Chou Yih-fen（周逸芬）
Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Heryin Books, lecturer, illustrator, picture book author

Storydrive interview: Interview with Chou Yih-fen

Yih-fen is a mother of two, founder and editor-in-chief of Heryin Books, a picture book author, and a researcher.

After receiving a Master’s degree in literature in Japan, she furthered her studies at University of Wisconsin in the US, earning a second Master’s degree majoring in developmental psychology, as well as American Montessori Society (AMS) teacher certification. In 2002, she received her doctorate from Beijing Normal University.

Editing works:
Yih-fen has received a Golden Tripod Award for Best Editor-in-Chief. She first began her 20-year career as an editor by introducing and publishing works that were pioneering in nature, such as the care series: The Pounding of the Jackhammer Can Be Heard Every Year (Alle Jahre wieder saust der Presslufthammer nieder), Train to Somewhere, Not My Fault et al, as well as the children’s humor series: Elmer the Patchwork Elephant, Imogene’s Antlers, et al.

In the last decade, she has dedicated her efforts to picture book authorship, and has received a number of international awards from Europe, the US and Japan, including the 2017 Yu Kwang-chung's Poetry and Illustration, which garnered the Frankfurter Buchmesse Global Illustration Award - Grand Award and Gold Award. Last year, she set up the Editor’s Realm next to the Hsinchu High Speed Rail (www.yihfenchou.com) to share her editing and authorship thoughts in the form of a museum.

Picture book authorship:
The Mimi Series (12 volumes) - Top 10 Illustrated Books Award in Mainland China, with copyright in more than 10 languages sold.
Albert’s First Flight won the “Good Books for Everyone” Best Children’s Book of the Year Award.
Mimi Listens to Folk Music - Golden Melody Awards for Best Children’s Music Album, and Bing Xin New Literary Award.
Animations:
The Mimi Series (12 episodes) 2D stop motion animation
Looking for an Albatross 3D animation
Children’s TV program: (12 episodes)