Interview by Evi Mustel, President of Mustel Group and Honorary Vice-Consul of Estonia in Vancouver
I recently sat down with the authors of a new children’s book, Magical Spirits of Estonia, drawing on Estonian nature and mythology in a way that will surely have broad appeal to Estonians of all generations.
Evi Mustel: What was the motivation and spark for writing this book?
Christine (Lepik) Robertson: We wanted to share the stories we grew up hearing and reading about Estonian nature and mythology. We wanted to create an art-filled book that would inspire children and introduce them to Estonian culture.
“… we wanted children to connect the magic to themselves—to see that they could also be strong, resilient, resourceful, adaptable, and so on. So, each of the spirits has a message…”
(Evaleen Jaager Roy)
Evaleen Jaager Roy: We chose and created each of the magical spirits very intentionally; each one symbolizes an aspect of character, whether that be strength, resilience, renewal for example—and we wanted children to connect the magic to themselves—to see that they could also be strong, resilient, resourceful, adaptable, and so on. So, each of the spirits has a message, from the strength of the Oak Tree to the resilience of the Cornflower, to the power of the Wolf.
CLR: Another example was taking the Cornflower and Barn Swallow—the floral and avian symbols of Estonia—and bringing them to life as active vocal spirits with inspiring messages that children could identify with.
EM: What makes this book so special is the way that you transition between a child’s wonder and an adult’s understanding of core character traits to cultivate in their child. How did you strike that balance?
CLR: We imagined a mother or father sitting down with a child, turning the pages to marvel at the art, and at the same time, reading about each spirit and their message in a way that made an impact on the child. We feel that the art helps the child really connect with the messages.
EJR: Exactly. We loved that children would be entranced by the spirits brought to life in a fun way, while the parent could use the messaging to teach the child.
EM: Let’s talk about the amazing art. How did the artist get involved?
EJR: The artist is my husband, John Lund. John has illustrated over thirty published children’s books including many in the Dr. Seuss and Bear in the Big Blue House series. He has a fabulous “Seussian” style and imagination! So, Christine and I sat down with him to explain the concept for the book and each of the spirits that we chose. And then John’s imagination just went to work! The art is truly heart-warming and wonderful.
“The Bog Spirit speaks to being humble, living in alignment with nature, while the Spirit of Kaali symbolizes the spark of life: self confidence, daring, doing things. In all these examples we let our imaginations guide the narrative.”
(Christine (Lepik) Robertson)
EM: Wonderful! Let’s for a moment talk about a couple of the spirits. How do you use the contrast between the quiet wisdom of the bog and the explosive energy of the meteorite to talk about overseeing major life disruptions or internal chaos?
CLR: Excellent question, Evi! Your example of the contrast provided by the Bog Spirit and Kaali Fire Spark shows the range of spirits we wanted to portray. And of course, we used our imaginations to bring these characters to life. The Bog Spirit speaks to being humble, living in alignment with nature, while the Spirit of Kaali symbolizes the spark of life: self confidence, daring, doing things. In all these examples we let our imaginations guide the narrative.
EJR: Another lovely contrast is the strong Oak Tree and the grace of the Birch Tree coming alive each spring with new leaves. The Oak Tree has always been a symbol of Estonian perseverance while the Birch Tree, to us, symbolizes new life and self renewal. Mother Nature at work.
EM: What are your goals for this book in terms of placement and impact?
EJR: As you know, the book is written in both Estonian and English. We think that Estonian School teachers would appreciate a book like this to help teach young students Estonian and to learn about Estonian nature and mythology.
CLR:We want to promote the book globally, including in Estonia, especially since a core mission of the book is to strengthen cultural identity. It is globally available to buy online (through Amazon).
EJR: We see it as a contribution to keeping the Estonian language and imagination alive in the next generation. Christine and I grew up together with Estonian as our first language and this book really is a thank you and testimony to our parents, who taught us so much about their native Estonia and its culture.
EM: What is the primary feeling that you want readers to take away from your book?
EJR: I’d say it is a sense of wonder. Wonder at the beauty of nature and the magic of life.
CLR: And children getting positive, uplifting messages about core life traits and strengths. We want it to feel like a very inspirational book for a parent to read to a child.
EM: Last question—what is your own personal favourite Spirit in the book?
CLR: For me, it’s the Mermaid. I’ve always had an affinity for the ocean and Mermaids are so dynamic and magical.
EJR: It’s the Kaali Fire Spark for me. I love the way the spark flies through the night sky, lighting up the forest. It’s a great symbol of the spark of life in all of us.
(Evaleen is currently Honorary Consul of Estonia in Vancouver and Christine is a former Honorary Consul for Alberta.Magical Spirits of Estonia is available online on Amazon.ca, Indigo/Chapters, and Barnes & Noble.)
