【Reported from Kaohsiung】When Wallonia-Brussels International (WBI) invited children's picture book author Maud Roegiers and Alice Editions's Sophie Van den Bril to attend the Taipei International Book Festival, the Kaohsiung Public Library (KPL) seized the opportunity to foster collaboration. On February 12, 2025, KPL and WBI joined hands to organize a picture book-sharing session and creative workshop for local families at the Kaohsiung Main Public Library, where citizens could bask in the joy of reading and learn from the experiences and charm of an international picture book author.

[Image 1] Maud Roegiers, Sophie Van den Bril, and readers at the Kaohsiung Public Library

According to KPL Director Chin-Yang Lee, KPL’s International Picture Book Center boasts a collection of 160 thousand books worldwide, making it the biggest picture book library in Taiwan. Over the years, KPL has also organized and hosted a diverse variety of picture book-related events, inviting authors from the US, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the Czech Republic. On behalf of KPL, Director Lee expressed joy at the opportunity to collaborate with WBI. The event was the first time a Belgian picture book author was invited to KPL, allowing enthusiasts to engage directly with the creator. Director Lee believed that the experience of creating picture books with an international author would remain a precious memory for the children, inspiring the birth of more creators and allowing more people to fall more in love with reading.

In addition to writing many published picture books, Maud Roegiers has also explored the fields of special effects makeup and fashion design. Having loved drawing since childhood, Roegiers eventually dedicated her passion to creating illustrations for children.

[Image 2] Director Chin-Yang Lee (right) presented a gift of appreciation on behalf of KPL to Maud Roegiers (left) and Sophie Van den Bril.

At KPL, she talked about two of her newest works, What is Life? (original title: La vie c'est quoi?) and The Secret Gift (original title: Le mystérieux cadeau), and shared her experiences creating them. Another special guest invited to partake in the event was picture book editor Sophie Van den Bril, who represented Alice Editions. Van den Bril conveyed her happiness for the opportunity to engage with readers at KPL and promote Belgian children’s books to Kaohsiung citizens.

Roegiers presented the participants with a special Kamishibai paper theater performance during the event. She positioned a small wooden box at the front of the audience, revealing one beautiful illustration after another as the story unfolded, accompanied by her gentle French narration. The performance garnered praises from adults and children alike. Mr. Wu, a father who participated in the event, said, “The children were especially captivated by that paper theater performance. Aside from getting a glimpse of European culture, the children also had the chance to cultivate their interest in reading, develop their imagination, and improve their understanding of story building.”

[Image 3] The International Picture Book Center hosted the “Open It! Open the Picture Books of the World” book exhibition. Maud Roegiers’ books were also exhibited at the event.

Through the creative workshop, the author guided the children as they experienced the joy of creation. “What an interesting wooden box! There are so many beautiful pictures inside it!” said one child.

“I really like drawing alongside the author!” exclaimed another.

“This is my mysterious gift!” another child declared.

Such positive words and feedback serve as evidence of the event’s success in immersing the participants in the world of picture books.