Sharon Wilson is not only a very talented artist and illustrator but, as a former educator, she knows a thing or two about children, their love of stories, and what will and will not pique young minds.

So when her agent sent her the manuscript for `The Grandfather Tree' and asked if she would illustrate it, it struck a chord.

Ms Wilson knew she was reading something special, but because she was involved in another project at the time she had to turn it down. Out of sight the story may have been, but never out of mind.

"I read the manuscript more than three years ago, and I absolutely loved it, but by the time I had finished the other project I learned that it had gone to someone else,'' she recalls.

One day, between books, the professional illustrator got to thinking -- whatever happened to `The Grandfather Tree'? Was it published? What were the illustrations like?' A call to her agent provided the answers.

"She discovered that the project had gone through two illustrators whose work was rejected, so the manuscript was still available, and that's how I got it,'' Ms Wilson says. "It made me feel that I was meant to do it.'' Asked what it was that endeared the manuscript to her, Ms Wilson explains: "The text is light, which allows the illustrator to bring more interpretive response to the book, rather than being driven by the text every step of the story.'' Based on her own life experiences and the cherished memories she holds of time spent with her grandfather, the professional illustrator readily identified with the story, which deals with the cycle of life, including the ultimate death of the beloved grandfather, and the planting of a new tree in his memory.

"It is a very warm and universal kind of story,'' Ms Wilson explains. "It is not that the theme is new. Indeed, it is traditional in a lot of ways in that it explains to children that, although people cannot be with them forever, they will have wonderful memories. "At the end of the day, it is about good times that are shared with families, and how they actually do grow in strength, as the new tree will grow.'' A strong believer in the importance of close, inter-generational relationships, Ms Wilson feels that grandparents, not being part of the rat race endured by parents, place a greater value on setting aside time to share events, experiences, and collective wisdom with their grandchildren.

"There is something wonderful about things getting passed on, both for the passer and receiver,'' she says. "It is the lynch pin that holds the generations together. It really speaks to the importance of the extended family, and how much gets lost when the extended family falls apart.

"Generally, grandparents are the ones to say, `Let me tell you a story'.

Children are mesmerised by the timeless, relaxed tone of their voices.'' While illustrating a children's book may appear deceptively simple, particularly when weighed against the minimalist text, it is, in fact, a long, laborious process which begins with the finding of human subjects as models.

Here, Ms Wilson had to ensure that her choices were not only compatible but committed to staying the course. Bearing in mind that two of them were children, she knew they would have to be special, given that little minds have short attention spans and she could not have them quit mid-way through the project.

With Raymond Todd as the grandfather, and Nicole Simons and Nhoj Steede as the principal children, the artist was over hurdle one.

Next, she produced a series of cartoons -- small drawings to give the publisher a first insight into her artistic concepts, which formed the basis of extended discussions.

Then, from copious photographs she took of her subjects in various settings, Ms Wilson produced larger pencil sketches to determine if they would fit the shape and size of the book's pages.

Like the cartoons, these generated a great deal of dialogue between the illustrator and the publisher, and produced some surprising decisions.

For example, Ms Wilson's innocent placing of the little boy on his grandfather's knee was deemed "inappropriate'' in these politically correct times, and therefore vetoed. How to portray the passing of the grandfather also generated strongly-held opinions before it was resolved in Ms Wilson's favour, whose aim was to avoid morbidity.

Small wonder then, that with all the discussions, co-ordination of models, photography sessions, re-shoots, re-drawing and re-submitting, etc., it took more than a year for the illustrator to complete her assignment.

But Ms Wilson has no regrets. Quite the opposite, in fact.

"I am really happy to have been part of this project,'' she assures. "It is not that cost-effective, but it is a very satisfying thing to do. It's been a nice marriage between my having been in education, the issue of quality books, and being an artist.'' Certainly, she is well pleased with the final product -- her third children's book -- both in terms of its presentation and her own personal development.

"When I first turned the pages I thought: `This is such a quality book'. It seems to settle you. Then I thought: `This has a lot to do with the colours they chose for the text panels'.

"As an illustrator I can see the growth from one book to the next,'' she continues. "I am satisfied to see that I have grown also over the last few years. It is a nice way to look back.'' Asked what criteria she uses in accepting an assignment to illustrate a children's book, Ms Wilson says: "From an educator's viewpoint, I tend to look at manuscripts which are solid. I want a book which has some merit to it -- something that is worth putting time and energy into, because children's books are very, very time-consuming from my point of view.'' So will she undertake further assignments of this nature? "I don't have a desire to do tons of books, but if another manuscript presents itself which I can't refuse to do, I am sure will sit down and do it,'' she says. "(On the other hand) you have to be smart enough to back away from a project if you don't understand the culture of the piece.'' Ms Wilson officially launched `The Grandad Tree' at a private reception last evening. Her original illustrations for the book are now on exhibition at the Frameworks Gallery, Washington Lane, during normal business hours.

Thereafter, she hopes that a corporate sponsor will be found to purchase the entire body of work.

"I would like it to stay together as one collective work, rather than have it broken up,'' the illustrator says.