Reading to support children during the COVID-19 pandemic

Many children have found it difficult to adjust to the COVID-19 pandemic, so we teamed up with Libraries Connected and ASCEL to produce a book collection to help children stay safe, calm, connected and hopeful during the pandemic.

The need

55% of children said that they had felt stressed when schools closed.
Children’s mental health has been further impacted as the crisis continued:

• Children reported stressors including missing friends, loss of routine and exposure to troubling news stories and adult conversations.
• 60% were worried that a relative might fall sick.
• 1 in 4 children living under lockdown, social restrictions and school closures are dealing with feelings of anxiety.

The book collection

With many books free to download, you can start reading with the children in your life today. Download the full collection here.

More support

Looking for more books to support children’s wellbeing?

Reading Well for children
recommends reading to help children understand their feelings and cope with tough times. The books have been chosen and endorsed by children, carers, health experts and librarians.

The titles in the list deal with topics from anxiety and grief, to bullying and internet safety, to how to cope with events in the news. Download a guide to the books on the list today.