Creator Spotlight: Alexandra Finkeldey

At Tundra Books, we want you to get to know and love our authors as much as you know and love their books. Our creator spotlight series will introduce you to the people behind some of your favorite titles . . . this week, say hello to Alexandra Finkeldey!

About the Author:

ALEXANDRA FINKELDEY is an illustrator based in Ottawa, Canada. Her art is focused on noticing and capturing the small, pleasant details of daily life, featuring organic subjects and natural textures, and she has illustrated several picture books, including When the Storks Came HomeTalala: The Curious Leopard Cub Who Joined a Lion PrideSaving the Spotted Owl, and The Boy, the Cloud and the Very Tall Tale.

Fast Five with Alexandra Finkeldey:

If you could live anywhere, where would it be?

One day, I would love to try living in the country. A wooden cabin in the woods or in the mountains, preferably near a lake (I love to swim). I’ve only ever lived in cities. While I absolutely adore the pace and comforts of city life, I fantasize about living a slower life, surrounded by nature. Maybe when I’m older!

What’s one thing that can instantly make your day better?

Going outside. No matter what kind of day I’ve had, I can usually lift my spirits by going for a walk around my neighborhood. Lately, I’ve been going for walks without music or a podcast playing in my ears. This helps me pay attention to my surroundings, which include birds, neighbors, pets, gardens, and nature sounds. It feels good to move my body, and it helps me to calm down. As a bonus: I usually get a lot of new ideas for drawings and paintings!

Which meal is your favorite: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?

Lunch! Cooking is one of my favorite activities, and lunch is when I feel most creative and energized. And, since I work from home, I’m able to take my time to make something nice and nourishing (usually involving lots of veggies). While I’m eating, I like to call family and friends. It’s nice to hear their voices and have company while I eat.

What’s the best concert you’ve ever been to?

The best concert I’ve ever been to was Fleet Foxes, here in Ottawa, Canada. They are one of my favorite bands! I was lucky to see them in a very small, cozy setting. They played a local music festival on a small stage. It was the middle of summer and the weather was perfect. At one point, the lead singer, Robin Pecknold, sang one song on his own (just his voice and his guitar). The audience was silent as stone. It was such a special experience. 

What do you like to do outdoors?

I often say that my favorite thing to do outdoors is: “walk around and look at stuff”. I like to pay close attention to all types of life outside. For me, paying attention looks like birdwatching, mushroom foraging, identifying plants, sketching landscapes, taking photos of trees . . . the list goes on! I also love hiking, camping, gardening, and swimming in lakes and rivers. Since I live in Ontario, Canada, I’m lucky to have access to many natural areas. If you ever see me sitting still and silently outside, I promise I’m not bored. I’m soaking up the sights and sounds, gathering inspiration, and feeling so much gratitude for this beautiful planet.

Books by Alexandra Finkeldey:

On a Mushroom Day
Written by Chris Baker
Illustrated by Alexandra Finkeldey
40 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781774882580 | Tundra Books
A mushroom day is a day of exploring together and discovering some of the most incredible lifeforms on earth: fungi. In this lyrical, informational picture book structured around a walk through a summertime wood, a child and their caregiver share the sights, sounds and smells of the forest as they observe and identify different varieties of mushrooms. On a Mushroom Day encourages curiosity and a love of fungi in young children and normalizes safe, chaperoned joyful exploration of the fungal queendom all around us. Filled with fun, fascinating fungi facts and a visual catalogue of mushroom species so that kids can enjoy their very own mushroom day in the pages of this book!

Tuesdays with Tundra

Tuesdays with Tundra is an ongoing series featuring our new releases. These titles are now available in stores and online!

On a Mushroom Day
Written by Chris Baker
Illustrated by Alexandra Finkeldey
40 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781774882580 | Tundra Books
A mushroom day is a day of exploring together and discovering some of the most incredible lifeforms on earth: fungi. In this lyrical, informational picture book structured around a walk through a summertime wood, a child and their caregiver share the sights, sounds and smells of the forest as they observe and identify different varieties of mushrooms. On a Mushroom Day encourages curiosity and a love of fungi in young children and normalizes safe, chaperoned joyful exploration of the fungal queendom all around us. Filled with fun, fascinating fungi facts and a visual catalogue of mushroom species so that kids can enjoy their very own mushroom day in the pages of this book!

The Island Before No
Written by Christina Uss
Illustrated by Hudson Christie
56 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735272415 | Tundra Books
When you’re a walrus living on an island where the answer to every question is YES, life is pretty simple, especially when that’s all you’ve ever known. It’s great when you want a slice of birthday cake for breakfast . . . and not so great when someone asks you to wear an itchy shirt. But one day, a kid shows up, brandishing an entirely new word: NO. NO is heavy like a bookcase, solid as a boulder. It’s not shaped like YES, but somehow, it’s still an answer. The kid calls his friends to come visit the island too, and it’s not long before they’ve eaten up all of the yummiest food without sharing. What’s worse, none of them bring their own toothbrushes . . . It becomes clear that what the walruses all need is to find their own NO . . . not only to hold back the rampaging horde of children – but for their own sakes as well. The Island Before No is a hilarious new picture book that blends its zany fun with an important message about respecting and setting boundaries.

There Are No Ants in This Book
Written by Rosemary Mosco
Illustrated by Anna Pirolli
40 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781774881163 | Tundra Books
Nothing can ruin a picnic faster than a bunch of ants. It’s a good thing there are no ants in this book . . . well, maybe there’s only one. Or two. . . . Or ten?? Maybe it’s not so bad. Ants are kind of cool, after all – especially the ones with amazing butts, like the Acrobat Ant that waves its back end around to scare off enemies. Or the Slender Leaf Ant that can glide through the air. Or the Dinosaur Ant, which is the biggest ant in the world! Okay, so a picnic with ants is actually lots of fun! But what if an anteater also wants to join the picnic?

We can’t wait to see you reading these titles! If you share these books online, remember to use #ReadTundra in your hashtags so that we can re-post.

Tundra Book Group