"It’s a...COVID CALAMITY!”: Lothian-based Scottish gas engineer debuts his children's book about mindfulness during the pandemic

John J Manning, a Scottish Gas engineer based in Livingston, West Lothian, has written and illustrated his first ever book which aims to help children deal with anxiety surrounding coronavirus.

John J Manning and his new children's book "It's a...Covid Calamity!" (Photo: John J Manning).

45 year-old John J Manning has created a bright and colourful self-help guide for children during the pandemic.

“It’s a... COVID CALAMITY” – self- published by John in September last year under his “Moon and Back Books” publications via Amazon – came about after John was inspired help young people deal with the stresses and concerns of the pandemic.

Written in rhyme, the book acts as ‘a public information story’ with the narrative in the perspective of a child coping with ‘scary’, ‘cheeky’ and ‘surprise’ covid.

John who previously studied at the Glasgow Building and Printing College said: "I was originally a graphic designer and illustrator and got bored of that years ago and decided to become a gas engineer.

"I’ve always done little cartoons on nieces and nephews cards and things like that so it’s always been there but then a couple of years ago just to amuse myself when I was in the van in between jobs I was making up little rhyming stories and putting them in a notebook and they were only just sitting there.

"During lockdown, my wife Pamela – who is a headteacher – was teaching a couple of our friends’ kids and a little boy Nathan who was really quite angsty about covid would talk about how he had bad dreams about the virus.”

"It gave me the idea to do something about it as it’s not nice seeing kids anxious like that so I thought I could write a wee story and it might help him to understand it a bit more.”

John, a gas engineer by day, embarked on his book writing journey in April last year after being furloughed at the beginning of lockdown.

With many boilers breaking in wintry conditions, John commented that he has been able to distribute copies of his books which he keeps in his van to clients across the Lothians who have children.

John commented that the response has been very positive with clients ‘blown away’ by the fact that their gas engineer is an author and illustrator.

The book – mainly aimed at 3-8 year olds but is ‘ageless’– includes mindfulness steps to help young people deal with their emotions by associating their ever-changing moods with the weather.

Steps also include ‘hug your teddy’ and ‘breathing buddies’ which focuses on controlling children’s breathing rhythms with their furry friend.

A social worker in Dunbartonshire has also bought copies of John’s book to help their elderly clients who have Alzheimer's learn about the virus.

John said: "It’s not just the bad that’s happening in lockdown and out of a situation where I was at home I re-found my love for writing and illustration which could help young people.”

John has done online book tours with visits including schools in Broxburn, Bathgate and Baillieston, his home suburb in Glasgow.

There are more books in the pipeline, with John saying he has at least eight stories in his notebook.

One which we can look forward to is “There’s a tiger in my garden” which is based off a wide-eyed cat frequenting the couple’s garden fence in Livingston.

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