Nothing bridges the isolation gap like reading a good book to someone you love, especially a child. As recent events now mean that we keep our social distance while staying safe at home for an extended period of time, consider this wonderful collection of books featuring meaningful messages and colorful illustrations that are a whole lot of fun to read to children, including books with a few illustrations for older children that are perfect to read one chapter at a time.

Virtual storytime provides a meaningful way to maintain a connection with children. Just find a cozy chair or couch, grab a book and record or live stream yourself reading a story. Children are comforted by repetition and familiarity, and they will treasure this connection and remember this creative reading time for many years to come.

Preschool and Kindergarten

Horrible Bear! by Ame Dyckman and illustrated by Zachariah OHora: Bear didn’t mean to break a little girl’s kite, but she’s upset anyway—upset enough to shout “HORRIBLE BEAR!” Bear doesn’t think he’s horrible! Then Bear gets a truly Horrible Bear idea. What will he do next? As Bear prepares to live up to his formerly undeserved reputation, the girl makes a mistake of her own and realizes that maybe, just maybe, Bear isn’t as horrible as she had thought.

First Star: A Bear and Mole Story  (Bear and Mole series) by Will Hillin Brand: Bear and Mole head to the hills to camp for the night and gaze at the stars. When night falls, Mole becomes frightened of the dark so Bear tells him the story of the first star to comfort him. Mole learns of the first bear family and how they made the moon and scattered the stars in the sky to give light. Mole learns of the one constant star in the sky that will always show him the way home.

This is such a wonderful tale about the North Star, and a great way to introduce young children to the concept of constellations. The warm, rich illustrations are expressive and eye-catching, and children will love the friendship between Bear and Mole. There are five books in this series.

First through Third Grade

Mac Undercover (Mac B., Kid Spy, Book 1) by Mac Barnett, Mac, illustrated by Mike Lowery: Before Mac Barnett was an author, he was a kid. While he was a kid, he was a spy. Not just any spy, but a spy…for the Queen of England. The precious Crown Jewels have been stolen, and there’s only one person who can help the Queen of England: her newest secret agent, Mac B. Mac travels around the globe in search of the stolen treasure…but will he find it in time? From secret identities to Karate hijinks, this fast-paced, witty and historically inspired chapter book will keep readers guessing until the very last page. With full-color illustrations and fascinating historical facts masterfully sprinkled throughout, this series offers adventure, intrigue, absurdity, history, and side-splittingly humor. There are four books in this series.

Where The Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein: “There is a place where the sidewalk ends and before the street begins, and the grass grows soft and white, and there the sun burns crimson bright, and there the moon-bird rests from his flight to cool in the peppermint sun.” 

You’ll meet a boy who turns into a TV set, and a girl who eats a whale. The Unicorn and the Bloath live there, and so does Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout who will not take the garbage out. It is a place where you wash your shadow and plant diamond gardens, a place where shoes fly, sisters are auctioned off, and crocodiles go to the dentist.

Shel Silverstein’s masterful collection of poems and drawings stretches the bounds of the imagination. The black and white illustrations are hilarious. The poems that will make you laugh, cry, wonder, believe, and most importantly, remember.

Fourth Grade through Middle School

One Dead Spy: the Life, Times, and Last Words of Nathan Hale, America’s Most Famous Spy (Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales, Book 1) by Nathan Hale: New York Times Bestseller Nathan Hale, the author’s historical namesake, was America’s first spy, a Revolutionary War hero who famously said: “I regret that I have but one life to give for my country” before being hanged by the British. In the Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales series, author Nathan Hale channels his namesake to present history’s roughest, toughest, and craziest stories in the graphic novel format. One Dead Spy tackles the story of Hale himself, who was an officer and spy for the American rebels during the Revolutionary War. Author Hale highlights the unusual, gruesome, and just plain unbelievable truth of historical Nathan Hale –from his early unlucky days at Yale to his later unlucky days as an officer — and America during the Revolutionary War. There are ten books in this series.

The Sword of Summer  (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard #1) by Rick Riordan: Magnus Chase, a once-homeless teen, is on a death-defying quest across the Norse realms. As a resident of the Hotel Valhalla, this son of the god Frey is now one of Odin’s chosen warriors. Magnus and his friends, Hearthstone the elf, Blitzen the dwarf, Samirah the Valkyrie, and other heroic characters must use all their wits and special talents in order to defeat fearsome giants, lethal creatures, and meddlesome gods in order stave off Ragnarok. This book combines humor with mythology and an amazing cast of diverse characters that will have your audience begging you to read the next chapter. There are four books in this series.

Keira Pride

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

Keira Pride is the Head Librarian at Stratford School, the leading independent private school founded with a vision of creating a unique, multi-dimensional, educational foundation for children. As Stratford's Head Librarian, she manages the library services department across campuses throughout Northern and Southern California.