If she isn’t conducting a clinical trial on the benefits of art therapy or studying hard in medical school, Zayan Musa may be found writing children’s books. The third-year medical student at UC Riverside has now published her first book, “Jimmy’s Scab Adventure,” suitable for children aged 4-10. 

The book is about a little kid who trips and falls and gets a cut, something most little kids experience. It explains through fun characters and rhymes the process of how a scab is formed and how a wound heals. 

“I chose this topic because tripping and falling is something all parents and kids can relate to,” Musa said. 

Published by MinuteMan Press in Riverside, the book, which has been translated into Spanish under the title “La Aventura de Jimmy Y Sus Amigas Las Plaquetas,” is funded by the Center for Health Disparities Research at the UCR School of Medicine and being donated to several clinics in Inland Southern California.

“Currently, most patients in our area are economically underserved and sometimes books we give to families are the only books they have for their kids,” Musa said. “Even a child as young as two years old can enjoy the visuals and words in my book without understanding their meaning.”

Musa started writing the book two years ago, viewing it as an innovative way to impact children’s lives. She said she is grateful for the UCR faculty who believed in her vision.

“I wanted to write this book because I was thinking of ways to expose children early on to medical topics and what is helpful for them to know about their own bodies,” she said. “I wanted to teach children a medical topic in the format of a visual book that makes it easy to learn.”

Currently, Musa’s book is not available in bookstores or online stores but may be found in various pediatrics clinics in Inland Southern California. Musa may be contacted directly for a copy.