Authors’ Corner features Renate Schalk Schreiner for America Tonight with Kate Delaney. Schreiner is the author of the newly published children’s illustrated book Undersea Adventures of Olli and Friends. ReadersMagnet Reviews takes a closer look at the recorded author radio interview to learn more about Schreiner and her book.
An Unlikely Origin
The Undersea Adventures of Olli began as a sort of request from a good friend. The good friend had emailed Schreiner to which she remarked about Olli the Octopus get tangled by a yo-yo. The good friend suggested to her that she write a story about it. After spending hours with her computer, Schreiner came up with 21 poems. She wrote the poems using rhymes, drawing inspiration from her mother’s writing style. After showing her work to some of her friends, Renate Schalk Schreiner was convinced that she must publish the book. She then decided to published Undersea Adventures of Olli and Friends on her 80th birthday. Her cousin from Germany Udo Raumshuessel provided great illustrations for the book.
A Teacher’s Wisdom
Delaney and Schreiner then discussed the inspiration for Olli. Schreiner, who never really thought she would someday publish a book, let alone a children’s book, revealed that she drew inspiration from her profession as a teacher. She imagines Olli as a kid who goes to school. School is the main setting for Olli’s adventure. As a teacher for many years, she applied all her knowledge about teaching kids and how they are in school.
One evident theme of Renate Schalk Schreiner’s book is friendship. Renate used this concept to further elaborate on other themes that are not really exclusive to children. Some of the sub-themes include tolerance, acceptance, respect, learning new things, overcoming challenges, and the love for life and all living creatures. This makes Undersea Adventures of Olli and Friends a very interesting children’s book.
Scheiner’s Adventure
Kate Delaney then opens to Schreiner about the author’s background which somehow is quite evident in the book’s storytelling.
Renate Schalk Schreiner then shares her own adventure of how she came to leave in the United States. Schreiner’s family originated in Germany. In 1945, her family fled to Poland where she grew up and became a teacher. In 1964, she immigrated to the United States and worked as household help for a while before returning to work as a teacher. She became a Montessori teacher in Wisconsin and taught there for 20 years until she got married and move to Hawaii.
Veteran host Kate Delaney respectfully highlights Renate Schalk Schreiner’s history as a young kid fleeing the horrors of war, experiencing hardships, and moving from one place to another in search of shelter as a remarkable force on why Schreiner was able to successfully portray Olli’s positive outlook in life.
Delaney further notes that by writing Undersea Adventures of Olli and Friends, Renate Schalk Schreiner is actually giving back to the readers. Schreiner’s personal adventures made her more tolerant of people and always looking at the bright side of life. These values are present in Olli and throughout the narrative.
Author Schreiner remarks that aside from friendship, her book also wishes to install in kids the value of caring for the environment.
Kate Delaney’s radio interview with Renate Schalk Schreiner gave the listeners a glimpse of what the readers can gain from this wonderfully inspiring children’s book. The Undersea Adventures of Olli and Friends is a breath of fresh air as far as children’s illustrated books are concerned.
Renate Schalk Schreiner’s interview is part of ReadersMagnet’s radio interview services in partnership with America Tonight with Kate Delaney.