Young readers can join sisters Maizy and Charlie to learn to be wary of scary germs!

PLYMOUTH, MA, UNITED STATES, August 7, 2022 — Briley & Baxter Publications is excited to announce the upcoming release of Maizy & Charlie’s Germ Book by Annie and Gilly DeCosta, which is now available for pre-order through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other retailers. It is set to release on September 6, 2022.

“Parents will love this book, which encourages children to prioritize health and hygiene.”—Stacy A. Padula, award-winning author

The pandemic, like for a lot of people, was difficult for the DeCosta family. Both Maizy and Charlie were home from school, learning virtually, while their mother, Annie, was also home, navigating nursing school. Annie’s father was also sick with cancer and lived with the family. 

Annie’s pediatric clinical was interrupted, and everything went completely online. An assignment was given to formulate a teaching activity to present to children as if they were in the classroom. Annie wrote a little book, and Maizy helped by drawing germs for it. Annie and Maizy read the book for her other classmates over Zoom.

Annie’s husband Gilly read the book and felt inspired.

“I really want to make a book out of this, a book we can get published,” Gilly said.

The thing about Gilly is if he says he’s going to do something, he does it with great tenacity. He spent many hours illustrating it and formatting it. In the end, his wife Annie was blown away that he took her little project and made it into something special for their children.

Annie’s father was always encouraging throughout the process and wanted so much to see the book published. Unfortunately, he died in April of 2022. Annie is so grateful that her father is featured in the book. He was a great man with many grandchildren who can now read Maizy & Charlie’s Germ Book and see their grandpa. What an amazing gift!