Irvington 8th-Grader Reflects On ‘20 Positives Of 2020’

IRVINGTON, NY — With just a month into the new year, Irvington Middle School eighth-grader Emily Buchsbaum has already accomplished one of her goals — publishing her first book. The young author began writing and illustrating “20 Positives of 2020” last spring during the stay-at-home order because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Buchsbaum said she wrote the book with the intention of shedding some light on all of the darkness the world experienced in 2020. Always the optimist, she said her book is an upbeat look at the good things that came out of 2020, including spending time with family and learning new hobbies.

“The main message of my book is that the whole world has truly shown resilience and adaptability in the past several months,” Buchsbaum said.

“We have found ways to be creative and connected, as well as active and artistic. I want my readers to have a sense of pride and joy while reading,” she said.

The eighth-grader set the goal of publishing her book when health teacher Luann Ricciardi encouraged her students to set resolutions for the new year. The students reflected on the previous year and created a list of wishes for the new year.

Buchsbaum’s book is available on Amazon Kindle.