Photo: Chris Emeott
All of the charm and whimsy of Excelsior comes to life in Amanda Pesek’s new children’s book, E is for Excelsior!
The Excelsior resident was inspired to create a local alphabet book after a trip to Seaside, Florida, two years ago. “I saw an alphabet book and thought I could probably come up with a fun book,” she says. Pesek was right. She sat down, completed a draft in two days and went in search of an illustrator. She contacted her husband’s cousin’s wife, Annmarie Wedin, an art teacher at Minnetonka High School, to gauge her interest. Wedin says, “I was really excited about it.”
The Orono resident says working with Pesek made her first illustration experience even better. “Since we already knew each other, communication was second nature,” Wedin says. She visited locations in Pesek’s book to illustrate from sight. She created delightful illustrations for Excelsior’s most iconic locations, including Licks Unlimited, Maynards, The Commons and Water Street. “It was a very fulfilling experience,” Wedin says.
Both women enjoyed the experience so much that they are already at work on their next books.
E is for Excelsior! can be found at amandapesek.com and in Excelsior at Excelsior Bay Books, Pip & Pal, Lake Effect and Kowalski’s Markets.
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