Molly and the Lockdown

Age 5-7 | Paperback | 36 pages | 250 x 250mm
Publication March 2021 | ISBN 9781914079399

Molly and her friends are suddenly plunged into a lockdown and have to adapt to a new way of living.

Molly completes jigsaws, plays her fiddle, and looks after her pets, whilst her mother helps others on the island and her father is stuck far away on the mainland. With a vaccine on the horizon, this story ends with a message of hope.In collaboration with Irish publisher An tSnáthaid Mhór, the story will be released simultaneously in three languages: English, Irish and Welsh. A great resource for people home-schooling, it helps educate children about the challenging circumstances surrounding COVID-19, UK-wide lockdowns and the vaccine, as well as providing a hopeful message for both children and adults.

Malachy Doyle has over 100 children’s books published by leading English, Welsh and Irish publishers, from picture books to teenage novels. His work has been translated into 27 languages and he is a previous winner of the Tir na n-Og Award (Georgie), the Nestle Children’s Book Award (The Dancing Tiger), the English Association Award for Non-Fiction (Cow) and many other awards in the UK and USA.

Andrew Whitson has illustrated books on various aspects of Irish mythology, including The Creatures of Celtic Myth, The Field Guide to Irish Fairies and The Dark Spirit. In 2011, Andrew received the Bisto honorary award for book illustration. Andrew is based in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Reviews:

'A comforting book to share with younger children about the lockdown and emotions and feelings around it, seen through the eyes of young Molly.' Sarah Webb, Irish Independent

'A perfect story to encourage talk about the pandemic, mental health, wellbeing, and hopes for the future. Definitely a must for all classrooms and early years settings.' It's All About Stories

'A lockdown hug in a book; hopeful, helpful, happy, reassuring and simply lovely.' Fallen Star Stories

'A welcome book and one brilliantly written and Illustrated, this book should be in every school and home.' My Shelves Are Full

'An ideal book for sharing with children as we begin to emerge from the restrictions; it offers a great opportunity for them to talk of their own experiences and to share future hopes.' Red Reading Hub

'This book is ideal for sharing with young children and would open up the opportunity to think and talk about their own experiences. It deals with the topic in a sensitive way but does explain some of the reality.' Brenda Heathcote, The School Librarian

'This is a beautiful written story based on the Covid 19 pandemic, its  told from a child’s point of view  and it explains what happened really well. Its written so a child will understand and answers a lot of questions that they might have.' BookBound