By: Jessica O’Connor
Patricia Middleton has had aspirations of becoming an author for a number of years.
A former reading lab instructor at Colleton Middle School, Miss Middleton retired from teaching in the thick of the pandemic. In her newly found free time, she decided the time was right to pursue her dreams of authoring a book. Inspired by a vision of bringing hope to young readers across the globe during this confusing time, she set out to write “When I Leave My House-Moving Beyond Covid-19” in 2021.
“I’ve always said I would write a book once I calmed down after leaving school”, she laughed. “ And I’m retired now. I was lying in bed one night and all of a sudden it came to me, and I just kept writing and writing. I wrote four pages within a half hour the first night.”
The book illuminates the thoughts of a little girl as she makes plans for all of the things she plans to do once the pandemic ends. Adorned with vibrant illustrations to further draw readers into the story, it serves as a source of light and love for young people as they navigate these trying times.
“It is important that we not lose sight of all the negative emotions brought on by this virus that still play a big part in the mental stresses of children,” said Miss Middleton. “It is my hope that this book will be a source of motivation to children and a tool for adults to let children know that there are brighter days ahead, when we can take off our masks and be among people, especially family and friends.”
The book was given approval by both the curriculum coordinator and superintendent of the Colleton County School District. Miss Middleton plans to visit each of the district’s elementary schools to present the books to students and donate a copy to each of their libraries.
Although the pandemic doesn’t look quite the same now as it did in 2020 and 2021, the author still feels that “When I Leave My House-Moving Beyond Covid-19 still holds relevance.
Parents can find a copy of this uplifting book on the author’s website: brighterdaysforourchildren.com or on Amazon, where it currently has a 5-star rating.
