HCAA 2026 Winner for Illustration: Cai Gao
Cai Gao, China
Cai Gao (b. 1946, Changsha, China) grew up immersed in preindustrial traditions — her grandmother’s nursery rhymes and storytelling sparking a lifelong passion for oral and visual narrative. Denied university education, she taught herself to draw while working as a poster painter and primary school teacher, publishing her debut, The Beautiful Garden (1980), which immediately won acclaim. She has remained devoted to picturebooks — a cornerstone of China’s evolving children’s literature scene — creating over 40 titles that reflect her deep affirmation of life, resilience, and wonder. Her style is richly versatile: blending Western textures, Chinese folk art’s vigor, and classical painting’s elegance. In Baoer, she uses dense color and decentered perspectives to evoke folk art, portraying a boy’s courage against darkness. The Land of the Peach Blossom reimagines Tao Yuanming’s mythic world with poetic, classical brushwork. Her recent works — How I Came to Be Me and What Would It Be Like Without… — celebrate innocence, curiosity, and the wisdom of seeing the world anew. Her illustrations are celebrated for their cultural depth and emotional resonance — earning so many awards she’s been called an “award-winning professional.” Even after retirement, she received the Special Contribution Award at the 34th Chen Bochui International Children’s Literature Award (2022).
Five titles by Cai Gao
Tao Hua Yuan de Gu Shi / 《桃花源的故事》 [The Land of Peach Blossom]
Hunan Juvenile & Children’s Publishing House 2021 Changsha, China 978-7-5562-5638-9
Bao Er / 《宝儿》 [Bao’er]
Hunan Juvenile & Children’s Publishing House 2021 Changsha, China 978-7-5562-5640-2
Huo Cheng 1938 / 《火城1938》 [Blazing City 1938]
Hunan Juvenile & Children’s Publishing House 2023 Changsha, China 978-7-5562-7146-7
Chu Sheng de Gu Shi / 《出生的故事》 [How I came to be Me]
Hunan Juvenile & Children’s Publishing House 2024 Changsha, China 978-7-5562-7998-2
Bu Neng Mei You /《不能没有》 [What Would it be Like?]
Daylight Publishing House 2024 Beijing, China 978-7-5016-2423-2