A Chance of Sunshine. By Jimmy Liao. Sanlian Bookstore; Liaoning Publishing House. 132 pages. Illustrated book.

　　A story about love in the city is always among the top choices in literature. Writers, directors, singers, and other artists have taken great pains to describe it. There are many details to discuss. One of the most outstanding artistic works on this topic, A Chance of Sunshine is another illustrated book by Jimmy Liao, in which the meaning of fate in love is simplified, with beautiful, creative pictures and uncomplicated words.

　　The book's characters are two lonely young people-she and he-both searching for their other halves. In the story, they lived in the same old apartment building in the outskirts of the city. Yet they had never met, due to their habit-she always walks toward the left and he toward the right.

　　However, sooner or later, these people of destiny would meet. One day, she and he met, in front of the park fountain. Just like lovers who had been separated for many years, they spent a happy and sweet afternoon together.

　　At dusk, an unexpected downpour began. Panic-stricken, they hastily exchanged telephone numbers, and said goodbye. As their custom was, he walked toward the right and she to the left. Although soaked by the sudden rain, their hearts were warmed by the sudden passion.

　　However, accidents in life are many. kites in hands can have their strings broken.?Their telephone numbers were completely wet. After calling several wrong numbers, they lost contact with each other.

　　Day after day, time passed, and they never met again. They played with the same cat and fed the same dog. In the morning, they heard the cry of the same crow. They saw the same scene, and they smelled the same air. They kissed the same baby-and knew about her green cap with two long ears. But like many people who live in the same city and never know each other, she and he never met again.

　　Their memories of each other were fading. They even doubted whether the afternoon in which they discovered love had really existed. She decided to leave the lonely city, and he was ready to travel to some sunny place. She still walked toward the left and he still walked toward the right.

　　This is Jimmy's love story of the city, in his illustrated book A Chance of Sunshine. Usually, people can read?more from pictures than they can from text alone. Jimmy's artwork is a typical example of this reading habit.?While people are trying to tell the difference between signify and signified, Jimmy's book does away with all of that.

　　Born in Taipei, Jimmy has a BA in Fine Arts with a major in Design. He worked in advertising companies for 12 years, and now works as an illustrator. Since 1998, Jimmy has published several illustrated books with amazing originality and multifaceted narratives, setting a trend in creating and publishing illustrated books in both local and international markets. A Chance of Sunshine is one of these books. Using images as a refreshing form of literary language, Jimmy creates poetic frames that emit charm and appeal.