2015 Golden Tripod Award–Children's Books

Every chapter in this lovely two-book series tells the tale of a small participant in daily life – a bottle cap, a button, even a bonsai – and describes how they find their own happiness and utility. A blue crayon teaches a little girl how to be patient and unlock her own creativity, even as he wears down to nothing. A tiny bottle cap, most ephemeral of things, becomes vitally important when he keeps a message in a bottle safe.

Masterminded by Taiwan’s much-beloved children’s writer Jay Yeh, Little Things brings together a star-studded cast in a colorful celebration of the everyday. Each story features its own unique protagonist and message, brought to life by the eye and hand of a different illustrator.

The word “anthology” originally means “a gathering of flowers.” In Little Things, that is truly what Jay Yeh has given us.

Illustrators: Bei Lynn 林小杯、Tsui Li-Chun 崔麗君、Yang Li-Ling 楊麗玲、Chien Yin 錢茵、Tai Pera、Yu Chia-Chi 達姆、Ho Yun-Tzu 何雲姿、Claire Cheng 克萊兒、Tsai Chia-Hua 蔡嘉驊、Li Yi-Ting 李小逸

Little Things is a collaborative illustration of a group of stories. Award-winning author Jay Yeh imagined the various characters and their tales – the bottle cap, the button, the cup – and worked with a different illustrator for each one, as best suited the artist’s interest and talents. Prize-winning illustrator Bei Lynn, who is known for her lively, energetic illustrations, brought that distinctive enthusiasm to “The Cup,” while young illustrator Yu Chia-Chi brought out the resonance and deep fantasy of the ancient setting in “The Pebble” through thick lines and culturally rich idioms. For “The Little Bottle Cap,” a story of displacement, the publisher invited another young illustrator, Tai Pera, to bring the story to life through collage. Ten illustrators came together to enrich this collection through their individual voices, singing here in beautiful succession.