The Quarantine Quads: Sunderland teachers turn family experiences under lockdown into book to help children

Two Wearside teachers have turned their own families’ experiences during the COVID-19 crisis into a book to help other youngsters.
Pictured are (left to right) Rachael Fairclough and her three daughters and Jessica Sharman.Pictured are (left to right) Rachael Fairclough and her three daughters and Jessica Sharman.
Pictured are (left to right) Rachael Fairclough and her three daughters and Jessica Sharman.

Rachael Fairclough and Jessica Sharman, who both work at St Anthony’s Girls Catholic Academy in Sunderland, have worked together to create The Quarantine Quads.

It is a rhyming story about three children and a dog and their lives during coronavirus, and everything from following Joe Wicks online to clapping for carers is included.

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Rachael, who is an RE teacher and head of year eight, started to keep a video diary about her three children – six-year-old Violet, Pearl who is aged five and 12-month-old Clara – from the moment that lockdown began.

The Quarantine Quads is now available on Amazon.The Quarantine Quads is now available on Amazon.
The Quarantine Quads is now available on Amazon.

And she has now used their experiences and that of her friend and colleague Jessica who has just bought a new puppy as the basis of the fun tale.

Rachael said: “I decided to create a video diary of what the girls were doing, from PE sessions with Joe Wicks online to having lessons at home to the weekly clap for carer.

“And I decided to turn it into a story which hopefully would help other children to realise that they were not the only ones going through these very strange times.”

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Rachael told Jessica what she planned to do and they agreed to add her new puppy into the story.

Art teacher Jessica played another role in that she also provided the illustrations.

The book is now available to buy via Amazon, with a percentage of the profits going to support the NSPCC.

Rachael added: “It has been a really fun project to do and of course my girls love the fact they’re the subject of a book.”

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“But I really hope it will also help other children who may have been concerned about what they have been though the last few months.”

The Quarantine Quads is aimed at primary school age children and is available on Amazon at £6.99.