For children, facing lockdowns, illness, changed family and social dynamics – and even simply the new and unfamiliar requirements of wearing masks – understanding how to navigate these unusual and challenging times took (and continues to take on) an even deeper importance.

In difficult times, reading is vital: to sharing experiences, sharing burdens, and to help instill values that can help support resilience, hope and optimism.

Here are ten of our favorite kid’s reads about people who found something worth carrying out of a difficult year.

“This colorful story Windows follows five youngsters who learn to interact with their world from the secure spot behind their windows. It touches on the author’s own experience of disability, displacement, and discovery. Amazon calls it a soon-to-be “time capsule” of life during those first uncertain weeks of 2020, which nonetheless holds a resonance for all the times that come after.”

Storyberries

“In While We Can’t Hug, Hedgehog and Tortoise want to show each other their love and appreciation—but aren’t allowed to hug. This touching story shows kids just how many ways there are to tell someone you love them (turns out there are a lot!)”

Storyberries

In Rain Before Rainbows, a young heroine and her fox friend travel through a land of rain in the hopes of finding a rainbow. Along the way, they learn that, just as there can’t be a rainbow without rain first, the abundant joy we find in life is made all the more meaningful by times of sorrow.

Storyberries

“In Maybe Tomorrow? we learn that sometimes grief can feel like a heavy black box that you have to lug around. But with a little help from the people around us, the load can become easier to carry. A colorful book with a memorable analogy for anyone who has ever gone through hard times.”

Storyberries

“Sunny looks on the bright side of most situations, but it isn’t always easy when you’ve been carried away on your umbrella and dropped into a stormy sea, when all you were trying to do was to get to school! Luckily, Sunny isn’t alone. A beautifully illustrated story to brighten any rainy day.”

Storyberries

“In this now-famous poem which inspired many hearts during the early days of 2020, Roberts recounts all the things we learnt during that difficult year, as well as how to sustain that spirit of realization as we go forward… and why hindsight is, indeed, 20-20.”

Storyberries

“The story When Pigs Fly proposes imaginative logic, such as: even pigs will start flying before cows can ride bicycles. Right? This creative and colorful book will demonstrate to kids (and parents) just how much power a little positive thinking can have.”

Storyberries

“Six school friends suddenly find themselves attending class from computer screens at home. They’ll have to get creative if they want to get together—and they don’t disappoint. We’re All In This Together is a 2020 story that almost everyone can relate to, dealing with digital togetherness even as events separate us.”

Storyberries

“In Masks (Rainbows, Masks and Ice-cream), Lederman celebrates a little accessory that went from a practically foreign object to an indispensable part of everyone’s lives. The kids in her story are told they will need to wear masks and keep their distance, but the rules don’t stop them from finding safe ways to have the time of their lives.”

Storyberries

“In Lucy’s Mask, Lucy thinks her mom is making her a superhero mask. And she is—it just makes her a slightly different kind of superhero. This fun and friendly story will show kids how to be heroic in their own communities by wearing a mask.”

Storyberries

Read free stories at Storyberries for encouraging resilience

Nin Wants To Get Dressed is the tale of a little girl Nin, who desperately wants to get dressed on her first day of school. But everyone is too busy to help her! So Nin decides to dress herself – to heartwarming results.

Nin Wants to Get Dressed

Miss Goat’s House is the tale of a determined little goat who, one hot day, decides to try and use her imagination and optimism to overcome her lethargy. It’s a lovely little story inspiring children to try, even when the elements feel against them.

Miss Goat’s House

The post Top 10 Books about Hope, Optimism, and Resilience first appeared on Bedtime Stories.

Let’s Chat About The Stories ~ Ideas for Talking With Kids

Self-Confidence, Resilience

1. The bear in this story discovers that everything they experience about the world comes from within them. How might understanding this help, if you are feeling sad about something?

2. If you see, hear, touch, taste or smell something very beautiful, what might this say about you?

Bedtime Story written by Jane de Suza and Kanika Gupta

Bedtime Story illustrated by Kanika Gupta

Other Credits:

Music Video by “Mellowtron” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), “Royal Coupling” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), “Bit Quest” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

I found Magic (written by Jane De Suza, Illustrated by Kanika Gupta) (English), written by Kanika Gupta, (© Kanika Gupta, 2020), illustrated by Kanika Gupta, published under a CC BY 4.0 license on StoryWeaver. Read, create and translate stories for free on www.storyweaver.org.in

* THE STORY ‘I FOUND MAGIC’ WAS CREATED BY PRATHAM BOOKS AND IS LICENSED UNDER A CREATIVE COMMONS -BY-4.0 LICENSE. FORMATTING CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE ORIGINAL WORK FOR EASE OF READING ON OUR WEBSITE.

The post I Found Magic first appeared on Bedtime Stories.

Let’s Chat About The Stories ~ Ideas for Talking With Kids

Independent Thinking, Resilience

1. Miss Goat finds it hard to create some shade! How does she eventually succeed?

2. What do you think would have happen if she had given up?

Bedtime story written by Sommor Pangyavong, translated by Alisha Berger

Illustrated by Oloth Senthichak

Music Video from zapsplat.com

OTHER CREDITS:

This story: Miss Goat’s House is translated by Alisha Berger. The © for this translation lies with Room to Read, 2012. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license. Based on Original story: ‘Nyumba ya Binti Mbuzi’, by Sommor Pangyavong. © Room to Read , 2012. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.

* THE STORY ‘MISS GOAT’S HOUSE’ WAS CREATED BY PRATHAM BOOKS AND IS LICENSED UNDER A CREATIVE COMMONS -BY-4.0 LICENSE. FORMATTING CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE ORIGINAL WORK FOR EASE OF READING ON OUR WEBSITE.

Miss Goat's House | Free Kids Books Online | Bedtime Stories 

Miss Goat is hot! How will she make some shade on a windy day?

URL: https://www.storyberries.com/bedtime-stories-miss-goats-house-free-kids-books-online/

Author: Storyweaver

Editor's Rating:
5

The post Miss Goat’s House first appeared on Bedtime Stories.

Let’s Chat About The Stories ~ Ideas for Talking With Kids

Resilience, Diligence, Independence, Feelings

1. Nin asks for help but everyone is too busy. Then she tries to do it herself. Do you think it was a good thing to try to dress herself? Why or why not?

2. How do you think Nin feels after trying to dress herself?

Bedtime story written by Bounhome Khensonema, translated by Alisha Berger

Illustrated by Aphisith Souphavongtay

OTHER CREDITS:

Music Video by Monkeys Spinning Monkeys Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

This story: Nin Wants to Get Dressed is translated by Alisha Berger . The © for this translation lies with Room to Read, 2016. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license. Based on Original story: ‘ນິນຮຽນນຸ່ງເຄື່ອງ‘, by Bounhome Khensonema . © Room to Read , 2016. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.

* THE STORY ‘NIN WANTS TO GET DRESSED’ WAS CREATED BY PRATHAM BOOKS AND IS LICENSED UNDER A CREATIVE COMMONS -BY-4.0 LICENSE. MINOR FORMATTING CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE ORIGINAL WORK FOR EASE OF READING ON OUR WEBSITE.

Nin Wants to Get Dressed | Free Kids Books | Bedtime Stories

Nin needs to get dressed for school. But everyone is too busy to help her!

URL: https://www.storyberries.com/bedtime-stories-nin-wants-to-get-dressed-free-kids-books-online/

Author: Storyweaver

Editor's Rating:
5

The post Nin Wants to Get Dressed first appeared on Bedtime Stories.

Circus Tortellini isn’t an ordinary circus.

Circus Tortellini travels from town to town with a Clever Circus School.

Circus Tortellini visits schools and puts up its Bright Big Top right next to a school, and then the fun begins.

Franco Tortellini is the ringmaster, and he knows that all children love a circus and can learn lots and lots. “Children learn special things at our Circus School…” Franco laughs.

When Circus Tortellini is ready, they begin with the show full of excitement. The children, teachers, parents, grandparents and friends are all invited.

Franco Tortellini booms– ‘Welcome to the Amazing Circus Tortellini’.

There are clowns, jugglers, acrobats, tight rope walkers, ponies, trapeze artists, strongmen, a magic show, unicycles, trampolines and popcorn.

Leon, Mia, Emma and Noah just can’t stop clapping as they watch the show.

“I’m going to be the ringmaster, I’ll be amazing!” Leon laughs

“I want to balance on the ponies in a pink tutu.” Mia beams.

“I shall juggle 10 flashing balls.” Noah whoops

“And I shall walk a tightrope high above your heads.” Emma points up high to the trapeze.

At the end of the show, with the wonderful costumes, fun and plenty of scares– Franco Tortellini and his family take a bow and Franco booms “Goodbye children, see you on Monday morning, bright and ready for Circus School!”

And that’s what happens, for the next week, there is no classroom, just the Big Top and the children Learn Project Circus!

For the four friends – Leon, Mia, Noah and Emma things turn out different to what they expect.

Franco Tortellini and his family – Gina, Francesca, Pepitto and Angelo with the other circus artists divide the children into groups in the school yard-and they throw balls, do skipping, roll out the mats and jump around – “Let’s see what you are good at!”

Franco and Angelo just walk, talk, play and mess around.

The children do lots of different things – they balance on wobbly planks, they climb up ropes, they bounce on trampolines laughing and the end of the day, they rub their aching legs and arms.

The next day, all the children are put into their Circus School groups.

Franco laughs his very loud laughs and tells them. “We watched you all yesterday, and we think we’ve found the very best groups for you all.”

“I’m a clown, I always knew it!” Leon shakes his head.

“I’m in the juggling and hula hoop team.” Mia is happy.

“But I’ve got ponies and popcorn.” Emma smiles

Noah scratches his head “Unicycles, whatever that is, and selling programs and showing people to their seats.”

They all laugh, not sure what to expect.

“Don’t let anybody ever tell you circus is easy…” At break time they fall onto a bench rubbing their aching legs.

“Well, how many balls can you juggle?” Leon turns to Mia.

“Well, we didn’t start with balls at all. We started off with bright floaty scarves. We start on balls this afternoon.”

“Ah….” The others shrug.

“Unicycles are wobbly.” Noah joins in. “We spent the morning learning how to get on and off and wobble around.”

“Well, clowns are the most important circus acts.” Leon tells his friends. “They make people laugh. But they help in-between to put things up or take them down. This afternoon we are going to learn to trampoline.”

Mia laughed. “Trampoline is easy.”

“You try it with great big floppy boots on…” Leon looked at her. “And my clown name is Loopy, clowns have clown names, and their own special make-up!”

Every day the friends practiced in their groups -– now they are starting to feel a bit nervous, their big circus day is at the end of the week.

“Have you got your costumes?” Emma joins them. “We got our pink tutus and tights today, Mrs. Tortellini is cool, she does the costumes.”

Leon has the most to do, the clowns always do, as he keeps telling them how important the clowns are.

“Yes, Loopy, the world’s greatest clown ha ha ha.” They all laugh.

At last, it is the day of the Grand Circus Show!

Leon, or, Loopy, runs around with a bucket filled with confetti, but the head clown has a bucket filled with water, just to make the audience nervous!

Leon handed out umbrellas to make them more nervous. Even his mum doesn’t know Leon under the big orange wig and baggy patchwork pants. Leon was now Loopy!

The clowns then do bell ringing, noisy and out of tune, but then, they stop, shake their heads and play a proper tune.

They also do their clown trampoline act – Crazy Bouncing in Big Boots!

Emma balances with outstretched arms on her pony.

Later, Emma slips out of her pink tutu and into her red circus T-Shirt to sell popcorn in the break, the people are happy “Lovely show, those children are so good…”

Noah first shows the audience to their seats wearing a red T-Shirt and trying to be helpful.

Later he changes into his sparkling jacket and silver hat for the unicycle show, then he starts to feel nervous.

Twisting, Turning and Weaving around – all on one wheel, not so easy. But the group manage well. The music helps and they even cycle up and down ramps.

Noah laughs as he remembers his first wobbles.

Mia’s act is juggling, all the jugglers wear bright baggy rainbow costumes and juggle with balls, rings and do plate spinning. At the end, they throw up the rainbow scarves The bright colored scarves float down and everything is magical.

“If you drop one, you just laugh, it’s all part of the act…” Gino always tells them.

Later, the jugglers leave the ring – but, they quickly slip off the costumes, they have black clothes underneath, then they slip on a black mask.

When they are all ready, they run back into the ring with all the lights switched off.

Now they have hula hoops that shine orange, pink, green and yellow in the dark.

Mia feels so good. “It’s magical, it’s ShowTime.” She smiles and twists her yellow hoop to join the pattern of the others.

The friends can’t believe it; their circus show is a huge success.

But, now, sadly, it’s the end of the show, they all troop out, back into the circus ring.

Franco in his red coat and top hat tells them to take the biggest and lowest bow-  and Franco’s voice booms loud. “Just one week, learning new things, these children are real stars!”

The clowns, the jugglers, the balancers, the cyclists, the tightrope walkers, the acrobats and dancers all take a big bow.

Leon, Mia, Noah and Emma have had the very best Circus Week, and can’t wait until Circus Tortellini is back in town again!

“Next time, I’ll be a clown, too.” Noah tells Leon. “You can wobble and fall off a unicycle…” They all laugh.

“Who would have believed it?” Mia now in her normal clothes. “We had so much fun, but my bones are aching and bruised. But, I’ve got a brilliant idea.”

They all looked at her.

“Let’s meet in my garden with the trampoline and practice our very own circus. I can teach you juggling.” Mia laughs.

“And I can teach you about Big Boot Bouncing.” Loopy Leon laughs, too.

“And we can call it Circus Pepperoni.” Noah joined in.

“Circus Pepperoni?” The others looked puzzled.

“Yes, because I love hot pepperoni on my pizza!”

© Andrea Kaczmarek 2020

LET’S CHAT ABOUT THE STORY ~ IDEAS FOR TALKING WITH KIDS

Motivation, Perseverance, Resilience

1. How do the children in this story approach being the stars of their very own circus?

2. Do you think they succeed in putting on a good show? Why or why not?

Short Story for Kids written by Andrea Kaczmarek

In-text illustration by Andrea Kaczmarek

The post The Circus School first appeared on Bedtime Stories.

Learn about Phonics

Funny Poem for Kids written by Phoebe Coghlan

© Phoebe Coghlan 2019 Illustrations by Nicanor Benitez

LET’S CHAT ABOUT THE POEM ~ IDEAS FOR TALKING WITH KIDS

Friendship

1. What do you think makes Ollie and Sukey such great friends?

2. What do you think all good friendships have in common?

Resilience, Self-Confidence

1. How does Ollie react when he and Sukey stop winning competitions?

2. How do you think changing his approach helps him and Sukey to feel better?

3. What other things might Ollie and Sukey have done when they stopped winning competitions?  

LEARN MORE ABOUT PHONICS

Easily integrate phonics gesture into the stories your children love. Make reading multi-sensory, and turn your little one into an investigator of sounds. Learn how this can help you children read better and faster at Phonics in Motion. Use the Promo Code STORYBERRIES20 to benefit from a 20% discount on any learning programs. 

The post Ollie the Octopus and Sukey the Spider first appeared on Bedtime Stories.