What's normal? And how's it new?

Being cognisant of this fragile environment isnt an easy task for kids but books do help suggests Jehanzeb Baldiwala a citybased therapist and director mental health services at Ummeed Child Development Centre So she gave two free new ebooks for kids themed around the pandemic a readHas Anyone Seen Normal by Ace and Lacey StrykerHaving written and illustrated this picture book the Californiabased couple Ace and Lacy Stryker have had over 600 downloads and readers in 42 countries It follows the story of a girl struggling to find normal ever since a guy called chaos showed up resulting in dance classes piano lessons and vacations being shut down in her townJehanzeb BaldiwalaIts lovely because its about a character facing a context and not about whats wrong with the people around them Its centred on these losses that kids experience you know like missing out on playing with their friends It would be suitable for readers aged up to 10 years Baldiwala sharesWhat also makes a difference to the narrative for Baldiwala is that it comes from lived experiences as the Strykers are parents to four children However I wish that the book also addressed safety I wouldve also liked to see a genderneutral protagonist since it would resonate with more kids some of whom dont identify as boys or girls Baldiwala informsPicsstrykerfmThe ending of the story is what brings out its real essence the authors dont pretend like suddenly everything has returned to normalcy Instead it gives children agency says Baldiwala So you see the girl leaving cookies at her neighbours doorstep or playing the piano by leaving the windows open so that passersby can hear the music Then she states that she has learned to be happy This word is important because it gives children a sense of control A lot of children are focused on their wellbeing anyway Its a great conversation starterLog on to strykerfmThe World Has Turned Upside Down by Ambitious about AutismA charity based out of the United Kingdom for children and young people with autism Ambitious about Autism partnered with bestselling childrens author Kes Gray and noted illustrator Chloe Batchelor for a story that highlights the impact of recent changes and uncertainty on autistic childrenPicsissuucomThe story features largerscale drawings as compared to the book by the Strykers and incorporates the use of several antonyms as evident in the title So school has turned openclosed friends have turned hibye and days have turned differentsame This approach may not work for everyone on the spectrum Baldiwala says It can get confusing because they often like structure But that said the idea of the world turning upside town is important It also talks of the specifics mdash like the impact on school roads and aeroplanes she explainsBaldiwala also gives a thumbsup to the illustrations with pastels and bright colours And the young person here doesnt look like a girl or a boy It is a lot more diverse as it includes people of colour she shares But there is one particular spread that struck the therapist the most Its a couple of pages dotted with faces of the protagonist all displaying different emotions mdash happysad sadhappy busybored boredbusy noisyquiet or quietnoisy Kids on the spectrum might find this useful because they can use this page to articulate their emotions You could ask them which face matches how they are feeling What also works is the use of shorter sentences that have a rhythm Baldiwala says adding that the verbal ability of the reader living with autism ought to be considered with this book irrespective of ageLog on to issuucomwordsbydesigndocschildren_s_book_v22Also check out1 Fight With Corona ndash Written by Sushama Khurde and illustrated by Sanskruti Khurde andValentina Gonnella2 What A Highway Would Think About Corona Virus ndash Written by Tanvi Jaiswal and illustrated by Measa Sovonnarea Pia Meenakshi Priya Kuriyan Sadhna Prasad and Tasneem AmiruddinLog on to storyweaverorginCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and a complete guide from food to things to do and events across Mumbai Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates MidDay is now on Telegram Click here to join our channel middayinfomedialtd and stay updated with the latest news