A Clermont Elementary School student and his mother have written and illustrated a book to promote family discussions about the COVID-19 coronavirus.
Nine-year-old Aiden Whitley and his mother, Kelly Whitley, came up with the idea for Together, We Can Say after talking about the virus. Kelly wanted to discuss with Aiden how he was processing the pandemic, especially the closing of his school, which meant he could not see his friends.
Kelly came up with a list of questions, and she and Aiden discussed the answers one by one. Later, they decided to create the book. In it, the main characters — a mother and son — both talk about their concerns, including the mother’s worries about her own parents and the stress of distance learning. In the end, they focus on the things for which they are grateful, including their health and the extra family time at home.
“I’m grateful for doing some things in the past week because I’ve been getting really, really bored,” Aiden wrote. “I guess I have a lot of time with my family while I’m on break.”
His mother describes the book as “a psychological journey through the mind of a child when everything is changing all around him.”
The main take-away for other children who read the book, Aiden said, is that they are not alone. “We are here with you,” he said. “We have the same feelings as you.”
With the number of coronavirus cases rising, Aiden and his mom say their first book remains relevant. Together, We Can Say is available through Amazon for Kindle at $2.99 or free with a subscription to Kindle Unlimited. It is also available in paperback for $6.99.
The two are busy working on their second book. This time, the subject matter is lighter — it’s about Jack, a superhero dog who stops monsters and saves orphans and cities.
