About the Book
COVID-19 is a big deal--but with all that adults have to worry about, it's easy to overlook the pandemic's impact on children. This book provides a great way for parents and caregivers to introduce and reinforce the importance of safety measures to children while giving kids the opportunity to ask questions and share their feelings. Embracing the latest science, The Teensy Weensy Virus pairs simple, kid-friendly explanations with bright colorful illustrations, while offering additional resources for adults and an informative song to help lighten the mood as families engage with this serious topic.
About the Author :
Sherri L. Rose grew up in Richmond, Virginia. As a retired pediatric and family nurse practitioner, as well as a hospice and palliative care nurse, she recognizes the critical importance of helping children understand what is happening during the pandemic that is currently sweeping the globe. COVID-19 has created so much stress, anxiety, grief, and loss for adults - imagine what children must think, but be unable to express! Inspired by her concerns for the smallest among us - as well as by her own significant grief over not being able to hug her grandchildren during quarantine - Sherri began to write this book to help preschoolers understand what's going on and why all of us have to follow new rules. As a mother of three daughters and three stepdaughters, as well as a grandmother to many more, she hopes that the resources found in this book will be useful to parents and caregivers all over the world. You can find more about Sherri on her website, www.sherrirosebooks.com. Sherri wrote the lyrics for "The Teensy Weensy Virus" with a little help from the Gregory Brothers, a Brooklyn-based quartet specializing in comedy music. Evan David Gregory arranged the musical score, which can be purchased at https: //www.sherrirosebooks.com. The arrangement makes for a great song for string players and new pianists. In addition to their work on "The Teensy Weensy Virus," the Gregory Brothers are the creators of the video series "Auto-Tune the News" and "Songify This." You can watch their videos, which have been viewed over one billion times, at www.youtube.com/songify. Megan Brawand is a fifteen-year-old sophomore at Thomas Dale High School in Chester, Virginia. She loves to draw, paint, and create digital artwork as a way of combining her thoughts and feelings. Her artwork has been included at several local art exhibits. In 2018, at age thirteen, she created a painting that was chosen for display at Crossroads Art Center in Richmond, Virginia. Megan's other interests include theatre production, sci-fi themes, and vintage automobiles. She plans to attend college to pursue a career in concept art so she may create illustrations that convey a writer's ideas prior to production. Megan is humbled and honored to collaborate with this author on such a wonderful book!
Review :
"A timely and developmentally appropriate aid for parents and grandparents to help their young children understand what is happening in their lives, and hopefully reduce the anxiety and emotional impact of the epidemic."
- William T. Burke, PhD, clinical psychologist with forty years of clinical experience with children, adults, and families
"In simple, direct language that respects their ages, this story teaches preschoolers how to protect themselves and others against COVID-19. Its upbeat narrative and delightful illustrations will help young children understand the safety tips and precautions needed for their well-being during this pandemic. The accompanying song, 'The Teensy Weensy Virus, ' is a fun bonus for readers."
- Barbara H. Dunn, PhD, RN, PNP of more than forty years, clinician, consultant, author, mentor, and former faculty member at VCU and UVA Schools of Nursing, Richmond, Virginia
"A soothing story that helps children understand the new world of COVID-19. It provides them with simple, proven steps for taking appropriate precautions, and will ease the anxiety that has accompanied this pandemic. An added benefit is the resource list provided for parents to learn more facts about this new disease."
- Helen Ragazzi, MD, FAAP with twenty-four years of experience as a pediatrician
"Sherri Rose uses her characteristic straightforward sensitivity and undying optimism to make the unfathomable fathomable to both old and young. A developmentally appropriate, compassionate, and relatable mark of the times that is sure to be a hit with all generations as we struggle to make sense of the world around us."
- Kathryn King, MD, MHS, Associate Executive Medical Director at the Center for Telehealth, Medical University of South Carolina
"I have two grandsons, three and five years old, and have already pictured reading this to them. This book takes a scary subject and provided beautiful, concrete, age-appropriate messaging about safety measures, protection, and love, all wrapped up in kid-friendly bubbles!"
- Carla Nye, DNP, CPNP-BC, CNE, CHSE, associate clinical professor and master's program director, Department of Family and Community Health Nursing, VCU School of Nursing, Richmond, VA
