I designed and illustrated a series of interactive books called "Grandma, I Made You A Book" and "Grandpa, I Made You A Book." These 32 pages books allow kids to draw, check off boxes, and make lists, all while celebrating what they love most about their grandma and grandpa. Once finished, grandparents have a special keepsake that reflects their grandchild's unique personality and heartfelt love.
Compendium, the publisher, provided the manuscript, and from there I moved into drafting the spreads, building out the story visually through black‑and‑white pencil sketches. One of the first challenge was ensuring every spread carried its own unique layout and rhythm.
Initial sketches for the spreads
With the monochrome layouts locked in, I began playing with color. Using only three inks, I layered and overlapped tones to create depth and variation, making each spread unique. The limited palette pushed me to think more inventively about how colors interact, which is my favorite stage of the design process.
Publisher: Compendium
Written by: Miriam Hathaway
Written by: Miriam Hathaway