In light of all the information available to kids and adults on the net, both educators and parents alike are calling for the development of a curriculum that values a renaissance mind. We want our children to develop their skills of mixing and matching seemingly disparate pieces of information in order to thrive in this brave new world.


The recently re-released classic The Wonderful Adventures of Nils was written by Swedish author, Selma Lagerlof, and offers readers just that. At the time of its release, it was praised for its "intimate blending of fiction and fact {that} is so subtle that one finds it hard to distinguish where one ends and the other begins... {she} is the great story-teller, the greatest, perhaps in Scandinavian literature, since the days of Hans Christian Andersen." What high praise!


Ms. Lagerlof earned this praise in part because she combined an intimate understanding of animal psychology with folklore, customs and geography that were indigenous to growing up in Sweden. The book took three years of research, where upon it was adopted as a Swedish reader in public schools. It also went onto be translated into German, Danish, French, Dutch, Russian and Finnish languages. We hope you enjoy this book too, for both its range in topics and delightful imagination!

Labels: e-books, Lagerlof, renaissance brain, Sharing-Books, Wonderful Adventures of Nils

A big thank you to all the authors and illustrators of the wonderful work on our site, now being enjoyed by 250,000 to 3000,00 readers!

Sharing Books is thrilled to have succeeded in sharing so many great new works and classics with readers, and to continue to provide a platform for emerging writers and artists. We are also grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the cause of ‘Room To Read.’ The literacy charity which all Sharing Books work supports.

New writers and artists are encouraged to upload their work, visitors are encouraged to explore our site for fabulous reads for children!

We look forward to receiving many more glorious artistic submissions, and to expanding continually with the library of work available for our readers.


Thank you,

The Sharing Books Team

The CEO of Sharing Books gave an enthusiastically received presentation to the shareholders. The presentation charted recent events, new developments and the endeavors of our team. There was much positivity and excitement in the air. Many new ideas were generated amongst all that were gathered, an assembly of lively, enquiring and inspired minds!

A peaceful, gentle book filled with all the warmth of childhood days at the beach. The book expresses the process of learning to prepare for the strong rays of the sun by putting on a sunhat as well as sun block. The illustrations are soft and dreamy, a use of color and gentle lines that feel like a cool dip in the ocean on a hot sunny day. Text that sweetly rhymes, yet at times breaks from rhyme in a barely noticeable way, keeping a beat of it’s own that is as natural feeling as a heartbeat.

At times the writing runs separately beside the illustrations; in white space, while other times over the illustrations, and at times the text is placed in a way that speaks of the pictures it runs across. The deviation away from a set pattern of organizing text and illustrations, or consistently rhyming or not rhyming, is part of the magic that reaches out. There is a natural talent at play here that creates poetry of its own kind.

Perhaps reflective of a mother and daughter creative compatibility that resulted in the making of this book, by JR Poulter, Author, and Sarah E. Bash, Illustrator. Poulter and Bash are both mothers who are able to share loving family moments captured in these wonderful illustrations and beautifully woven words. The message, if any were to be derived, beyond reading about a family day out, so simply and warmly conveyed, could be the joy of building spectacularly in life, enjoying various pleasures, accepting impermanence, inevitable loss, and giving focus to what there is to be grateful for in each moment. And to tell you anymore would give the story away. Read and enjoy this lovely book with your children!

This book is offered digitally through iTunes and www.istorytime.com

There are 112 books by Jennifer Poulter available to download on the Sharing Books site via this link.

We thought it was time to make some noise about all the great developments on our site!

We are pleased to announce the 2011 Simone Wood Award for Children's Literature. A contest for people who love to write about gardening. For details please see our blog "Simone Wood Award, 2011'under 'Previous Posts'.

What else is new with Sharing Books is these books!

The Wonderful Adventures of Nils: Part One and Part Two by Selma Lageriof
A Christmas Eve in Bavaria by Frieda Girdlestone
The Animal Story Books Part 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 by Andrew Lang
My First Day by Seng Visal
The Parrot's New Shoes by Thun Thavry
The Boy Who Dreamed His Homework by Larry Low
Ransi's Golden Ring by Jayalila Jeewanthi Jayasekera
Arctic Sea Smoke by Larry Low
Cold Iron by Rudyard Kipling
These Beatrix Potter books:
The Tale of Ginger and Pickles, The Tale of Flopsy Bunnies, The Tale of Gloucester

All these books are directly downloadable via this link: http://www.sharing-books.com/index.php?option=com_bookshelf&task=displayList&Itemid=37

And.... an exciting new project we are currently undertaking to join the interactive book world. Currently we are working with film professionals and software developers to create interactive books from books on our site.

The first book up for discussion for this fabulous transition is Mousieur Auguste RoDent, The Artist of Abundant Talent, by Niina Chebry

Niina is a new writer and illustrator, although an accomplished artist and art teacher, (with paintings selected for exhibitions in Tokyo at both the Canadian Embassy and the Euno royal Museum of Art), because of her status as a new writer, Niina was unable as of yet to get her book with twenty four inspirational illustrations published in print, and has instead through Sharing Books published her first book online. Not only are the illustrations rare and outstanding, but the entire story of Mousieur Auguste Rodent, The Artist of Abundant Talent is written in amusing, sharp, witty rhyme, (which she recites very delightfully), and which has an uplifting originality and playfulness!

This fabulous books is available for you to read via this link:
http://www.sharing-books.com/index.php?option=com_bookshelf&task=bookPreviewPage&bookId=527


Thank you for supporting Sharing Books with your interest, uploads and downloads. We hope you will visit the site time and time again to check out our new developments and new books.

Best Wishes,

The Sharing Books Team

Inspiration, some stories tell, is the voice of angels whispering in our ears. A voice from a higher realm, guiding our actions. Or for those not too fond of ideas of higher realms, inspiration could be seen more comfortably perhaps to be the voice of our wisest self. That aspect of us that knows how to follow our life purpose better than any other voice within, or any instructions from elsewhere. I asked Timothy Schenk about the inspiration behind his work. Timothy is the author of three children’s books, and Illustrator of two children’s books, that can be found at http://sharing-books.com/

Sharing Books offers an opportunity for writers to publish their work, in a non-discriminative way. Any writer can upload a children’s book instantly, which will be published on the site, as long as the book is verified as having followed the guidelines set out on the site. Infinitely preferable to keeping great stories for kids contained within the writer’s computer!

SCHENK: I had an extremely active imagination as a child. Now that I am older I love to watch children at imaginative play. We tend to loose our imaginations as adults. So I tend to focus on the imagination in my work. You will notice that clearly in My Pretty Pointe Shoes, or Fauna's Dinner Party. Both are stories with children that have wild imaginations. I also focus on dreams and how they connect with the imagination. I have always been a vivid dreamer. I am not quite sure if that aspect is evident in my work. However, I have always found the dreams we have as children to be interesting. I refer to dreams in the sense of hopes and aspirations.

LEE: Could you talk a little about some of your favorite imaginings as a child, and some of your biggest dreams? How they possibly connect with your life now. What kind of dreams as an adult would you wish upon yourself and possibly other adults too, or do you believe dreams belong in childhood and are something as adults we are required to outgrow to lead a practical, purposeful life?

SCHENK: I loved to dream of flying in space as an astronaut, or dream of being a scientist. I would draw pictures of rockets and alien worlds. I would study things in a microscope that my parents gave me for Christmas. Later my dreams morphed as I began to become more interested in drawing rather than science. I started dreaming about art and being an artist. I suppose some children are more given and attracted to art through science. Oh I live my dreams. I wish all adults would connect with their dreams and live them as well. For example, I dream of publishing my books and artwork. I am doing that. Your dreams contain your life's purpose.

LEE: Yes, this message of wonderment is beautifully expressed in my Pretty Pointe Shoes. Clearly as an author of children’s books, you have the possibility of being able to reach young minds in a way that could have an effect on the choices children make about the way they see the world, and the way they see themselves. Considering this platform and the opportunity to make a difference to future generations, are you aware of there being any particular central messages that are close to your heart, that you would like to get across to children through your books?

SCHENK: No, I really do not like to preach to children in my books. I prefer letting them just read and have fun. They get enough structural influence from their teachers and family members. I view reading as an escape from reality. I see it as an entertainment where children put themselves into the story and hopelessly get lost within the pages.

LEE: A place where children can dream, and discover their dreams perhaps. What do you think of the idea that artists, of all kinds (writers, painters, musicians etc.) communicate issues beyond their intent, due to the space in art that nature speaks? French feminist theorists have called this element ‘Jouissance, the language of art.’ More specifically described as that feeling when you stand in front of a painting and you are simply touched, the same with a song you hear, or a book you read. The voice that can call out to you from between the brush strokes, between the lines, between the notes and reach you in some memorable way. The something to say that artists are not necessarily aware of choosing to say in their work yet it somehow gets said.

SCHENK: I believe in that lies the magic, even if there is a moral either subconsciously or intentionally given. In my case it feels more subconsciously. When thinking about other artists sending unintentional messages in their work; I cannot speak for others. They may be aware. After this interview I may think differently.

LEE: In Fauna’s Dinner Party, the reader would expect there to be no more Fauna by the end of the meal, except in the bellies of the hungry carnivores that she has invited to dinner. Fauna serves only…a big salad! Yet all of the animal’s appetites are satisfied, they appreciate Fauna’s kindness and all ends well. It seems in this story that Fauna is granted well-being in return for kindness and generosity, and fearlessness. Also the nature of the beast changes in a way that would usually only be found in dreams. To believe that the nature of the beast can change could be a dream many may see as worthy of holding on to into adulthood, although used more symbolically rather than in relation to lions and crocodiles.

The subject of sitting down with all that we are taught to fear and finding we are safe, as in Fauna’s Dinner Party, is the subject in the work of various best selling authors of conscious raising books, such as Eckhart Tolle, who has a book on Oprah Winfrey’s book club list. These works I refer to relate to shifting human consciousness away from being fear based, towards inner peace. It has been said in many best selling contemporary works that this could ultimately create world peace. How do you feel about this as a possible message that could filter from your work into young minds?

SCHENK:
In regards to fearlessness, there is always fear. It's more so a fear of the unknown, a place, a thing, or the consequences of an action. It's how a character deals with a situation that shapes a story. The fear in Fauna's Dinner Party is rather an illusion on the part of the reader. In this case, the reader is more afraid for Fauna, than Fauna is afraid for herself. I think the only thing Fauna actually fears in the story is whether or not her party will be a success.

Timothy Schenk has ten stories lined up soon to be placed on the Sharing Books site. One story is called ‘There at the Renaissance Fair.” Which Tim intends to create as an interactive book. The making of interactive Books is a hot subject at Sharing Books at the moment. Updates regarding this project will be posted on the Sharing Books site, so keep an eye out! All books on the Sharing Books site can be downloaded for a donation, or for free. However, please keep in mind a third of all donations goes to ‘Room To Read’. Which is a literacy charity building and stocking libraries, and providing teachers and materials to children in developing countries who may not have these resources otherwise. The author and illustrators receive a third of proceeds, with the remaining third going to Sharing Books. You can find these books Tim talks about in this interview at these links:

Fauna’s Dinner Party: http://sharing-books.com/index.php?option=com_bookshelf&task=bookPreviewPage&bookId=363

My Pretty Pointe Shoes: http://sharing-books.com/index.php?option=com_search&searchword==My%20Pretty%20Pointe%20Shoes&submit=Search&ordering=booksearch

Sharing Books is pleased to announce the Simone Wood Award for Children’s Literature. Simone Wood‘s family launched this award on Simone’s birthday to honour her life-long passions that she gave to successive generations. The Simone Wood Contest is open to any book creators who publish their work through Sharing Books.

This year eligible works must be focused on the garden. Any children's books published on Sharing Books from April 1st 2011 to August 31th 2011, with gardening as their primary focus, will be automatically entered in the contest for the Simone Wood Award for Children’s Literature.

A jury of content reviewers will determine whether the works submitted fall within the content guidelines. The award will be given to the top three most downloaded books on the Sharing Books site during the month of September, 2011, with the garden as a theme.

Prizes are awarded as follows:

• First Place award $300 Canadian to the most downloaded book in September.

• Second Place award of $200 Canadian to the second most downloaded book in September.

• Third Place award of $100 Canadian to the third most downloaded book in September.

Awards will be divided equally between the author and illustrator of illustrated works, or granted in whole to the author in non-illustrated works.

Simone Wood Award, 2011 Eligibility Guidelines

1) The work must contain content focused on gardening. Examples of eligible works would be

• A story that teaches children names of plants or flowers
• A story about games played by children in a garden
• A story that takes place mostly in a garden
• A story about a relationship with gardening

2)The work must be geared towards children.

3) Works must be submitted to Sharing Books between April 1st 2011 and August 31th 2011.

Works that are submitted, but not published and awaiting approval to go on the site by August 31st 2011 will still be eligible to enter the contest for the Simone Wood Award for Children’s Literature, 2011.

4) All submitted works will be chosen for eligibility by a team of jurors.

5) Each work must be a minimum of 8 pages in length.

6) Winners are chosen based on the downloads of the books from: 12:00am September 1st, 2011 to 11:59pm September 30th, 2011 PST.

7) Both illustrated and non-illustrated children's books are welcome to enter, as are books in any age category.