Some stories begin with a publishing plan. This one began with two little boys.
O.M. Hansen lives in Oregon, where she teaches art in a rural school district near the coast. Her days are often filled with paint-covered tables, colorful student projects, and the kind of creative moments that remind children and adults that imagination can turn ordinary things into something memorable.
Years ago, when her sons were just three and five years old, Hansen sat down to write a story for them. Not for a classroom. Not for a bookstore shelf. Just for her children.
She wanted something that would nurture their growing love of reading while introducing colors, numbers, baking, and problem-solving along the way.
The result became Palila Pineapple’s Day.
The story draws inspiration from Oahu, student artwork collected over the years, and the small family moments that often become the memories children carry longest. At its heart is a biscuit recipe with its own history. Hansen’s friend, Kat, baked the original version for her wedding, a recipe that eventually found its way into the pages of this book.
