Publishers continue to pump out excellent resources for educators, parents and children taking part in at-home learning. (More ideas can be found here, here, here and here.) Crabtree Publishing is offering free access to its complete e-library of more than 2,000 pre-k through age 9 nonfiction and fiction titles until June 30, and is following the current children's publishing trend of granting temporary copyright permission to allow educators, librarians and others to do online read-alouds. The Creative Company is doing the same--both giving access to e-books and blanket permission to use their books in virtual story and circle times--through May 31. Arbordale is offering free access to e-books through May 15, specifically dual-language and multilingual digital titles, while Lee & Low is posting recorded read-alouds and activities as resources for Spanish-speaking families. Candlewick has launched a Where's Waldo-themed portal and has also created an "event grid for potential virtual events with select, tech-savvy authors and illustrators, either during Children's Book Week (May 4-10) or at any time that works for [educators, librarians, booksellers, etc.] through at least June." Andrews McMeel Kids gathered a collection of "particularly easy-to-implement creative activities and teaching guides" that include "award-winning lesson plans created by the Peanuts team in collaboration with NASA."
Author Dana Simpson has been doing weekly videos (such as this one to celebrate International Unicorn Day) to engage with young readers. Gina Loveless has posted a series of activity videos with other authors, including Jessica Kim and Erin Entrada Kelly, on Facebook.
And Jason Reynolds, in his new role as National Ambassador for Young Peoples Literature, began on April 14 to connect directly with young people online as part of his GRAB THE MIC: Tell Your Story platform. In collaboration with the Library of Congress, the Children's Book Council and Every Child a Reader, this includes "a monthly newsletter for parents and educators focused on relevant topics of the day and a biweekly video series intended to inspire creativity in young people, titled 'Write. Right. Rite.' " --Siân Gaetano, children's and YA editor, Shelf Awareness