Books about Corona for children and young people
Viruses, vaccination and immunity are terms that will be with us for a long time to come. Books explaining coronavirus can answer children's and young people's questions and fears and provide clarity. Playful, age-appropriate and with beautiful illustrations, they help parents to sensitively explain the effects of corona on everyday life, school and family life. In other words: the right books help to cope better with difficult situations.
In this interview, bookseller and author Marah Rikli explains what is important when choosing coronavirus books for children and young people and why a pinch of humour is a must. You can also find many of Marah Rikli's favourite books on the subject of coronavirus books for children and young people in our selection.
Have fun browsing!
For kindergarten and primary school:
Corona. The virus explained for children
How do I explain the coronavirus to my child? The booklet «Corona - The virus explained for children» is a valuable aid for parents. What does the coronavirus do? Why am I no longer allowed to see grandma and grandpa? This explanatory booklet provides valuable answers to all these questions and many more.
Priska Wallimann, Marcel Aerni, Corona - The virus explained for children, Verlag Wörterseh, ca. Fr. 7.90
Age recommendation: from 3 years
A coronavirus rainbow for Anna and Moritz - with tips for children about Covid-19
The illustrated factual story with Anna and Moritz gives lots of tips for correct behaviour during the corona period. The book was produced in collaboration with the German Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine. With poster and rainbow colouring picture to download.
Steindamm, Constanze, 24 pages, Publisher Carlsen, ca. Fr. 5.90
Age recommendation: from 3 years
We are also great by far! A Corona school story
Yay! Marie, Naila, Laszlo, Konrad and Sebastian can go back to school. They are looking forward to seeing their teacher, Mrs Hummel. But many things are different now in Corona times: many new rules have to be observed because of Corona and the class trip is also cancelled. But the friends are not discouraged - and come up with a plan. In this lovingly told school story, children can find themselves and their experiences with the pandemic and its effects in a positive way.
Luhn, Usch, 128 pages, published by Carlsen, approx. fr. 11.90
Age recommendation: from 7 years
Stay healthy! What you can do when the virus flies
«Wow, everyone's sneezing so hard, they've got a nasty cold. Oh, how loudly they all cough and blow with their viruses!» In entertaining rhymes, this colourful cardboard picture book for children aged 2 and over playfully explains what young and old can do to stay healthy.
Sandra Grimm, Stay healthy! 18 pages, published by cbj Kinderbuch, approx. Fr. 13.50
Age recommendation: from 2 years
Tiny life. Corona and other microbes
It is particularly important for children to understand why some viruses are harmful and others are beneficial. This book presents complex knowledge in a way that is easy to understand and suitable for children. Among other things, children learn how they can protect themselves, what happens during a vaccination and what the difference is between viruses and bacteria. A special goodie: the hand-washing song and the smartphone microscope to recreate. An expert-tested book with lots of funny pictures.
Susan Schädli, All about bacteria and viruses and how we protect ourselves from them, 48 pages, Carlsen publishing house, approx. Fr. 7.50
Age recommendation: from 8 years
For young people:
Street art in times of Corona: 50 statements from graffiti artists
Many of the most famous street artists were inspired by crises to create their most impressive works: Pøbel, Gnasher, Raggazzini or Rasmus Balstrom. In the wake of the pandemic, new inspiring artists have now emerged in Sao Paulo, Tehran and Shanghai. The book shows the best street art pieces of the moment and is considered a testimony to the brilliant creativity and power of street art, especially in Corona times.
Xavier Tapies, Street Art in times of Corona, 128 pages, published by Midas Collection, approx. fr. 24
Age recommendation: for teenagers
Moments - 50 stories of Swiss children and young people in times of Corona
«Some were completely off the rails in lockdown. They did things that no one would do voluntarily, such as tidying rooms.» (From the story «Corona - A whole piece of adventure».)
A contemporary document from the perspective of children and young people with a foreword by «Mr Corona» Daniel Koch.
Carlo Meier, Augenblicke, 164 pages, Storypark Verlag, approx. Fr. 25.40
Age recommendation: for teenagers
Suddenly Corona came: stories and reports from children and young people
Children and young people from Hamburg are writing about corona with a lot of imagination and creativity. There are exciting horror stories, sensitive short novels but also thoughtful poetry slams. Many of the children describe the loss of laughter during the corona quarantine period, miss their mates or create new viruses with crazy names - in their imagination, mind you.
Annette Pauw, Plötzlich kam Corona, 368 pages, Verlag Expeditionen, Fr. 19.90
Age recommendation: for teenagers
Lockdown, or «When school stays at home or hämmer morn Schuel»
The BVJ class 17-B4, FS Viventa at the Bullinger school in the city of Zurich has written a book of memories about the coronavirus lockdown. The pupils wrote letters, gave the Federal Council notes, conducted interviews and ventured a look into the year 2050. Together with QuartierTV, they also made a film about their project.
Fachschule Viventa, Wenn die Schule zuhause bleibt, 138 pages, self-published by Fachschule Viventa, Fr. ca. 18
Age recommendation: for teenagers
And people stayed at home
It all started with a poem that Kitty O'Meara posted to pass the time: «And the people stayed at home» was written in March 2020, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. The author published the poem on her Facebook page. From there, the poem went viral. People were touched by her hopeful perspective on healing people and the earth. In this book, her touching words are complemented by the beautiful illustrations by Stefano Di Cristofaro.
Kitty O'Meara, And the people stayed at home. 32 pages, Goldblatt Verlag, ca. Fr. 34.90
For adults and children
Interview: «Books should bring clarity, not fear»
Which books do you use in your family to discuss the coronavirus crisis?
My daughter is 6 years old. She has an impairment, which is why she is roughly at the developmental level of a two-year-old child. We therefore look at a lot of picture books, for example the picture book «Washing your hands» or the SRF video that is suitable for children. She mainly knows the term corona from kindergarten. At home, we practised coughing into the crook of her arm and I bought children's masks for her to play with so that she would be less afraid of the masks. It was a big challenge for us at the beginning, especially on the tram or train, where she screamed in panic at first because of all the people wearing masks.
The topic is more difficult for my 16-year-old son, who is in the middle of puberty, as he naturally understands what it's about, but feels a desire for freedom and rebellion and tends to be lazy about reading. If anything, he likes comics and graphic novels. My son really likes the drawings by Zurich comic artist Kati Rickenbach and the book «Street Art in Zeiten von Corona» with works by various street artists.
What should parents look out for when choosing books?
I think it's very important that the books don't cause too much anxiety and still provide clarity. The selection should be age-appropriate. However, I wouldn't expect a primary school pupil to read a book like «The Plague» by Albert Camus, which is a very important book in connection with pandemics, but at the end of secondary school at the earliest. Young people also certainly need guidance and dialogue with parents and teachers when reading such books. The work is therefore very suitable as class reading at grammar school. I also always pay attention to diversity in the books for my children; that there are different bodies, skin colours, genders and family forms - and that there are also children who have a disability.
What are your personal favourites and why?
My absolute favourite book on the subject of corona at the moment is called «Lockdown». Pupils from the Viventa school in Zurich wrote letters and texts about their perceptions during the lockdown. A memoir of a very special time that really touched me, as the contributions are so authentic. Or the book project «Augenblicke», where children and young people from 4th to 9th grade from all over Switzerland wrote short stories on the subject of corona. I like it when children and young people have their say. We don't really listen to children enough. These two books remind us how many thoughts children have and that they perceive the world in their own way and very individually, which I want to take seriously.
You also like humorous books. Do you have a special tip?
I think the book «Don't lick this book under any circumstances» by Ben Barak Idan is funny for young and old alike - a picture book and humorous comic in one. It's about microbes and an invisible world that can make us quite ill. Nevertheless, it is not so serious and is designed with a lot of humour - something that is often a lifesaver, especially in times of crisis.
More about reading, books and the coronavirus crisis
Geschichten sind für Kinder mehr als nur gute Unterhaltung, sie können heilsam sein. Die richtigen Bücher helfen, Entwicklungsschritte leichter zu nehmen und schwierige Situationen besser zu bestehen.
- Lesen und lesen lassen
Musik hören, fernsehen und Bücher lesen. Das sind die liebsten Medientätigkeiten von Kindern im Primarschulalter. Tatsächlich hat das Buch keineswegs an Bedeutung verloren. Zumindest für die Kinder, deren Eltern auch lesen. - Unsere Bücher-Tipps zum Vorlesen
Ich lese, also bin ich. Nun, fast. Doch für die kindliche Entwicklung und die familiäre Bindung sind Vorlesen und selber Lesen elementar. Aus Redaktion und Verlag stellen wir Ihnen unsere liebsten Bücher vor. - Vorlesen was Eltern und Kindern gefällt
Streng genommen gibt es drei Arten von Kinderbüchern. Solche, die Kinder mögen, solche, die Eltern mögen, und solche, die beiden gefallen.