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About the Author

Sharon Lynn McGraw
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Author Info

Sharon L. McGraw

Bio: BFA, B.Ed.

Alberta Artist 50 years, author-illustrator, teacher,

mother of 4, grandmother of 10.

Some of Sharon’s earliest memories include picking apples from a huge old tree as she leaned out the kitchen window, and gathering shells on the beach a few minutes away. At the age of three, the damp coastal city was exchanged for a dry windy, prairie city with a big pile of dried out dirt for a yard. While living there, her life was shaped by some unique exoeriences: a beautiful rock garden gradually transformed the new property; in grade four her best friend died; she entered and won first in an art drawing contest; was gifted with and became enthralled by an old set of Oz books; wrote her own stories for school; and her family started the first of four flower shops.

​Growing up under a flower pot, sharing secrets with her cat, learning to cook, and spending every spare minute learning and helping to arrange flowers was the routine until  the family bought a horse. Weekend life changed to driving to see the horse, riding the horse, showing the horse, living and breathing anything horse. Two new horses were bought [one for Sharon’s sister], the two girls and later a young brother shared a horse, with all three siblings escaping from the flower pots as often as possible.

​While completing a BFA, Sharon met and married her future husband, a mischievous cowboy, and spent the next seventeen years as a ranch wife raising four kids and Black Angus cattle. Hard workdays were filled with hilarity and many memorable moments. Somehow she found time to teach art and do her own paintings. A family move north to another rural location, included travelling every week to complete a BEd degree, and then teaching public school Art and English in two small towns. She misses her students. 

​Wonderful animals and amazing children are finally stepping into the pages of her books: stories exploring what animals might think and speak; her children’s poetry capturing first-time moments and observations through the eyes of children.

Currently she has 12 different books in her head, all bursting out around the edges!

Ten incredible grandchildren, eight of whom are very young, provide a delightful source of inspiration for both writing and painting.

News

1. New book, "How Do I Make PINK?' now published on Bookbaby.com  A fun storybook about color theory and mixing color. Join Panda on his journey to learn how to make pink.

2. The Wonder & The Whimsy, now available on Bookbay.co, Amazon.ca and

Amazon .com     

  • 32 original poems with hand-drawn full color illustrations, celebrate reimagined childhood with fun, rhyming poems. This wonderful collection is sure to bring a smile to families as they share this great read-along! Ages 1-10

2. Tales of Spring Valley:'The Beginning' is now published ! Available here at BookBaby.com, Amazon.com, and pre-order status on Amazon.ca

5 star reviews for this wonderful children's book

"I read this book to my neighbor's children who loved it! After one reading, the five year old boy knew the names of all the animals! His three year old sister kept patting all the animals in the illustrations. Adorable! Their mom liked it so much she bought a book too!" NW

HK:  So much fun to read to our grandchildren and wonderfully illustrated!

 JP: A wonderfully illustrated children's book depicting the relationships between a young family and the animals they meet on a ranch as seen through the animals’ eyes.  

 SG: What a wonderful compilation of stories as told from Pierre, the cat’s point of view!
Sharon’s book brings to life the ranch life in southern Alberta- where kids could be free to roam the hills and valleys and enjoy their animal friends.
Beautiful illustrations - love this book!

 RM: We love how the stories are told from the perspective of the animals and the illustrations take you into their relationships with their people.

 DS: This collection of sweet little adventures are wonderful as bedtime stories.  My daughter is really enjoying them and keeps asking for “just one more” before sleep each night! 

See website for more information: https://www.sharonmcgrawkidsbooks.com

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Events
  • Newly published,"How Do I Make PINK?' is a fun color theory guide for children,parents and teachers. It has curriculum ties to art, independent learning and collaborative work.
  • More Tales of Spring Valley [book2] is currently being developed. 
  • A children's book based on the Bible is also in the works.

Stay tuned for more news here, and on the website https://www.sharonmcgrawkidsbooks.com, also on Instagram and FaceBook.

Watch for updates on the website for giveaways and contests!

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