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In China, the deep-rooted tradition of preferring sons over daughters has long shaped many families’ choices—particularly before 2016, under the one-child policy. This picture book draws on my personal experience, telling the story of a girl who transforms into a fairy to protect and comfort those girls who have been treated unfairly. In doing so, she also embarks on a journey of self-healing.

Through this visual narrative, I hope to convey that true empowerment begins from within. Only by growing stronger can girls reclaim their voices, make their own choices, and shape their futures.

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Picture Book, Illustration, Procreate

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Encounter at the Amusement Park

The protagonist discovered a peculiar gumball machine in the amusement park. The machine's body emitted a soft glow, which drew her to stop and watch. Each gumball inside the machine was also glowing faintly, creating a mysterious atmosphere, as if each one concealed a family story unknown to others.

Enter the gacha game

The protagonist was amazed by the fantasy of the gashapon and couldn't wait to twist open one. Inside was a huge chessboard world. All the chess pieces were female bodies, controlled by their fathers. This scene symbolized the situation in a patriarchal family where daughters were suppressed and unable to freely express themselves. Moreover, the protagonist's appearance had also changed. She transformed into the fairy godmother from Cinderella, carrying kindness and magic.

The protagonist flew to the next gacha.

In this gacha toy, she found a sad girl. It was the girl's birthday, but as always, she was ignored by her parents. Time and again she had hoped, and time and again she had been let down. From the girl's home, it was discovered that her parents favored their son very much. Her son's room was also decorated very beautifully and was filled with many toys.

The protagonist was deeply moved by the scene and wanted to help these girls.

Save the Gashapon

In the world of the chessboard, the protagonist attempts to assist the female chess pieces, causing the chessboard to undergo changes. The scene then inverts: the male bodies become the chess pieces on the board, controlled by the females. This transformation symbolizes the subversion and instability of power relations.

In the birthday girl's room, the protagonist conjured up the gift she had always dreamed of - a beautiful birthday cake. The dolls in the room gradually came to life, keeping her company and chatting with her, helping her regain her smile and gradually improving her mood.

The protagonist returned to the amusement park, gazing at the girls who had been released from the gashapon, and took a step towards the sunlight and freedom.

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The character design shows sadness and strength through facial expressions and body language. The fairy, who is also the main character, represents the will to help and heal. She is a symbol of the girl’s inner force to save others—and herself. The soft, natural colour palette, inspired by Impressionism, sets a quiet and reflective tone for the story.

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A sign of unequal love

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Girls are overlooked

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A system that defines worth

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No sense of self

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Emotional emptiness

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Begins to resist

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Inner guide

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Self-healing

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I interviewed girls from three different types of families and explored the influences that the educational models in such families have brought to them.

1. Four daughters

Her father was very sexist. But he never had a son. So her parents put a lot of hope in each of her sisters. They wanted each of them to achieve something great in their respective fields. They all felt a lot of pressure.

2. Elderly sister and brother

The parents are biased towards their younger son. The family has very traditional ideas, and they hope that the boy will be successful. They prefer the younger son in every way.

3. Elderly brother and sister

An invisible preference for boys over girls in this family. Because there was an older brother first. For example, girls are encouraged to choose more "feminine" careers, and girls are more restricted in their interactions with boys, and they hope the girl will be more "gentle".

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I chose the picture book format because it allows me to express emotional experiences through images and symbols. Unlike written analysis, it offers a more direct and accessible way to communicate complex feelings. It helps make the topic more personal and easier to relate to, especially for those with similar experiences.

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I used soft brushes to create a calm and quiet feeling, matching the emotional tone of the story. Most shapes are round and simple, making the images feel gentle. Elements like eggs, shadows, and floating girls are used as symbols to show fear, change, and healing.