( ENSPIRE Features ) Rechler Supports Children Through Her Short Story, Which Provides Comfort During Unsettling Times
ENSPIRE Contributor: Elizabeth Duchan
Lindsay Rechler is wielding publication to create a source of comfort during otherwise difficult times. The young author has recently self-published “Good Morning Zoom,” a children’s picture book aimed to help children navigate the new realities that accompany COVID-19. Rechler hopes that the story will offer support to children making the difficult transition into a quarantine lifestyle and provide the needed optimism for a brighter future.
Writing books is a recent endeavor for Rechler, who earned her bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and is the Managing Director at Jefferies Group, a global investment bank. Like many others, Rechler quickly found herself wearing many hats while quarantining with her husband and two children in their Manhattan apartment. While juggling being a chef, teacher, coach, artist, and employee, Rechler wrote her first book, “Good Morning Zoom,” to help her children maneuver their new lifestyles.
The short picture book, a parody of the famous “Good Night Moon,” details the routine of a child experiencing virtual learning, distance from family and friends, and feeling removed from the outside world. The story seeks to validate children’s feelings of isolation and give voice to their array of emotions, all while providing a sense of hope for future days. The book also makes repeated mention of the essential workers “outside their window” to acknowledge the invaluable services that they provide, which allow families to stay safely at home.
“Good Morning Zoom” caught the media’s attention, gaining particular recognition from Refinery29 and New York news stations, who praise the book for its light humor and relevance in defining the “new normal.” Philomel Books, under the publishing house Penguin, acquired rights for the book at the end of the summer and published and printed over 100,000 copies since Oct. 6th. Rechler announced that all net proceeds of printing will be donated to COVID-19 relief charities, saying she hopes “this book can help our heroes through the organizations [she has] chosen to contribute to.”
Continuing to further her career and serve as a role model for women in the financial services industry, Rechler hopes that the book will inspire people to pursue their passions and never limit themselves, regardless of a pandemic. “This book was written for today’s children and for future generations to record the impact the pandemic had on our lives and how we weathered the storm together,” Rechler said. “We will get through this together.”
