On Saturday, October 30th, 2021, I had the opportunity to attend a free reading webinar for the book Zoey Has an Allergy by Anisha Angella.
I found the event posted on a local Facebook group and decided to attend. After I signed up for the event on Zoom, I received an email invite and a timely reminder for the event.
The book reading was hosted by the author, Anisha Angella herself. She allowed everyone to join and started the book reading. One of the notable features of the webinars was that she took the time to engage with everyone in the audience. Her camera was on all the time to make that personal connection.
Based on the book reading, the book’s main character is Zoey - a spirited 5-year-old girl who shares her story with the world.
After eating a brownie, she discovers that she is allergic to tree nuts. She is confused why that brownie affected her, but her friend was ok. She finds out about her food allergy from the Doctor and understands how our bodies react differently to foods.
She is learning along the way how she needs to embrace the change. This journey is relatable for all the kids and their families finding their food allergies and intolerances. Her curious and explorative mind is asking questions and sharing information.
She understands to be careful about eating anything. She wants to learn the adult way to say the word - Anaphylaxis. She proudly carries a pouch with her epi-pen in it. In her classroom, her name and her picture with her allergies are displayed on the board. When playing with her friends, she knows everyone needs to wash their hands before eating.
At the end of the book reading, Anisha opened up questions and answers to book reading attendees. After a lively session, we ended the Zoom conference call.
Overall, the book talks about the remarkable journey of Zoey and how she sees the world. She wants to play and explore life on her terms and knows her journey includes tree nut allergies as well. Her adventurous spirit and inspiring story are a must-read for children with and without food allergies.
The book is relatable for kids between the age of 3-6 years old and their parents. The graphics, the colors, and Zoey’s expressions are lively and vibrant. If you are a parent, caregiver, daycare, or part of school staff interested in books about allergies for kids, I would highly recommend purchasing this gem of a book for your collection. This book is also an excellent allergy-friendly gift item.
The book is available for purchase online through Anisha Angella’s website and Sonsuh Educational supplies. It is also available in-store at select Indigo locations including Oakville, and Mississauga.
Author Anisha Angella is an early childhood education and childcare coach and a specialist in Mississauga, Ontario. She has had food allergies as a child and struggled with speaking up to keep herself safe. Given her personal experience, she is passionate about helping and supporting children and their families dealing with food allergies.
I am sharing this note based on my personal experience. For those who don’t know me - I am a proud mom of 10 year old boy with tree nut, dairy, and sesame allergies. If you have had a similar experience with any allergy friendly product, please share that with our allergy friendly community in the experiences section. Let’s contribute and increase food allergy awareness together 
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