Alan Page’s new children’s book centers around family baking traditions

Alan Page is widely recognized for his past careers off the bench as a Minnesota Viking and on the bench as a Minnesota Supreme Court Justice, but the Pro Football Hall-of-Famer has been carving out a name for himself in another arena: children’s book author.

Page recently released “Baking Up Love” ($18.99, Page Education Foundation), the fifth book he’s written with his daughter, Kamie Page, who teaches fifth grade in the metro area. It’s a heartwarming, food-centric story of a grandfather baking with his granddaughter that’s a nod to the Page family’s cooking traditions and treasured cupcake recipe.

“As a teacher, my daughter’s in tune with young children,” said Page, who founded the Page Education Foundation nonprofit with his wife, Diane Sims Page. “And fortunately, I have enough experience in schools and classrooms that I think I’m reasonably well connected to them, too, and understand them.”

We chatted with Page, 79, about his latest book and the bonds created with family through meals and a love for reading. The Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient also reflects on the importance of education and his foundation and how his professional paths prepared him for other endeavors. And we couldn’t resist asking the former Purple People Eater defensive tackle about his thoughts on how the Vikings fared this past season. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What inspired ‘Baking Up Love’?

The book is about essentially three things: intergenerational family connections, celebrating reading and justice. And those things are, I think, pretty important in all our lives, certainly in the lives of young children. But as a grandfather, the time I spend baking with my grandchildren or doing other things with them, that’s the most valuable time I have.

Is the book based on real-life characters?

I would say it’s loosely based. It would not be unusual for me to bake cupcakes with my granddaughters or my grandsons. Ever since they were young, we’ve sat down with them and baked. We baked pies and we baked cookies every holiday season. Basically, every year since they were born.

Your family’s cupcake recipe in the book is a tribute to your late wife and philanthropist, Diane Sims Page. How so?

It’s her recipe. Her job as a market researcher had her doing a number of projects that involved food. During one of her travels, she came across a Mississippi mud cake recipe that this is inspired by.

In part, this book is about intergenerational connections. And I think it reflects on loss, the loss of Diane. [Cooking] is a way for all of us to include those who are no longer with us. You know, take what they’ve done and continue to love them and include them in our lives.

Diane would be pleased out of her mind if she knew we were doing this, sharing one of her favorite things to prepare for our family. I had the good fortune to be her sous chef when she made this.

While tackling different subjects, what do all of your children’s books have in common?

My daughter, my co-author, is a teacher, and a lot of elements in all of our books come from the perspective of somebody who’s a teacher. You know, we try to balance the adult part with the student part, the child part, and connecting both. With all five of our books, we’ve had the unbelievable good fortune to have worked with the same illustrator, David Geister.

What motivated you and your wife to start the Page Education Foundation? And how does this book reflect those values?

Diane and I, we’re all about education. A few years ago, in preparation for the foundation’s 30th anniversary, Diane looked at me and said, “You should write a children’s book” because it’s what we’re about. Whether you’re reading yourself or having somebody read to you, it’s fundamental and it’s the foundation, I think, of a solid education. (The Page Education Foundation is a nonprofit that encourages youth of color to pursue postsecondary education.)

This year will mark the foundation’s 37th year. What has been the foundation’s impact and proudest achievements?

Our scholars have gone on to become mayors of cities, principals of middle schools, members of the University of Minnesota Board of Regents. We’ve had scholars in virtually every aspect of life in this community, contributing in ways that make us all better.

One of the interesting things that we didn’t plan on, when we look back, a disproportionate number of our scholars end up in education as teachers or administrators. It’s not something that we were focused on in the beginning, but it turns out that because they are required to serve young children as tutors and mentors and role models as paid scholars, that line of work has influenced a number of them. And from my vantage point, educators are maybe some of the most valuable people in our communities.

What’s the value that books have played in your life?

I love reading, always have. There was a time when I didn’t read as much as I would have liked to. But right now, I’m at a point in my life where I can have the luxury of time. And it’s a way to learn about the world and the people around me. It’s a way to force you to organize your thinking.

Lately, I’ve been reading books that my grandchildren are reading. The last was “The Odyssey,” which my oldest grandson was reading, so I got to revisit that book. Right now, one of my granddaughters is reading “Girl in the Blue Coat,” and I’m in the middle of reading that with her. To be able to chat with them about what they read, what they think about what they’ve read, get a sense of how it has impacted them and what they think about a book, it’s pretty special.

What keeps you in Minnesota?

My grandchildren, number one, and this has become home. I made a conscious decision early on in my life coming to Minnesota that this would be a place to put down roots. There were times when we thought about moving, but ultimately this was home. It’s where our family is. That’s what keeps us here, even on these wonderfully brisk days like today.

How did lessons as a pro football player and Minnesota Supreme Court Justice carry over to today?

I think both Diane and I understood from the very beginning that we have been privileged, we have been exceedingly fortunate. Whether it was her career or my career in football or my career on the bench, it helped us understand that with that privilege comes both opportunity, obligation to try to help others have that same kind of good fortune.

Thoughts on this past year’s Vikings season?

I’ve never been much to watch all of the games. I catch bits and pieces. But to the extent that I’ve seen them, they are exciting and it’s clear that this team, these coaches, this organization, they have something special going on right now.

“Baking Up Love” is Page’s fifth title. All books are $18.99, with proceeds benefitting the Page Education Foundation (page-ed.org). Other titles: