Bedford High School student Sarah Wirth has written and illustrated a children’s book, Emmie’s Purple Mask, to show young kids that even though we’re all separated, we’re all in this together.
In Bedford, students at Davis and Lane have gone from spending nearly half their day at school with friends and teachers to largely staying at home, interacting with others through screens. Seeing what so many children have gone through, Sarah, a junior at BHS, decided to take matters into her own hands.
Emmie’s Purple Mask helps kids who are struggling to adjust to life in a pandemic. Through Emmie’s transition from in-person school to staying inside, the story recognizes the complicated feelings kids have and assures them that even masks can be fun.
Sarah first noticed the issue in August, finding that many younger kids struggled to remain connected with their friends. Empathizing with them, she took it upon herself to show kids that their experiences are important and shared.
“The pandemic has been a difficult experience for everyone and I wanted to make sure that kids don’t feel left out or unimportant,” says Sarah. “When I’ve worked with kids before, I’ve always found that seeing their own experiences mirrored in books makes them feel great.”
Throughout the last month, Sarah has been sharing her book in read-along events with Davis School classes and daycare centers in the area. After reading the book, the students have a Q&A session with Sarah about the book and how to navigate life at home.
Emmie’s Purple Mask is available on Amazon at amazon.com/Emmies-Purple-Mask-Sarah-Wirth-ebook/dp/B08MSYRQ3P/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=emmies+purple+mask&qid=1610206371&sr=8-3.
All proceeds from the sale of Emmie’s Purple Mask will go to the Children’s Environmental Health Network. Sarah is also available to do sessions with other groups. For more information, contact her at [email protected].
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