Xiong Liang.[Photo provided to China Daily]

Xiong was nominated for the International Andersen Illustrator Award in 2014 for his works. So far his works include Chinese Edition, The Little Stone Lion, The Beijing Opera Cats, Wandering With the Wind and The Solar Terms.

Xiong uses the forest as the main scene in the first book of Little Mu Ke series, and some of the scenes are based on ancient Chinese classics.

Work on the third and fourth books of the series is underway, and all the books of the series are to be published by 2021, he says.

The books are mainly for children aged 7 and above, and adults can also enjoy them, says Xiong, adding: "I hope adults can find their childhood in the story of Little Mu Ke, while experiencing many adventures together with him. Like us, he faces and deals with lots of pressure and problems, but he is always honest and believes in equality for everything in the world."