Former London, Ont., principal partners with teen illustrator for kids' book about the pandemic
CBC
When Shannon-Lee Kelly decided to write a children's book about the pandemic, the retired London, Ont., principal wasn't having much luck finding an illustrator.
But then Kelly heard about Adrianna Stekar, a 15-year-old H.B. Secondary School art student with a lot of promise.
"So I called her mom and dad, and introduced myself," recalled Kelly, who had worked for the Thames Valley District School Board.
Kelly told the family she wanted to write a rhyming book called Six Feet Apart, and it would be about hope in the face of a worldwide pandemic.
"That no matter what was happening in the world, that by coming together, we were going to get through it," she said. "We were not only going to survive, but we were going to thrive."
A nervous Stekar agreed to work with Kelly, and although she'd never illustrated a book, she was eager to get started.
"There's a lot of bright colours, lots of big eyes on the children," said Stekar, now 16. "There's lots of diversity too, which is great."
"She had the maturity and the poise," Kelly said of the student. "I came back at her with lots of edits, and she was always patient and kind and co-operative.
"I couldn't be more impressed."
The book, published by London, Ont., author-turned-publisher David Carruthers, was released five weeks ago and is available to purchase online.
The response has been outstanding, said Kelly, pointing to people all over Canada and in countries as far away as Vietnam and Australia who have purchased it.
"I'm really impressed with myself and I'm really happy with the job I've done," said Stekar.