the best books about germs

Let’s talk about germs! Rather, let’s read about them. Here’s a list of six, informative picture books you can read aloud to your students.

Germs are Not for Sharing

By: Elizabet Verdic

There are a ton of highlights with this book. One, it takes a complex topic like germs and makes it understandable for primary students through its vivid pictures and kid-friendly language. Two, it’s written in English and Spanish. Three, it explains how they transfer from one person to another as well as the correct way to cough and wash your hands. If you could only read one book about germs, this book is my top choice.

Take a Bath!: My Tips for Keeping Clean

By: Gina Bellisario

Caleb loves to do many things like play in the mud with his dog. Thanks to his mom, Caleb creates “No Germ Zones” by taking a bath, washing his clothes, and brushing and flossing his teeth. By the end of the story, Caleb learns a healthy way to play. This is a great book to show students how they can prevent germs when they are home.

A Germ’s Journey

By Thom Rooke, MD

Get ready to go on a journey! This book explains how germs spread and travel from one host to another. The germs are witty cartoon characters, so the story will keep young readers’ attention. This book is an enjoyable read and students will likely be engaged. One downside is it doesn’t talk about how to prevent germs. Other than that, it’s a fun, informative read.

Germs Make Me Sick!

By Melvin Berger

Another clever and humorous take on germs, Germs Make Me Sick provides a good overview of why and how they spread and what you can do to prevent them in order to avoid sickness. This book uses technical language and diagrams, but primary students can still grasp these difficult concepts.

Sick Simon

By: Dan Krall

Germs call Simon a hero, but everyone else calls him sick. This book is a fun read! Simon wants to have the best week ever, even though he’s sick! He coughs and sneezes on the bus and at school. Students will enjoy the gross (in a good way!) illustrations and the funny story. This book helps students learn how germs spread while laughing and giggling!

Curious George Discovers Germs

By: H.A. Ray

This book is appealing to children because a classic character explains a difficult concept. Curious George is sick! George stays in bed and ends up having a dream that takes him on a journey inside of his body to learn about germs, how they affect us, and actions we can take to prevent them. This book is very educational and mixes illustrations and photographs to communicate concepts.

Cutie Sue Fights Germs

By: Kate Melton

Cutie Sue was about to eat cake but the moment was spoiled by a tummy ache! Cutie Sue learns that she is sick and takes action to prevent the spread of germs. The text is composed of simple rhyming words and bright illustrations. It also reviews the actions you can take to keep yourself and your home healthy.

Practice Hand-Washing

Now, we practice how to wash our hands. I show them a video (so they can all see it).

Here’s a video I have used in the past:

After they watch the video, I explain that we are going to practice washing our hands. They get so excited! While 2 – 3 students wait in line to wash their hands (I have a sink in the classroom), the rest of the class work on sorting actions that prevent and spread germs using this germ sorting worksheet.