When I first read “The Little Rooster,” I pictured the whole process of a chick turning into a rooster and then a Cossack. Creating the characters was a fascinating and absorbing task. For instance, the pattern I gave the little black chick grows together with him and later reappears on the Cossack's kuntush. I adorned the women's clothing with the embroidery of my native land, the Chernihiv region — a place of strength and inspiration for me.

While working on “The Little Rooster,” my family and I were staying with relatives in Zakarpattia. Making the illustrations went hand in hand with everyday chores and caring for my daughter. It was an unforgettable time, and it left me with many and varied memories.

For me it matters to create something new and beautiful to counter the cruelty and destruction that have entered our lives. I want to thank Zoryana Zhyvka for giving the world such a hope-filled tale. I also thank the publisher's editor, Natalka Maletych, for seeing in me an illustrator who could bring this story to life — and the Old Lion Publishing House team for carrying out projects so important in our time.