Reading a back to school book on the night before the first day of school is a tradition many families share. It’s a great way to bond, share in the excitement, and calm any worries. However, you probably won’t find any back to school coronavirus books ready to go on your bookshelf.
Back to School Coronavirus Books
This year, the first day of school will look a little different. Here are a few books that can help explain what’s going on with back to school, Coronavirus-style. Bonus: they’re all available to read or watch online immediately – no shipping necessary!
- A Message from Corona: This short story explains what Coronavirus is and how it spreads. It even ends with some look and find pictures to help kids connect with the topic.
- What is the Coronavirus?: This book gives some background on germs in general, as well as Coronavirus specifically. It also talks about how kids can help play a role in slowing down the spread with a “personal helping plan.”
- Who is Corona? The Story of a Virus that Stopped the World: This book is a little scary, with a superhero theme. It ends with tips on how to stay safe and well because “difficult times don’t last forever.”
- My School is Staying Closed: This is a great social story about why schools are closed. It was written in the spring, with hopes that schools would be reopening now, but it would be easy to adjust the wording to say something along the lines of “we’ll go back to school when it’s safer.”
- My School is Closed Today: This social story could be used at the beginning of the school year, or later in the year if schools need to close again. It talks about why schools are closed now and mentions that this is different than missing a day or two of school for a cold last year.
- Why Can’t I Go to School: This is a sweet story that explains that germs are the reason why we can’t go to school right now, but teachers are still thinking of their students even when they’re apart.
- Wearing a Mask to School: Here’s another great social story talking about why masks will be worn at school. I love the positive affirmation at the end of the story too – “I can handle this change.”
- Riding the Bus Will Be Different: This is an excellent resource for students who are nervous about what taking the bus to school will look like with the new rules.
- The World Has Turned Upside Down: This story talks about a lot of the changes we’ve experienced due to Coronavirus this year. It has a bit of a negative tone to it, but I think a lot of kids will connect to the disappointment and frustration. Some of the examples are more extreme than what we are seeing here, but it’s still relatable.
Every child is different, so please review any of these back to school coronavirus books before sharing them with your child to make sure the content and context is appropriate for your family’s situation.
