X University alumna and former CanCulture editor published her debut children's novel discussing feelings of anxiety in young children.

By: Arjot Sandhawalia

While the pandemic has affected everyone, children, in particular, have faced many difficulties and have become more at risk for mental illness. COVID-19 has been stressful on youth for many reasons, such as school closures and other cancelled extracurricular activities. Kids are confined to their homes and have lost the normal structured support that socialization offers. As a result, they’ve turned to activities like reading in order to cope with the stress of the pandemic.

X University alumna Shannon Schaefer’s children's book Rudy’s Belly of Bees is part of the next generation of children's books with a new tone. The main character Rudy is loosely based on Schaefer and her own experiences as a child, according to the author. The story follows the young girl trying to overcome a seemingly regular day, but for her, it is quite scary.

Shannon Schaefer with a copy of her book. (courtesy of Shannon Schaefer)

The story starts with Rudy waking up feeling anxious about competing in her school race. All day Rudy feels alone, both physically and emotionally. Her stomach feels like it is full of bees, and the buzzing does not go away. She lashes out at her other classmates because she is not able to convey her feelings. Her classmate Wyatt grabs an adult, Coach Christine, who is able to help Rudy understand her nervousness and anxiety. The buzzing of the bees seems to disappear as Rudy starts to feel better. The resolution of the book teaches children that it is okay to receive help and it is possible to conquer those upsetting feelings.

The illustrations along with the text allow the reader to truly understand what Rudy is feeling. The bees make multiple appearances throughout the pages to showcase how Rudy is feeling. No matter what she tries, they never leave. The grey and blue colours also help to guide and enhance the reading experience. Whenever Rudy is in her own thoughts, the reader sees the dull colours that reflect her negative emotions. Her world feels dark and scary, but when her coach comes and helps her, the colours shift. The colour yellow is added, which indicates her overcoming her fear. Wyatt also shares his own fears with Rudy which allows her to realize she is not alone. Her world feels brighter and lighter.

*Rudy’s Belly of Bees*, illustrated by Becca Marshall. (courtesy of Shannon Schaefer)

Schaefer started the writing process at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, a time when many felt the weight and anxiety of the unknown. This uncertainty inspired her to write Rudy’s Belly of Bees to teach children about the overwhelming feelings that many of them might experience — feelings that Schaefer herself is familiar with.

“I wanted the belly of bees to bring a person's own understanding into play,” said Schaefer. “Sometimes kids can feel invalidated or talked down to, and using the belly of bees to describe something allows it to be real and validated.”

“I hope in the future more serious topics will be covered in serious ways to allow kids to feel validated, but also written with the understanding of not scaring children,” Schaefer elaborated.

Reading this story as an adult resonates because we all have our inner child and we all can still have a belly of bees. However, as adults, we are able to access resources such as therapy or support groups to overcome and understand our anxieties in a healthy way.

This is why books like Schaefer’s are great ways of teaching children how to deal with their own emotions in a healthy way, as well as how it is okay to ask for and receive help.

“I just want to get the writing into children's hands … to make youth mental health an easier and less taboo topic to talk about,” said Schaefer.

Her plans for the future include writing more children's books based on other issues children face and supporting young children in whatever way possible. Her book has been read in many classrooms and has received many positive reactions from students.

You can purchase Rudy’s Belly of Bees here.