Author David Colquhoun and illustrator Stacey Kissock release children’s book ‘Leo’s Sleepover: A Diabetic Story’<\/p>\n
A Greater Trail teacher’s\u00a0children’s book about Type 1 diabetes has been years in the making, yet,\u00a0the result\u00a0has\u00a0proven be an illuminating read\u00a0that delights and demystifies the often\u00a0misunderstood\u00a0but manageable disease.<\/p>\n
SD 20 elementary school teacher and author David Colquhoun along with\u00a0artist Stacey Kissock spent\u00a0years revisiting and altering their inaugural opus\u00a0“Leo’s Sleepover: A Diabetic Story.”<\/p>\n
Since its Aug. 3 release, however, the book has received rave reviews, hitting #2 on Amazon’s\u00a0“Children’s Non-fiction on Disabilities” list.<\/p>\n
“It started a long time ago,” said Colquhoun. “My son (Chris) was really young when he was diagnosed, I think he was two-and-a-half, so he was the youngest kid in B.C., and then at four he was the youngest kid with an insulin pump.”<\/p>\n
The book\u00a0focuses\u00a0on the\u00a0challenges unique to diabetes, when the body doesn’t produce enough insulin or can’t properly use the insulin it produces.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In Type 1 diabetes, the body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin producing cells in the pancreas. People\u00a0like Chris had\u00a0to endure daily blood-sugar checks, and\u00a0at times up to five\u00a0injections per day, said Colquhoun.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“We had to learn from scratch, because we didn’t know anything.\u00a0The learning curve was immense.”<\/p>\n
The story has undergone changes over the years, initially outlining the actual challenges faced by Chris, now 27, who wanted to participate in a hockey camp, but his dad wouldn’t allow it until he could deal with his own diabetes.<\/p>\n
Physicians at the Children’s Hospital in Vancouver were so\u00a0impressed with\u00a0Chris’ progress, the hospital\u00a0asked that his dad\u00a0write an educational\u00a0brochure for\u00a0other parents whose children had the same or similar\u00a0diagnosis.<\/p>\n
The school teacher also noticed a need in the classroom, and\u00a0created an information package that proved\u00a0a vital aid for local\u00a0schools.<\/p>\n
“It turned from an information package into a book, because\u00a0people were saying I should get it published,” said Colquhoun. “So I got Stacey and we did an original version probably five or six years ago.”<\/p>\n
He\u00a0also\u00a0contacted children’s book editor and author Chelsea Jackson, who helped\u00a0refine the story into something less complex,\u00a0and more\u00a0accessible.<\/p>\n
Together they came up with the current story line, where Leo,\u00a0mad at his dad because he can’t sleep over at his friends, ultimately takes responsibility and learns to monitor and manage\u00a0his diabetes.<\/p>\n
One reviewer said: “Great insight. I have been a T1D since I was 12.\u00a0The conversations you exhibit in your story are bang-on for us diabetics on how we describe our situation to friends, colleagues, and relatives.<\/p>\n
“Thanks\u00a0Dave for the great story and Stacey for the incredible drawings!\u00a0I’m giving this two thumbs up.”<\/p>\n
Kissock’s images are colourful, fun\u00a0and engaging, and for her first illustrated book, her insight and characterization are\u00a0invaluable.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“They are based loosely on Dave and his son,” said Kissock. “Dave didn’t like that I gave him such a big beard but I decided we were going with it.”<\/p>\n
Kissock worked with editor Jackson to tweak and develop her characters, coming up with different versions before settling on one.<\/p>\n
“Basically there were two sets that we went off of, and the little scientist guy in the book, he was originally from the first one, but we liked him so much, he was coming into this book too,” said Kissock.<\/p>\n
The process for the illustrator involved working off the plot\u00a0and creating sketches that reflected\u00a0key\u00a0moments in Leo’s development. One that stood out for Kissock, was when Leo ran out of the room\u00a0shouting ‘I hate diabetes!’<\/p>\n
There are too few books that address and explain child illnesses like Leo’s Sleepover, and so\u00a0the creative collaborators\u00a0are\u00a0brainstorming for another\u00a0edition . . .\u00a0and possibly more.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
“There are no books like it for school, and I’ve been contacted about doing a series on Leo,” added Colquhoun, who is considering autoimmune diseases\u00a0like Coeliac, as well as\u00a0peanut allergies, ADHD, autism, and others.<\/p>\n
“In teaching, he sees a lot of the challenges kids have,” explained Kissock. “So from\u00a0the teacher’s side of it, he’s just so good with these kids, he ends up with special needs students in his class all the time because he knows how to deal with it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“Dave has knowledge behind it, and as soon as he tells me something, I start seeing the images.”<\/p>\n