Covid: 'Pants on face' question prompts explainer book

The book uses comic illustrations to help explain face masks to children

A book explaining face masks and Covid-19 to children was prompted by the question "why do grown-ups have pants on their face?"

Jackie Hardie, who runs a nursery in Portishead, was asked the question and has created Pants On My Face?

"It was just a passing comment, and hearing the language my own daughter uses to talk about Covid is what I based the story on," said Ms Hardie.

The book has been illustrated by Portishead-based artist Tracie Fry.

Ms Hardie, from nearby Abbots Leigh, North Somerset, said: "I was very aware that children needed some honesty with Covid.

"They need childlike humour to make sense of it, and it has brought a lot of ease to children in the library."

Ms Fry said she had sent a copy to the Duchess of Cambridge, who wrote back with a letter of thanks.

One of the book's characters is based on Ms Hardie's daughter

Ms Hardie said children have been "amazingly adaptable" during the pandemic "as long as they understand why, and that 'why' question is very crucial".

"Six months ago, nobody was wearing a mask, now they're everywhere," she said.

"The book helps explain the virus in a way which isn't scary for children."

A planned launch date for the book has been postponed because of rules on large gatherings, so the book has been released online instead.