(English) Coronavirus Isn’t a Prince (or Princess)
Coronavirus isn’t a Prince (or Princess). This children’s book dives into the mind of a seven-year-old boy. The story explores the symptoms of Coronavirus and how a child might be interpreting having to stay at home. He talks about new routines and cleaning habits, and even new challenges: how to wash your hands properly while singing your favorite song. Using his imagination (and eyes), the child shares the feeling of giving a round of applause for health-workers through his window. He pictures Coronavirus in a castle, also not having to go to school. For him, Coronavirus is someone new that has come into our lives, someone the grown-ups can’t stop talking about. A story by María Coco Artwork by Sara Ramírez Coordination and proofreading by María R. Coco Translation into English by Alejandra Sanz Godoy Edited and proofread by Gwenydd Jones
Coronavirus isn’t a Prince (or Princess). This children’s book dives into the mind of a seven-year-old boy. The story explores the symptoms of Coronavirus and how a child might be interpreting having to stay at home. He talks about new routines and cleaning habits, and even new challenges: how to wash your hands properly while singing your favorite song. Using his imagination (and eyes), the child shares the feeling of giving a round of applause for health-workers through his window. He pictures Coronavirus in a castle, also not having to go to school. For him, Coronavirus is someone new that has come into our lives, someone the grown-ups can’t stop talking about.
A story by María Coco
Artwork by Sara Ramírez
Coordination and proofreading by María R. Coco
Translation into English by Alejandra Sanz Godoy
Edited and proofread by Gwenydd Jones
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Proofreading by<br />
Artw<strong>or</strong>k by<br />
<strong>C<strong>or</strong>onavirus</strong><br />
<strong>Isn’t</strong> a <strong>Prince</strong><br />
A st<strong>or</strong>y by<br />
(<strong>or</strong> <strong>Prince</strong>ss)
All rights reserved.<br />
Any f<strong>or</strong>m of reproduction, distribution, public communication<br />
<strong>or</strong> adaptation of this publication is subject to the auth<strong>or</strong>ization<br />
of its owners, with the exceptions established by law.<br />
Title: <strong>C<strong>or</strong>onavirus</strong> <strong>Isn’t</strong> a <strong>Prince</strong> (<strong>or</strong> <strong>Prince</strong>ss)<br />
Aut<strong>or</strong>a: María Coco Hernando www.mariacoco.es<br />
Artw<strong>or</strong>k and design by Sara Ramírez Sáez www.shine.es<br />
Proofreading by María Rodríguez Coco www.mariacoco.<strong>or</strong>g<br />
Translation into <strong>English</strong> by Alejandra Sanz Godoy<br />
Edited and proofread by Gwenydd Jones<br />
Tipografía Barrio: Sergio Jiménez and Pablo Cosgaya
To Manu and Tomi.<br />
To Elisa and Julia.<br />
Because, sometimes, explaining these things isn’t easy.<br />
Because st<strong>or</strong>ies are windows to an escape.<br />
Because not everything w<strong>or</strong>ks out as planned.<br />
Because, together, we can beat anything.<br />
Because every day at home is a new opp<strong>or</strong>tunity<br />
to keep learning from you.
2<br />
There’s no school today.<br />
These weeks are so different.<br />
F<strong>or</strong> some time now, the grown-ups<br />
have been talking about someone<br />
called <strong>C<strong>or</strong>onavirus</strong>.
When I hear this w<strong>or</strong>d, I always picture<br />
a <strong>Prince</strong> <strong>or</strong> <strong>Prince</strong>ss in my mind.<br />
<strong>C<strong>or</strong>onavirus</strong> is an itsy-bitsy someone,<br />
Who lives in a castle with lots of friends.<br />
I’m sure <strong>C<strong>or</strong>onavirus</strong> doesn’t<br />
have to go to school, either.<br />
Could I see this person under a microscope?<br />
3
4<br />
Dad’s cleaning the house. He’s anxious.<br />
Mom’s always on her computer.<br />
She speaks with doct<strong>or</strong>s and<br />
her face looks, oh, so tired.<br />
Maybe she’s getting sick.
We call Grandpa and Grandma<br />
and ask them not to leave their house.<br />
I guess it’s cold outside,<br />
even though the sun is shining.<br />
5
6<br />
I wonder what <strong>C<strong>or</strong>onavirus</strong> looks like ...<br />
A rock star <strong>or</strong> with strange,<br />
glittery clothes?<br />
We love music in this family,<br />
so I like to think of <strong>C<strong>or</strong>onavirus</strong> as a rock star.
Where does <strong>C<strong>or</strong>onavirus</strong> live?<br />
He <strong>or</strong> she sure must travel a lot.<br />
Mom says we might meet<br />
this person one day.<br />
7
8
We’ve been spending all our days at home.<br />
Playing a lot, Mom, Dad, and me.<br />
We do exercise on the game console.<br />
Painting, cutting, and pasting,<br />
and we laugh all the time.<br />
9
10<br />
We’ve never gone so long without going out.<br />
And I love it outside!<br />
But what we do now is open the<br />
windows to chat with the neighb<strong>or</strong>s<br />
who live across the street.<br />
They don’t go out either.
In the evenings, we give<br />
a round of applause<br />
to the people w<strong>or</strong>king hard to<br />
make sure we stay healthy.<br />
Everything’s different now.<br />
11
12<br />
We also wash our hands a lot<br />
and take long showers.<br />
We clean the house and<br />
help with the cooking.<br />
We do lots of different things.
Today, I got a s<strong>or</strong>e throat. I have a fever<br />
too. But we’re not going to the doct<strong>or</strong>.<br />
Mom and Dad say <strong>C<strong>or</strong>onavirus</strong> has come,<br />
but I still can’t see anyone.<br />
I guess they must be really tiny.<br />
So, I’m using my magnifying<br />
glass to try to find them.<br />
15
16<br />
I get two points if I sneeze<br />
into my elbow.<br />
And if I wash my hands a lot,<br />
and between my fingers, I get another point.<br />
Do you know what the prize is? Hot<br />
chocolate f<strong>or</strong> my afternoon snack!
17
Grandpa and Grandma are also coughing.<br />
They’re not going out either and<br />
They call the doct<strong>or</strong> every day.<br />
We Facetime a lot,<br />
and tell loads of jokes.<br />
18<br />
It makes me laugh!
19
20
They say it’s going to be a while<br />
bef<strong>or</strong>e we can go back to school.<br />
In the m<strong>or</strong>nings, we do homew<strong>or</strong>k,<br />
That our teachers are sending to us.<br />
In the afternoons, we play.<br />
We’re getting used to it now.<br />
I’m also feeling better.<br />
21
They found <strong>C<strong>or</strong>onavirus</strong>!<br />
I heard on the news that<br />
it was a woman with a<br />
microscope who did it. Lucky her!<br />
I knew someone would manage it!<br />
Now, she’s preparing a shot,<br />
so everyone can be healthy again.<br />
23
24
I drew a picture of <strong>C<strong>or</strong>onavirus</strong>.<br />
Let me show it to you.<br />
Now we know each other,<br />
Let’s learn to get on.<br />
25
If we all follow the rules,<br />
and stay at home,<br />
we’ll go back to school soon enough<br />
to be reunited with our friends.<br />
27
We have the superpower<br />
to stay protected<br />
Washing our hands can be fun. Let’s play a game!<br />
Think of your fav<strong>or</strong>ite song and sing it from start to finish while<br />
you carefully rub your hands with soap.<br />
Don’t touch your mouth, nose, <strong>or</strong> eyes.<br />
If you do, you’ll lose a point f<strong>or</strong> your supersnack!<br />
28<br />
When you cough <strong>or</strong> sneeze, cover your mouth with the<br />
inside of your elbow. Quick question: Can you think of three<br />
other things you can do with the inside of your elbow?<br />
Tough, right?
If you feel scared, talk to Mom and Dad about it.<br />
They’ll understand and they’ll explain what’s going on.<br />
It’s n<strong>or</strong>mal to be scared.<br />
Being at home all day means we can do a whole host of<br />
things. Maybe it’s time to help with the cleaning, learn how<br />
to tie your shoes, <strong>or</strong> even figure out what your fav<strong>or</strong>ite pizza<br />
flav<strong>or</strong> is!<br />
If you get a s<strong>or</strong>e throat <strong>or</strong> headache, tell Mom and Dad.<br />
They’ll always take care of you.<br />
And, if you get b<strong>or</strong>ed, dive into your books. Just pick one<br />
and read it. Books are the do<strong>or</strong> to so many different w<strong>or</strong>lds.<br />
AND EVERYTHING<br />
WILL BE ALL RIGHT<br />
29