Looking for a new way to engage your readers? Storytime videos to the rescue! At WeAreTeachers, we believe that reading aloud is powerful when it comes to building strong readers, encouraging literacy, and developing lifelong learners.
And it’s not just for kindergarteners either. There are so many benefits to reading aloud in older grades—even in middle school. That’s why we created our Storytime video series, featuring some of our favorite children’s books, authors, and creators. Subscribe to our WeAreTeachers YouTube channel so you don’t miss any!
Most of the books are read by the author, and we have a couple of amazing teacher readers as well. All videos are under 10 minutes and come with a bonus Q&A at the end. The Storytime videos are a great way to expose your students to authors and open up valuable book discussions. Enjoy!
Just a heads up, WeAreTeachers may collect a share of sales from the links on this page. We only recommend items our team loves!
A Hundred Billion Trillion Stars, read by author Seth Fishman
A Hundred Billion Trillion Stars won the 2018 Mathical Book Prize. It was also named a Best Book of the Year by Space.com, The Horn Book, and the Planetary Society. It takes on some of the biggest numbers in the universe, and it’ll really get your students thinking about math and numbers in a new way. Learn more about Seth on his website.
Watch Seth’s Storytime
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtMoDq5Git0[/embedyt]
Planting Stories, read in English and Spanish by author Anika Denise
This story is about New York City’s first Puerto Rican librarian, who had a huge influence in bilingual literature in the 1920s and beyond. Anika loved researching this story, and now she’s excited to share it with others. We have both an English and Spanish read-aloud option. You could even do both as an added learning opportunity for your students. Learn more about Anika here.
Watch Anika’s Storytime
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAefwxYCydk[/embedyt]
Also check out the Storytime in Spanish
Mixed, read by author and illustrator Arree Chung
Arree Chung is the author of many great picture books, including Ninja, and Mixed is one of his latest. This book brings a sweet message about how to get along with others and embrace differences. Arree both writes and illustrates his books, and your students will really enjoy the Q&A with him after the reading. You should also check out his activity guide, perfect to use in your classroom.
Watch Arree’s Storytime
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mn0ep5u0kZo[/embedyt]
Sparky the Fire Dog, read by teacher Nichole Watson
Sparky the Fire Dog is a staple when it comes to learning about fire safety. He’s such a cute and lovable pup, and Sparky the Fire Dog tells how it all began. We are excited to partner with Sparky Schoolhouse for this reading, and we thank teacher Nichole Watson (and her class) for sharing their read aloud with us! (For those of you interested in buying the book for your class, you can use the coupon code “Sparky19” for $9.95 in savings!)
Watch Nicole’s Storytime
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9af4E1I37c[/embedyt]
Me and My Fear, read by teacher Kayla Dessert
Our teacher friend Kayla Dessert with Sweetest Teacher did this read aloud for us. This book tackles the topic of fear from the perspective of a young girl from another country who starts a new school. Kids (and adults) will be able to relate to this book. Plus, there are some amazing teacher resources available from the publisher to help encourage conversation in your classroom.
Watch Kayla’s Storytime
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6EiqIqwBz8[/embedyt]
The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors, read by author by Drew Daywalt
While Drew Daywalt is loved by many for his book The Day the Crayons Quit, this book tackles the unknown (and totally awesome) tale of Rock, Paper, and Scissors. Your students will love hearing Drew read this book himself, and his bonus Q&A sessions are entertaining, too. You can learn more about Drew here.
Watch Drew’s Storytime
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyxcpMhUM7M[/embedyt]
Don’t forget to subscribe to our WeAreTeachers YouTube channel.
Plus, see some of our other favorite book readings available on YouTube.
