Spring has been a whirlwind, but I’m slowing down for a moment to celebrate the release of my latest book collaboration: Heidi: A Graphic Novel. I worked with the incredibly talented Ofride on this project, whose illustrations beautifully capture the folk-art spirit of the story. We intentionally included Swiss and Alpine folklore throughout the work: a mug carved in the Brienz style; the story of Gargantua the Giant; the book’s cover inspired by “Scherenschnitte,” a traditional paper-cutting art. I’m always drawn to these elements of places and spaces: cultural touchstones that often connect with the natural world and environment. It sometimes requires a bit of research—I’d never visited Switzerland or the Alps before, but it’s certainly at the top of my list after reading about the landscape and history, and Ofride’s personal connection to the area grounded the story with stunning imagery.
While Heidi is deeply rooted in the life and culture of the Alps, the story itself speaks to a broader human experience: homesickness and missing old friends. I was working on the script for the graphic novel while wrapping up my time at my university, and writing about a long-distance friendship made me realize how much I’d miss my own friends after graduation. I also found myself missing my childhood home in Missouri, a place where I, too, felt deeply connected to the land. (Instead of mountain peaks and gem-blue lakes, I cherished the deep woods and secretive streams of the Ozarks.)
But the message of Heidi: A Graphic Novel is one I firmly hold: friends and family find their way back to one another. There are moments and periods when we might drift apart, but if we stick to one another from a place of love and care, our connection endures. Life is filled with these cycles. That, to me, is real, actual magic. And it was wonderful to ruminate on this message while following Heidi’s adventures up and down her beloved mountain.
Photo by Aravind Sreekumar Nair.
