Continuing my happy connection with A Novel Mind, I’ve guest posted another set of picture books with related discussion starters and follow up activities. The titles can help youngsters understand, cope, and grow as they manage all the changes and concerns related to life during the COVID closures. The blog post is here. Here are the featured books.
Due to space constraints (and my writerly issues with adhering to word count limits), a few points on context did not make the guest post. Those details are included here.
COVID-19 is very serious for certain people. But it is not inescapable. This fact can help young minds set boundaries around worry over illness and mortality. Balancing sad and scary realities with accurate information offers hope. Looking at healthcare successes does NOT erase how much anyone cares about people battling COVID-19 directly. Thinking about recovery or uninterrupted wellness allows scale and logic to ease panic or inspire confidence to stick with medically safe habits. Add this information to any of the suggested discussions of the selected picture books:
- Numbers shared by Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center and the Center for Disease Control indicate the US survival rate is ~94-96%. JHRC offers worldwide numbers, too. Also reported: on average, children, teens, and young adults get less sick than more delicate populations with complicated health histories.
- Healthcare and essential jobs are especially hard now. The NIH National Library of Medicine and the Brookings Institute share research-based efforts to support essential staff. The articles are for adults, so kids will benefit from knowing reliable sources are working to keep the helpers healthy, too.
- There are always silver linings. See these 101 Good News stories that happened because of COVID-19.
Katie Engen 