Where Is My Next Home? | By Janas Lau

{Book Details} Title: Where Is My Next Home? Author: Janas Lau Category: Illustrated Storybook, Original Hong Kong Picture Book Price: HK$108 Dimensions: 148 mm (h) x 210 mm (w) Binding: Paperback Pages: 96 pages ISBN: 978-988-79669-6-8 Publisher: gezi workstation {Synopsis} Home Is Where The Heart Is. With delicate watercolor illustrations and simple, heartfelt text, author Janas Lau depicts the experiences of Ming Zai, an eight-year-old Hong Kong resident, who is repeatedly (and unwillingly) forced to move. The story prompts readers to reflect on the definition of "home" and to examine Hong Kong's current housing issues, inviting us to ponder: Where is my home? *** Eight-year-old Ming Zai lives with his family in a cramped subdivided flat. Though small, this space is what Ming Zai considers his most cherished "home." However, a fire destroys Ming Zai's home. Unable to afford the exorbitant rents in the city, Ming Zai's family moves to a tin-roofed house in the New Territories. Surviving against the odds, Ming Zai's family not only adapts to rural life but also integrates into the local community, falling in love with farming and the beauty of nature. Believing they have found a new home, a new life, and new hope, their good fortune is short-lived... Ming Zai's family is once again forced to move! In today's Hong Kong, where can one find a truly stable home? {Author Biography} Janas Lau was born and raised in Hong Kong. After graduating from the University of Hong Kong with a degree in Japanese Studies, she pursued further studies in photography in Tokyo, Japan. She lived in Japan for two years and, influenced by Ukiyo-e art, began to paint, immersing herself in intricate and detailed styles. Upon returning to Hong Kong, she worked in advertising for over a decade. In 2017, she moved to London, UK, to complete a Master's degree in Children's Book Illustration and Graphic Novels, becoming an illustrator. The English version of the picture book "Where Is My Next Home?" has received the following international illustration awards: ・Shortlisted for the Cheltenham Illustration Award 2019 ・Merit Award for the Clairvoyants International Illustration Competition 2018/19 {Foreword} "Where Is My Next Home?" was created during my Master's program in Children's Book Illustration and Graphic Novels at Middlesex University in London. Living abroad, I felt a profound sense of homesickness. Therefore, during my studies, I felt an even stronger desire to write a story about Hong Kong and its people, a story that would resonate with everyone. As I thought and observed, I chose the theme of subdivided flats as my basis, writing a story about Hong Kong's housing issues. The story of the protagonist, Ming Zai, carries echoes of my own childhood. I was born and raised in Hong Kong, and my family of nine once lived together in a space of only 300 square feet. In the 1980s, the wealth disparity in Hong Kong was not as severe as it is today, and people rarely judged others based on the size of their living space. Although the homes were small, the human connections were deep and incredibly warm. Many families like Ming Zai's existed during those years. It is regrettable that after thirty years, the living conditions for some Hong Kong people have become worse and more challenging than before. Working diligently does not necessarily guarantee a stable life; every month, every day, is spent bustling and planning, all for the ever-rising rents, leaving little room for composure. Through the story of "Where Is My Next Home?", I hope to share snippets of life experienced by myself and many Hong Kongers, expressing a protest against Hong Kong's deteriorating housing environment. As I write this foreword in the summer of 2019, although the environment is turbulent and the future uncertain, I feel a deep and unwavering affection that Hong Kong people have for their home, Hong Kong. Perhaps, like Ming Zai, we still don't know where we will move next, but as the old saying goes: Home Is Where The Heart Is. In the future, I hope we can all live with dignity in Hong Kong, while also coexisting harmoniously with Hong Kong's most precious natural environment.