"Covid-19 Helpers" (Beth Bacon and Kary Lee)

TITLE: COVID-19 HELPERS: A story for kids about the coronavirus and the people helping during the 2020 pandemic
AUTHOR: Beth Bacon and Kary Lee
PUBLISHER: Durham, NC: Blair Publishing, 2020, (36 pages).

This is a delightful children's book to describe the Covid-19 situation. The year 2020 has been devastated by the pandemic. Globally, every family has been affected one way or another. Travel has been strictly curtailed while lockdowns are happening in many major cities. From shopping malls to supermarkets, schools to workplaces, all of our social interactions are potential opportunities to spread the disease. We need to practice social distancing. Governments around the world have been scrambling for vaccines as a way to protect the medical infrastructure. Wear masks and avoid social gatherings. Why are governments going to such extremes to deal with this disease? Such things can be strange for a child. For the little ones, they might be wondering: 

• What is Covid-19?
• Why must I wear masks?
• Why can't I visit and play with my friends?
• What about a sleepover?
• Why are schools closed?
• What happens if I catch Covid-19?
• How do I protect myself or my friends?
• Why do I need to wash my hands with soap and water?
• Why do I need to sneeze into a tissue or my elbow?
• What is the right way to wash my hands?
• What are vaccines and why are they important?
• How does staying at home help with the battle against the coronavirus?

In a short little book, author Beth Bacon and illustrator Kary Lee combine storytelling with colourful illustrations to drive home the origin, the situation, and the impact of Covid-19 on our normal life. We learn about how the world is pulling together to fight this common disease. We learn to appreciate hospital staff and leaders trying to protect the country. We also see the communities pulling together to bear with the temporary inconveniences of social distancing and restricted movements. By explaining difficult topics in a simple manner, Bacon and Lee have made this a delightful and fun way to educate and comfort children who are having difficulty comprehending all that is happening with regard to Covid-19. Not only do they tell the story of the disease itself, they explain the impact in a clear and understandable manner. It is one of those occasions where staying home and not going out is helping the community. I like the way the author and the illustrator complements each other in the storytelling. The phrases are clear and simple. The pictures illuminate the words. Together, they communicate powerfully the dangers of the disease without frightening young minds. In fact, they explain the virus in such a way that children would know more about the protective measures. While the book offers hope of a cure, they also showcase the important roles that children can play. 

Out of 260 stories submitted to the Emory Global Health Institute, this book won first place. Beth Bacon has an MFA in writing for children from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. He also has degrees in communications (NYU) and literature (Harvard).  

Kary Lee is an art director and has won a Mom's Choice Award as a book illustrator.

Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book has been provided courtesy of Blair Publishing and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.