Kick off the month of May with these Great Read Alouds!!!

A Story for each day to celebrate the first week in May with Storyline Online!

Month of May: Older Americans Month

Watch Bradley Whitford read Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge. Wilfrid lives next to a retirement home, and his favorite old person is 96-year-old Miss Nancy. Everyone says Miss Nancy has lost her memory, and despite the fact that Wilfrid doesn't even know what a memory is, by accident he helps her find it. View the activity guide here.

Friday, May 1: International Workers' Day

Watch Rashida Jones read Please Please the Bees. Life is sweet for Benedict. Every morning he wakes up to find jars of fresh honey on his back porch. He makes honey toast for breakfast, bakes honey cake in the afternoon, and drinks honey tea before bed. But one day, the jars on Benedict’s porch are empty. The bees in his backyard have gone on strike! They are tired of doing all the work around the hive. What can Benedict do to make the bees happy and bring sweetness back to his days? View the activity guide here.

Sunday, May 3 - Saturday, May 9: National Pet Week

Watch Betty White read Harry The Dirty Dog. Harry is a white dog with black spots who loves everything…except baths. So one day before bath time, Harry runs away. View the activity guide here.

Watch Elijah Wood read Me and My Cat. Late one night Nicholas sees a witch enter his bedroom and hears her say some magic words. When he wakes up the next morning, it doesn't take him long to realize something very strange is going on -- especially when he pulls at his whiskers! View the activity guide here.

Tuesday, May 5: Teachers' Day

Watch Jane Kaczmarek read Thank You, Mr. Falker. Little Trisha is overjoyed at the thought of starting school and learning how to read. But right from the start, when she tries to read, all the letters and numbers just get jumbled up. Her classmates make matters worse by calling her "dummy" and "toad". View the activity guide here.

Watch Chris Pine read Clark the Shark. Little Trisha is overjoyed at the thought of starting school and learning how to read. But right from the start, when she tries to read, all the letters and numbers just get jumbled up. Her classmates make matters worse by calling her "dummy" and "toad". View the activity guide here.

Watch Mindy Sterling read Library Lion.  Miss Merriweather, the head librarian, is very particular about rules in the library. No running allowed. And you must be quiet. But when a lion comes to the library one day, no one is sure what to do. There aren't any rules about lions in the library. And, as it turns out, this lion seems very well suited to library visiting. His big feet are quiet on the library floor. He makes a comfy backrest for the children at story hour. And he never roars in the library, at least not anymore. But when something terrible happens, the lion quickly comes to the rescue in the only way he knows how. View the activity guide here.

Saturday, May 9: Europe Day

Watch Ed O'Neill read How I Learned Geography. Having fled from war in their troubled homeland, a boy and his family are living in poverty in a strange country. Food is scarce, so when the boy’s father brings home a map instead of bread for supper, at first the boy is furious. But when the map is hung on the wall, it floods their cheerless room with color. As the boy studies its every detail, he is transported to exotic places without ever leaving the room, and he eventually comes to realize that the map feeds him in a way that bread never could. View the activity guide here.

Sunday, May 10: Mother's Day

Watch Barbara Bain read The Kissing Hand. School is starting in the forest, but Chester Raccoon does not want to go. To help ease Chester's fears, Mrs. Raccoon shares a family secret called the Kissing Hand to give him the reassurance of her love any time his world feels a little scary. View the activity guide here.

Monday, May 11: Eat What You Want Day

Watch Allison Janney read Carla's Sandwich. When Carla brings weird sandwiches to school, her classmates have plenty to say about them. “That’s sick!” says Leslie. “That’s disgusting!” says Natie. But Carla thinks otherwise. “It’s unique. It’s creative.” - Just like Carla. View the activity guide here.

Tuesday, May 12: International Nurses Day

Watch Michelle Yeoh read Lotus & Feather. A winter illness left Lotus, a little girl, without a voice and without friends. A hunter’s bullet left Feather, a crane, injured and unable to fly. As Lotus nurses Feather back to health, their bond grows. Soon Feather is following Lotus everywhere, even to school! The bird dances to the girl’s reed whistle, much to the delight of the other children. One day, when the village floods, Feather helps raise the alarm as Lotus and her grandfather urge their neighbors to get to high ground. Feather is a true friend to Lotus, but the time comes when Lotus must be a true friend to him--by encouraging him to migrate with the rest of the cranes. The next spring, Feather miraculously returns, and that’s not all . . . he has brought new life to the nearby lake. Inspired by the true story of a crane that rescued a Chinese village, and graced with sensitive watercolor illustrations, this lovely book about respecting nature offers deep emotion and delightful surprises. View the activity guide here.

Friday, May 15: International Day of Families/Family Day

Watch Kristen Bell read Quackenstein Hatches A Family. Crack open this tale of family and fright, as cute as it is creepy. All the animals in the zoo have friends and family to play with and love. All of them, that is, except Quackenstein. Lonely and bitter in his ramshackle corner, he decides to adopt an egg. He cares for it diligently, waiting until the moment when it will hatch a baby duck of his own. View the activity guide here.

Sunday, May 24: National Brother's Day

Watch Melissa Gilbert read My Rotten Redheaded Brother. Tricia can't stand her rotten redheaded older brother Richie, who can do everything better than she can. So when her grandmother tells her a wish made on a shooting star will come true, she knows exactly what to wish for - to be able to do something, anything, better than Richie. View the activity guide here.

Late May: New Release!

Our newest release will be available in late May! Stay tuned for updates! Trombone Shorty A 2016 Caldecott Honor Book Hailing from the Tremé neighborhood in New Orleans, Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews got his nickname by wielding a trombone twice as long as he was high. A prodigy, he was leading his own band by age six, and today this Grammy-nominated artist headlines the legendary New Orleans Jazz Fest. Along with esteemed illustrator Bryan Collier, Andrews has created a lively picture book autobiography about how he followed his dream of becoming a musician, despite the odds, until he reached international stardom. Trombone Shorty is a celebration of the rich cultural history of New Orleans and the power of music.

An Emmy®-nominated program of the non-profit SAG-AFTRA Foundation, Storyline Online® streams 59 videos at no cost to children, parents, and educators worldwide. The site receives over 10 million views every month and is endorsed by the American Federation of Teachers, representing 1.7 million teachers and education professionals. In addition to the website, Storyline Online offers a free app for iPhone and Google Play devices. Keep up with new videos in 2020 by subscribing to Storyline Online on YouTube, and following Storyline Online on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

elebrate May Holidays with Storyline Online! Celebrate May holidays and special days with Storyline Online®, and take advantage of our free activity guides aligned with Common Core Standards to help strengthen comprehension and verbal and written language skills! Downloadable activity guides are located beneath each video to help with distance learning! Month of May: Older Americans Month Watch Bradley Whitford read Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge. Wilfrid lives next to a retirement home, and his favorite old person is 96-year-old Miss Nancy. Everyone says Miss Nancy has lost her memory, and despite the fact that Wilfrid doesn't even know what a memory is, by accident he helps her find it. View the activity guide here. Friday, May 1: International Workers' Day Watch Rashida Jones read Please Please the Bees. Life is sweet for Benedict. Every morning he wakes up to find jars of fresh honey on his back porch. He makes honey toast for breakfast, bakes honey cake in the afternoon, and drinks honey tea before bed. But one day, the jars on Benedict’s porch are empty. The bees in his backyard have gone on strike! They are tired of doing all the work around the hive. What can Benedict do to make the bees happy and bring sweetness back to his days? View the activity guide here. Sunday, May 3 - Saturday, May 9: National Pet Week Watch Betty White read Harry The Dirty Dog. Harry is a white dog with black spots who loves everything…except baths. So one day before bath time, Harry runs away. View the activity guide here. Watch Elijah Wood read Me and My Cat. Late one night Nicholas sees a witch enter his bedroom and hears her say some magic words. When he wakes up the next morning, it doesn't take him long to realize something very strange is going on -- especially when he pulls at his whiskers! View the activity guide here.  Tuesday, May 5: Teachers' Day Watch Jane Kaczmarek read Thank You, Mr. Falker. Little Trisha is overjoyed at the thought of starting school and learning how to read. But right from the start, when she tries to read, all the letters and numbers just get jumbled up. Her classmates make matters worse by calling her "dummy" and "toad". View the activity guide here.  Watch Chris Pine read Clark the Shark. Little Trisha is overjoyed at the thought of starting school and learning how to read. But right from the start, when she tries to read, all the letters and numbers just get jumbled up. Her classmates make matters worse by calling her "dummy" and "toad". View the activity guide here.  Watch Mindy Sterling read Library Lion.  Miss Merriweather, the head librarian, is very particular about rules in the library. No running allowed. And you must be quiet. But when a lion comes to the library one day, no one is sure what to do. There aren't any rules about lions in the library. And, as it turns out, this lion seems very well suited to library visiting. His big feet are quiet on the library floor. He makes a comfy backrest for the children at story hour. And he never roars in the library, at least not anymore. But when something terrible happens, the lion quickly comes to the rescue in the only way he knows how. View the activity guide here.  Saturday, May 9: Europe Day Watch Ed O'Neill read How I Learned Geography. Having fled from war in their troubled homeland, a boy and his family are living in poverty in a strange country. Food is scarce, so when the boy’s father brings home a map instead of bread for supper, at first the boy is furious. But when the map is hung on the wall, it floods their cheerless room with color. As the boy studies its every detail, he is transported to exotic places without ever leaving the room, and he eventually comes to realize that the map feeds him in a way that bread never could. View the activity guide here. Sunday, May 10: Mother's Day Watch Barbara Bain read The Kissing Hand. School is starting in the forest, but Chester Raccoon does not want to go. To help ease Chester's fears, Mrs. Raccoon shares a family secret called the Kissing Hand to give him the reassurance of her love any time his world feels a little scary. View the activity guide here. Monday, May 11: Eat What You Want Day Watch Allison Janney read Carla's Sandwich. When Carla brings weird sandwiches to school, her classmates have plenty to say about them. “That’s sick!” says Leslie. “That’s disgusting!” says Natie. But Carla thinks otherwise. “It’s unique. It’s creative.” - Just like Carla. View the activity guide here. Tuesday, May 12: International Nurses Day Watch Michelle Yeoh read Lotus & Feather. A winter illness left Lotus, a little girl, without a voice and without friends. A hunter’s bullet left Feather, a crane, injured and unable to fly. As Lotus nurses Feather back to health, their bond grows. Soon Feather is following Lotus everywhere, even to school! The bird dances to the girl’s reed whistle, much to the delight of the other children. One day, when the village floods, Feather helps raise the alarm as Lotus and her grandfather urge their neighbors to get to high ground. Feather is a true friend to Lotus, but the time comes when Lotus must be a true friend to him--by encouraging him to migrate with the rest of the cranes. The next spring, Feather miraculously returns, and that’s not all . . . he has brought new life to the nearby lake. Inspired by the true story of a crane that rescued a Chinese village, and graced with sensitive watercolor illustrations, this lovely book about respecting nature offers deep emotion and delightful surprises. View the activity guide here. Friday, May 15: International Day of Families/Family Day Watch Kristen Bell read Quackenstein Hatches A Family. Crack open this tale of family and fright, as cute as it is creepy. All the animals in the zoo have friends and family to play with and love. All of them, that is, except Quackenstein. Lonely and bitter in his ramshackle corner, he decides to adopt an egg. He cares for it diligently, waiting until the moment when it will hatch a baby duck of his own. View the activity guide here. Sunday, May 24: National Brother's Day Watch Melissa Gilbert read My Rotten Redheaded Brother. Tricia can't stand her rotten redheaded older brother Richie, who can do everything better than she can. So when her grandmother tells her a wish made on a shooting star will come true, she knows exactly what to wish for - to be able to do something, anything, better than Richie. View the activity guide here. Late May: New Release! Our newest release will be available in late May! Stay tuned for updates! Trombone Shorty A 2016 Caldecott Honor Book Hailing from the Tremé neighborhood in New Orleans, Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews got his nickname by wielding a trombone twice as long as he was high. A prodigy, he was leading his own band by age six, and today this Grammy-nominated artist headlines the legendary New Orleans Jazz Fest. Along with esteemed illustrator Bryan Collier, Andrews has created a lively picture book autobiography about how he followed his dream of becoming a musician, despite the odds, until he reached international stardom. Trombone Shorty is a celebration of the rich cultural history of New Orleans and the power of music. An Emmy®-nominated program of the non-profit SAG-AFTRA Foundation, Storyline Online® streams 59 videos at no cost to children, parents, and educators worldwide. The site receives over 10 million views every month and is endorsed by the American Federation of Teachers, representing 1.7 million teachers and education professionals. In addition to the website, Storyline Online offers a free app for iPhone and Google Play devices. Keep up with new videos in 2020 by subscribing to Storyline Online on YouTube, and following Storyline Online on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. elebrate May Holidays with Storyline Online! Celebrate May holidays and special days with Storyline Online®, and take advantage of our free activity guides aligned with Common Core Standards to help strengthen comprehension and verbal and written language skills! Downloadable activity guides are located beneath each video to help with distance learning! Month of May: Older Americans Month Watch Bradley Whitford read Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge. Wilfrid lives next to a retirement home, and his favorite old person is 96-year-old Miss Nancy. Everyone says Miss Nancy has lost her memory, and despite the fact that Wilfrid doesn't even know what a memory is, by accident he helps her find it. View the activity guide here. Friday, May 1: International Workers' Day Watch Rashida Jones read Please Please the Bees. Life is sweet for Benedict. Every morning he wakes up to find jars of fresh honey on his back porch. He makes honey toast for breakfast, bakes honey cake in the afternoon, and drinks honey tea before bed. But one day, the jars on Benedict’s porch are empty. The bees in his backyard have gone on strike! They are tired of doing all the work around the hive. What can Benedict do to make the bees happy and bring sweetness back to his days? View the activity guide here. Sunday, May 3 - Saturday, May 9: National Pet Week Watch Betty White read Harry The Dirty Dog. Harry is a white dog with black spots who loves everything…except baths. So one day before bath time, Harry runs away. View the activity guide here. Watch Elijah Wood read Me and My Cat. Late one night Nicholas sees a witch enter his bedroom and hears her say some magic words. When he wakes up the next morning, it doesn't take him long to realize something very strange is going on -- especially when he pulls at his whiskers! View the activity guide here.  Tuesday, May 5: Teachers' Day Watch Jane Kaczmarek read Thank You, Mr. Falker. Little Trisha is overjoyed at the thought of starting school and learning how to read. But right from the start, when she tries to read, all the letters and numbers just get jumbled up. Her classmates make matters worse by calling her "dummy" and "toad". View the activity guide here.  Watch Chris Pine read Clark the Shark. Little Trisha is overjoyed at the thought of starting school and learning how to read. But right from the start, when she tries to read, all the letters and numbers just get jumbled up. Her classmates make matters worse by calling her "dummy" and "toad". View the activity guide here.  Watch Mindy Sterling read Library Lion.  Miss Merriweather, the head librarian, is very particular about rules in the library. No running allowed. And you must be quiet. But when a lion comes to the library one day, no one is sure what to do. There aren't any rules about lions in the library. And, as it turns out, this lion seems very well suited to library visiting. His big feet are quiet on the library floor. He makes a comfy backrest for the children at story hour. And he never roars in the library, at least not anymore. But when something terrible happens, the lion quickly comes to the rescue in the only way he knows how. View the activity guide here.  Saturday, May 9: Europe Day Watch Ed O'Neill read How I Learned Geography. Having fled from war in their troubled homeland, a boy and his family are living in poverty in a strange country. Food is scarce, so when the boy’s father brings home a map instead of bread for supper, at first the boy is furious. But when the map is hung on the wall, it floods their cheerless room with color. As the boy studies its every detail, he is transported to exotic places without ever leaving the room, and he eventually comes to realize that the map feeds him in a way that bread never could. View the activity guide here. Sunday, May 10: Mother's Day Watch Barbara Bain read The Kissing Hand. School is starting in the forest, but Chester Raccoon does not want to go. To help ease Chester's fears, Mrs. Raccoon shares a family secret called the Kissing Hand to give him the reassurance of her love any time his world feels a little scary. View the activity guide here. Monday, May 11: Eat What You Want Day Watch Allison Janney read Carla's Sandwich. When Carla brings weird sandwiches to school, her classmates have plenty to say about them. “That’s sick!” says Leslie. “That’s disgusting!” says Natie. But Carla thinks otherwise. “It’s unique. It’s creative.” - Just like Carla. View the activity guide here. Tuesday, May 12: International Nurses Day Watch Michelle Yeoh read Lotus & Feather. A winter illness left Lotus, a little girl, without a voice and without friends. A hunter’s bullet left Feather, a crane, injured and unable to fly. As Lotus nurses Feather back to health, their bond grows. Soon Feather is following Lotus everywhere, even to school! The bird dances to the girl’s reed whistle, much to the delight of the other children. One day, when the village floods, Feather helps raise the alarm as Lotus and her grandfather urge their neighbors to get to high ground. Feather is a true friend to Lotus, but the time comes when Lotus must be a true friend to him--by encouraging him to migrate with the rest of the cranes. The next spring, Feather miraculously returns, and that’s not all . . . he has brought new life to the nearby lake. Inspired by the true story of a crane that rescued a Chinese village, and graced with sensitive watercolor illustrations, this lovely book about respecting nature offers deep emotion and delightful surprises. View the activity guide here. Friday, May 15: International Day of Families/Family Day Watch Kristen Bell read Quackenstein Hatches A Family. Crack open this tale of family and fright, as cute as it is creepy. All the animals in the zoo have friends and family to play with and love. All of them, that is, except Quackenstein. Lonely and bitter in his ramshackle corner, he decides to adopt an egg. He cares for it diligently, waiting until the moment when it will hatch a baby duck of his own. View the activity guide here. Sunday, May 24: National Brother's Day Watch Melissa Gilbert read My Rotten Redheaded Brother. Tricia can't stand her rotten redheaded older brother Richie, who can do everything better than she can. So when her grandmother tells her a wish made on a shooting star will come true, she knows exactly what to wish for - to be able to do something, anything, better than Richie. View the activity guide here. Late May: New Release! Our newest release will be available in late May! Stay tuned for updates! Trombone Shorty A 2016 Caldecott Honor Book Hailing from the Tremé neighborhood in New Orleans, Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews got his nickname by wielding a trombone twice as long as he was high. A prodigy, he was leading his own band by age six, and today this Grammy-nominated artist headlines the legendary New Orleans Jazz Fest. Along with esteemed illustrator Bryan Collier, Andrews has created a lively picture book autobiography about how he followed his dream of becoming a musician, despite the odds, until he reached international stardom. Trombone Shorty is a celebration of the rich cultural history of New Orleans and the power of music. An Emmy®-nominated program of the non-profit SAG-AFTRA Foundation, Storyline Online® streams 59 videos at no cost to children, parents, and educators worldwide. The site receives over 10 million views every month and is endorsed by the American Federation of Teachers, representing 1.7 million teachers and education professionals. In addition to the website, Storyline Online offers a free app for iPhone and Google Play devices. Keep up with new videos in 2020 by subscribing to Storyline Online on YouTube, and following Storyline Online on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.