Retired Teacher Self-Funds Kowloon City Picture Book
SingTao · 1 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago5 MIN
Summary
Retired teacher 王惠瑛 has self-funded the picture book 《城城—我在九龍城的小故事》, combining hand-drawn and digital illustration to document everyday life and shared memories in Kowloon City . The work is deeply personal, linking her father’s former grocery shop, her husband’s roots in the district, and her son’s childhood experiences under the old flight path and around family meals . She intentionally used larger Chinese type to make the book easier for elderly readers, especially after seeing how printed picture books could stimulate seniors with cognitive impairment during a placement at an elderly centre . The book’s inclusion in public libraries has encouraged her to continue creating, with a future project on Shek Kip Mei and plans to promote Hong Kong original picture books online .
Key Points
- 《城城—我在九龍城的小故事》 was created by 王惠瑛 through both hand-drawn and digital illustration as a self-funded community memory project .
- The book preserves two generations of family stories, including her father’s grocery shop and her husband’s birth and teaching life in Kowloon City .
- It also records her son’s childhood memories, from watching aircraft routes to sharing dinner with his grandparents in the district .
- More than 30 family members attended the graduation picture-book launch, and some relatives even took copies overseas as keepsakes .
- Chinese text was enlarged to help elderly readers, inspired by her elderly-centre placement with seniors experiencing cognitive impairment .
Why It Matters
The project shows how picture books can function not only as children’s literature but also as tools for preserving neighbourhood history, intergenerational memory, and emotional ties within Hong Kong communities . It also highlights inclusive design for older readers and points to a wider effort to support locally created Hong Kong picture books through libraries and online promotion .