After working in animation for a few years in Denmark and Sweden, I became interested in illustration. I looked at and read many children’s books and wanted to illustrate one myself. Without knowing the business and not having a story to draw for, I decided to make my own story to pitch to the publishers.
Since many characters in children’s books and movies are animals, I created a pig named Bo. I lived in Stockholm then, and Bo was a short name that was easy to remember and common in Sweden. Swedish children’s book illustrators have greatly influenced me with their soft watercolor look and funny and cute stories. I wanted to do something like that, so I started writing.
The first story I created played with the notion of the quiet library and the hushing librarian, an old cliche by now and not applicable to real life anymore, but it made for a funny story at the time. Besides, the librarian is not a bad person in the end. It starts with Bo and his mom walking in the rain to the library, and when they enter, his wet boots make a lot of noise on the dry floor. What to do? I wrote the story and illustrated it all the way through.
I then sent it to at least five or six publishers in Sweden and waited to see if any were interested. After several declines, I got a message from one of Sweden’s most prominent publishers, Bonnier Carlsen, saying they were curious and asked me for a meeting. I couldn’t be happier, so I went there filled with awe and nervousness.
There, I met with a very nice editor, Martin Harris, with whom I enjoyed many good collaborations after that. He liked the book but questioned why the character was a pig. I explained that I did as many books and films that did the same and felt I had created a cute and appealing character that children would like. He agreed but suggested I make Bo into a human boy instead. That would make children relate even more to the characters and the stories.
Encouraged by the interest in my story, I went home and started designing. I drew a lot of children with different hairstyles but ended up drawing myself the way I looked when I was about four years old. The change did it, and Bonnier Carlsen decided they would print my book „Bo goes to the library“.
That was in 2005. Now, twenty years and nineteen books later, Bo is still going strong! By sheer practicality of needing a story to illustrate, I discovered the enjoyment of writing, and by combining it with illustrating, it is the most creative thing I do.
