One of the best resources to help kids learn almost anything is to talk to them about those things directly and intentionally. Sometimes we don’t know exactly where to start, or how to integrate different perspectives into conversations with children while keeping conversations developmentally appropriate. Books can help with this! Great research has indicated that reading with children, and having an active dialogue based on what is read, is a great way to help children glean experiences that they haven’t yet had in real life, or to make sense of experiences they have had and need help understanding or communicating. Reading can give valuable perspectives, encourage empathy and understanding, and build developmentally appropriate skills. In this post, we list 5 great children’s books for the development of social emotional skills that can be particularly helpful during COVID-19 pandemic isolation.