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Austin grandmother writes children book to help kids understand the coronavirus

After one of her granddaughters asked why they couldn't hug her since they weren't sick, Jere Confrey realized she wanted to write a book to help kids understand.

AUSTIN, Texas — Many grandparents are losing special moments with their kids – reading, cooking or just hanging out. But how many of the grandkids fully understand why?

It's what caused one Austin woman to write a children's book about just that.

"'Love Without Hugs' is special because it makes the effort to try and see that this is confusing from children's point of view, that they can not be sick, but still cannot hug," said Jere Confrey, the author. 

Confrey wrote the book to help kids understand.

"We usually do these things, but not now, and I don't like it," Confrey read to her granddaughters over a Zoom call.

Who better to use in the pictures than her own grandchildren, the inspiration for the book?

"Actually the first version of the book that we did was actually a version of word processing and with photographs of the kids," she said. "We decided to go ahead and self publish the book on Amazon so that we could make it available for other parents and grandparents and kids, to help other people understand this situation."

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The book touches on topics otherwise tough for kids.

"This can make the person a carrier, without them feeling sick at all," she read from the book.

"I know what it means to be a carrier, Grandma," replied one of her grandkids, Caroline.

"Oh, would you like to explain Caroline?" Confrey asked. 

"It means carrying the virus without being sick," explained Caroline.

Confrey is hoping simple pages can help make this life without hugs still full of love.

A portion of the proceeds from the book is also going to be used to help purchase doctors' PPE. Confrey said since two of her own kids are doctors this has a special place in her heart.

If you would like to purchase the book you can find it on Amazon.

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