An island’s holiday starts with a leaf

The tree stands above a sea made from tiny coloured strokes. Below the water, the island’s rock keeps going. In 儲玉玲’s 若是一个島想欲去旅行 (If an Island Wanted to Travel), both the island and its tree want to know what lies beyond the sea and sky. A leaf is the first to get away.

The artist writes and illustrates this book herself. In her introduction, she recalls moving from southern Taiwan to Taipei more than twenty years ago: three rooms became half a double bed in her husband’s family home.

The book’s QR code plays the author’s Taigi (Taiwanese) reading. The accompanying foldout supplies Mandarin and Tâi-lô romanisation, so you can listen while following the printed story.

The original-art exhibition is on the free-to-browse first floor of Forever Young Books. Visit Thursday–Monday, noon–19:00; the shop closes Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Upper floors have a separate minimum: buy NT$100 of books or order one drink. At 59 Songjiang Street, the shop is about 450 metres from Kaohsiung station; allow ten minutes for the walk.