The Picture Book Buzz - Interview w/Naja Lund Aparico, Alex Nees, and Review of Season by the Lake

Naja Lund Aparico is a Greenlandic Inuk author with a background in international relations, and is an MFA candidate at the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA). Naja Lund Aparico's contemporary children's books illuminate what is unique to growing up in Greenland with an emphasis on kin, indigenous heritage, and the environment.

She writes from the wonderful Pacific Northwest surrounded by the majestic Olympic Mountains, the teeming Salish Sea and the Cascade Mountains with Tahoma towering over her.

Alex Nees is a children’s book illustrator and author. Born in Germany, to a German mother and Choctaw father, she spent most of her early childhood in the US, before moving back to Germany permanently with her mother. For many years, Alex felt like she didn‘t belong. Picture books became her refuge even before she learned to read. Books were the one place where she felt recognized and connected to the world.

At its heart, her work is driven by storytelling, whether she is illustrating or writing. She found that picture books have a special kind of magic to them, making them both delightful and profound.

She lives in Aabenraa, a picturesque sea-side town in the south of Denmark, with her ten-year-old daughter Charlie.

Naja and Alex’s debut picture book, Seasons by the Lake: Adventures in Greenland, was released on March 17th.

Welcome, Naja and Alex,

Thank you!

Tell us a little about yourselves. (Where and when do you write or illustrate? How long have you been writing or illustrating? What is your favorite type of book to write or illustrate? )

NAJA – My name is Naja Lund Aparico. I am an Inuk author from Greenland. I write from my studio in the outskirts of Seattle, Washington. For picture books, I try to write most days. Some days just journaling or writing down some ideas in my Phone’s Notes.

ALEX – I work from my studio at home, filled with art, books, and ... stuff that I‘ll probably need someday. I strongly believe you can never have too many notebooks! I discovered children‘s book illustration as a profession while studying literature and art history, and it just clicked. I love everything about it. I have been working full-time as an illustrator for a few years now, and while it was hard work to teach myself, it was absolutely worth it. I especially love illustrating stories that are a little more contemplative, and have real emotional depth.

It is wonderful to "meet" you both! What is one of the most fun or unusual places you’ve written a manuscript or created an illustration?

NAJA – Great question! I would say on an airplane when I wrote the first page of my Greenlandic middle grade novel ‘Recess’. It was a strange way I discovered ‘voice’. It felt like that voice came to me and all I had to do was write it down. The first sentence from that moment became the opening sentence on my middle grade novel.

ALEX – A classroom! My daughter transferred to a new school a while ago, and I was allowed to accompany her for a week, to make the transition easier. Since I mostly work on my iPad, I just brought that with me and continued working in the back of the classroom. Of course, the children wanted to see what I was doing, and I had a great time showing them and asking for their feedback (they did not hold back)!

Those are both such great experiences. Thank you for sharing them. Naja, what was your inspiration or spark of curiosity for Seasons by the Lake?

NAJA –  The inspiration behind it is, that I spent a large part of my childhood with my brothers, cousins and friends exploring nature on our own. We had the freedom to roam outdoors. Mind you that the wild outdoors in Greenland is pretty much outside a house. And I am very fortunate that I had this childhood and adventures depicted in Seasons By The Lake. 

What a wonderful place to grow up! I think that the chance to marvel, discover, pretend, and play is so important and lacking for many kids these days. Alex, what about the Seasons by the Lake manuscript appealed to you as an illustrator?

ALEX – I immediately fell in love with the beautiful language, the text is so alive and poetic. Naja is a truly brilliant writer. I also love the layers of relationships in the story. The connection between the two brothers and the nature surrounding them, and how deeply culture and history are intertwined with everyday life and the seasons. 

And your illustrations expand all of this beautifully. How many revisions did Seasons by the Lake take for the text or illustrations from your first draft to publication?

NAJA – Lol. I have lost count. So many times. I would not be surprised, if it was more than hundred times, because I first wrote the idea in 2016, and have developed it over the years.

ALEX – Not that many, or at least it didn‘t feel like it. Working on this book was such a collaborative, enjoyable experience. There was a continuous back and forth of ideas, and we kept coming up with little things to add to the illustrations, like the boys drawing in a sketchbook, and then those drawings actually are the endpages. That was really fun!

The lyrical result was worth the work, Naja. And Alex, I love how you've organically worked the sketchbook into a number of the illustrations. Naja, what was the toughest part of writing Seasons by the Lake? What was the most fun?

NAJA – While revising the first pages of the manuscript. This was my first US picture book, and I was very unsure of how to set-up the scene.

The most fun was when I first wrote the story as a poem.

I'd be curious about the difference between US and formats for picture books. Alex, what was the toughest part of illustrating Seasons by the Lake specifically? What was the most fun?

ALEX – It was incredibly important to me to get all the details right, so I went on a research deep-dive. To give you an example, every flower you see in the book is an actual flower that exists in Greenland, and is shown blooming at the right time of year. So that was a lot of work, but also really rewarding. The really fun part was adding little story elements, like the dog running away with a shoe at the very beginning of the book.

I LOVE going on those dee-dive "rabbit hole" research adventures! Is there something you want your readers to know about Seasons by the Lake?

NAJA – First and foremost, I hope the reader will enjoy the story about adventures in Greenland. Secondly, I hope the reader will appreciate the idea that humans are not above nature. And I hope the reader gets an understanding of the distinct seasons in Greenland, and that kids can play outdoors even through snowstorms and the darkness. 

ALEX – Only that I am sorry I was unable to include all the amazing animals and plants native to Greenland. There simply wasn‘t enough space! But seriously, Greenland has an amazingly diverse nature and rich culture to offer, and I hope readers get a glimpse of that with this book.

You have both created an amazing tribute to Greenland, its biodiversity, and its wonder. Naja, did anything surprise or delight you when you saw Alex’s illustrations for the first time? Which is your favorite spread?

NAJA – The colors and characters seemed so real and familiar. My absolute favorite spread is the one where Minik and Nuka is bringing their Arctic Char back to Aanaa. The composition, combined with the atmosphere and the joy in the boys is so palpable. I love it!

Text © Naja Lund Aparico, 2026. Image © Alex Nees, 2026.

What a gorgeous illustration. Alex, is there a spread that you were especially excited about or proud of? Which is your favorite spread?

ALEX – One of my personal favorite spreads is the one where the boys are returning home from a day spent fishing, proudly carrying their catch, and anticipating how happy their grandmother will be. I just love the mood of that image, the lake glittering behind them in the evening sun. There is something so warm and hopeful about this scene.

It's so funny you both chose the same image. Alex, many illustrators leave treasures or weave their own story (or elements) throughout the illustrations. Did you do this in Seasons by the Lake? If so, could you share one or more with us?

ALEX – Of course I did, it was irresistible! I had the idea of adding a dog, who is a puppy at the beginning of the year, and an adult at the end, so the passage of time becomes more visible. Well, that dog was based on my own Siberian Husky, who had just passed away. I like to imagine her living on inside the book, going on adventures with the boys. She would have loved it.

That's such a great addition to the illustrations. I love the dog and I think it's a wonderful tribute! What has been the most interesting part of your debut book’s journey to publication?

NAJA – To me it was receiving an offer from my editor and finding my agent for Seasons By the Lake.

ALEX – I was fascinated by the whole printing process. It was so exciting to be sent proofs of the pages, to adjust colors, see various options for different types of paper ... with every step, it became more real. And then suddenly holding the actual book in my hands, what an amazing feeling!

Congratulations to both of you on a gorgeous book. Are there any projects you are working on now that you can share with us?

NAJA – I have two picture books in the pipeline to be published in 2027 and 2028. 

ALEX – I am working on several projects ... and I can‘t tell you about any of them! What I can say is that some of it involves me taking on the role of author as well, which is very exciting (and a little scary).

So intriguing! Congrats Alex. We will have to keep our eyes open for these books. Last question, what is your favorite National Park or Forest, regional park, or city park (anywhere in the world)? Or the one you’re longing to visit. Why?

NAJA – Fantastic question! I would love to visit The Northeast Greenland National Park, which is the largest National park in the world, and the 10^th largest protected area. It covers an area of 972,000 square kilometers. It is where Archeologists have discovered traces from the Independence I people. They were paleo-Inuit who migrated from the west and lived around 4500 years ago. I cannot even imagine the survival skills the Independence I people possessed, to be so hardy and committed to travel to an area so harsh and remote. In some ways, it is a barren area.

ALEX – I would love to visit the Great Bear Rainforest in Canada sometime! Perhaps even encounter one of the rare white Spirit Bears, that would be a dream come true.

Thank you, Naja and Alex for stopping by and sharing with us. It was a pleasure chatting with you both.

To find out more about Naja Lund Aparico, or contact her:

Website: https://najalundaparico.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/naja.aparico/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greenlandraised

To find out more about Alex Nees, or contact her:

Website: https://www.alexnees.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexneesart/

Review of Seasons by the Lake: Adventures in Greenland

In addition to being a lovely poetic journey of two brothers and their new puppy through a year of changes in nature and their activities around a lake, it's a loving ode to the flora, fauna, and environment of Greenland. A stunning celebration of wonder, family, and traditions (myths) which create a special childhood experience roaming the shores of a lake throughout a year in Greenland.

Seasons by the Lake: Adventures in Greenland

Author: Naja Lund Aparico

Illustrator: Alex Nees

Publisher: Dial Books/Penguin (March 17, 2026)

Ages: 4 - 8

Fiction

Themes:

Family, siblings, nature, adventures, and Greenland.

Synopsis:

Spend a year experiencing the seasons in Greenland with two Inuit siblings

Brothers Minik and Nuka have a whole year of adventures ahead in Greenland, including finding ice shards from glaciers in the spring to picking crowberries during the summer when the sun barely sets.

The darkness of winter reveals Arsarnerit, or the Aurora Borealis, above as the two whisper about the Inuit myth behind the lights.

Greenlandic Inuk author Naja Lund Aparico combines a sweet sibling story with an exploration of the seasons in the Arctic featuring stunning illustrations by German and Choctaw illustrator Alex Nees that captures the sweeping landscape.

Opening Lines:

SPRING

(May)

One day, and not a day too soon,

the sun peeks through the mountains,

breaking ice into messy slabs,

Strewn by the beach

where the lake drains,

pieces of ice-blue glaciers

lie glistening.

Settling after a journey

through the Greenland ice sheet

that began thousands of years ago.

What I LOVED about this book:

This lovely poetic opening is surrounded by Alex Nees' luminous color pencil illustration. It's so full of light, wildlife, and excitement, as the two brothers with their puppy race up to explore the banks of a Greenland lake at the beginning of spring (in May).

Text © Naja Lund Aparico, 2026. Image © Alex Nees, 2026.

I adore how Naja Lund Aparico described the chemical reaction of a shard of the glacier ice which the boys bring home and put into a glass of water as, "bubbles from distant times release like fireworks," and the way Alex Nees captured the boys' enthusiasm and excitement in their rapt attention. The detailed, stunning illustrations immerse the reader in the natural beauty of Greenland, offering readers the chance to slow and soak in the special marvels of this remarkable area.

As the next lyrical poem and its header follow the calendar and the season into summer, the hares have changed to brown coats, the hillsides have donned a robe of flowers, and the brothers fish in the stream in shorts and t-shirts. I love how the boys "chase swift black shadows" of fish swimming in the stream and how the Kalaallit language is organically woven throughout the text, specifically the tradition of paggaa (explained in the end note), as the boys carry their fish home to their waiting Aanaa (see image in the interview).

Text © Naja Lund Aparico, 2026. Image © Alex Nees, 2026.

In addition to exploring family and community interactions as summer lingers, it's so fun that the illustrations tuck in the treasure of the boy's sketchbook, which reappears a few more times, and then is recreated in the endpages. What a fun way to highlight joyful moments of the brothers throughout the year .

As a wonderful insight into the difference in Greenland's seasons, Naja Lund Aparico and Alex Nees introduce young readers to the 24 hours of sunlight in the summer and snow that arrives for their Fall. A sharp contrast for many children who enjoy the mild weather & fall leaves, sometimes until November. As well as the disappearance of the sun for most of their winter. I also love the playfulness of the boys' interactions and the dazzling illustrations as they play and share their Inuit beliefs of the Northern Lights.

Text © Naja Lund Aparico, 2026. Image © Alex Nees, 2026.

The ending is touching, offering a last adventure for the brothers and a circular ending. Which is perfect for a seasons book. Using the framework of the well-known concept of changing seasons, this book does a spectacular job of introducing readers to Inuit culture and the seasonal differences of Greenland (and other areas in the Arctic region). Wonderful back matter explores more about Greenland, the Kalaallit, and some of their traditions and mythologies. It is a gorgeous celebration of playing outdoors in Greenland.

Resources:

• pick a location - your backyard, park, nearby lake or beach, or city block - make your own seasonal journal, recording the all changes you see in pictures, poems, or written descriptions. How different are your seasons from those in the book?

• make your own Northern lights with chalk or watercolors.