Today’s picture book comes from a Swedish author-illustrator who really seems to have a grasp on the mind of a cat.

Sara Lundberg is a Stockholm-based illustrator and author who has created over thirty books, including two recipients of Sweden’s August Prize for the best children’s book of the year. In the United States, The Summer of Diving (Triangle Square) was named a New York Times Best Children’s Book, and The Bird in Me Flies (Groundwood) was named a Bank Street College Best Children’s Book. The Cat Way was inspired by Sara’s memories and photos of her cat Sassa, who often joined her family on walks. You can learn more about her at her website or follow her on Instagram.

THE CAT WAY is a 66 page, 2 part magnum opus to the way cats think, but it’s also much more than that.  This is the story of a cat and a human going on a walk together.  The human wants to be in charge, and the cat asks why.  They agree to switch control of the path and the story just expands.  This is a story about learning to see through another’s eyes, taking time to smell the roses along the way in life, and not being so dead-set on our own desires.  How it manages all that in such a “simple” storyline is beyond me!  And yet, it does!  The book is written and illustrated by Sara Lundberg (translated by B.J. Woostein) who lives in Stockholm.  Perhaps it’s that nordic sensibility that allows such deep introspection.  This isn’t your typical picture book, and yet, as a child, I would’ve loved a book with a cat like this.  I was obsessed with cats when I was younger (and I still adore them). This book would’ve joined some of my favorite books of all time involving our feline companions.

Please note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher to review, but the opinions, as always, are my own.

Welcome Sara!

Me: Can you share about your artistic journey? When did you start creating art?  How did that bring you to where you are now as an author and illustrator of this book?

Sara: I’ve always known that I wanted to be an artist. I was always drawing and painting as a kid. So art school was no surprise to anybody. My parents were very supportive. I studied art in the States, at a small liberal arts college on the East Coast. And after that, I continued my studies in Sweden.

I was doing painting and making a living on odd jobs. I had a job doing the interior, the decorating, and the painting in a museum called Junibacken. It’s a museum dedicated to the stories of Astrid Lindgren (the writer of Pippi Longstocking). I actually got to meet her in person; she was very old at this time. After that experience, I decided to try creating picture books myself. And I managed to get a foot in the door at a well-renowned Swedish publishing house called Rabén & Sjogren. Since then, I have illustrated about 30 books and written eight.

Me: As a cat lover, I adore the idea of someone walking with a cat and learning from it.  What gave you the idea for this story?

Sara: Our cat loved to go for walks. It was a daily routine. And she also loved to play hide and seek. One day my son took her for a walk and she disappeared. He ran home in despair, and we went looking for her. Maybe she was gone for about twenty minutes total. Not long. But we were all devastated and immensely happy when she showed up again. After that experience, I wrote the first part. Unfortunately, she is not with us anymore. This book is an homage to her.

Me: It is mentioned that you were inspired by your memories of your cat Sassa, who joined your family on walks.  That’s unique!  I suppose this could just as easily been a story with a dog, which might have been the expected story to tell.  Instead, you chose an unexpected angle to tell your story.  Why choose a cat to write a story like this about, rather than any other animal?

Sara: I know many cats and cat owners who go for walks together. But maybe that´s just in Sweden? Going for a walk with your cat is the best. You are forced into another pace and another space.

Walking with a dog is something entirely different. A dog is a domestic animal, a cat is not. I mean, of course cats and humans need each other, but it is a very different relationship compared to what you have with a dog. A human is a master over her dog but can never be a master over her cat.

I love the mysterious and wild nature of the cat. I think they are very spiritual beings. I wanted to make a story about the relationship between two opposites—the controlling, fear-based human and his/her intuitive, free spirited cat—and how the human can benefit from opening up to the cat way, being led into the unknown. Getting lost. Discovering the awe of things.

Me: What media do you use to illustrate?  Are you a traditional or a digital artist?  Or do you use a blend of both?  What did you use for this book?

Sara: I am an analog illustrator. I love to work with my hands, on paper. I love the messiness of it. The smell of it. I like to engage my body. I mean, I paint with my right hand, but painting sometimes demands more presence and movement in your body, compared to the static position in front of the computer.

For this book, I used watercolor and gouache. In a few of the spreads I use collage. In most of my books, I do the illustrations in this medium. Sometimes to break my habit, I use crayons or some other dry medium. But I really do like watercolor. The unpredictability of it. I like that I am not completely in control of the outcome. I like to be surprised.

With watercolor, one can make mistakes that can be transformed into something good. And I make mistakes all the time. I also like how the water-based mediums flow. It’s easy and fast to apply on paper, and it dries so beautifully.

Me: In an interview about one of your previous books (i.e., THE BIRD IN ME FLIES), you said you didn’t want to stick to a specific illustration style or technique.  Instead, you wanted to focus on illustrating the essence of each scene.  Is that your approach to every picture book?  Was that what you did to illustrate this story too? 

Sara: “The Bird” is a graphic novel with over hundred pages. There were so many pictures to make. I had to keep it fun and not bind myself to a specific technique or style.

I think each story demands different things. The Cat Way has a sense of humour in it. The human is a bit of a clown, so I felt that I wanted to strive towards a more cartoony style without losing the richness and depth of the scenes.

I always do a lot of research for my books. In this case, it was important that the two parts were each other’s opposites visually. In the first part, when the human is the decision maker, the scenery is urban, geometric, tame, and in order. The second part, when the cat is in charge, there are no straight lines, everything is organic, fluid, and wild.

Me: You have written and illustrated over thirty award winning books in Sweden.  What does your creation process look like?  Where do you start?  With story or with illustration?  Any specific routines to help you be such a successful creator?

Sara: Sometimes I do collaborations with writers and take the role as an illustrator, which is a completely different creative process from when I both write and illustrate.

Illustrating a text given to me means that I have a clear and defined area (the story) in which I can be creative and make images. When I both write and illustrate, there is no clear and defined space, and there are a million choices to be made along the way. There are no boundaries, and, therefore, it’s more challenging. But in the end, it’s more rewarding.

I always start with writing the story. I very much enjoy writing. After that comes a more arduous process of sketching through the text. It is important to not skip over this, because important decisions and interesting solutions can pop up as one goes along with the story. When I feel that it all works—text and image cooperate in an interesting way—then I start making the originals.

When I create, I don’t think about the reader, the audience. I don’t think that this has to work for children specifically. Instead, I try to stay true to what I am sharing. To my esthetic. To what my inner child is saying.

Me: Any advice for other aspiring picture book writers and/or illustrators?

Sara: Be true to yourself, to your story. Be curious. Resist trying to be perfect. Or special. Don’t judge yourself or others. Be patient and live life. In order to have any stories to tell one has to go out into the world. And get lost!

I love that.  Great advice Sara.  Thank you for stopping by my blog today.

Dear readers, this book was released on Tuesday.  If you are a fan of cats, or interested in an introspective read with gorgeous art, you won’t want to miss this.  This story will take you to new places as you explore the potential of letting go of fear and expectations, if you’re willing to walk the untread path with a curious cat.