Books with author Anastasya Shepherd

A lonely girl looking out onto the frozen world. An orphan boy waking up in a refugee camp. An alien in the shape of a small, grumpy elephant. Two little fish, swimming through the warm shallows and the murky depths of the sea. But that is only a part of the story…The idea of possible worlds, worlds that could be described coherently but do not exist is inevitable. But what about worlds that cannot be described coherently? The fractured, fragmented worlds of our minds, where some parts are walled off for self-protection, some parts are distorted for fear and convenience and some parts contradict each other for simple lack of attention? Unedited, they produce appalling philosophies, knee-jerk politics and mental illness. Edited, they produce innovation, fantasy and games. Let's play! Sunny is a funny little fish, who is generally well-disposed towards others, unless annoyed. One day she meets Simon, a fish who, due to an unlikely combination of circumstances (him being fictional is one of them) does not know how to swim. Driven by a great deal of curiosity and with a small admixture of cupidity, Sunny agrees to help Simon learn how to swim, and their adventure begins. They meet fascinating characters, barely escape from hazardous tunnels, solve difficult problems and even find a sunken treasure! The worlds of children, fish and small grumpy elephants intertwine and collide, illuminating each other throughout the book. Fantasy mingles with reality and leads to... (no spoilers!)This is an adventure story, a coming of age story, a story about the choices we make and the price we pay for that privilege. It is funny, inventive and can be read at different levels by children and adults. It is definitely worth a look.

By popular demand - a collection of illustrated fables for children, parents and curious bystanders, eight for the price of one.Fables are rarely written these days, and yet they are an excellent teaching tool and Aesop's fables are reprinted and read regularly - though not often illustrated, which is a pity... This, therefore, is an exercise in contemporary Aesopery. I had to pick up the pace a little, though - children nowadays are so demanding!This book contains:1. The Four Little Pigs. A cautionary tale about the sad consequences of little pigs being ill-prepared for real-world encounters with Big Bad Wolves. A shocking revelation about the fourth little pig, who has been previously concealed from the public eye.2. Happy End. A classic tale of a prince being turned into a frog - and how it is not necessarily a bad thing. There are pictures, adventures, magic, psychological profiles, some jokes and several loud Booms! 3. The Sleeping Beauty. A touching tale of love, family and merchandising. It has a beautiful princess, three good fairies and one so-so one, true love and a somewhat unexpected happy end.4. Here Be Dragons. A story about art. A story about an individual. A story about a society. A story of extinction of a species that believed themselves to be great.5. Changing Colors. A story about adaptation, about how our environment changes us - generation by generation - and how (alas!) it does not... 6. Of Frice and Men. A simple story of an ordinary war. Elements of political psychology for kids and adults who wish to understand their elected representatives.7. The Ugly Duckling's Dream. An old story with a new twist. Is it a joke or a fable? You decide.8. When You Wish Upon a Star... make sure you know your astronomy. A sad, but instructive tale for the incurably romantic.

A classic tale of a prince being turned into a frog - and how it is not necessarily a bad thing. This is a picture book aimed at amusing young children and their parents. There are pictures, adventures, magic, psychological profiles, some jokes and several loud Booms! You can find more information and books by the same author at http://www.scarletline.com/ashepherd/