“Everyone’s an artist.”
This simple declaration glows from the heart of Eddy’s Shadow Puppets (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2025), the second picture book by author-illustrator Karina Zhou. In it, a young boy named Eddy discovers the magic of shadow puppetry, an art form rooted in Chinese tradition. In the process, he finds a new sense of confidence and connection. And what begins as an afternoon of imaginative play with grandparents becomes a quiet meditation on creativity as a bridge between generations, cultures, and inner worlds.
That sense of inheritance is personal for Zhou. Growing up in Canada while her grandparents lived in China, she saw them only every few years; however, their stories left a lasting imprint on her. “Their eyes would light up and sparkle whenever they recalled watching puppet performances,” she recalls. And through these conversations, she learned not only about shadow puppetry, but about the impact of storytelling itself: “This heavily influences how I tell stories now. I hope to encourage young readers to dive into new topics through the lenses of wonder and awe.”
Finding your unique creative voice
Eddy’s Shadow Puppets builds on themes that readers first encountered in Zhou’s acclaimed debut Kai’s Tea Eggs, which explored cultural memory and belonging through a shared family ritual. (Read the Sesaya Arts feature profile here.) In both books, art and tradition act as doorways — ways for children to make sense of who they are and where they come from. But with Eddy, Zhou turns her focus more explicitly toward creativity itself … and the fears that can quietly hold it back.
“When I took my first art class at 9 years old, I actually wanted to quit right away!” Zhou notes. “I told my mom that ‘I’m not an artist’, and that there was no way I could draw like the other kids around me.” Looking back, she recognizes the moment as driven by fear, rather than lack of ability. Like Eddy – and like her younger self – it’s easy to feel limited by insecurity. “Yet I believe that when we can look beyond these initial assumptions of what we’re capable of, we find something beautiful awaiting on the other side.” This is important, she notes, because “I truly believe that everyone is an artist at heart, even if we express ourselves in different ways. Regardless of if you’re a kid or adult, we each hold a unique voice in our creativity and story.”
These beliefs are woven directly into the book’s visual language. Zhou’s illustrations pulse with motion and colour that are inspired by the liveliness of traditional shadow-puppet performances. Her unique voice – determined only after experimenting with different approaches – is watercolour. “Watercolor was the most fluid, dynamic medium for the style,” she explains. With it, figures seem to dance across the pages, slipping between reality and imagination.
Transmitting emotion and magic
For Zhou, illustration is inseparable from emotion. “The power of illustration,” she notes, “is that we get to experience the story through the main character’s perspective – with every spread’s colors reflecting how Eddy feels in the moment.” In Eddy’s world, shadows transform into living things, and ordinary objects bloom into spectacle. “Magic is everywhere in shadow puppetry — from inanimate objects that come to life to puppets that twirl in the sky, imagination has no limit!” She also tucks in a playful visual through-line for attentive readers: “Throughout the book, tiny puppets follow along on Eddy’s journey. How many can you spot?”
Balancing cultural history with a contemporary child’s experience was central to Zhou’s approach. From the outset, she wanted to honour ancient Chinese shadow puppetry while telling a story that felt emotionally immediate. “For me, art has always been a haven and portal to connect with my heritage and self-confidence,” she explains. Eddy’s journey, she hopes, will likewise invite young readers to interpret art through their own voices, and use it as a way to connect with others. While childhood today looks different than it did generations ago, Zhou believes “there is still a striking similarity in how art is used to heal, bring joy and unite
communities.”
Drawing on art and tradition
That belief runs clearly between Eddy’s Shadow Puppets and Kai’s Tea Eggs. “Art and tradition – especially those passed down from my family – have always been a large part of my own creative journey,” Zhou reflects. By drawing on personal experience, she aims to create stories grounded in real emotion, even when they unfold in imaginative worlds. “As an adult, I’m still discovering new ways that art impacts my life and that of those around me! It’s a lifelong gift to experience this and share it through my books.”
As she looks ahead, Zhou is “thrilled to continue exploring how art and culture can be incorporated into adventure-packed, educational stories”. She is grateful to all “for following along on this journey”, and notes “I hope to share some more exciting work soon!”
Eddy’s Shadow Puppets is available through Arsenal Pulp Press, independent bookstores and online retailers.
Arpita Ghosal, Sesaya Arts Magazine 2026
