Mother’s Bread Dough follows a little boy and his mother who escape their home and bring their family’s sourdough with them to help spread hope, love, and joy. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

Mother’s Bread Dough is my latest book on War and Peace theme. In a troubled world, this most challenging topic must be addressed in a way that is suitable for children.

We can’t prevent children from hearing the news. Disturbing information is pouring over them from so many directions. Fears and worries come to their mind, and someone must also answer their difficult questions.

I am the mother of three adult children, and I still remember very well when I had to explain complex things to them. It requires skill and sensitivity. Children need to get information, but at the same time, they need to be children who feel safe.

A unique group is children who themselves suffer the consequences of war in their lives. They need a particular understanding of their difficulties and encouragement to overcome them.

The stories and illustrations in children’s books can help deal with the most problematic issues. I hope this book also provides a natural basis for discussing war themes with children at home or in schools.

Could you elaborate on how the bread becomes such a significant element in their journey?

In this story, baking bread is a symbol of several things. It is an important task that mother and son have often taken care of at home together. The son’s role as the mother’s helper has grown continuously since the father went to war. Finally, he oversees heating the oven. The same one that he reluctantly leaves behind as they are rapidly evacuated in the middle of a baking session.

Baking delicious bread requires an excellent sourdough starter, which also represents spiritual roots to the home region and its people. It passes as a treasure from generation to generation and helps fill empty stomachs. On the other hand, the baking oven represents the home and its warmth. The entire house is later rebuilt around the stony heart of the fire pit.

In “Mother’s Bread Dough,” baking bread under challenging conditions during the escape journey also represents the mother and son’s determination and their goodwill towards strangers. Bread is always shared with others, reflecting caring and the warmth of their hearts.

Dealing with the complex topics of war and escaping from home is made more accessible in this story by connecting them to familiar everyday things. A mother constantly baking bread is essential for a sense of security – at least something always remains the same. The greatest heroes don’t always make a big fuss about themselves but work quietly and patiently for the good of others.

In what ways do Stefan Turk’s illustrations complement and enhance the storyline of Mother’s Bread Dough, and are there any specific illustrations that stand out in creating the right mood and atmosphere for the narrative?

Stefan Turk’s illustration has received much praise from readers and industry professionals. I am genuinely pleased with the result as well. Stefan worked tirelessly to create beautiful pictures. I dare to believe that the story I wrote inspired him – at least, he certainly understood its meaning. It was interesting to follow the progress of his work. Stefan created significant visual elements to interpret the story – complete with details that fascinate young children. I especially want to point out two pictures that mean a lot to me.

The first shows two mothers with children meeting in the attic of a deserted house. In an emergency, the human desire to help takes precedence over hostilities created by other people. Mothers are mothers, and children are children, regardless of which side of the border they live. The feverish woman resting in the dimness of the attic and the eyes of the others present in the dark space make a powerful image.

Another impressive illustration is related to the scene at the end of the book, where the mother and son return home from their challenging journey. All that remains of the family home is the stone oven and a sooty chimney. Mother and son immediately start heating the oven and decide to rebuild the house around it. It really touches my heart when I look at the picture of them standing on the ruins with their few belongings.

Fortunately, life can continue even in situations like those in my story and Stefan’s illustrations. The book’s purpose is to make the readers see that it is possible to show humanity even in the utmost difficulties. We need each other!

How did you manage to balance historical accuracy with creating a captivating and accessible story for young readers in “Mother’s Bread Dough”?

When I write books about war and peace, I often have a real-life starting point in mind. It helps me create a complete and realistic story. To that, I can add the real experiences of different people and imagined moods and situations that develop in my mind.

My mental landscape of this book is related to the events during the challenging decade of the breakup of Yugoslavia at the end of the last millennium. But as usual, I’m not mentioning any specific conflict, country, time, or region. Of course, I have told my background thoughts to the illustrator, who has perhaps also got some stimuli for his illustrations that way.

The story highlights the child’s point of view. Leaving home and escaping war is hard, especially as children don’t fully understand the situation and cannot influence it themselves. In this book, the boy’s whole world crumbles to pieces. By telling about his growth and survival in demanding circumstances, I want to encourage the reader to cope with their own challenges, understand the situations experienced by others, and show empathy.

This story is just one of many that reflect the situations children and adults face in times of war. And not all stories have a happy ending like this one. However, we always need each other to survive – and this applies all over the world.

Author Links: Facebook | Website