CHENNAI: As the science people of the world continue to make sense of this pandemic and the virus behind it, Divya Thomas takes time out to keep the children on the know with fun verses and colourful illustrations
Now, more than ever, humankind is collectively realising the need to sugarcoat a bitter pill. Even as adults, creatures presumably capable of taking reassurance in facts and news, continue to seek out placebos and bitterness-relief, our tiny humans are the ones left unattended. Stuck at home in the summer months that usually meant fun and freedom, made to focus on mundane routines (handwashing and sanitisers stop being fun after the first few days, don’t they?), subjected to online lessons without the relief of an outdoorsy break, with parents growing a shade more crabby every day, and left with only tit-bits of information, children seem to be at a disadvantage when it comes to dealing with the lockdown.
This is where Divya Thomas decided to step in. After ten days of writing, drawing and illustrating, the world has the minimalist picture book Go Away Coronavirus and it has her to thank for it. While everyone has been struggling with understanding the pandemic and how to stay safe amidst it, Divya noticed the dearth of information available for the consumption of children.
“There is a lot of content out there speaking to children 15 years and above; lovely stuff coming out, books that are text- and emotionallyheavy. I thought there was a need to write something simple that distilled down all the information for a little kid — say between four and ten years of age; something that will reassure and comfort them. I also wanted them to feel connected in a bigger way to everybody; like even when we are home, we can look outside and hear the birds, see the trees and know that we all sleep under the same stars. I wanted to point out that we are part of a bigger ecosystem,” she recounts. Illustrations seemed to be a good way to take the story to her target audience.
The book depicts with fun drawings and sketches the dos and don’ts of living through the pandemic. It addresses social distancing, handwashing concerns, gives a shout-out to frontline workers, and also offers a glimmer of hope for a world that has sailed past the crisis — all this in easy-to-read verses. And children from around the world seem to have taken to the book much better than what Divya could have ever expected. “I woke up to a 100-something messages. Kids in far-flung places that I’ve never been to, like South Africa and South America, are saying they love it.
I’ve lived abroad and so I have a global network and my network is global in turn. So, everyone just sent it everywhere else. It shows the power of how connected we can all be,” she remarks. The success from this network prompted her to create a simple website to host this book and the ones to come in future. And there is one in the making already. “I’m very keen to write and illustrate for positive impact and behavioural change for kids. For a long time, my sister Anjali Thomas, who is getting a PhD in clinical psychology in the US, and I have been talking about putting a book together about mental health for kids. The idea is to describe how we are all different but the same and we struggle with certain things but it’s okay; show that they do not have to be afraid of what they might be feeling and ask them to be compassionate to others too.
We’ve been thinking that this is something we should do next,” she surmises. The idea might be fledgling but she has already started work on it. All we have to do is sit back and wait for it to drop one sunny, summer morning. Go Away Coronavirus is available as a flipbook and for download for free at www.anillustratedworld.com
