely and clearly explain the history of the development of picture books and paintings. If the publication of the color plate of "The Tale of the Rabbit" in 1902 is used as the "pioneering work" of modern picture books, there has not been such a book in the world Chinese for a whole century. After 20 years of "experience" in picture books, the articles on picture books written by A Jia in the past ten years have been compiled into this monograph on the basis of the collation of previously published column articles, which has a landmark significance in the field of picture books.
"It's like a sweater that has been woven for 10 years, it has been shelved, shelved, and it is difficult to weave into today's appearance," A Jia lamented in the preface when reviewing the process of writing this book. Different from the theoretical research of academic scholars, this small history book does not see any citations, in other words, the writing of this book is based on ah jia himself personally reading the thousands of picture books mentioned in the book, after he picked up the sand and gold, the total score was staggered, and the commentary combined to sort out the classic masterpieces, social backgrounds, important awards, representative figures, etc. in the history of the development of picture books for a hundred years, presenting the basic ecology of picture books created and published for a century, outlining the plateaus and peaks on the map of the world picture book. It also reflects the exchange and development of Chinese and foreign children's book publishing since the reform and opening up. As A Jia said, restoring the work to the historical background of his creation can obtain many surprises, and can better recognize the multiplicity of creative levels and the diversity of potential readers.
At the suggestion of the editor, A Jia also made a "column biography" side note to the representatives of outstanding picture book creators at home and abroad, including many old friends who were familiar with his neighbors. Such a solid preparation for writing, such an in-depth character writing, it can be seen that although this book is a small history, it has a high original value.
A spiritual treasure trove of children's book editors
To say that the reader positioning of this book should first be the children's book publishing workers in the mainland, especially the editors. Compared with social science and humanities books, children's books have a lower threshold, and with the rise of live streaming in the era of mobile Internet, there is no minimum only lower fire-sale discounts, resulting in children's books becoming the red sea of the book industry. How to reshape the dignity of content producers, launch high-quality books that no one has, people have my own, and the classic picture books and the stories behind their publications combed by "A Short History of Picture Books" undoubtedly have strong reference value for children's book publishers in the new era. As a doorway to reading and studying picture books, the book is accompanied by nearly 300 classic picture book shadows, and at the end of the text, there are about 500 titles and author index information, which is a treasure book for any children's book editor with advanced consciousness, and has a very practical guiding role in the practical work of book selection planning and comparison of similar books.
The publication of classic picture books is obviously inseparable from many legendary behind-the-scenes creators, and this book also shows the personality charm of some outstanding editors-in-chief and talented editors in the history of picture book development. For example, Margaret, the avant-garde editor-in-chief with a modern concept, with her keen understanding of children, creatively launched a touch book, toy cardboard book and other alternative varieties with a strong sense of form in the 1930s, which has set a precedent for children's multiple intelligence books that have become popular. There is also the editor Susan who only does what she likes, with her outstanding marketing planning ability has worked in the United States Harper Company, Macmillan Company, and then founded the famous Green Willow Book Company, launched the "Hen Rose Goes for a Walk", a picture book textbook classic, and the unique style of rhyme children's poetry collection "Strange Animal Island", she pays attention to the participation of the author's family members in the process of writing, and seems to reveal the genetic code of the classic picture book from a certain angle - children's affairs must be the family's business. She has been committed to what she loves for 40 years and enjoys it.
I believe that the behind-the-scenes pushers of these picture books appeared in front of the stage, their innovative exploration spirit and the ambition to choose one thing for the rest of their lives, which is not without enlightening significance for us to understand the definition connotation of "text + picture = illustrated book, text × picture = picture book", and adhere to the original intention of the profession of children's book editors.
A new starting point for original picture books
The last important book that Ajia devoted himself to the research and promotion of picture books was his translation of "Why Picture Books Matter", an interview with 21 famous illustrators in the contemporary children's book industry written by American children's book author and scholar Marcus, recording their oral history-style first-hand information, including growth experiences, artistic processes, etc. Different from the book, the collectors are all overseas illustrators, and "A Short History of Picture Books", whether it is a general introduction or a sub-theory, focuses on the original picture books of the mainland and has a strong sense of local development.
Discussing the mainland's traditional pictorial and Mongolian books, the "Emperor Jian Tushu" compiled by Zhang Juzheng, the first assistant of the Cabinet of the Wanli Dynasty of the Ming Dynasty, is a more representative one, which divides the emperors of the past into two categories: "Shengzhe Fanggui" and "Crazy foolishness", and admonishes the prince to see Xiansiqi in a graphic and literary way, as a royal textbook, the paintings are also superb in art and vivid in shape. Since the 1960s and 1970s, the vigorous development of comic strips on the mainland has also been a kind of picture book, many of which have gone beyond the fine works that simply use pictures and texts to use traditional Chinese line drawing as the artistic language of narrative.
In the two chapters of "The Faltering Start of Chinese mainland Original Picture Books" and "The Booming Original Picture Book", A Jia anchored the starting time of original picture book creation in the modern sense at the beginning of the 21st century, not only analyzing the objective reasons why mainland picture books are one hundred years later than Europe and the United States and 50 years later than Japan from the perspective of social development and reading psychology, but also taking Cai Gao, Zhu Chengliang, Wang Zumin, Zhou Xiang, Xiong Liang and other picture book creators as an example, introducing the pioneering of previous generations of illustrators and the growth of emerging creators. The many international awards won by original picture books in recent years also show the emerging development momentum of original picture books. A jia mentions in the book that the most wonderful thing about picture books is that it provides this fascinating secret entrance to childhood. The most important thing about "A Brief History of Picture Books" is that it draws a new starting line for the development of original picture books in the mainland.
Why are picture books important? Education experts may analyze the role of picture books in visual enlightenment and aesthetic edification from the perspective of children's pedagogy such as language, cognition, emotion, personality, and socialization. As a reader, you may wish to take a look at two of Ajia's "Side Notes on Picture Book Creators", Ms. Cai Gao "I am a person who regards painting as a happy moment" and Mr. Zhu Chengliang "I have loved to play since I was a child", two picture book pioneers, excellent illustrators, and senior publishers have given their artistic life-style answers to this question.
Mr. Wu Guanzhong once lamented that contemporary aesthetic illiteracy is better than illiteracy, how can art publishing enhance the basic aesthetic qualities of the people and shape the "noble simplicity and quiet greatness" in the hearts of readers? If reading creates an atmosphere of aesthetic immersion, what kind of reading materials are suitable for the cultural breast milk of the next generation? There are more reference answers in "A Short History of Picture Books".
(The author is deputy editor-in-chief of Jiangsu Phoenix Fine Arts Publishing House Co., Ltd.)