I'm always excited to find more books about food allergies and Zoey caught my eye with her super cute personality. I didn't even read the description, I just knew we had to get this book!
About the Author
Anisha grew up in Ontario, Canada and knew from a young age that her calling was to work with children and make a difference in their lives. Since she was a little girl, she knew she wanted to be a teacher. In high school, she volunteered at many childcare centers and children’s programs and quickly learned she was in the right place. Anisha has over 15 years of experience in early childhood education and is a childcare coach, consultant and specialist. She is the owner of Anisha Angella Books and Consulting.
Anisha specializes in online workshops and courses, childcare consulting like administrative support, team training, leadership training, quality control and branding, and coaching childcare professionals and self-published authors. She also works with early childhood entrepreneurs who are looking to build a business in early childhood by becoming a coach, online facilitator or educator.
What Inspired You to Become an Author?
My love for early education and literacy as an Early Childhood Educator (ECE). Always loved children’s books and reading them with lots of excitement for children and the need for more diverse reads for children.
Why This Book?
I have an anaphylactic allergy myself! I was eager to share my story and create a resource for those that can relate. I worked with many families in my role as an early childhood leader that discovered their child has allergies. I saw their anxiety and fear. And lack of resources to explain their story.
What Have You Enjoyed Most About Writing and/or Publishing?
Seeing everyone enjoy it has been the best part! Being able to create something children can relate to as well as being able to now help others create their own stories through my self-publishing program.
What is Something That Has Surprised You During Your Book Publishing Journey?
That I can do it!! I spent lots of time convincing myself it was impossible. Felt lots of imposter syndrome along the way. I was surprised that even through COVID – I did it!
What Advice Would You Give to Aspiring Authors?
Believe in your story! There is a child out there waiting to connect to your story.
Book Description: Zoey is a little girl who discovers she has food allergies and goes through the process of understanding her allergy and building confidence.
(Katie) Cover Review: Love the bright, fun, inviting cover. Zoey is center stage and you can feel her energy.
(Kids) Cover Review:
(7-yr-old): I love her big smile!
(Katie) Story Review: This was a really cute, informative, and realistic story. As told by 5-year-old Zoey, she walks us through the whole journey of finding out about her food allergies from having a reaction and going to the doctor to how she keeps herself safe at restaurants. I appreciate that she brought in allergy-specific terms like anaphylactic and epinephrine. These are important to know and understand and she did a great job breaking the words down for young readers to pronounce and understand. I especially liked the repetition of these words and some of the feelings related to having a reaction. I loved how she included the simple ways to keep Zoey safe, like hand washing and asking before eating. These are very important lessons for children to understand that can make a big difference. It was also nice to see the character taking these actions and showing empowerment and advocacy for her own safety.
(Kids) Story Review:
(7-yr-old): A favorite part was when she asked her friend to wash his hands before playing. I learned that you should ask waiters when we go out to eat. I didn't know that. I really liked her fanny pack and bracelet and that she also carries the same special medicine I have to. I thought the pictures were realistic. I learned that you should tell people about your allergies. I like that Zoey is happy.
(5-yr-old): I really liked that her friend shared a brownie, but I learned that brownies could have nuts in them!
(Katie) Overall: I really enjoyed the bright illustrations and positive vibe this book gave out, especially considering it can be a difficult and scary topic to discuss with children. Anisha did a great job with the educational information, keeping it relatable, but not dismissing it, such as talking about anaphylaxis and epinephrine. This book brought up really good discussions with our kids. Our oldest said she learned about telling restaurants about her food allergies, which has usually been me, but it brought to light that she should begin to advocate and speak for herself as well. Even though we live with food allergies everyday, our children still learned new lessons, which was great. This book covers many topics from daycare, sharing, restaurants, medicine, and more in a fun, playful, and positive way. The illustrations are very bright, fun, and inviting.
OVERALL RATING:
Interested in adding Zoey Has An Allergy to your library? Book details and where you can find it are listed below!
Title: Zoey Has An Allergy
Author: Anisha Angella
Publisher: Self-Published
Details: Hardcover, 28 pages
Suitable for ages: All ages
Currently available at: www.anishaangellabooks.ca and Indigo/Spirit
Website: www.anishaangellabooks.ca
Instagram: AnishaAngella.co and MeetZoey.co
Facebook: AnishaAngella.co and
Twitter: AnishaAngella