Creating a Child's Paper Paradise

Growing up, my brother and I have always craved creativity. Whether constructing spaceships out of cardboard boxes, drawing outside the lines in homemade coloring books, or using markers to paint on our faces, our imaginations ran wild. We were just as wild, and our parents needed to keep our butts in seats and the mess to a minimum. That is where construction paper came in, and our love for it was immediate.

We would invent our own toys and stories out of those captivating colored sheets using scissors, glue sticks, and crayons. Cutting, gluing, and coloring until our room was filled with creatures, items from our favorite video games, and just about any other thing our imaginations could envision.

Our parents' strategy to keep the mess small was a dud as the floor of our room quickly overflowed with colorful, chaotic confetti. They wanted us to get rid of them, but we would always say no. We never knew when a T-rex would need a bowtie or when a villain would need a magnificently manicured mustache.

It was my job to tell the stories and my brothers to color. So it made sense that I was drawn to writing, and he was drawn to art. Over time, our colorful paper creations were put away, and we started to move on to other interests. But, every now and then, those young imaginations shine through and keep the love of creating alive.

Aside from our artistic endeavors, our family also loves to cook. We really believe in the power of a homemade meal to bring people together. There is just something extraordinary about feeding the people you care about. One day I was preparing dinner for the family when a bolt of inspiration struck. I had been toying with the idea of writing a children's book for some time, but I could never settle on a topic. Suddenly, it became apparent that it needed to be about kids learning to cook. After dinner, I brainstormed the idea with my brother, hoping that he could provide the art. After some time, though, life got in the way, and the book was put on the back burner, but things would fire up again soon.

During our mom's "pre-spring cleaning," I came across a storage container in the attic that I had not seen since I was a kid. I brought it into the house, and when I opened it, I was hit with a wave of nostalgia, and I called my brother over to see. Inside were all of our favorite "toys," the ones we made from the construction paper. The first things sitting on top, funnily enough, were the construction paper renditions of the weapons from video games that my brother had made. Each new piece we pulled out was like another wave of memories washing over us. Seeing those reminders of our childhood creativity was just the spark we needed, and we had a renewed drive to work on the book.

We hunkered down and spent the better part of a week cutting and gluing construction paper and writing out a rough story. We've made a lot of progress since then, and we have enjoyed every second of it. Just like when we were kids, I write the story, and he handles the art while doing our best not to leave "confetti" everywhere. All in all, it feels like we've come full circle. This time though, the stories we are telling are not just for us, but hopefully for kids everywhere.

Our central idea is a children's book that helps to show kids the importance of food. Food is an essential part of daily life, we need it just to function, but it is so much more. It is our cultures, our histories, and our traditions. No matter where you come from or what you look like, food plays a vital role in who you are and what makes you unique. The dinner table is the best way for people to come together and celebrate their differences. If kids can learn about some of the dishes they think are too weird, they will appreciate them. And not just the new flavors but also the cultural histories behind them. Creating this all with a fun story, an art style made from construction paper, and some easy-to-follow recipes just makes sens