Jenny Andrus
Jenny Andrus is the author and Julie Downing is the illustrator of the new children's picture book Elsa's Chessboard. Andrus is a school librarian and children's book reviewer. Downing has illustrated more than 45 picture books.
Q: Jenny, you write in the book’s author’s note that you are the granddaughter of the book's character Elsa--what inspired you to write Elsa’s Chessboard?
Jenny: My grandmother Elsa lived with us when I was growing up, and we were very close. I could talk to her about almost anything. She always gave the best advice.
One area where we differed was chess. She thought it was the greatest game ever. My sister and I disagreed, as had my mother (her daughter) when she was young. Instead, we played other games, and my grandmother was always a good sport about joining in.
Some favorites were Chinese checkers, pick-up sticks (Elsa was really good at that), and Mancala (a game originating on the African continent that is even older than chess). You’ll notice all these games involve strategy.
Why didn’t we play chess with her? I think we were just too caught up in other things–me with my books, my sister making art. I so regret the missed opportunity. This book is my way of finally saying “yes” to the game my grandmother loved so well.
Julie Downing, photo by Lorenz Angelo
Q: Julie, how did you create the illustrations for Elsa’s Chessboard?
Julie: The illustrations for Elsa’s Chessboard combine both traditional and digital techniques. I began by working with traditional materials, using watercolor and colored pencils to create the artwork.
Once the paintings were complete, I scanned them into Photoshop and then collaged the elements together digitally. This hybrid approach lets me blend the best of both worlds—traditional textures and the flexibility of digital mediums.
My Photoshop files are enormous! Some of the more intricate images have over 100 layers.
Q: Did you need to do any research for your work on this book, and if so, did you learn anything that especially surprised you?
Jenny: I went down many rabbit holes, including researching the dress factory where Elsa worked: Fritzi of California in downtown San Francisco.
One of Elsa’s co-workers was Willie Kennedy, a young Black woman, who led the effort to unionize the shop. Willie went on to become a long-time, beloved San Francisco City supervisor known for championing minority- and women-owned businesses.
Oma admired her and was very proud of their brief association. I like to imagine my grandmother, Willie, and other coworkers at their sewing machines. I think Julie’s artwork brilliantly captures the feeling of camaraderie in the factory.
Julie: I did a lot of research for the visual elements in the book since the story spans almost 90 years. I had to dive deep into various aspects like clothing, architecture, and locations.
The story begins in Vienna in 1906, so I spent hours poring over old photos and postcards of the city. I was lucky enough to visit Vienna while I was working on the sketches, and walking through the streets really helped me connect with the setting.
I even had the chance to visit Elsa's childhood apartment on Radetzkyplatz and see her old neighborhood, including the square where she used to play chess with her brothers. The opening scene of the book takes place in that exact neighborhood.
Vienna is such a beautiful and grand city and being there made me wonder how Elsa must have felt when she left behind that elegant, historical environment and ended up in San Francisco with its wooden sidewalks and crowded alleyways. It must have been an overwhelming culture shock for her.
Q: Jenny, can you say more about the role chess played in your grandmother’s life?
A: For Elsa, chess was wrapped up in memories. Her older brothers adored her, and she insisted on doing everything that they did. A precocious toddler, she could recite lengthy passages from Goethe and Schiller that they were required to memorize for school. By age 10, she was winning chess games against their friends.
For Elsa, chess was both past and present–a way of holding onto what she was forced to leave behind, and a way to find meaning and purpose in her new life as a refugee. She could sit down with anyone at a chessboard, because it didn’t matter what language they spoke. At the chessboard, she was in her element. She was home.
That’s one of the many reasons I love Julie’s illustrations. They capture Elsa’s joy at the chessboard. There’s something else about the illustrations that you might not notice right away. A chessboard wasn’t the only item Elsa brought with her from Vienna. Look closely, and you’ll see what I mean.
Q: What do you hope kids take away from the book?
Jenny: Here are my three wishes:
As a school librarian, I was always looking for picture books to share with students–ones that made them smile, made them wonder, and made them want to go back and read a second time. I would be delighted if our book was one of those stories.
I would be happy if the book inspired readers to treat refugees/immigrants with kindness and respect. Although Elsa’s story is specific to a particular time and place, many of her experiences as a refugee are universal. I hope kids born in the United States reach out in friendship to more recent arrivals, and that children who are newcomers see a bit of themselves in Elsa.
I’m channeling Elsa as I make this wish: Play chess!
Q: What are you working on now?
Jenny: I am working on a true story about a Pacific harbor seal pup found abandoned on a beach in Northern California and her journey back to the ocean.
I heard about the pup in my role as a harbor seal docent on California’s North Coast. During the spring birthing season, I stand on a windy bluff sharing information with visitors who stop by to observe the amazing marine mammals on the beach below.
Julie: Last summer, I was lucky enough to teach an illustration class in Florence, Italy, and spent four weeks exploring the city. It is very hot in August, so I spent the majority of my time sketching in an air conditioned museum.
While I was in the museum, I came up with a story about a friendship between a museum guard and a pigeon. I am really enjoying creating both art and text for the story.
Q: Anything else we should know?
Jenny: I’m happy that readers will get to know my grandmother. She was one-of-a-kind. Elsa didn’t pay much attention to what other women did or what society thought they should do. She followed her own path– wearing pants when women wore dresses, cutting her hair short when everyone else wore their hair long.
One of her favorite sayings was: “Die gedanken sind frei.” In English that means “my thoughts are my own.” Because of family circumstances, Elsa was forced to drop out of school at age 16, but she never stopped learning.
A voracious reader, Elsa had strong opinions on a whole range of subjects, but she also was a great listener. I think that’s why people of all ages and backgrounds enjoyed her company. That and the fact that she made fabulous desserts!
One of my childhood friends wouldn’t agree to marry her boyfriend until Oma met him. After they came over to our house for “Kaffee und Kuchen” (“coffee and dessert”), Oma gave him the nod, and the wedding was on.
Check out Jenny’s website for more information about Elsa’s Chessboard, including photos and a reading list of picture books focused on the immigrant experience.
--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Julie Downing.
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