Synopsis: Research has shown that building resilience in the face of adversity or challenges helps children and young people develop effective coping strategies and improve long-term outcomes across a spectrum of illnesses. “You Are So Much More: An Inspiration for Children Healing from Illness or Injury” by author Serena Tejpar and illustrators Anoosha Lalani and Iman Tejpar reminds children who have gone through or are going through an illness or injury, that they are indeed so much more.

With the publication of “You Are So Much More: An Inspiration for Children Healing from Illness or Injury“, trauma survivor and medical student Serena Tejpar shares a story of inspiration, reflection, and encouragement that can be read over and over again.

Critique: Thoroughly ‘child friendly’ in storyline and presentation, “You Are So Much More: An Inspiration for Children Healing from Illness or Injury” is a superbly crafted picture book for children ages 5-7. While very highly recommended for family, daycare center, preschool, elementary school, and community library health/medicine collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that “You Are So Much More: An Inspiration for Children Healing from Illness or Injury” is also available in a paperback edition (9781615996322, $16.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.95).

Editorial Note: Serena Tejpar is a medical student at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto with a Master of Science in Global Health and a Certificate in Narrative-Based Medicine. Serena carries a passion for the intersection of health humanities and clinical practice. She was commended for her commitment to improving the Canadian healthcare system and addressing inequities in healthcare systems worldwide following her experience as a trauma patient after a near-fatal motor vehicle collision in 2015. She has received numerous awards and honours in recognition of her leadership, community service, and resilience including being named YMCA Ontario’s Young Woman of Excellence, Top 50 Emerging Canadian Leader, and a Young Director with G(irls)20.

http://www.midwestbookreview.com/cbw/sep_22.htm#Health
The Health Shelf
You Are So Much More
Serena Tejpar, author
Anoosha Lalani & Iman Tejpar, illustrators
Loving Healing Press
5145 Pontiac Trail, Ann Arbor, MI 48105
www.lovinghealing.com
9781615996339, $29.95, HC, 44pp

Sherry Lynn Jones

Store / Sherry Lynn Jones

Why you are uniquely qualified to write this book?

I can tell these stories because I have lived them and know the difference between dramatic representations and real life. Like many, I grew up watching the EMS and ER shows on television that focused on the hero aspect, providing predictable outcomes, and an unrealistic percentage of happy endings. Although television and movie depictions are more factual these days, the truth about how the emergency worker feels remains mostly hidden. My slant is in telling another side of the story: what responders think and feel during calls, how they internalize tragedy, what happens after the call, and how our world turns upside down when the patient is someone we love.

Why did you write this book?

When I tell people what I do, they focus on the gory side of life, like those who cannot look away from the scene of a bad accident. What they do not realize until it happens to them is that trauma affects someone who is loved and cherished, and lives are forever changed. I want people to see the world for a moment through my eyes, to walk with me through the broken glass, to sit next to me and hold the hand of the injured or dying, to fight against death thinking that sometimes we just might have the power to win those battles. And then I want them to see the complete lunacy of it all and laugh.

What do you think readers will get out of it?

I am hoping that readers will see emergency service workers in a new light and realize we are human, too. We have our own challenges, pains, and sorrows. We have had surgeries, major illnesses, broken bones, and our share of emotional scars. We have been in accidents, our backs are killing us from lifting, and our feet ache after shifts that last from 12 to 24 hours, often without a break. We also realize the importance of last words, how sometimes the sound of an “I love you” has to last a lifetime.

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