American illustrator Mark Crilley’s graphic novel “Lost in Taiwan” launched in English last year, and is soon to be released in traditional Chinese this month, dedicated to Taiwanese people for their friendliness and generosity.
The book, “Lost in Taiwan” follows American teenager Paul, who is visiting Taiwan with his older brother. Initially, Paul is not interested in exploring Taiwan, especially because the language and food make him feel very out of place. That is until he gets lost on the way home from the electronics market, and an outgoing Taiwanese girl helps him out while taking him on an adventure that opens his eyes to the beauty of Taiwan.
The novel is intentionally set as taking place in just a few days, Crilley shared, emphasizing that we often get more out of a single day when traveling to some place new. He said that he hopes readers will feel the impact of Paul's journey in their own hearts, and how his encounter with Taiwanese people changes him moving forward. “Lost in Taiwan”, while not autobiographical, is inspired by Crilley’s own experiences living in Taiwan as a teacher.
Mark Crilley has written over 40 books in his lifetime including several graphic novels and has been nominated for 14 Eisner Awards. His works have been featured in USA Today, Entertainment Weekly, CNN Headline News, and other major media outlets.