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COVID-19 Pandemic Children's Book Collection

Headshot of Ashley Hosbach smiling. Photograph.

Ashley Hosbach

Contact: aeh5mg@virginia.edu

Ashley is the Project Lead and University of Virginia’s Education & Social Science Research Librarian. Ashley specializes in children’s literature and is currently researching the COVID-19 pandemic and social emotional learning represented in picture books.

 

Headshot of Mary Lihong Peng smiling with a floral background behind her. Photograph.

Mary Lihong Peng

Mary served as the project's Social Emotional Learning Cataloger and Digital Support. She graduated from UVA in May 2021. She is currently an MPH Candidate at the Yale School of Public Health, with a focus on Digital Health, Psychosocial Epidemiology & Public Health Modeling.


Managing Fear and Anxiety

The mental toll of the COVID-19 pandemic poses a significant threat to children. Doctors indicate that depression, anxiety, and trauma in children have skyrocketed. In October 2021, the AAP, AACAP, and CHA declared a national emergency in children’s mental health (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2021).  Recognizing and addressing fear and stress can be an important step to tackle these issues. With an emphasis on mindfulness and coping strategies, the books in this section aim to serve as resources for counselors, educators, caregivers, social workers, and librarians. They are mapped to the CASEL Framework for applying evidence-based SEL strategies.