“My Hero is You”
A fictional book series developed by and for children to help families cope with conflict, war and other emergencies
Living somewhere unsafe or affected by armed conflict can cause feelings such as fear, sadness, anger, and hopelessness. With this reality in mind, UNICEF and the World Health Organization have collaborated to develop “My Hero is You: Supporting each other when wars come,” a story developed for and by children around the world.
The story aims to support the mental health and well-being of children affected by armed conflict, as well as their parents and caregivers. We asked children and their caregivers how they try to manage these feelings and support their well-being during times of war. We also asked them to share their hopes and dreams for the future.
Nearly 1,500 children, parents, and caregivers shared their ideas and offered us feedback on the story. We listened to their feedback and wove their voices and ideas into the book, enriching the text and the illustrations.
Read, download, and listen to “My Hero is You: Supporting each other when wars come”:
English
French
Arabic
“My Hero is You: How kids can fight COVID-19!”
“My Hero is You: Supporting each other when wars come” built on the experience of two books developed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2020, “My Hero is You: how kids can fight COVID-19!” offered a way for children and parents to together think about the questions the pandemic raised. Designed to be read by a parent, caregiver or teacher alongside a child or a small group of children, the story was shaped by more than 1,700 children, parents, caregivers and teachers from around the world.
“My Hero is You 2021: How kids can hope with COVID-19!”
A year later, “My Hero is You 2021: How kids can hope with COVID-19!” drew on the daily realities of millions of children by COVID-19. The story – aimed primarily at children aged 6-11 years – saw the return of Ario, a fantasy creature who travels the world helping children to find hope in the future and joy in simple pleasures. Together with old and new friends, Ario addressed the fears, frustrations and concerns children were facing and explored the various coping mechanisms children can use when faced with difficult emotions like fear, grief, anger and sadness.
The new story drew from responses to a survey of more than 5,000 children, parents, caregivers and teachers from around the world.