Inside

Lauren Loftus

Lauren Gero

Little Steps, 2024

32pp., hbk., RRP $A26.95

9781922833808

Early 2020 and the whispers about a disease that is about to overtake the world are becoming louder and louder and within a few weeks, “the world has turned outside-in”.  While approaches to its impact varied greatly, there was a common thread of encouraging people to stay indoors and not visit each other, and this book reminds little ones of they were brave and kind inside by staying inside.  Even though it meant not seeing loved ones and not going to school, by staying at home they were caring for others because they didn’t put them at risk. 

One might wonder about the relevance of this book four years on, particularly as a conversation with the principal of a large primary school suggests that there is little to no talk of COVID and its restrictions at the time, although there are other issues that have arisen.  But, it does have value in the school library collection if it is used as a way to show children that they do have experience of overcoming overwhelming situations and if they are faced with such circumstances in their personal lives again, they do have the wherewithal inside to face them and deal with them.  By reminding them of their personal experience, and how with the love and caring of those around them they were able to both survive and thrive, that they can do it again no matter what might be thrown at them.  So rather than being a story about the pandemic it becomes a springboard for consolidating their resilience.