Picture Books for Adult Readers

<p><strong>This Master's thesis explores the creation of picture books for young adult readers (ages 19-30) in China, with the aim of providing emotional comfort and relaxation. Although picture books are typically associated with children, a growing number of adults enjoy them as well, finding them to be a soothing experience. There is an emerging genre of picture books aimed at adult readers, such as Rock What Ya Got (Berger & Kerascoët, 2018) and Let Me Be Your Forest (Aeppol, 2019), which address topics such as work-life balance or offer pleasant escapism.</strong></p><p>Many young adults in China struggle with social pressures, work-related stress, and the challenge of achieving a work-life balance (Mei, 2020). The goal of the thesis was to create an original picture book that can offer readers a positive break from their daily stresses and provides emotional support and warmth through visual narratives.</p><p>The research involved investigating adult readers' reactions to a selection of picture books in order to identify narrative and illustration strategies that evoke a sense of comfort and warmth. The research then explored how these strategies can be applied through visual narratives. The project culminated in the creation of a 30-page original adult picture book, Luna, and an analysis of readers' emotional responses to the work.</p><p>Overall, this Master of Design Innovation thesis aims to contribute to the development of picture books for promoting emotional well-being among young adult readers in China.</p>