‘One Day Came a Rumble’: How Midway Blitz inspired a children’s book to help kids cope during scary times

Sasha-Ann Simons (0:12)

Hey Chicago, I'm Sasha-Ann Simons, and this is In the Loop.

Be sure to listen all the way through the podcast for a breakdown of the day's top local stories. But first, if you've got little ones in your life, you know that kids can pick up on deeply concerning and scary situations long before they have the words to explain them. And for children of adults impacted by Operation Midway Blitz, that kind of fear hits close to home. But a new book aims to help kids cope with those worries through breathing and other interesting techniques. With the help of colorful pictures and a calming story, One Day Came a Rumble gives young readers ways to cope when the world feels uncertain. In this episode of the pod, we check in with members of the team behind the book. At the table with me was Elizabeth McChesney, who's a Chicago librarian and early literacy specialist who formerly served the Chicago Public Library as the citywide director of Children's Services and Family Engagement. And Steve Musgrave, who's a Chicago illustrator, who's worked with the Chicago Public Library, Lurie Children's Hospital, and the Lincoln Park Zoo.

Now, Liz and Steve worked with co-author Daniel Hatcher, who wasn't available to join us. So I started by having Liz give us an overview of One Day Came a Rumble and how the story is told. Here she is.

Elizabeth McChesney (1:35)

Daniel and I both saw the need for a book that could help kids manage big feelings around sudden disruptions. Daniel's a national mental health and wellness expert. We were both seeing that no matter what your political stance, kids were scared and there's lots to be scared about in the world. We all have rumbly days. Yet I didn't see a book as a librarian that dealt with this specific emotion.

So we decided to write it.

Sasha-Ann Simons (2:07)

And how did the collaboration with all three of you, when you added Steve to the mix, how did that happen?

Elizabeth McChesney (2:13)

I don't want to work ever without Steve. He's an absolutely incredible civic artist here in Chicago, and has done so much beautiful work for kids across the city that Daniel and I knew his illustration was going to be the thing that really brought this book to life.

Sasha-Ann Simons (2:30)

Sure. Yeah. Steve, your bio, because I was stalking you, it says that you enjoy drawing with kids. So I want you to talk about how art can help children cope with tough situations like this.

Steve Musgrave (2:42)

It's interesting. Yeah, I've drawn with kids at Lurie Children's. I've drawn with kids at Cook County Jail and in the waiting room and drawn with kids a bunch in the last couple of weeks since this book came out. I always feel like kids just want to be kids.

When you do something that's that basic and intuitive, drawing with them, I try to work real passively with them and meet them at their space, where they are.

Sasha-Ann Simons (3:20)

Here you've got a title that's foreboding. One Day Came a Rumble for a children's book, but you've got illustrations that are sweet and colorful, and really I think serve as a juxtaposition to that title. Would you say?

Steve Musgrave (3:34)

Yeah, I think the pictures are pretty simple, kind of basic, and very, which in a way, we've gotten some feedback that that really helps. I think they're very direct and easy to access for the kids. There's some emotion in them, but thank you for saying that. I do think they're sweet in a good way.

But they also express some sort of serious fear a little bit.

Sasha-Ann Simons (4:07)

Yeah, which is the subject matter at hand. For sure, for sure.

Liz, let's dive in a little bit more here. The book is following three woodland creatures. There's a deer, a fox, and a bird. They're playing in the forest, and then they hear this frightening sound. Why don't you read a little bit for us so we can hear a bit of how they cope?

Elizabeth McChesney (4:28)

Sure. So I'm going to pick up from where the deer first sees an excavator in the distance. Deer felt frozen from his head to his hooves. He was so afraid he didn't know what to do. Then he moved and stretched with his head held high. He felt as light as a butterfly.

Fox ran into his underground den. He wasn't sure when he'd come out again.

Then he breathed in slowly and thought of sweet flowers. Then blew his breath out. Poof! Petal showers.

Sasha-Ann Simons (5:13)

So you say, shortly after that, you say when a child feels scared, share this story and invite them to practice the techniques that bird and deer and fox are using to manage their anxiety. Talk us through some of the other coping techniques that are in the book.