Children's Book Proposal

A children's book about a special coin and a tree that listens.

Inge is a real girl who loved climbing, playing the violin and knitting and was most happy running like a mountain goat on a path through the Alps. With much sadness, she died at 23 years old in an avalanche while skiing in the Rocky Mountains. I would like to publish the book titled «Look, Inge Look! «, two stories which I created from memories of Inge’s childhood and journal entries she shared with me. I will need to pay for the illustrations from a local artist(€3.000), high quality photography of the drawings(€800), the graphic design artist for layout (€1.000) and the publishing costs and shipping cost of the book (€4.000). I have organised a publisher who published the book my illustrator wrote and intend to print copies in June 2025. I will sell the books at small village bookstores in Germany, Sweden, Norway and the United States, specifically where Inge has spent time.

My project is special because ...

Some of the fondest memories of raising children are those when you are snuggled on the sofa in front of a warm fire reading stories aloud. In an ever complex world, children need to appreciate the simple pleasures in life and have hope for happiness. The book is a story of hope, imagination and love and the ability to find happiness with a simple treasure. The illustrations capture the words and life of the little girl who loves the nature and can be read in both English and German. Writing these two stories and finding the illustrator, Astrid Kemper, to capture the pictures so poignantly has been rewarding and has enabled me to continue to celebrate Inge’s life. I cannot think of a better way to honour Inge and remember the happy childhood and zest she brought to life, then to share her bright stories and to inspire other children to spend time reading with their parents.

The Stories: short excerpts from the book

Tree Story: All through the winter, Inge visited her special tree. Sometimes it was laden with fluffy white snow and other times it was a steel grey silhouette against the sky. When she returned home, she told her mother, «I enjoy my visits to the tree because I can talk and ponder challenges and decisions I face. The tree cannot speak or think but it is something that is always there when I come and it likes to listen.» Coin story: Pennies provide me with a sense of reassurance at many critical times. Before a climbing competition, while feeling sick and nervous, I found a penny and immediately felt tickled and more confident. People were all around, but the penny had only appeared visible to me. While in Europe alone in a big city, I felt nervous and lost until a penny lay in front of me. The familiar image of a small coin on the sidewalk made me feel more comfortable with the area.