A Ton of Celebrities Are Turning Coronavirus Quarantine Into Virtual Story Time & We Love It

As we’re all self-isolating thanks to the coronavirus, the lack of our usual human interaction can be tough. A lot of people have come up with some creative ways to stay connected, including a whole bunch of literature-based ideas. Maybe you’ve moved your book club over to Zoom. Or maybe you want to sit back and let celebrities read to you, which is something a LOT of them are doing right now.

Here are some of my personal favorites.

Dolly Parton reads bedtime stories

“Goodnight with Dolly” starts this Thursday with The Little Engine That Could and will continue weekly with books from her nonprofit The Imagination Library, which mails books to young kids.

LeVar Burton Reads!

Last week, LeVar Burton tweeted that he’d been trying to figure out some sort of way to do a livestream version of his podcast LeVar Burton Reads, but copyright issues were standing in the way. After Neil Gaiman and publishing giant Harper Collins gave him permission to use their catalogues, it’s happening! He’ll be dedicating different days to stories for different age ranges, starting with something by Neil Gaiman this Friday!

Good Morning, Y’all…
I am thrilled to announce that this coming Friday, APRIL 3RD, I’ll be reading a selection from master storyteller, @neilhimself, Neil Gaiman. 6pm Pacific – 9pm Eastern. ##bydhttmwfi pic.twitter.com/gWGemxeuxl

— LeVar Burton (@levarburton) April 1, 2020

Samuel L. Jackson reads Stay the F*ck at Home

Jackson has followed up his popular reading of Adam Mansbach’s book Go the F*ck to Sleep with the timely Stay the F*ck at Home.

Patrick Stewart is reading us sonnets

Patrick Stewart has been reading a Shakespearean sonnet a day and it’s impossibly soothing. You can watch on Instagram or Twitter.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

#ASonnetADay

A post shared by Patrick Stewart (@sirpatstew) on Mar 31, 2020 at 1:06pm PDT

Henry Cavill reads The Witcher

This one isn’t specifically coronavirus-inspired since it’s from December 2019 (approximately 89 years ago) but we still think it should be on the list.

Phoebe Judge reads us a mystery novel

Phoebe Judge is the host of one my absolute favorite podcasts, Criminal (also This Is Love) and she has, hands-down, one of the best voices in podcasting if not the world. She’s also launched a new podcast called Phoebe Reads a Mystery, which is just what it sounds like. Every episode is a different chapter from a mystery novel, read aloud. I hope she’ll keep going after this one is done but for now, she’s reading Agatha Christie’s first published novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles.

Hi. Let’s read a mystery together. Here’s a new podcast of Phoebe reading Agatha Christie’s The Mysterious Affair at Styles. Listen on @applepodcasts. https://t.co/mYYCowygrS pic.twitter.com/rbbjDXYzUZ

— Criminal (@CriminalShow) March 24, 2020

Save With Stories

It’s absolutely disgraceful for us as a nation that when schools shut down, tens of millions of children are at risk of going hungry. Save With Stories is working with other nonprofits to provide much-needed meals (as well as educational supplies) to those kids. Here are just a few of my own favorite examples of celebrities drawing attention to this cause. (And text SAVE to 20222 to donate a quick $10 or visit their website to donate another amount.)

Beanie Feldstein (and her dog Jackie) reading Boot & Shoe by Marla Frazee

 

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“Boot & Shoe” by Marla Frazee, read by @beaniefeldstein . THIRTY MILLION CHILDREN rely on school for food. Responding to the needs of kids during school closures, @savethechildren and @nokidhungry have a new fund @SAVEWITHSTORIES to support food banks, and mobile meal trucks, and community feeding programs with funds to do what they do best—and also—with educational toys, books, and worksheets to make sure brains are full, as well as bellies. . If you can manage a one time gift of $10, please text SAVE to 20222. If another amount would work better for you, please visit our website—link in bio. There is no maximum and there is no minimum—together we will rise and together we can help. . Thank you and stay safe. XX #SAVEWITHSTORIES

A post shared by #SAVEWITHSTORIES (@savewithstories) on Mar 19, 2020 at 5:37pm PDT

Brie Larson reading Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andrae.

 

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“Giraffes Can’t Dance” by Giles Andreae, illustrated by Guy Parker-Reese (published by @scholasticinc) – read by @brielarson . THIRTY MILLION CHILDREN rely on school for food. Responding to the needs of kids during school closures, @savethechildren and @nokidhungry have a new fund @SAVEWITHSTORIES to support food banks, and mobile meal trucks, and community feeding programs with funds to do what they do best—and also—with educational toys, books, and worksheets to make sure brains are full, as well as bellies. . If you can manage a one time gift of $10, please text SAVE to 20222. If another amount would work better for you, please visit our website—link in bio. There is no maximum and there is no minimum—together we will rise and together we can help. . Thank you and stay safe. XX #SAVEWITHSTORIES

A post shared by #SAVEWITHSTORIES (@savewithstories) on Mar 19, 2020 at 8:37pm PDT

Lupita Nyong’o reading Not Quite Narwhal by Jessie Sima.

 

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“Not Quite Narwhal” by Jessie Sima (published by @simonkids and @simonandschuster) – read by @lupitanyongo . THIRTY MILLION CHILDREN rely on school for food. Responding to the needs of kids during school closures, @savethechildren and @nokidhungry have a new fund @SAVEWITHSTORIES to support food banks, and mobile meal trucks, and community feeding programs with funds to do what they do best—and also—with educational toys, books, and worksheets to make sure brains are full, as well as bellies. . If you can manage a one time gift of $10, please text SAVE to 20222. If another amount would work better for you, please visit our website—link in bio. There is no maximum and there is no minimum—together we will rise and together we can help. . Thank you and stay safe. XX #SAVEWITHSTORIES

A post shared by #SAVEWITHSTORIES (@savewithstories) on Mar 20, 2020 at 10:10am PDT

Laura Dern reading Iggy Peck, Architect by Andrea Beaty

 

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“Iggy Peck, Architect” by Andrea Beaty, illustrated by David Roberts (published by @abramskids) – read by @lauradern . THIRTY MILLION CHILDREN rely on school for food. Responding to the needs of kids during school closures, @savethechildren and @nokidhungry have a new fund @SAVEWITHSTORIES to support food banks, and mobile meal trucks, and community feeding programs with funds to do what they do best—and also—with educational toys, books, and worksheets to make sure brains are full, as well as bellies. . If you can manage a one time gift of $10, please text SAVE to 20222. If another amount would work better for you, please visit our website—link in bio. There is no maximum and there is no minimum—together we will rise and together we can help. . Thank you and stay safe. XX #savewithstories

A post shared by #SAVEWITHSTORIES (@savewithstories) on Mar 23, 2020 at 11:46am PDT

Gabrielle Union reading Hair Love by Matthew Cherry

 

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“Hair Love” by Matthew A. Cherry, illustrated by Vashti Harrison (published by @penguinkids and @penguinrandomhouse) – read by @gabunion . THIRTY MILLION CHILDREN rely on school for food. Responding to the needs of kids during these school closures, @savethechildren and @nokidhungry have a new fund @SAVEWITHSTORIES to support food banks, and mobile meal trucks, and community feeding programs with funds to do what they do best—and also—with educational toys, books, and worksheets to make sure brains are full, as well as bellies. . If you can manage a one time gift of $10, please text SAVE to 20222. If another amount would work better for you, please visit our website—link in bio. There is no maximum and there is no minimum—together we will rise and together we can help. . Thank you and stay safe. XX #SAVEWITHSTORIES

A post shared by #SAVEWITHSTORIES (@savewithstories) on Mar 26, 2020 at 3:12pm PDT

Chris Evans reading If You Give a Dog a Donut by Laura Numeroff

 

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“If You Give A Dog A Donut” by Laura Numeroff, illustrated by Felicia Bond (published by @harperkids) – read by #ChrisEvans . THIRTY MILLION CHILDREN rely on school for food. Responding to the needs of kids during these school closures, @savethechildren and @nokidhungry have a new fund @SAVEWITHSTORIES to support food banks, and mobile meal trucks, and community feeding programs with funds to do what they do best—and also—with educational toys, books, and worksheets to make sure brains are full, as well as bellies. . If you can manage a one time gift of $10, please text SAVE to 20222. If another amount would work better for you, please visit our website—link in bio. There is no maximum and there is no minimum—together we will rise and together we can help. . Thank you and stay safe. XX #SAVEWITHSTORIES

A post shared by #SAVEWITHSTORIES (@savewithstories) on Mar 26, 2020 at 4:38pm PDT

There are a TON more videos over on Save With Stories’ Instagram.

Have you seen any other celebrity storytimes? Is literature something you’re seeking comfort in right now? Let us know in the comments!

(image: screencaps)
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