An uplifting story about a boy who doesn’t let his eczema hold him back from having fun and facing his fears.
Meet Mitchell, a boy who is part of the one in five children living with eczema. In Mitchell Itches, we learn about his experiences with this condition, including the common triggers and stresses of managing it, while also understanding his resilience, the support he gets from his friends and family, and the self-care he practices to manage his symptoms.
As part of his journey, Mitchell discovers a unique talent. His Uncle Sean introduces him to the guitar to keep his itchy hands occupied. Mitchell’s condition, surprisingly, leads him to a new passion that could make him a sensation. Will his newfound talent take centre stage at the school band auditions?
This engaging story helps children to empathize with others and understand the realities of living with a skin condition, showing that challenges can also lead to discovering our strengths.
Kristin Kelly‘s professional journey spans from nursing in a large Sydney, Australia hospital to preschool teaching and working as an end-of-life biographer. She combined her lifelong experiences with eczema and her diverse professional background to craft “Mitchell Itches.” Kristin believes in nurturing kindness in the classroom and cherishes the privilege of capturing individuals’ life stories. Her unique experiences underscore the value of empathy and continuous learning.
Amelina Jones‘ passion for nature, stories, and paints shines through her illustrations. Working with traditional watercolor and ink, she loves weaving storytelling elements and emotions into her artwork. Her preferred medium, watercolor and ink, offers her the creative freedom she enjoys, creating illustrations that breathe life into stories.
School Days Magazine
“This is a caring look at the suffering with eczema but also offers some good solutions.”
Love for Reading (via Instagram 61.5K followers)
“In Australia, one in three children live with eczema and this story provides much-needed representation to a common condition. The story and information in the end pages, helps children have compassion and empathy to go further than only knowing someone skin deep.”
Reading Time
“Mitchell Itches serves as a thoughtful book to support young readers with eczema – promoting positivity and perseverance through trialling different remedies, shifting focus from the temptation to itch, and discovering what can be achieved despite having eczema. It’s also a great resource for parents and carers looking to aid children experiencing eczema, and for those who want to further educate themselves on how to support other people with eczema..”
Kids’ Book Review
“This is a success story. One that will speak and offer hope to many sufferers of eczema and allergies, who feel their lives can never be normal. Mitchell Itches is a wonderful example of what you have, doesn’t define who you can become. Amelina Jones’ luxurious and expressive, full-page illustrations, are entertaining and beautifully support Kristen Kelly’s well-researched, clever, and humorous text”.
Buzz Words
“This is a sweet educational book targeted at children who suffer from eczema with fun and engaging illustrations by Amelina Jones. It includes an appendix page of facts about managing eczema as a useful reference for parents.”
Brenton Cullen | Kids Book Reviews
“Author Kristin Kelly pens a terrific, heartwarming story about a subject criminally underacknowledged in children’s books – so many kids live with eczema or skin conditions (I Have personal family history of it myself) and this book is a fantastic resource to help those kids know they are not alone! Children or adults with eczema will take away from the tried-and-tested methods Mitchell uses in the story to control his eczema (there is even an addendum at the end of the story with tips for kids on how to manage the condition). But most importantly, the story focuses on finding your own joy and passion and inspires kids to follow their dreams and take part in activities they love, to never give up or let yourself be limited by anything. Kelly’s text is bright and warmly embracing and she brings a lovable character alive in Mitchell who the readers will root for. Coupled with Amelina Jones’ evocative illustrations, which bring vibrancy and colourful in creating the world of the story, Mitchell Itches is a fantastic story ideal for kids with eczema but also any kids who like a terrific book. This one is ideal for all teachers and parents to bring into the classroom or home to begin discussions. Thank you Kristin Kelly and Amelina Jones for creating a superb, winsome story with a fresh take on a much-needed topic in children’s books today. Highly recommended.”
Books+Publishing
“With one in five children living with eczema, Mitchell Itches will be a valuable resource for those looking to better understand and manage this common condition. .”
