Short Stories
We've selected classic short stories and formatted them for your printer. Most of these stories are less than 10 pages and make for good bed-time reading.
You might find that reading them once or twice before reading to your child will make it easier to add drama and inflection to your reading.
If your child likes one of the stories, consider having them illustrate their favorite parts.
An Unusual Pachyderm - A FamilyTimes Original
Dr. Wadada, a "junkyard inventor", and his friend save the day in this creative tale of acceptance and personal direction.
Rudyard Kipling's Just So Stories
We've packaged our favorite of Rudyard Kipling's imaginitive tales from Just So Stories.
How the Camel Got His Hump
A wildly imaginative tale about how the camel's hump came to be. One of many explanatory tales in the "Just So Stories" collection by Rudyard Kipling.
How the First Letter Was Written
Rudyard Kipling tells this humorous tale of the first written letter. Your child might find a new appreciation for reading and writing after hearing this story.
How the Leopard Got His Spots
A creative and almost darwinian tale of how the leopard got his spotted coat of fur, from Rudyard Kipling's Just So Stories.
How the Rhinoceros Got His Skin
A rude and mean-spirited rhino gets special treatment in this short story by Rudyard Kipling. As with most of the Just So Stories, this one cries out for illustration. You might encourage your child to draw some pictures to go along with the story.
How the Whale Got His Throat
The gluttonous whale finds trouble when taking advice from a small but clever fish.
The Beginning of the Armadillos
Rudyard Kipling tells the tale of two slow-moving but fast-thinking friends and their encounter with the fast-moving but slow-thinking Jaguar.
The Cat That Walked By Himself
A wonderful tale by Rudyard Kipling with an entertaining explanation for why cats are the way they are.
The Crab That Played With The Sea
Curious about the beginning of the earth and all the animals that roamed it? In Rudyard Kipling's imagination, a naughty crab, an observant little girl and a clever magician all play a part in the creation of our planet.
The Elephant's Child
Curiousity may have killed the cat, but you should see what it did to the elephant!
The Sing-Song of Old Man Kangaroo
A very proud and demanding kangaroo learns first hand the meaning behind the old adage "be careful what you wish for"!
Beatrix Potter collection
We've collected our favorite tales from Beatrix Potter and formatted them for your printer.
The Roly-Poly Pudding
The Tale of Benjamin Bunny
Benjamin and Peter head back to Mr. McGreggor's garden to retrieve Peter's personal belongings and find adventure along the way.
The Tale of Ginger and Pickles
The Tale of Mr. Tod
The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy Winkle
The Tale of Peter Rabbit
A classic tale of a young and adventurous bunny who chose not to head his Mother's warnings.
The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies
Benjamin Bunny, Peter's cousin, takes his family to Mr. McGregor's rubbish heap when the trouble begins.
The Fire-Bringer
An Indian tale describing the adventure of a boy and a Coyote bringing fire to the tribes.
From "How To Tell Stories To Children" by Sara Cone Bryant.
Aesop's Fables
Eleven of our favorites from the classic Aesop's Fables.
The Last Leaf
A beautiful tale of sacrifice and love.