When Iowa author, Carol Hagen, contacted me about illustrating her book, What’s in the Rommegrot?! my first thought was, “Mmmm, Rommegrot.” My husband’s family made this traditional, labor-intensive Norwegian porridge at Christmastime. I haven’t had it in years, but I remember it fondly. Deliciously rich and served warm, it’s like sitting by the fireplace, wrapped in Grandma’s coziest quilt.

I loved the ‘story behind the story’ of a silly morning that Carol spent in the kitchen with one of her grandchildren. In our first conversation about collaborating on this book, Carol and I bonded over our shared Scandinavian heritage. I told her that I had a little grandniece over in Stockholm, Sweden named Ella. “Let’s have her be the little girl in the story!” she suggested. The idea was even more perfect when I thought about Ella’s grandmother, my sister-in-law, Heather, who is famous for her elaborate gingerbread houses. (She once melted down Life Savers and fashioned intricate stained-glass windows for a gingerbread Cathedral!) In fact, she organizes a large Gingerbread Village event every year at The Norway House in Minneapolis.

Ella, age 2., the age she was as I began illustrations. She just looks like a children’s book character in this photograph!

Being an ocean apart, each moment that Heather and Ella can spend together is precious. True for all grandparents and grandkids, just as in the book’s story! It would be fun to try to capture their personalities with my characters. As an artist, I find it helpful to base my characters on real people. It helps me to be consistent as I depict personality, in changing viewpoints and scenes, throughout a book. The extra tricky part here was that the little girl in the story was six years old and “my” Ella was only a bit over two. I would have to imagine her several years into the future. Did I mention I love a good challenge?

It never fails to amaze me that a few marks made on paper or canvas can portray an individual’s likeness. This is not my artist ego talking, either. I am not fishing for compliments about my talent. Art is simply astonishing to me in this regard. The complexity of all that makes an individual who they are… that it can be captured by… “mark making?” Think about it. Regardless, it was such an honor to be able to illustrate this book. For Carol and her grandchildren. For Heather and Ella! I love the idea of creating keepsake books that capture a favorite family memory. Those stories we all love to tell… over and over.