A Child's-Eye View Of The Pandemic

Benoni girl’s Covid-19 book is a source of comfort for kids around the world

- Nasifa Sulaiman

IT’S an achievement by any standards: writing a book about a devastating pandemic that’s been sold in 18 countries around the world while battling a life-threatening illness.

But even more remarkable is that the author is only eight years old – and she’s just getting started.

“My friends were very sad because of Covid so I wanted to write a book that would cheer them up,” Laena-Mae Turner says.

Her book – Inside We Stayed, for Months and Days – is a snapshot of the pandemic through the eyes of a child.

It started at the beginning of lockdown last year, says Candice Turner, the little girl’s mom. Laena-Mae and her friends would be on FaceTime, sharing how they felt about being isolated at home.

“As a way of explaining the situation I’d show her friends of mine from all over the world sharing our experience,” Candice, a single mom, tells YOU on a call from their home in Farrarmere in Benoni, Gauteng. “For example, ‘Look, here’s Aunty Aisha in Dubai stuck at home and unable to go anywhere’.”

Candice (38) says it inspired LaenaMae to draw pictures and create short and engaging tales about children in lockdown in various countries. She’d then share these stories with her friends.

After Candice showed the illustrations and stories to fellow moms, they encouraged her to compile them and get them published.

Candice says she was hesitant at first but she sent the manuscript to a well-connected friend in London.