Pediatrician Hosts Children’s Book Contest
As a pediatrician, Megan McHenry, MD, aims to positively impact children’s lives outside of the hospital and clinics by hosting a book writing contest to get more books for young children into Kenyan homes.
“Reading to children at a young age plays an extraordinary role in their social cognition and neurodevelopment as they grow up. As pediatricians and researchers working in western Kenya, we hope to promote access to books in more households,” said Dr. McHenry, assistant professor of pediatrics at Indiana University (IU) School of Medicine.
The Kusoma Project invites authors based in Kenya to submit a brief children’s book manuscript by March 31 with the theme of celebrating differences in children – including intellectual, physical and emotional differences. Manuscripts should emphasize that all children have gifts and talents that make them unique, powerful, and special. The book will have both English and Swahili text printed, so submissions can be in either language. The book should use simple language and appeal to children 2-6 years old.
"We came up with the title 'The Kusoma Project' because the word 'kusoma' means 'to read' in Swahili,” said the project coordinator and IU School of Medicine student Mary Ann Etling. “Our main message is that anyone can be a storyteller, and everyone is encouraged to submit. We believe everyone has a story that is worth sharing."
Dr. McHenry works with Eren Oyungu, MBChB, MMED, MPH, on several initiatives related to children with neurodevelopmental challenges. “Dr. Oyungu and I have the most incredible team of individuals working alongside us, studying the best ways to optimize child development in Kenya. We often talked about the benefits of reading with a child, such as fostering language development and strengthening the parent-child bond. Members of my team often remarked that books were uncommon in households with young children due to the many competing household demands,” said Dr. McHenry.
“When I looked into buying books for their families and mine, I was disappointed by the limited availability of children’s books written by authors here in Kenya. In a country with so many brilliant storytellers and artists, I thought this might be a good opportunity to bring at least one of those stories to light,” she continued.
Submitted manuscripts will be blindly reviewed by a committee. After the winner is chosen, the manuscript will undergo an editing workshop. A second contest for an illustrator will begin in April 2023. Contributions to the project will also help fund child disability services in Eldoret, Kenya.
Winners will be notified in April and Dr. McHenry will provide prizes for:
First place: 50,000 KSH and 10 copies of the printed book
Second place: 30,000 KSH
Third place: 20,000 KSH
"My research colleagues and friends here in Kenya have provided so many ideas for getting the word out. The opportunity to be a part of this project with Dr. McHenry as my mentor and engage with the community is so meaningful," added Etling.
If you have any questions, please reach out to the project coordinator, Mary Ann Etling.