HONOLULU (KHON2) – The Coronavirus pandemic has been especially hard on children. With all the uncertainty and unknown circulating this year, a local author is helping kids cope with a new book.
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“I was listening to a story about health care workers having to go home and basically not touch their kids,” said Beverly da Silva, author of Six Feet Together. “It was difficult to try to explain to them why they can’t give their mom or their grandparent a hug and they have to stay on the other side. So I was thinking about that.”
Da Silva’s idea turned into a poem which blossomed into a children’s book.
“I do love the underlying message which is, six feet apart keeps us six feet together and there’s nothing closer than that.”
From hand washing to mask wearing, the book is meant to educate keiki on the complexities of the pandemic.
“There’s also an interactive portion in the book where it shows everyone wearing masks and some maybe not wearing it the way they should be. So there’s a little question saying, which ones are not wearing it correctly?”
Six Feet Together is not only beneficial to keiki, but to parents, teachers and kupuna as well.
“I think also in the act of explaining it, I think it has a calming effect on the adults too. It makes you feel a little more hopeful that we won’t be doing this forever, but for now it’s important.”
The e-book version of Six Feet Together is available online.