I am at our public library right now and it is deserted. Wisconsin was ordered to close their schools this coming week as more and more cases of Covid-19 pile up. The world is upside down.
As we prepare to switch to online learning, I have been thinking of the power of the read aloud. How having the social connection through shared books can bring us together. How doing a read aloud in this stressful time can calm us. And so as we plan for what we will do, I immediately thought of reading picture books aloud to my students and having them respond to them in a short paragraph through Google Classroom. However, there is one glaring problem; copyright violations, I don’t want to break copyright by reading aloud a book and then sharing it with students. So instead, I compiled as many lists as I could find here featuring the creators reading aloud. Perhaps the list will be helpful to you?
Kate Messner has a post that details which publishers have given limited permission to read their books aloud following their guidelines, see the post here.
Indianapolis Public Library has a compiled list here with more than 100 titles
Storyline online has a compiled list right here with some great titles
Kate Messner is compiling videos right here featuring authors and illustrators sharing their work and resources
Susan Tan has a great video channel featuring writing prompts and read alouds
Kidlit TV has a great compilation here
Harper Kids Has their read alouds compiled here
Vooks Online are offering a free first year for teachers and have videos compiled here
Brightly Online has a compilation here
Storytime with Bill from Little Brown Books can be found here
Mrs. P’s storytime can be found here
Debbie Ridpath Ohi is posting videos of her books as well here
Unite For Literacy has many stories read aloud in multiple languages compiled here
Free Kid Lit Visits and Authors Read Aloud compiled by A.Keene can be found here
Storytime from Space features astronauts reading aloud
I will keep adding resources here as I find them and as they are shared with me. If you know of any more, please share.
Take care, stay safe, and take care of others. We will get through this.
And by the way, if you can’t feed your family in the coming weeks or months, please reach out to me. I will try to send you a giftcard for groceries if I can.
If you are wondering where I will be in the coming year or would like to have me speak, please see this page.
Pernille Ripp 
Thank you! I’ve shared this with a neighbor who is a teacher in the NY metro area.
Is it seriously a copyright violation to read a book aloud to our students via electronic means? These resources are helpful, but videos of strangers won’t be as comforting as the kids seeing their own teachers doing something normal and connecting in that small way.
I think videoing it and saving it would be, but doing it live via Zoom or Skype would not be. As far as my understanding goes.
Great ideas
Great resources! Thank you!
https://www.storylineonline.net/about-us/
Pernille thank you so much for compiling this resource! Four world read aloud day I got permission to do a complete read aloud of Mick Inkpen’s fantastic picture book called Nothing. It’s on YouTube with the permission of Hodder Children’s. You can see it here https://youtu.be/KJ9dXUbi7vs
TBRblog – http://www.teachersbooksreaders.com also has a teacher reading aloud each day as well as a writing camp for elementary students.
Thank you for the fabulous list! Will definitely be sharing. Please add Mrs. P – lovely read alouds & activities for students (& grown ups may recognize actress Kathleen Kinney!) http://mrsp.com/
Great resource list, Pernille…I always know I can turn to your blogsite for all that is good and wonderful.
Because YOU are good and wonderful. And exceedingly kind and generous.
I hope we get to connect in person at a conference one day.
Thank you! Trying to do the same for my 4th grade humanities class. Wonderful resources. Perfect timing.
Shannon Nadalini
Thank you!
The Literacy Shed is a warehouse of treasure for readers https://www.literacyshed.com/home.html
Thank you. In the words of my gramma, “You are good people.” Take good care!
Our libraries are closing here too in Australia, as of tomorrow.
It’s a sad sad day when the libraries close.
hang in there everyone
Do we have permission to use these texts?
I worry about copyright.
Cynthia Oxford, Ed. S.
Elementary Level ELA Education Associate
Division of College and Career Readiness
Office of Standards and Learning
South Carolina Department of Education
609-A Rutledge Building
1429 Senate Street
Columbia SC 29201
OFFICE: (803) 734-8101
EMAIL: coxford@ed.sc.gov
Yes, these are approved by the publishers
SlJ continues to update the list of publishers that are allowing read alouds and what they ask of the readers.
https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=remote-learning-still-the-norm-publishers-extend-permissions-for-read-alouds-COVID-19