Taiwan author's modern fables teach kids to be themselves

When it comes to tales about accepting and celebrating oneself, no one tells it better than Chen Chih-yuan. An author-illustrator in Taiwan, Chen created an international sensation when Guji Guji was translated into English. This beautifully written story of a "crocoduck" was an American Library Association Notable Children's Book and appeared on The New York Times bestseller list.

Chen's ink drawings in muted grey and brown tones belie the riotous antics of a crocodile adopted into a family of ducks. The crocodile grows up as a duck, but upon meeting some crocodiles and seeing how similar in appearance he is to them, he is torn about what and who he truly is.

Guji Guji has the makings of a classic modern fable. I can read it again and again without ever tiring of it.

For bilingual children, I recommend the Chinese-language version of this picture book, which includes an English translation and bilingual CD at the back.

In his author's notes, Chen explains that the story was inspired by a Korean friend who was adopted by an American family. Someone who looks different from family members and the community must first embrace or overlook those differences before he can expect others to do so.

In Chen's The Featherless Chicken, the protagonist is shunned by his feathered peers. He is finally invited to join a boat trip when bits and pieces stick to his muddy body like beautiful plumage. Everyone on the boat learns the "beauty is skin-deep" message when the boat capsizes.