The Best List of Kids Books On Germs and Hygiene
Teaching young children good hygiene habits is essential. It's never too early to show kids the importance of washing their hands, keeping clean, and covering their mouths when they cough or sneeze. These habits help build a strong immune system!
The good news is there are many children's books that make learning about hygiene fun and engaging. We've put together a list of over 25 great books on hygiene for you to explore.
From picture books to interactive flap books, these selections will help your kids understand germs, bacteria, and the best ways to stay healthy.
The Essential List of Kids’ Books About Germs
1. Sick Simon
Sick Simon is about to learn that having a cold isn’t nearly as fun as he thought. (And also that he should wash his hands.) A clever book to teach kids what to do (and not to do) to stay healthy during cold and flu season. Kids also learn how careless attitudes and habits can adversely affect those around us. Equal parts fun and totally gross, your kids will love this.
Amazon Rating: 4.9
2. Cutie Sue Fights The Germs
The adventures of Cutie Sue continue! If your child is afraid of the hospitals and dentists, this book for kids will be a fun way to show them there is nothing frightening about doctor’s visits and in fact, can even be fun! This terrific rhyming story is perfect for bedtime reading with toddlers and preschool kids!
Amazon Rating: 4.5
3. Do Not Lick This Book
In this interactive children’s picture book, microbiologist Idan Ben-Barak and award-winning illustrator Julian Frost zoom in on the microscopic world found on everyday objects―and in our bodies―warning readers Do Not Lick This Book.
Amazon Rating: 4.7 (Teacher’s Pick)
4. Germs Are Not for Sharing
In school, at home and everywhere, toddlers need to learn that germs are not for sharing. Rather than focus on what germs are, this book teaches the basics of not spreading them. Child-friendly words and full-color illustrations help little ones stay clean and healthy and develop good personal hygiene habits.
Amazon Rating: 4.8
5. Big Smelly Bear
It’s never bath time for Big Smelly Bear - he doesn’t brush, he doesn’t wash, and he’s simply unBEARable. No one can stand to come close! Then, one day, he wakes up with a most awful, unreachable itch. He could really use a little scratch from a friend, but Big Fluffy Bear won’t help because Big Smelly Bear stinks! Will he change his ways and bathe? The witty ending is sure to satisfy!
Amazon Rating: 4.8
6. Germs Make Me Sick!
Share this book with children to help them, in a safe and calm way, understand how germs work. In addition to straightforward, helpful information told in a warm and approachable way, the book contains a chart of rules for good health that reinforces healthful living and reduce the spread of germs.
Amazon Rating: 4.7
7. The Magic School Bus: The Giant Germ
Learn all about germs when Ms. Frizzle's class takes another exciting field trip! In The Magic School Bus: The Giant Germ, a class picnic in the park becomes an exploration of the mini world of microbes. Even though microbes are tiny, they have huge effects on the world. Ms. Frizzle and her class get into trouble when they run into a giant germ!
Amazon Rating: 4.8
8. The Bacteria Book: The Big World of Really Tiny Microbes
This is a fun, fact-packed science book that brings kids up-close to the big world of tiny science. With remarkable photography, kooky character illustrations, and lots of fun facts, this book uses real-life examples of microbiology in action to show how tiny microbes affect us in big ways.
Amazon Rating: 4.8
9. Ken's Sticky-Icky, Ooey-Gooey, Yucky-Gucky, Germy Hands
This delightful picture book is perfect for parents, families, and teachers to read to young children. Offering a great way to educate children on how germs can make people sick and the importance of personal hygiene, this informative book will have you and your kids singing the handwashing song all day long! This book shows us that taking care of our health is an expression of love.
Amazon Rating: 5.0
10. I'm a Super Secret Germ Fighter
I’m a Super Secret Germ Fighter teaches children the importance of hygiene for staying safe and healthy, all within a fun fact-filled story about battling evil germs. Also included is a page of advice for parents on how to help kids form those all-important hygiene habits.
Amazon Rating: 5.0
11. Curious George Discovers Germs
George comes down with a cold and can’t wait to feel better. But when George drifts to sleep, his dreams take him on a wild ride inside the body to learn all about germs, how they affect us, and how to avoid and get rid of them. This story is filled with additional facts, real photos, experiments, activities, and more. Learning about science has never been so much fun!
Amazon Rating: 4.8
12. I Don’t Want to Wash My Hands
From beloved children's author and illustrator Tony Ross, comes a fun to read and humorous take on the importance of handwashing. The Little Princess does not want to wash her hands. After all, she's already washed her hands so many times!It is a great, simple story that will have your kids asking … “Have you washed your hands?”.
Amazon Rating: 4.6
13. Wash Your Hands, Mr. Panda
This new book in the ever-popular MR PANDA series is perfect for helping little ones to stay safe in a Coronavirus/Covid 19 world which is done with gentle humour throughout. Have our children join Mr Panda and his friends as they learn all about hand washing, sneeze catching and other good hygiene practices.
Amazon Rating: 4.9
14. Ringo Picked
This is a silly story that helps to talk to your child on how to stop nose picking (or other bad habits), how to create a motivating plan to help you and your child, good hygiene, manners. Done with laughter, lots, and lots of laughter!
Amazon Rating: 4.8
15. Wash, Wash, Wash
It's never too early to start healthy habits. Rookie Toddler books offer fun ways to engage with little ones during story time and play time. Engaging photographs and illustrations will delight your toddler while encouraging a love of reading. This rhyme will inspire little ones to wash their hands.
Amazon Rating: 4.8
16. What Are Germs
Curious young children can take a closer look at those mischievous, microscopic bacteria and viruses in this fascinating introduction to germs and hygiene, with 30 flaps to lift and tips on hand-washing and staying healthy.
Amazon Rating: 4.8
17. Wash Your Hands!
The first-grade class at Robin Hill School learns the best way to get rid of germs in this story of the bestselling series! Mrs. Connor's classroom learns about washing their hands and the importance of keeping germs away!
Amazon Rating: 4.6
18. A Germ’s Journey
Curious young children can take a closer look at those mischievous, microscopic bacteria and viruses in this fascinating introduction to germs and hygiene, with 30 flaps to lift and tips on hand-washing and staying healthy.
Amazon Rating: 4.8
19. Germs vs. Soap: A Silly Hygiene Book about Washing Hands!
Got a kid who's a bit iffy with washing their hands? The secret world of germs is revealed in this bestselling and hilarious read-aloud, Germs vs. Soap! Kids of all ages will laugh out loud from the germs' silly antics and memorable one-liners all while learning the reason WHY we wash our hands + how to wash properly.
Amazon Rating: 4.7
20. Keep the Germs Away
This cute and funny book helps kids discover what germs are, why they sometimes make us sick. Encourages kids to develop good handwashing and general hygiene practices.
Amazon Rating: 4.5
21. Teach Your Dragon Good Hygiene
Fun, cute, and entertaining with beautiful illustrations, this is a must have book for children, parents and teachers to teach kids how to keep good personal hygiene, and why it is important socially and emotionally!
Amazon Rating: 4.8
22. Never Let A Unicorn Get Spots!
Never Let A Unicorn Get Spots is about a little girl who wakes up one day to her Unicorn covered in SPOTS! At first they seem harmless but then they turn into Silly SNEEZING SPOTS! She has to find a solution and quick before these spots keep spreading. Her first attempt to find a remedy fails but she refuses to give up! In the end the most magical thing happens to actual cure the spots!
Amazon Rating: 4.8
23. Pig in Jeans Fights Germs
Help your child stay healthy during covid and the flu season with this book that teaches kids why they need to wash their hands (with illustrated explanations), how to not get sick and not spread germs, cough/sneeze etiquette and germy fun facts!
Amazon Rating: 4.9
24. The Secret Life of Viruses
Viruses are all around us―but it's not as scary as it sounds! This is the perfect book to ease fears and empower kids with knowledge to keep themselves and others healthy. They’ll discover the slightly disgusting, super fascinating science of viruses in this colorful biology picture book for curious kids!
Amazon Rating: 4.9
25. Louis Pasteur (Genius Series)
Introduce your children to the visionary Louis Pasteur who is best known for developing the process of pasteurization. Discover the story of his life and work in this engaging illustrated biography—narrated by the scientist himself! Louis Pasteur solved many of the medical mysteries behind various diseases and created vaccines against rabies and anthrax.
Amazon Rating: 4.6
26. All in a Drop: How Antony van Leeuwenhoek Discovered an Invisible World
For fans of the “Who Was” series, this lively, accessible, and full-color chapter book biography shows how a self-taught scientist was the first to observe the microbial life in and around us. By building his own microscope, Antony van Leeuwenhoek advanced humanity’s understanding of our oft-invisible world around us.
Amazon Rating: 4.8
Teaching our kids the importance of good hygiene habits is one of the best things we can do for them. Not only will it help them stay healthy, but it will also help them develop good habits that will last a lifetime.