Thank you to the generous and talented Deana Sobel Lederman for sharing another story with my readers! 'Masks' gently introduces the concept of wearing masks to young children through a clever series of conversations between animal families. Deana creates a world where wearing masks, for a short time, is something we can do together. Physical distancing does not limit social connections. We learn this as our animal friends venture out into the neighborhood with their new masks. The author/illustrator has imagined a world where we can stay connected, but apart, and reminds us to end the day with ice cream!
Since we have been out of school due to #COVID19, I have been narrating books for my students. I feel like if they can at least hear a familiar voice, it might give some comfort during this unsettling time. Thank you, Deana, your generosity is appreciated and being enjoyed by so many children. You have brilliantly transformed complicated issues of wearing masks and physical distancing into a story that demystifies our "now normal."
Bio: Deana Sobel Lederman is a cartoonist and illustrator who lives in San Diego, California with her husband and two young sons. She is the author of Noah Henry: A Rainbow Story, a story for families about the COVID-19 pandemic, and the webcomic Philip the Sea Lion. You might have seen her work in Business Insider, Barron’s, The Hairpin, the Brooklyn Public Library, Gallery New World Stages in Manhattan, or the New York City Department of Education’s publications. You can read more about her work in the Greenpoint Gazette.
As an undergraduate at UC Berkeley, Deana illustrated and cartooned for The Daily Californian. She earned national recognition for her editorial cartoons and was a finalist for both the John Locher Memorial Award and the Society of Professional Journalism Mark of Excellence Awards. Her comic strip, Roomies, based on the lives of Deana and her six college roommates, was a finalist for MTV U’s Strips contest. In 2008, she received a JD from UC Berkeley School of Law, where she concentrated in copyright and patent law.
You can follow her on Instagram @drawdeanadraw.
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