We were very proud to present our new book, Tata&Squack – Mission Elephant in three language editions on the Bologna Children’s Book Fair. Since 1963 the Bologna Children’s Book Fair has been a leading international event for publishers. It is the “place-to-be” for selling rights. The exhibition gives everyone the chance to discover the latest market trends in the book industry, to meet the most important illustrators, authors and see the winners of the most prestigious international awards. There are about 1200 exhibitors, coming from 75 countries. One of those was twikga from Hamburg, a few women show,  which managed to publish four books in four years. With our books we want to open the hearts of young readers for the wilderness. The international attention on the fair could make a difference for endangered species. Tata&Squack Mission Elephant was written to create awareness to save the wild elephant from distinction. The more children read the book, the more chances the elephant has. Children are the decision makers of the future. With this book we hope to make a difference for the wild elephant, so they will be part of the future of our children.

Es war schön wieder in Bologna zu sein. Wir haben uns inspirieren lassen von den vielen schönen Büchern und vielversprechende neue Kontakte geknüpft. Für uns war es inzwischen der dritte Besuch, aber das erste mal, daß wir auf dem Gemeinschaftsstand der Frankfurter Buchmesse standen. Es hat uns sehr gut gefallen. Die Organisation war super und es war schön andere Verlage zu treffen und sich auszutauschen. Wieder zu Hause fehlt uns der Trubel der Messe, aber es ist schön die müden Beine hoch zu legen und sich die vielen Eindrücke noch mal durch den Kopf gehen zu lassen. In den nächsten Monaten wird sich zeigen, ob es die twikga Bücher bald auch in fernen Ländern geben wird.

The story of how our idea Tata & Squack-The big Journey turns into a book has many beginnings. Its journey starts in 2007 as Tanja asks me to develop together with her a wildness story about a girl and her animal friend in Africa. From idea to book our journey is fraught with challenges. The idea was there but the characters, shape, style, tone, design, were yet to be created. During the next four years we worked hard and helping hands of talented people touched the project on its journey from idea to a finished book. The first dummy was ready in 2008. In March 2009 we visited the Children’s Book Fair in Bologna. The publishers loved the concept, we took their visions, from which we learned a lot, into account and returned to the drawing- and writing-board. It would take until 2011 to get the book published. Tata & Squack entered our life when we were both on a fairly rocky road. The journey of Tanja & Elisabeth has gone further than any of us expected, where it will end only time and our readers will tell. Although there is still a loth of work to do to turn the book into a success; the joy has been with all its ups&downs, the process. Most important to me is that I finally got to work in a creative way with a special woman. Today on the first of November 2011, our first book is being launched, what a beautiful day.