About Us

In October 2022 Hoopoe Books and its programs were transferred from the Institute for the Study of Human Knowledge, to a new educational nonprofit, Hoopoe Share Literacy Fund, devoted exclusively to Hoopoe publications and book donation programs.

Hoopoe Books is an imprint of The Hoopoe Share Literacy Fund (HSLF). Our goal is to publish books that not only entertain but help children and young adults understand themselves and their world.

Hoopoe Books’ traditional tales uncover the ancient and wonderful world of oral and written storytelling from a time before societies had formal schools, when stories were the way in which everyone learned the much-needed universal lessons of tolerance and appreciation of all cultures. Through these stories the children of today can develop an understanding of the universality of our natures, our hopes and dreams and an appreciation of the diverse ways in which they are expressed.

With the help of volunteers and donors, we are able to print and distribute millions of beautifully illustrated traditional stories, such as the Teaching-Stories by the educator and author Idries Shah, to underserved children. We do this currently through four donation programs: Share Literacy, Books for Pakistan, Books for Afghanistan and Books for Refugees. We also provide Teacher Guides, audio recordings of the stories and other ancillary items to support caregivers and teachers.

A detailed account of Books for Pakistan’s activities to date can be found here and by subscribing to our news updates.