What the country is reading during the pandemic: Dystopias, social justice and steamy romance

“This year, perhaps as never before, our reading habits reflect our precarious reality. As the country has muddled through a deadly pandemic and a racial reckoning under a cloud of exhaustion and dread, we’ve used books to escape the present, inform our beliefs and educate our homebound children. We’ve found catharsis in apocalyptic science fiction and comfort in romance; advice in self-help guides and a moment of peace, thanks to children’s activity books. Most strikingly, since the death of George Floyd in May, we’ve flocked to books about race and social justice.”

“As a mom, I’ve used children’s books to help my kids understand everything from moving houses to starting school to learning how to transition from their cribs to their big-girl beds. And whether the topic is potty training or pandemics, the power of literature for kids is the same: Stories, when told well, become filters through which children can better understand the big, wide world.”