Lithuanian illustrator Greta Alice and Estonian author Veronika Kivisilla were awarded Narva Children Literature residency laureate scholarships and will spend a month in Narva to collect materials.

The final results will be a colorful wordless picture book about the city's bridges and a story about a vet who lived and worked in Narva 100 years ago.

Alice's idea was sparked by interacting with locals and discovering the importance of bridges to the border city. How they connect people and different worlds, Tuesday's "Aktuaalne kaamera" reported.

The graphic novel's main character will be a bridge and the working title is "The Day the Bridge Disappeared."

Kivisilla's book required a lot of research about life in Narva a century ago. Her main character Hjalmar is based on a real person which requires thorough research. For example, what the city looked like and which animals vets treated at the time.

"I was inspired by this story and I think it's important to write a story for Estonian children that is like our own Doctor Dolittle. And now I'm going to make a hero out of Hjalmar because it was known that he was much loved, and he also went to help the farm animals in the neighborhood and even went out in the middle of the night when he was needed. I think stories about animals will always appeal to children," Kivisilla said.

Alice's graphic novel sketches can already be seen at the residency, but Kivisilla's work will take a little longer and still needs a title and illustrator. The first drafts will be ready next spring.

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