Rosie and her mum turn lockdown into a happy ending by writing a book
FOR many, lockdown has been an opportunity to reconnect with family and spend some muchneeded time with our nearest and dearest.
One family from south Manchester has used their lockdown time together to create an ‘inspirational’ children’s book celebrating their diverse local community.
Sally Penni, 41, and her daughter Maddie, 6, decided to write a book together after the sudden changes to their routine started becoming hard to handle.
Along with Sally’s two sons Jack, 9, and Will, 8, the family have been shielding at home since the start of lockdown in order to protect a family member from the spread of coronavirus.
“Although the last few months have been very difficult having to work from home whilst trying to home-school three children who have not been allowed out at all, projects like publishing this book have kept us going,” Sally said.
Rosie and the Unicorn brings Maddie’s love of magical creatures to life while telling a story of inclusivity and diversity.
The book follows a young girl called Rosie who wakes up one morning to find a rainbow unicorn outside her bedroom window.
As they fly around the village together, Rosie teaches the unicorn that people come from all different kinds of families, backgrounds, religions, and ethnicities.
“Our family is dual heritage,” Sally, who works as a barrister, adds. “It is so important for our children and many others to see picture book heroes and heroines who look like them - not all little girls have long blonde hair and big blue eyes.”
Local south Manchester landmarks including the Cheese Hamlet, Didsbury Park and the Poppy Path mural also feature in the book in illustrations by Lisa Williams.
All profits from the book will be split between the NHS, Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital and mental health charity Young Minds - all charities that have been under extra strain during the pandemic.
“It’s very exciting to have a book where the characters look like me and my friends,” Maddie said.
● You can purchase a copy of Rosie and the Unicorn from Amazon for £7.99.