Eighty-year-old illustrator Cai Gao reveals beauty of Chinese children's books to the world

Photo shows a page of the picture book A Tale of Tao Hua Yuan.

At Italy's Bologna Children's Book Fair ahead of World Book and Copyright Day, global publishing professionals erupted in applause as 80-year-old Chinese illustrator Cai Gao was announced winner of the 2026 Hans Christian Andersen Award -- becoming China's first recipient of this honor in six decades.

Established in 1956 by the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) with the illustrator category added in 1966, this biennial award represents the highest lifetime achievement recognition in children's literature and illustration worldwide.

"This honor belongs to all my peers who witnessed and nurtured Chinese picture books' early development," Cai responded upon accepting the award. Remarkably, the self-taught artist began her picture book career later in life, channeling innate passion to pioneer China's original illustration aesthetic.

Cai was born in 1946 in Changsha, central China's Hunan province. Her childhood was deeply shaped by a culturally rich family environment: open-minded parents, her grandmother's graceful household management, and folk stories told in local dialect. "My artistic intuition stems entirely from childhood," she reflects. "True cultural value lives in those subtle, glowing moments of daily life."

After graduating from Hunan First Normal School in the 1960s, Cai taught for six years at a rural primary school in Zhuzhou, Hunan province. Though remote, this immersion in village life fundamentally shaped her perspective. She filled sketchbooks with students, villagers, and pastoral scenes -- foundational work for her future career.

At 36, Cai joined Hunan Juvenile and Children's Publishing House as an art editor. "Publishers must carry an inner lamp to light others," she describes this formative period. While China's children's publishing industry was still emerging, Cai both edited and created books, synthesizing traditional culture with authentic Chinese narratives.

Illustrator Cai Gao.

Her breakthrough came with Bao'er, originally titled the Fox Spirit in the Abandoned Garden. Inspired by the literary classic Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, it tells the story of a child who uses wisdom and courage to defeat a monster and save his mother.

Its bold composition, striking use of red and black, and powerful spirit of bravery left a lasting impression on readers.

In 1993, Bao'er won the Golden Apple Award at the 14th Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava, greatly encouraging Chinese creators of children's books.

In 1995, the China section of IBBY organized the "Little Pine Tree" Children's Picture Book Awards. All four winning titles from Hunan Juvenile and Children's Publishing House were edited by her.

One of the organizers, Tadashi Matsui, a leading figure in Japan's picture book publishing world, was so surprised that he asked to meet her.

The two connected immediately. They later collaborated on the picture book A Tale of Tao Hua Yuan, blending rural life with reflections on the relationship between people and nature. The book depicts a world that is brilliant yet peaceful, dreamlike yet grounded in reality.

Cai's years in education and publishing became inseparable from her artistic creation. Even after retirement, her creativity remained strong. Works such as Huna Mulan, Blazing City 1938, and How I Came to Be Me were published successively.

She has always held a firm belief: the finest things in life should be reserved for childhood. With love and respect for young readers, she continues to infuse every creation with honesty, kindness, and a passion for life.

Today, many young people online affectionately call her "Grandma Picture Book" and "Grandma Treasure," not only because of her art, but also because of the way she lives.

She grows flowers and vegetables in her rooftop garden, writes and paints, and records the changing beauty of the seasons.

"Life is truly filled with countless small things worth cherishing," she often says.

She encourages young people to stay resilient amid setbacks, never give up, and keep broadening both their vision and their inner world, growing up with confidence, health, and open mind.

Now at 80, Cai is still searching for new breakthroughs. She hopes to devote more energy to picture books for children aged 0 to 3.

"Good books for toddlers are far too few, and original creation for this age is especially challenging," she said. "But precisely because it is difficult, someone should step up and do it."

(Photos provided by Cai Gao)