The Mask that Loved to Count

Who would have thought a few months ago that anyone would write a picture book about a surgical mask? Now of course, they are the accessory of the moment. This book is part of a series of six books that explore life under Covid 19 and are designed to normalise many aspects of the experience and to help children cope with what can be a scary challenge. It is written in the third person from the mask’s point of view, as it journeys from the pharmacy to the purchaser’s home and then on a plane to a hospital at the centre of the epidemic to help a young patient.

Although not an exciting narrative, this is a reassuring and positive story with a simple message that masks can help us and save lives. The illustrations enhance the text adding more information and rounding out the story. The pictorial details will be useful to discuss with children and give them an opportunity to ask questions about hospitalisation and other aspects of the pandemic. It will provide a relevant focus for use in a classroom setting and also be helpful for parents to calm children’s anxieties at home.

Title: The Mask that Loved to Count

Author and Illustrator; Luo Xi

Translator (from Chinese): Helen Wang

Publisher: Twinkling Books, Eunoia Publishing Ltd

ISBN: 978-1-99-000068-3

RRP: 16.99

Format: Picturebook

Publication: August, 2020

Age Range: Picturebook -Junior

Do you have any advisory warnings for this book? No

Reviewer: Carola Crawford, English teacher, Karanga Mai Young Parents’ College

How are you recommending this book: Recommended

What’s the book’s opening sentence? A mask in the pharmacy started to count…

You can buy this book here