Games

“Vax Pack Hero,” from the Vaccine Education Center at CHOP, is a program designed for elementary-aged children that features a web-based video game, physical trading cards, and an educational website. The program introduces 50 heroes important to the development and success of vaccines. The heroes help players battle 21 different vaccine-preventable diseases in a quest to return patients to health.

“CARD (Comfort, Ask, Relax, Distract) System,” known as the “CARD™ game,” helps kids feel less anxious before and during vaccination or other needle-based procedures. Players will meet Coco the cat, Atom the android, Rex the t-rex, and Doodle the dog and learn strategies to help them cope with pain, fear and anxiety from needles. The game also includes stories and coloring activities. 

“Diamond the Game Print and Play” is a board game designed to help students learn about STEM careers. It gives students the chance to explore different aspects of working in a scientific research facility, like Diamond Light Source, the UK's national synchrotron science facility.

Coloring/puzzle books

"My Vaccine Activity Book," from the Vaccine Education Center at CHOP, presents the science of vaccines with fun images to color and activities to complete. This 16-page booklet is sure to provide children with a way to learn about vaccines and how they work, as well as some of the scientists who helped to develop them. The book is also available in Spanish and Ukrainian (boys | girls).

Storybooks and comic books

COVID-19 Pandemic Children's Book Collection, led and designed by Ashley Hosbach, education and social science research librarian at the University of Virginia, this comprehensive collection includes more than 300 books. Topics include:

• Managing fear and anxiety
• Grief and loss
• Processing traumatic events
• Vaccine confidence
• Social distancing, quarantining, and “stay at home”
• Normalizing face masks
• Doctors, scientists, and healthcare workers as trusted figures
• Return to school

"Madi’s Story: Flu Vaccine 101, Comic Book for Teens," written in partnership between Families Fighting Flu (FFF), Sanofi and pediatric nurse practitioners to create a comic-book-style story for teens. The free, downloadable story features Madi Allen telling her experience with influenza.

"Judah Maccabee Goes to the Doctor: A Story for Hanukkah," this picture book by Ann D. Koffsky is appropriate for preschool to young elementary-aged children and can help them understand that vaccinations protect both themselves and their siblings.

"The Vicious Case of the Viral Vaccine," written by Pendred Noyce and Roberta Baxter, this book guides students, 9 to 12 years of age, through some vaccine history, including development of the polio and mumps vaccines and the history of the false notion that MMR vaccine causes autism.

"The Saturday Shot" tells the story of a young girl going to the doctor's office for a check-up and vaccine. Written by a child for children, this book provides a child's perspective on getting immunized. Published in 2009.

"Dylan’s Big Surprise at the Doctor Not-So-Scary Shots" tells the story of a young boy who is afraid to go to the doctor if one particular nurse is not there because she makes a visit to the doctor’s office fun for kids. Written by Kishma Anthony, this book helps kids understand that other children are scared too, and it speaks to the important role of understanding office staff in making children feel better about the situation. Published by BookLogix in 2013, the book is also available for e-readers.

"Jojo Wonders … What Are Vaccines?" was written and illustrated by high school freshman, Aimen Patel. The story educates young children about what vaccines are by explaining that the training of our immune system by vaccines is like the training to learn to read.

"Vaccines Explained," written by Ohemaa Boahemaa and illustrated by Joyeeta Neogi, explains how vaccines work and why they are important. The book is available in numerous languages.

"Helping Our World Get Well: COVID Vaccines" was written by Beth Bacon. It talks about the new things children did during the pandemic, but, of all the new things being asked, the main character has one thing they don’t want to do — get the COVID-19 vaccine. After talking with several people, including their friend Wesley who can’t get vaccinated due to a health condition, the main character decides to get vaccinated, realizing that by working together, vaccinated people can protect vulnerable people, like Wesley, in their school, community and the world.

"The Germ Patrol" was written by Dr. Neil Shulman, Dr. Todd Stolp, and Robin Voss. When Trudy is nervous to get vaccinated, she learns how vaccines work and why they are important.

"The Case of the Covid Crisis" was written by Pendered Noyce. The book focuses on the coronavirus pandemic, including how COVID-19 spreads. Two middle schoolers travel through time to investigate how the virus started and how it can be contained.

"Doc 2 Doc: Tony & Jace Learn About Viruses," written by Dr. Dale Okorodudu, is a book about germs and viruses for young children. The “Doc 2 Doc” series includes several books in which Tony and Jace learn about different parts of the body.

"Maxine’s Critters Get the Vaccine Jitters," written by Jan Zauzmer, is a colorfully illustrated book for children five years and younger. The book describes Maxine’s day getting all of her “critters” vaccinated before herself going to get vaccinated. It is meant to help children be less nervous about their own vaccine visits as they see Maxine cajoling her critters before their vaccinations.

"Ava Antibody Explains Your Body and Vaccines," written by Andrea Cudd Alemanni, introduces young children to their immune system and explains why they get vaccines. Their host is none other than Ava Antibody.

"Andre’s Armor," written by Dr. Mohamed “Mo” Jolloh, is for children up to 8 years of age. The authors goal was to create a story for young Black children, and their parents, to learn more about how vaccines work through characters that look like them and have concerns similar to their own. The book is also available in Spanish. 

“The Amazing Adventures of Syrgo and BC” comics feature BC, an immune cell, and Syrgo, a fact-checking furry hamster. These fictional characters are on a mission to prevent microbes from spreading dangerous diseases and inaccurate information about vaccines by combining humor and science.

The series, authored and illustrated by Dr. Susan Nasif Obeid-Adorisio and published by the European Union Commission, includes three comic books aimed at children 9 to 12 years of age. Each book is available for free download in multiple languages:

• The amazing adventures of Syrgo and BC: Vaccines
• The amazing adventures of Syrgo and BC: Human papilloma virus vaccine
• The amazing adventures of Syrgo and BC:  Meningitis

“Why We Need Vaccines,” written by Rowena Ray, this 88-page book for middle grade students can be read cover to cover or used to check specific facts or content. Chapters cover information about how pathogens spread; how vaccines work, are tested and get distributed; and how to evaluate information, among others. The book also includes engaging illustrations and relevant sidebar content and features some individuals working in jobs related to vaccines.

Reviewed on May 20, 2024