Author Neil Gaiman Gives Educators Permission to Read His Books Online To Students

Young adult readers rejoice! Acclaimed author Neil Gaiman gave educators, teachers, and anyone wanting to share a story with family and friends from afar permission to read his works via video. This all started when actor LeVar Burton, of Reading Rainbow fame, asked for something to read in the public domain. Gaiman’s books are technically not, but he gave blanket permission anyway.

What ensued was a bunch of teachers and educators asking if they could read them too. Gaiman responded with a resounding “yes.” As he said on Twitter, “I’d be thrilled if you did. These are unusual times and I’m giving blanket permission to any teachers and educators and people with loved ones on the other sides of screens to read my books on video to each other.”   

Absolutely blanket permission, yes. https://t.co/f0YvkPoCs8

— Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself) March 26, 2020

While you’re waiting to hear what LeVar Burton and other educators pick first, Gaiman is also offering free short stories and more on his website. One of the best parts of this freebie? Neil himself reads two of his popular YA fantasy books, Coraline and The Graveyard Book. 

Young Adult Neil Gaiman Books for Free

Coraline is an imaginative novella that follows the misadventures of young Coraline when she moves into a new home with some interesting flat-mate neighbors. After she’s warned to stay away from a small locked door, she of course decides to open it. In doing so, she accesses an alternate universe complete with an “Other Mother” and “Other Father,” who pay more attention to her. But all is not as it seems. 

The Graveyard Book is a fantasy novel about a young boy named Bod, who is raised in a graveyard by ghosts after the death of his family. While the story is a dark one, it’s also an enchanting one that won both the Newbery Medal and the Hugo Award. 

Other Freebies from Gaiman

Many of the free short stories that Gaiman features on his site have appeared in various anthologies. Instead of digging those anthologies out, you can access them for free on his website here. Read Gaiman’s unique take on a Sherlock Holmes-like world in “A Study in Emerald” (complete with a handful of illustrations). Or, dive into the incredibly creative story “I, Cthulhu,” whose main character was inspired by H.P. Lovecraft.  Bonus: Kids aren’t the only ones who will enjoy these free stories and resources while we’re all stuck at home. Adults will too. https://www.instagram.com/p/B39GCqoH0FV/ I, for one, am hoping LeVar Burton will read our favorite picture book by Gaiman, “The Day I Swapped My Dad For Two Goldfish.” It’s one of my daughter’s favorites; after all, I’ve easily read it 500 times (no exaggeration!) That’s how much we love Gaiman in this house, and I can’t wait for more young readers to discover his fabulous imaginative works.  

MORE FUN THINGS TO DO WHILE YOU’RE STUCK AT HOME:

• Check out these kids education websites offering free subscriptions.
• Help your kids learn how to make bubbles at home!
• My kids are obsessed with these active indoor games.
• 5 minute crafts are so fun and easy!
• Coloring is fun! Especially with Easter coloring pages. 
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• Rawr! Here are some of our favorite dinosaur crafts.
• Get kids off technology and back to basics with learning worksheets you can print at home.
• Make being stuck at home fun with our favorite indoor games for kids.
• Have fun coloring our awesome Fortnite coloring pages.