A family adventure in design and creative education

Picture books are so much more than guides to knowledge for children! They’re no use for spoon-feeding kids information; instead, they do something much more important, unlocking the doors to creativity, imagination and aesthetics. To celebrate the magical role, picture books can play in helping children pursuing their individual tastes and creative joy, PMQ plans to brighten up the summer with picture books from all over the world, in collaboration with local independent bookstore-publisher Book B, advocate for family reading HapiSchool and PMQ’s creative studios. From 28 July to 13 August, PMQ will host the one-of-a-kind Picture Book Adventures, featuring an exhibition of picture books from around the world and a range of creative workshops and interactive reading experiences.

Alternative World Picture Book Exhibition: A Unique Selection for Bookworms of All Ages
Picture Book Adventures will feature more than 120 innovative and surprising picture books, with the aim of introducing these hidden gems to genuine book lovers. Meticulously sourced by Book B, they include many titles that haven’t been launched in mainstream bookshops and book fairs in Hong Kong. They were chosen because they share a dedication to cultivating children’s imagination, and also they subvert common preconceptions about picture books.

A Picture Book Wonderland for Kids, with 5 Islands to Explore
Local artist Wong Tin Yan will create and hand-paint five islands inspired by themes from picture books that children particularly love. Each island will feature “Publication of the Week”, a selection of themed picture books recommended by Book B. The five islands are:

• Island of Whales: Dive into an ocean of endless possibilities
• Island of Monsters: A fantasyland where you can dance with cute monsters
• Island of Astronomy: Discover the mysteries of the universe
• Island of Adventure: A voyage to an unknown land
• Island of Night: Where all sorts of wonders are revealed in the dark

Beyond Words: Making Picture Books Fun
With the help of Kenny Or, the founder of HapiSchool, we’ve brought together a range of veteran storytellers and creative people to share their storytelling tips, including local artists Jess Lau and Lam Kin Choi, picture book education instructor Apple Wong, Little Bear Books editor-in-chief Ruby Cheng and award-winning Taiwanese picture book author Zhang Youran. Sharing and Story Time sessions will explore how picture books are made, and provide tips to spice up family reading. Joyce Tam, the owner of Seeds Children’s Bookstore in Central, will show how picture books can help families get along better in her session ‘The story begins at Home’.

Picture Book Adventures also features a series of interactive workshops. The workshop Gymnastics by the King of Cuttlefish x Moving Playground promotes the fun of outdoor reading, with everyone singing along to a much-loved Japanese picture book. The Grandpa’s Unbelievable Zoo – Anamorphosis Workshop offers a fresh perspective on our relationship with Mother Nature, with children drawing an animal that only looks right under a magical lens, helping them to learn about ecological changes and environmental conservation.

Picture Book Adventures will also host over 20 summer sharing and workshops this year, including some led by PMQ’s creative’s studios and PMQ Taste Library. Programme and registration details are available here.

Participants who join the exhibition and programmes will be deemed to be an acceptance of the Terms & Conditions and Arrangements under Tropical Cyclone or Rainstorm Warning .

In any cases of dispute, the decision of PMQ Management Co. Ltd shall be final.