In Torben Kuhlmann’s internationally bestselling Mouse Adventures series, four-legged explorers follow their curiosity to make amazing new discoveries.

“I think we can all relate to that experience where you encounter something new that inspires your interest,” says Kuhlmann, a children’s author and illustrator based in Germany. “Something that inspires an investigation. From that point on, you become part of a bigger world.”

Kuhlmann’s enterprising mice become part of a bigger story by inspiring some of the greatest minds in history to reach new heights. For example, a mouse completes the first solo nonstop transatlantic flight in Lindbergh: The Tale of a Flying Mouse, setting an example for the human aviator to repeat that feat years later. Published in 2014, this inventive picture-book debut was a hit­; the series took off from there. Subsequent adventures saw mice exploring the cosmos, the deep sea, and time travel in Armstrong,Edison,andEinstein, respectively.

Last year, Kuhlmann marked the 10th anniversary of Mouse Adventures with a return to the skies: The protagonist of Earhart: The Incredible Flight of a Field Mouse Around the World is a little creature who, after seeing the image of a lion on a postage stamp, endeavors to build an airplane and fly to Africa. Her efforts inform the future career of record-breaking aviator Amelia Earhart.

An English-language version of Earhart, translated from German by David Henry Wilson, was published in the U.S. on May 13 by NorthSouth Books. As Kirkus writes in an admiring review, “Budding makers with dreams of their own will take heart from the pink-eared engineer’s declaration that ‘even for the tiniest of creatures, nothing is impossible!’”

Kuhlmann spoke with Kirkus via Zoom from his home in Hamburg. Our conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

I love that even brand-new copies of Earhart appear worn. You’ve drawn little scuffs and marks on the cover that suggest the book has been read again and again. What were you hoping to convey with these details?

It started with the first book, Lindbergh. I had the idea to give the book the appearance of being rediscovered, a found old story, not a new book. I wanted to give it the appearance of a lost treasure, a book you might find in the deepest corner of an old bookstore. From there, I continued with the trend.

Earhart is the first of your Mouse Adventures I’ve had the pleasure to read, but it will not be the last.

Oh, that’s nice to hear. When you look at the previous Mouse Adventures, you’ll understand the many little references in Earhart to the previous adventures.

I had that feeling, without knowing for sure, that there were many—we call them “easter eggs” here. Do you use that term in the same way?

The German, ostereier, is not used [in that sense]. But we know them, in English, as easter eggs. The idea is to have each book be accessible to new readers, so anyone can follow the story. Each adventure is its own separate story, but every book has little hints from previous adventures—Earhart, especially, because it’s not only the fifth book, but also a celebration of the whole series for the 10th anniversary. I had a lot of fun putting all the little references in there. 

Happy anniversary! I understand the series has now been translated into more than 30 languages.

I’m astonished that it happened. I never imagined my first book, Lindbergh, would pick up any steam, because I wrote it for myself, illustrated it for myself. It was [necessary to receive] my diploma, my last project at university, to allow me to complete my studies as an illustrator. Then, suddenly, there was interest from publishers—especially NorthSouth Books—and it was published, and I received enormous positive feedback. I was overwhelmed. Then came early messages about translations, editions all over the world. It still amazes me.

Other Mouse Adventures journeyed to the moon, to the bottom of the sea, and back in time. Earhart marks a return to the skies. What is it about flight that captures your imagination?

It’s a question I get asked very often, and I’ll say that it’s not flight itself. It’s the engineering and the craftsmanship of the early pioneers of aviation. I can remember trying to be a flight pioneer myself, because one of my dreams as a child was to collect scraps and build my own airplane in the backyard. I tried my best. It looked…interesting…but obviously it was unable to fly. But, you see, I had this passion for invention and for building things. Later, I was able to translate that passion and put it into the hands of my little mouse.

Can you recall when you first learned the story of Amelia Earhart?

[I’ve long been] aware of her and her contributions to aviation history, of course, since I’m an avid fan of aviation history, especially the early times: circling the world, crossing the Atlantic, just being able to fly in the first place. I’ve always remembered Amelia Earhart as one of the important names in this early period—the highest flight, circling the world, being the first woman—but I didn’t have a clear picture of her personal life. That was something I discovered during research for this book, and it was eye-opening. She seems like a very modern human being. It was amazing to read about her and the details of her struggle to find recognition in the world of aviation, which was dominated by men. It was inspiring, and it encouraged me to pay extra attention to detail in making her portrait.

When it comes to visual storytelling, how do you perceive the role of pictures in this book?

Over the years, I’ve tried to figure out a formula for giving each medium its preferred role. In text, I can build a character up with words. I can describe an atmosphere, for example—noises, things like that—and create tension. Whenever something is told in text, I can focus on that, though I might use little illustrations to emphasize something.

Then there are parts where I allow the illustration to tell the story. I can use a double-spread illustration, without any words, that picks up where I left off in the text. That invites my readers to discover for themselves something about the plot, the setting, or little details.

I think of picture books as a visual medium that’s not so different from film. You need dialogue, “camera movement” (changing perspectives), atmosphere, the suggestion of music or of a soundtrack. So many different things contribute to storytelling in cinema. I try to do the same in picture books.

What is your hope for readers?

My humble wish would be for enjoyment. First, enjoyment from the story, from looking at the illustrations, and from being able to lose yourself in this world of flying mice. Second, I would really like to inspire. Not only through the story, but also through the illustrations. For example, some children might see, Oh, it’s really painted with a brush. And there are little lines from a pencil. Maybe I can encourage someone to try something like that themselves. That would be a wonderful thing to achieve.

Editor at large Megan Labrise hosts the Fully Booked podcast.