Welcome to our exploration of Joyce Sun’s captivating wordless picture books, where vibrant illustrations and intricate details bring urban landscapes to life. In this post, we dive into her masterpieces, uncovering the unique storytelling techniques that make her work a visual feast. Join me as we journey through bustling streets in Taipei, iconic landmarks, and playful narratives that invite readers to experience the heart and soul of each city through Sun’s artistic lens.

One Afternoon

Synopsis: This brilliantly crafted wordless book tells two stories simultaneously. On the top a boy leaves his home to go about his daily tasks and obligations. On the bottom, his dog waits at home having his own set of adventures! (Image & Text, Amazon)

One Afternoon offers a delightful and vivid journey through the streets of Taipei. Through the eyes of a girl cycling through the city and the perspectives of her dog who was left at home, Joyce presents a dual narrative that is both charming and engaging.

The upper three-quarters of each page takes us with the girl’s bicycle ride through Taipei. Each image captures the familiar scenery of the city. As the girl passed iconic landmarks like Taipei 101, the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, and bustling 7-11 convenience stores, I was brought right back to Taipei that is both familiar and enchanting. The scenes also remind me of everyday life in Taipei, painting a vibrant and authentic picture of Taipei.

In contrast, the lower quarter of each page provides a humorous glimpse into the life of the girl’s dog, who was left at home. The dog’s various postures and expressions are so endearing that they add a layer of warmth and humour to the book. These scenes make a delightful contrast to the girl’s journey, offering a playful and relatable look at the mischief and curiosity of pets.

One Afternoon beautifully satisfies our imaginations and readers’ instinct for observation. For everyone who lives in Taipei, has visited, or dreams of exploring the city, this book provides a colourful and captivating mini-tour of its unique charm and everyday life.

One Afternoon

2020, Reycraft Books

ISBN: 9781478870296

Day Trip (一日遊)

Synopsis: What would happen if one day… Lions from the zoo went shopping with you, giraffes rode the subway by your side, and elephants joined you to watch the sunset? (Image & Text, Books.com.tw)

Day Trip is a delightful wordless book by talented Joyce Sun and it brings this whimsical imagination to life. Inspired by childhood memories of zoo visits, where children learn about animals. This book flips the experience and transforms our city into a grand garden where animals observe us instead.

In this wordless adventure, you’ll see a fun switch between the human and animal worlds. Two parallel stories unfold on a Sunday: as animals escape the zoo and explore the urban jungle, humans arrive at the zoo only to discover the animals are gone. These seemingly independent tales unexpectedly intertwine, showcasing the illustrator’s innovative and delicate storytelling technique.

Through vibrant illustrations and shifting scenes, Day Trip magnifies the fun of imagination, capturing the curiosity and wonder of childhood. Join the animals and children on this humorous and enchanting journey, and experience the world from a refreshingly playful perspective.

Day Trip (一日遊)

2008, Hsin-Yi Foundation Publications

ISBN: 9781786071958

Silhouette 

Synopsis: We claim that “a picture is worth a thousand words” because the uncaptioned, independent image invites us to enrich it by imagining its story. By this arithmetic, Sun Hsin-Yu’s Silhouettes is a full novel. A young girl is born into a happy family; she goes to school and learns to play the piano very well; lives abroad, gets married and has kids of her own, then is seized by a sudden illness and dies. Throughout the story, Sun’s understated yet affecting images fill with the sounds of voice and action under our reading eye. (Image & Text, Book from Taiwan)

In our busy lives, we often admire the scenery around us while overlooking the loved ones who stand beside us. We passionately engage with social issues yet remain unaware of the subtle changes within our own families. Silhouette delves into these poignant themes, capturing the profound emotions conveyed by the visible and invisible presence of our loved ones.

Through evocative illustrations, Silhouette explores the paradox of familial bonds—the nearest yet farthest distance, the simplest yet most complex emotions. It speaks to the bittersweet reality of connections we can’t always look back on, urging us to cherish the moments before they slip away. Silhouette is a heartfelt tribute to the quiet, often unnoticed love that shapes our lives.

Silhouette

2015, Linking Publishing

ISBN: 9789570845518

A Tour of Hong Kong

Synopsis: This visually rich and detailed wordless picture book explores the bustling urban centre of Hong Kong through the eyes of two children—each starting their journey on different sides of the book and intersecting in the middle. Young readers will delight in finding the girl with her red balloon and the boy with his scruffy dog carefully tucked into the drawings. How children read the book—front to back or back to front—will change their focus and perspective on this world-famous place. (Image & Text, Amazon)

A Tour of Hong Kong is a captivating exploration of one of Asia’s most vibrant and dynamic cities. It is another wordless book that masterfully captures the essence of this bustling metropolis through vivid and bright illustrations. Sun’s artistic skill brings to life the dynamic spirit and diverse cultural tapestry of Hong Kong, making it an immersive experience for readers (and artists) of all ages.

Each page of A Tour of Hong Kong is a visual feast, carefully detailing the iconic landmarks and everyday scenes that define the city. From the towering skyscrapers of Central to the vibrant street markets of Mong Kok, Sun’s illustrations are rich with colour and activity. The book takes readers on a journey through Hong Kong’s many facets, including its serene temples, busy harbours, and lush green spaces, offering a comprehensive glimpse into the city’s multifaceted personality.

The illustrations capture the hustle and bustle of city life, the quiet moments of reflection, and the joyous celebrations that punctuate the rhythm of Hong Kong. The attention to detail is remarkable, allowing readers to discover new elements with each viewing, from the expressions of the people to the intricate architectural features.

A particularly delightful feature of A Tour of Hong Kong is the recurring red balloon and a girl. These elements add a layer of playful narrative to the book. The dynamics of the balloon and the girl change depending on whether you read the book from left to right or right to left, providing a unique interactive experience. 

Don’t forget to read the other two wordless “Tour Books”: A Tour of Beijing (北京遊） and A Tour of Tainan （臺南遊） (Ministry of Culture/ Cosmos Books)

A Tour of Hong Kong

2019, Reycraft Books

ISBN: 9781478868873

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Books From Taiwan | Authors. https://booksfromtaiwan.tw/books_info.php?id=137. Accessed 9 June 2024.

Sun, Joyce. A Tour of Hong Kong. Reycraft Books, 2019. Amazon, https://www.amazon.com/Tour-Hong-Kong-Joyce-Hsin-yu/dp/1478868872/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1TBMDPKL5B3F9&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.nN1nLVMzyAAfxYU0hcH-oJKSIya3JfuuKR3vEAP-u23Ht0yd1EZMCBsp1_YMuxL8EyvXIIwRKTAc2BUxGI-lrg.v3se2oswk02ozhb6Mz5o54W6fhNZBLzwO1_ausywqCw&dib_tag=se&keywords=a+tour+of+hong+kong+joyce+sun&qid=1717963097&sprefix=a+tour+of+hong+kong+joyce+su%2Caps%2C294&sr=8-1.

‘一日遊’. 博客來, https://www.books.com.tw/products/0010400109. Accessed 9 June 2024.

‘北京遊’. 文化部-兒童文化館, https://children.moc.gov.tw. Accessed 9 June 2024.

天地圖書-臺南遊(二版) | 孫心瑜,小魯文化 | 9786267350980. https://www.cosmosbooks.com.hk/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=626735098. Accessed 9 June 2024.

‘背影’. 博客來, https://www.books.com.tw/products/0010671972. Accessed 9 June 2024.

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Eleanor Duggan is a passionate children’s book reader, a storytelling enchantress, an aspiring globetrotter, a part-time book crafter, and an impassioned foodie who is a cooking disaster. She is more known as an international school teacher-librarian and the International Association of School Librarianship (IASL) Regional Director for East Asia. She is a Taiwanese with a Belgian soul and is currently enjoying her life as a citizen of the world with her daughter and their 2 one-of-a kind cats. You may find her via The Third Culture Librarian 

GLLI Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in posts on this site are the individual author’s and are not indicative of the views of Global Literature in Libraries Initiative.