Children, stories and the pandemic

I was conducting an online storytelling session with a group of young children during the pandemic. Post storytelling, while we discussed diverse aspects of anxiety, a four-year-old extended his hand and said, “My heartbeat goes fast when I am worried about something.” His response surprised me. He was intently listening and absorbing facets of the story and relating to the character’s feelings simultaneously. This interaction reinstated my belief in children’s literature, especially during these difficult times. Children tend to feel lost, anxious and disillusioned under challenging circumstances.

Resorting to literature in such unprecedented situations can be both comforting and joyful for children. Although, for many children, accessibility to literature might be a significant issue. To bridge this gap, digital platforms like Story Weaver and Apps like KathaKhazana among others have played a significant role. These online resources have made books accessible for children when schools and libraries are practically closed everywhere.

There are a plethora of picture books on varied subjects from which we can choose. Think of any topic and you can find a children’s book on it. There are stories about fun and laughter, friendship, and belonging. Then there are storybooks on complex emotions like anger and fear. There are picture books on troubled times like war and military deployment. Until recently, children’s books did not address topics like death, divorce, and sexuality. Now there are enough titles on these topics as well.

At the onset of the pandemic, child experts, psychologists, doctors, illustrators, and writers swung into action to create an impressive list of books for children worldwide on Covid-19 pandemic. We can find some exciting, culturally relevant titles by Indian publishers like Pratham Books, Tulika, and Karadi Tales.

Recognising the importance of bringing stories to children, we witnessed an upsurge in storytelling sessions and read-aloud sessions organised by various publishing houses, storytellers, writers, and schools during the lockdown period.

Not only this, many audiobooks were made free for children to access during the lockdown period. Parents and teachers can play a vital role in introducing children to diverse kinds of literature. Worldwide, many children live through challenging circumstances like war, poverty, deprivation, and violence. We should perhaps place more value on the culture of reading, listening, and telling relevant stories here is why:

First and foremost, listening to stories or reading is fun, especially while everything around us is upside down. When children are immersed in reading and listening to stories, it’s perhaps easier for them to escape chaos.

Secondly, books can provide resilience and hope during troubled times. Evidence suggests that exposure to relevant literature can go a long way in enhancing children’s well-being. Through books, children learn to navigate difficult emotions by connecting to the characters in the story. We can introduce children to stories related to anxiety and loneliness they may experience during troubled times to cope better.

Children’s books are great conversation starters. Storytelling sessions or reading aloud provides a safe structure to discuss children’s worries under challenging circumstances. I have observed that it is simpler for children to discuss how a character responds to her fear than talking about their worries. Reading aloud and storytelling can even have a cathartic effect on children-helps them release their fears and tensions.

Thirdly, books help deliver the right messages when there is so much confusion and uncertainty around us. Researchers suggest that we can use children’s books to enhance children’s knowledge when dealing with life-changing events. For instance, books explained what the Coronavirus is and what can we do to slow the spread and help each other through beautiful illustrations and simple text. These simple messages played a significant role in comforting children.

Fourthly, when schools are closed, and there are fewer avenues of interaction with other children, books can help enhance children’s social and emotional skills. These skills allow people “to “understand and manage their emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions” (CASEL). Evidence suggests that human brains treat interactions between fictional characters similar to real-life social interactions—a good reason to feed children with a healthy dose of fiction.

Lastly, stories are relatable and inspiring. I was once narrating a story on Malala Yousafzai. Participants were simply amazed by her tale. A six-year-old informed me, “I want to initiate change too.” Stories that resonate well with children can inspire them to think and behave differently. Evidence also suggests that stories can stimulate young minds to reason and act alternatively. When a character in the book can stay indoors, then I too can. Inspiring characters in stories also enable long-term behavioural change in children. During the pandemic, children learned the significance of washing hands, staying indoors, and wearing masks by modelling the story characters.

There are enough and more reasons to engage children with literature during crises. Children who spend time reading books are more likely to turn to literature during unprecedented times of crisis. It is our responsibility to connect our young minds with diverse kinds of literature.