Lana Button: Making Memories with My Grammie’s House
Welcome to Cantastic Authorpalooza, featuring posts by and about great Canadian children’s book creators! Today’s guest:
Lana Button
. Take it away, Lana!
My new picture book is best served with Sprite in a fancy glass and my Grammie’s scotch cake cookies. So set your oven to 325F and mix:
1 pound of soft butter1 ½ cups of packed brown sugar2 egg yolks4 cups of flourMix (best with your hands – like my Grammie used to)Roll into balls, and put a piece of cherry in the middleBake for 20-25 minutes!My Grammie’s House (Tundra) beautifully illustrated by Skye Ali, was inspired by the best kinds of childhood memories- the ones that bring back a sense of comfort and contentment. The child in the story gives a tour to potential home buyers, highlighting the best features of a house for sale. They point out the special nooks and crannies of a well-loved home still alive with memories.
I spent a lot of time in my Grammie Yardley’s house. When I think of her I remember how fun a sliding kitchen floor can be, how beautiful the sound of a slamming screen door can be, how content you can feel watching cookies being rolled into balls.
When I visited Grammie Higgins’s house, she served me Sprite in a fancy glass. My mum would tell her not to fuss, but my Grammie would insist. I remember thinking, ‘My Grammie must think I’m pretty special and important, to be handing me this glass.”
I hope My Grammie’s House fills the reader with a sense of love and contentment. I hope the story inspires the audience to look for the treasures in the nooks and crannies of their world. And I hope it evokes some wonderful memories that can be passed on, like a family recipe.
Lana Button is the award-winning author of more than a dozen books for children, which have been translated into 5 different languages, and have received the Crystal Kite Award, the Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Award and the IBBY Outstanding Book for Young Children. Her books have been highlighted in The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. Lana has presented her stories and positive message on inclusion, empathy and resiliency to thousands of kids at festivals, schools and libraries across North America. Connect with Lana on Instagram @lanabuttonauthor and at www.lanabutton.com.
