The past two weeks have been a whirlwind. As a university professor, my world has literally been turned upside-down. However, I have witnessed so many colleagues from within my institution and those all over the country take on our current challenges with such grit and grace.
In college my favorite class was children’s literature. Now that I teach that course, I often tell people I’m living the dream. I love sharing my passion for literacy education and literature with the next generation of teachers. I’m the professor who gets strange looks as I take my cart, loaded with books, up the elevator to class each week.
During our classes we interact with books. We touch them, pass them around, add them to our Goodreads “want to read” list, and even spend time reading and comparing them in class. So, with moving to an online format, I have to be honest … my heart broke a little. I will miss seeing my students face-to-face and interacting with them. I will also miss the shared experience of exploring books together.
There’s another problem moving to online instruction, beyond our shared experiences. Access to children’s books. We have an incredible Educational Resource Center on our campus, which has thousands of children’s books. (Seriously, it’s literally a great recruiting tool.) My students are required to read a minimum of 75 children’s books throughout the semester – and access has never been an issue with our very own ERC.
But here we are. My students have been displaced, public libraries have closed, and very few have children’s books within reach. So, in addition to creating countless teaching videos, this past week I have attempted to pull together some of the best resources I could find. I sifted through many different options, so not everything I found made my list. My ultimate goal was to best help my students complete their required bookshelf assignment.
We all have different needs. Some of us find ourselves working overtime, attempting to complete our jobs with excellence. While others suddenly find themselves with too much time on their hands. Maybe you are a teacher attempting to find additional resources for your students or a parent who is now managing a home full of restless residents. Wherever you fall on the spectrum, we are all in this together … and I hope by sharing this it can be a blessing to someone.
Happy reading, friends!
This award-winning website streams videos that feature celebrities reading children’s books aloud.
Cost: FREE
A streaming library where children’s books are brought to life through animated illustrations and a narrated story.
Currently offering 365 days (1 year) of unlimited access to teachers and homeschool educators.
Cost: One month FREE trial; $4.99/month, $49.99 yearly
The Indianapolis Public Library has gathered together over 100 recommended online read alouds. Many link you directly to other sites, such Storyline Online or Youtube channels. They’ve just done the work of collecting some great titles together in a single location.
Cost: FREE
Epic! provides you access to thousands of digital titles, and has slick categories by age groups, award winners, genre, etc.
Epic! is currently FREE for all elementary school teachers and librarians.
Cost: Free 30 day trial; $7.99/ month after trial
This website offers wonderful resources for children’s literature, including author and illustrator videos. The Read Out Loud videos feature authors reading aloud their own stories.
Cost: FREE
This resource has links to a large variety of read aloud books. You can search this site by author, narrator, reading level, and more.
Cost: FREE
Ryan and Craig are comedians who have a YouTube channel. They read books aloud. It’s that simple. I find it both educational and entertaining.
Cost: FREE
This resource is a great find if you are looking for classic books and traditional literature, including myths, legends, and fairy tales. The website also includes some original stories.
Cost: FREE
Libby is an app that grants access to thousands of eBooks and audiobooks through your public library. If you have an active library card it will be easy to sign up and start listening (or reading). Many public libraries are extending a digital access library card while libraries are closed. The good news is this means that if you do not have a current library card, you will be able to sign up for one online … and can gain access to thousands of amazing digital resources!
Cost: FREE
Audible is a great way to listen to audiobooks. You can sign up for a 30 day trial, which earns you access to essentially one chapter book – so choose wisely. After the 30-day trial students are eligible for a reduced membership.
Cost: 30 day trial; $9.95/month for students after trial (regularly $14.95/month); pay for additional books
Audible Stories (NEW from Audible)
Audible just released this site with FREE audiobooks and stories. Although not all of the stories are from published books, you will certainly find many options that are literally the audio version of a chapter book. Many of the books are classics no longer under copyright law, similar to what you may find on StoryNory. So if you are looking for new releases you may need to rely on Libby and your local library, or an actual Audible subscription. However, they have made some of their original Audible books and stories available here as well.
Cost: FREE
This is amazing…THANK YOU for sharing!