Full-Time Mother Draws 'Jelly Car of the Mouse Country', Wins Hsin-Yi Children's Literature Award
Full-time mother Li Man won the first prize at the 37th Hsin-Yi Children's Literature Award for her picture book 'The Jelly Car of the Mouse Country', a humorous story inspired by traffic safety reports.
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- 📰 Published: April 17, 2026 at 18:04
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(Central News Agency reporter Chen Zhizhong, Taipei, 17th) The 37th Hsin-Yi Children's Literature Award was announced today. Full-time mother Li Man participated for the 3rd time in 10 years, and her creation this year, "The Jelly Car of the Mouse Country", inspired by traffic safety reports, presents a humorous and absurd story, successfully winning the first prize for picture books.
A total of 265 works participated in this year's Hsin-Yi Children's Literature Award, and 5 winning works were finally selected. The first prize for picture books was won by Li Man (real name Li Manyin). She responded to traffic safety issues with "Jelly Car", presenting a series of absurd collision accidents, and the ending only showed the terminal station reached by the train driver, giving room for imagination.
Li Man pointed out in an interview with the Central News Agency that the initial idea came from a news report stating that Americans like to buy solid large cars, which are quite safe for the people sitting in the cabin, but very dangerous for pedestrians on the road. She suddenly had an idea: if a car could be as soft as jelly, would it be safer?
As a full-time mother, Li Man has to ride a scooter every day to take her children to and from school, and she feels particularly strongly about the chaos of traffic. However, she said: "This is not the responsibility of children, but the responsibility of adults." Therefore, in the picture book, she did not want to talk about complex traffic safety issues, but developed ideas from it, hoping to give children some sensory stimulation and inspiration.
Li Man participated in the Hsin-Yi Children's Literature Award three times in 10 years, from being shortlisted, winning an honorable mention, to winning the first prize this year. She mentioned that the journey is like a record of following her child's growth. From pregnancy to elementary school, she discusses with her child every time she creates, such as what sound the jelly car would make when it crashes, and her child also recommends the mother's picture book to the teacher in class, making Li Man feel warmed.
70-year-old retired mathematics professor Cai Zemin won an honorable mention in the children's literature category for "Mr. Toad Who Can Save Time". He contrasted the hibernation of animals with the slow movement of the elderly, transforming biological stagnation into the concept of "saving time", preserving memories and emotions in the course of life.
Cai Zemin stated in an interview that the inspiration for the story came from his interactions with his grandfather when he was a child, presenting the rural life scene of Taiwan in the 1960s.
Cai Zemin's wife, Lin Suzhen, is a professor in the Department of Chinese Literature, and the two influence each other. Lin Suzhen will hold an online lecture in May, sharing "From picture to text, from text to heart; healing, between the pages of picture books".
Cai Zemin believes that mathematics and writing are actually the same thing. For example, there is a saying in mathematics, "the shadow of conditions", meaning that the manifested results come from the given conditions.
Cai Zemin said that literature is also like giving a fuse and a concept, and it can grow flesh, leaves, and fruits. He humorously said: "I personally feel it is the same, but many people disagree, and I don't know why either."
(Editor: Guan Zhongwei) 1150417
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A total of 265 works participated in this year's Hsin-Yi Children's Literature Award, and 5 winning works were finally selected. The first prize for picture books was won by Li Man (real name Li Manyin). She responded to traffic safety issues with "Jelly Car", presenting a series of absurd collision accidents, and the ending only showed the terminal station reached by the train driver, giving room for imagination.
Li Man pointed out in an interview with the Central News Agency that the initial idea came from a news report stating that Americans like to buy solid large cars, which are quite safe for the people sitting in the cabin, but very dangerous for pedestrians on the road. She suddenly had an idea: if a car could be as soft as jelly, would it be safer?
As a full-time mother, Li Man has to ride a scooter every day to take her children to and from school, and she feels particularly strongly about the chaos of traffic. However, she said: "This is not the responsibility of children, but the responsibility of adults." Therefore, in the picture book, she did not want to talk about complex traffic safety issues, but developed ideas from it, hoping to give children some sensory stimulation and inspiration.
Li Man participated in the Hsin-Yi Children's Literature Award three times in 10 years, from being shortlisted, winning an honorable mention, to winning the first prize this year. She mentioned that the journey is like a record of following her child's growth. From pregnancy to elementary school, she discusses with her child every time she creates, such as what sound the jelly car would make when it crashes, and her child also recommends the mother's picture book to the teacher in class, making Li Man feel warmed.
70-year-old retired mathematics professor Cai Zemin won an honorable mention in the children's literature category for "Mr. Toad Who Can Save Time". He contrasted the hibernation of animals with the slow movement of the elderly, transforming biological stagnation into the concept of "saving time", preserving memories and emotions in the course of life.
Cai Zemin stated in an interview that the inspiration for the story came from his interactions with his grandfather when he was a child, presenting the rural life scene of Taiwan in the 1960s.
Cai Zemin's wife, Lin Suzhen, is a professor in the Department of Chinese Literature, and the two influence each other. Lin Suzhen will hold an online lecture in May, sharing "From picture to text, from text to heart; healing, between the pages of picture books".
Cai Zemin believes that mathematics and writing are actually the same thing. For example, there is a saying in mathematics, "the shadow of conditions", meaning that the manifested results come from the given conditions.
Cai Zemin said that literature is also like giving a fuse and a concept, and it can grow flesh, leaves, and fruits. He humorously said: "I personally feel it is the same, but many people disagree, and I don't know why either."
(Editor: Guan Zhongwei) 1150417
Choose to stand with the facts, every sponsorship from you is the power to protect freedom of the press.
Download the Central News Agency "First-hand News" APP to grasp the latest news instantly.
The text, pictures, and audio/video of this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.