We spent some time speaking with Laura Bower and Rekha Salin, the creators of Emily Snook, The World's Smallest Cook. Read on to learn more about their favorite scenes in the book, and the inspiration behind their work.

Our Conversation with Laura and Rekha

GRP: Laura, welcome back to the blog. We are huge fans of The Imposter! Can you tell us a little bit about the inspiration behind Emily Snook?

LB: I wrote this book because I grew up in a house where my mom was always whipping up delicious meals and desserts. We had many traditions that centered around food/gathering around the table. She would always make pizzas from scratch on Sunday nights, holiday meals for our extended family (upwards of 40 people), special meals like corned beef and cabbage for St. Patrick’s Day and her famous meat pie (a recipe passed down from her Italian ancestors), no less than 20 different Christmas cookies each year etc.

GRP: We love the character of Emily's grandpa in the story. Is it fair to say your mom represents that character?

LB: She is always trying out new recipes and is very creative. I remember instead of making cupcakes for my school birthdays in elementary school, she made these adorable mice cookies with peanuts for ears, raisins for eyes and a licorice tail. They were a big hit! She taught my siblings and me how to cook, and we got to be her sous chefs whenever we wanted! She has passed along her recipes and has also made some special dishes with my kids as well (like Grandpa does with Emily). Cooking is such a bonding experience and creates lasting memories.

GRP: Rekha, please tell us what attracted you to Laura's story and made you want to illustrate it?

RS: I am a foodie and live, love, breathe food. This book was the perfect opportunity to draw loads of food.

GRP: Were there any other connections to the story for you?

RS: It was the story. The story of a girl who is bullied, loses confidence and how she believes in herself and wins. We need more stories like this to help children believe in themselves.

GRP: Laura, how do you feel about the artwork?

LB: There are so many adorable moments/spreads, but one of my favorites is when Emily is down on herself about how she is doing in the competition but looks out into the audience and gets a reminder from Grandpa – a balloon with the words, “Believe in Yourself. You Can Do It.” This is such a sweet moment between Emily and her Grandpa, who is with her every step of the way. They have such a special relationship and he provides just what is needed for Emily to pick herself back up and persevere!

GRP: That's one of our favorite moments, too! Rekha, tell us a little more about how you approach your illustrations.

RS: Illustrating for kids is my passion. Kids are our future and Books are one of the best ways of letting them dream and believe that they can make things possible, be positive and believe in themselves. I love creating magic and magical worlds from daily life and mundane routines. Fitting in the missing puzzles and letting my characters dream and empowering them to make the dreams a reality is what excites me the most. I love creating strong characters, that are lively, full of energy and movement and show them in a real life setting with diversity all around.

GRP: This all definitely shines through in your work with EMILY SNOOK. We love the diversity of characters you brought to the story. Thank you both for sharing with us a little behind the scenes insights into your book. Congratulations to you both! 

You can connect with author, Laura Bower online:

Twitter/X: @laurabower79

Instagram: @laurabowerwrites

Facebook: Laura Jensen Bower

You can connect with illustrator, Rekha Salin online:

Website: www.rekhasalin.com 

Subscribe to her blog/newsletter:  https://rekhasalin.substack.com/