Interview with Author, Casey Kendall

Clarissa's idea for the book stemmed from watching her kids miss out on opportunities during the pandemic. They were faced with challenges and disappointments that they had never been faced with before. Everything in the book is something that the Kendall Family experienced during the year 2020.

What was it like working with your mom? 

It was good! My mom let me design the book cover and sketch out all of the drawings. We wrote down a bunch of ideas about our experiences and thought about what other families experienced too. We kept hearing the word resilience over and over as we were working on it!

What was one of the biggest disappointments you faced in 2020? 

My state gymnastics meet was canceled. It was something that I had worked all year for. 

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What changed most for you during the pandemic? 

I missed seeing my friends and family. I did a lot of Zoom chats with my friends, but it wasn't the same. It was sad. My great-grandmother passed away and we didn't get to visit her, because she was in a nursing home.

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Did you actually get a quarantine pet? 

Yes! We got a bunny named Dash. We still have him. 

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Did you really decorate for Christmas before Halloween? 

Yes! My sister wanted to brighten the mood in the house, so she thought all of the bright Christmas garland lights would help.

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Was there anything good that came from your pandemic experience? 

I appreciate seeing my family and friends more. And going to my activities. We did dance classes on Zoom. It was definitely interesting dancing in my living room. 

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