Is the story true?
As I understand it, the basis of
the story is truthful, and is based on digs in the Wisconsin area, but the events
themselves are fictional. They are all things that did happen in the area, but were
discovered at several different sites rather than one.
Did you have to travel to Wisconsin to do the artwork?
No, I actually travelled to
Oregon, the Williamette Valley area, for the landscapes and farms. Much of the
reference was shot on and around my maternal grandfather's old farm. (now owned by
someone else) The title page picture, and the cauliflower fields are from the farm
across the road from the house where my mother grew up.
I did do a lot of Wisconsin
research though, via libraries, phone calls, and the Internet, to make sure the animal and
plant life shown in the book was plausible for each period.
How did you find all the
things in the book to make the pictures?
See the answer above...a LOT of
phone calls to universities, biologists, etc. Several smaller items I just stumbled
upon--the pitchfork, etc. Others, like the button and the Civil War cap, I actually
purchased over the Internet.
If you have any other
questions about the book, please email me.
Also check out these
FAQ's for additional information:
The Children's Book FAQ
The Illustration FAQ
