In a children's book, the part that most catches the child's eye is the illustrations.

Besides the older generation of painters for children, there is a new generation of fresh troops in the field, and art for children has a new style.

In Children's Taiwan, published by the Yuan Liou Publishing Company, the little ones and their parents will discover to their surprise that the pictures have a "three dimensional" effect. Wang Chia-chu, who illustrated the story "Ma-tsu Returns to Her Home," put special emphasis on the handling of light and shade, and there appear backgrounds, middle grounds, foreground, and close-ups, things rarely seen in illustrations for kids.

Illustrators have not forgotten to express their sense of humor as well. For example, in legends of the Bunun aboriginal tribe of Taiwan, baskets had arms and legs and could run on their own, allowing their owners to save strength. So in the tale "The Giant Nipuno," the basket is painted as having appendages. In this book, children get "bird's eye views," another new experience. And on the sides of the illustrations are painted rare plants and animals of Taiwan, as a reminder to love and protect wild living things. This is well thought-out "teaching material."

As for colors, the artists are no longer limited to fresh, bright colors. For the story "Tiger Cat" published by Liko publishers, Hsu Wen-chi used large amounts of dark brown, gray, dark green, and other colors with low degrees of luminescence, to give the feeling of the wind blowing, the clouds rushing, and the grass rippling in a boundless expanse. In fact her view is like that of many children's artists: "Don't assume children only like simple, bright colors." She believes creators should employ all kinds of possibilities, using all kinds of colors for expression, like primary colors, neutral colors, and strong contrasting colors, to let children appreciate different implications, and enable them to have an even deeper understanding of color.

Lucy Chen, 1988 winner of a major Japanese award for art for children, has established her own style. There is little of realistic drawing based on research into the original, but substantial amounts of imagination. She painted the "green camel"; no matter whether in color or shape, her things are always different from the real thing. The little ones will perhaps have to invest a little thought to comprehend them.

Lucy Chen doesn't consult animal blueprints to paint animals. "To paint a tiger, I just paint my own tiger1 " And her elephants will perhaps have yellow or blue skin, and move with quick and nimble actions; the whole picture appears hazy as if seen through fog. She isn't afraid that a child will say it's another animal when he or she sees it, "because that's created once again through the child."

In forms, colors, and materials, the new generation of children's artists are making bolder endeavors than in the past. The appearance of this pluralization will enable children to have even more abundant choices and rewards.

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Wang Chia-chu, illustrator for the story "Ma-tsu Returns to Her Home," has a special way of handling light and shadow. The little ones can see the wisps of incense and the joss sticks shaking.

Painter Liu Tsung-hui, to express the vitality of the Taiya aboriginal people, used a dry brush to create the strength and feeling in "Bird Spirit Hsileiko." On the edges of the paintings are rare birds of Taiwan.

Lee Han-wen used cut paper to bring out the Ami aboriginal tale "Island of Women." He backed the cut paper with color soaked" cotton paper" (a kind of paper used for calligraphy) to make the main themes stand out.

When Hsu Yuan-chi painted "Tiger Cat," she used colors low in luminescence to express the sense of vastness and remoteness provoked by the winds and clouds crossing the endless expanse.

"Liar Ch'i" tells the story of a liar in Lukang at the time of the Ch'in g dynasty. In order to manifest the "local color," Wang Chia-chu used the red color scheme beloved by the Chuanchow people of Lukang.

Lucy Chen used her rich imagination to depict her "green camel." The little ones will have to keep a sharp eye!

The "Rocket Hives" fireworks of Yenshui, under the spray painting technique of Tang Shounan, appear extremely bustling and vivid. He reminds people who go to see the fireworks not to forget to wear safety hats.

On the streets of Taipei, the kids are dressed more fashionably than the mothers.

The newest demand by children: "I want to choose my own clothes!".

When talking about the design of kids' clothes, you have to talk "person ality"; but the sales displays have to have "personality" as well.

Twenty or so years ago, the way these two sisters were done up could hav e been called "magnificent." （photo courtesy of Sunny Hsiao）

This kind of clothing is already not enough to call it "fashionable.".