Bao & Bun's Bilingual Journey

I’m starting to feel a bit nervous about our upcoming trip to Taiwan. I remember how, during previous visits, I never seemed to have enough time to shop for the books we wanted because we were always on the go. This time, I’ve planned ahead and loaded my cart on Books.com.tw. I’ll place the order as soon as we arrive, so I can relax a bit more during the trip.

As I was going through the books on our list, I realized I’ve started paying more attention to authors. This is something I’ve learned from 安媽 and a recent conversation with a Tzu Wen teacher. 安媽 often highlights popular authors whose writing stands out and has given me some great recommendations. The Tzu Wen teacher praised one of the books I chose for Little Bao, pointing out that the translator, 周姚萍 (Zhou Yaoping), is well-known. I didn’t know much about her before, but I’ve since learned she’s not only a translator but also an award-winning children’s book author in Taiwan.

The first book I encountered by 周姚萍 was 鯨狗 (Whale Dog). It’s one of the best introductory bridge books for kids who are just starting to read independently. Even though it’s a translated work, the word choice and flow feel as natural as if it were originally written in Chinese. What I love most is how much warmth the writing conveys.

Recently, I discovered another one of her works, 第一次養小狗 (First Time Raising a Dog), which she wrote herself. It’s a sweet and heartwarming story about a family raising a dog for the first time, with a delightful twist at the end. I’m also a fan of the “First-Time” series, as it resonates with kids experiencing new things. Another favorite is 第一次遇到颱風 (First Time Encountering a Typhoon), which feels uniquely Taiwanese and is something kids growing up there can really relate to.

One of my goals for this trip is to start introducing books without zhuyin for Little Bun. While I know it’ll take time for her to read fluently without it, I’ve noticed she doesn’t rely on zhuyin much. I want to have some of these books at home for when she’s ready. I’m hoping to find more works by 周姚萍 and can’t wait to see if Little Bun enjoys them too.

Books written by 周姚萍