Shen, a writer who is recognized as "the first person in China's animal novels", once lived in a stockade in Xishuangbanna, and stayed for 18 years. All kinds of animals in the virgin forest in the frontier of Yunnan become the protagonists in his works, such as The Seventh Hunting Dog, Tears of Elephant King, King of Half-Blood Jackal, Flying of Impala and so on.
The reporter learned that Shen's "animal novels" have recently been listed in the recommended books of many Chinese teachers in primary and secondary schools in Jinan, which has something to do with Shen's "The Last War Elephant" and other novels being selected into primary and secondary school textbooks, but the reasons why teenagers can become fans of Shen's "animal novels" are by no means limited to this. A pupil's parents think that animals have no language and there is no clear expression for ordinary people, but Shen tells the story of affection, love, courage and wisdom through the description of their behavior. His novels are not as relaxed and cheerful as ordinary children's books, but with some heavy feelings of life, so that children can appreciate the various colors of life.
According to insiders, the real reason why "animal novels" are deeply favored is that nature and environmental protection issues have entered people's field of vision. Children have a natural affinity for animals, and they want to know more about nature and animals than adults. Animals in fairy tales and fables are mostly typed symbols, but Shen knows more about the psychology of animals and children. In his works, the animal world is an original ecological life world.