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The story library
Every bedtime story on the site, sorted three ways: by what it is about, by how old your listener is, and by how long it takes to read aloud. 319 stories and counting.
There are five ways into the library, and they all reach the same 319 stories: by theme (what the story is about), by age, by how many minutes you have, by collection (a dragon one, a funny one), or by title in the A to Z. If you would rather not choose, one story is picked for everyone each day.
By theme
Each theme has a hub of its own, with advice on where to start and every story it holds.
The six parent themes
By age
Toddlers · 1–3Short, rhythmic and repetitive: rhymes, animals and gentle surprises
Preschoolers · 3–5Clear heroes, gentle magic, a problem and a happy ending
Early readers · 5–8Longer adventures, cleverer heroes, and morals worth talking about
Big kids · 8–12Rich language, longer tales, and stories that reward thinking
By reading time
Measured aloud, not skimmed: about 130 words a minute.
Three lengths for three kinds of evening
5-minute storiesComplete stories you can finish before the yawns win
10-minute storiesThe classic bedtime length: room for an adventure and a calm landing
Long storiesThe longest tales, in chapters, to read over one long evening or several short ones
Popular collections
Six to read tonight
A different six every day, drawn from across the library.
1 min
Ages 1–3 · Nursery Rhymes
Baa, Baa, Black Sheep
A friendly black sheep has three full bags of wool to share. The animal sound, simple question and counting pattern…
4 min
Ages 3–7 · Classic Tales
The North Wind and the Sun
The boastful North Wind challenges the gentle Sun to see who is more powerful. They agree to a contest: make a…
4 min
Ages 6–10 · Rhyming Stories & Poems
The Raven
Young Edgar sits by the fire when a raven, Quasimodo, arrives with a mysterious message: "Nevermore." Quasimodo shares…
8 min
Ages 4–8 · Rhyming Stories & Poems
The Weeds
In a bustling city, Alex, Bella, and Charlie discover mysterious, glowing weeds in their secret garden. These peculiar…
7 min
Ages 3–7 · Classic Tales
The Tortoise and the Hare
In a lush valley, the speedy Hare challenges the steady Tortoise to a race. Hare's confidence soars, while Tortoise…
6 min
Ages 4–8 · Magic
The Great White Bear and the Trolls
The Great White Bear protects his peaceful forest home. When a group of grumpy trolls arrives and starts playing…
Questions about the library
How many bedtime stories are on the site?
There are 307, and the number grows as new ones are written. Around two thirds are retellings of public-domain classics by the Grimms, Andersen, Perrault, Aesop and folk traditions from around the world; the rest were written for this site.
Can I print a bedtime story?
Yes. Every story page prints cleanly: the story, its illustrations and the discussion questions, without the navigation, the buttons or the adverts. Use your browser's print command or the print button on the story page.
Do I need an account to read a story?
No. There is no account, no email address and no app. Favourites and your place in a story are remembered in your own browser and never leave your device.
How do I find a story if I only remember the name?
Use the A to Z, which lists every title alphabetically and ignores leading articles, so The Velveteen Rabbit is filed under V. If you only remember what happens in it, try the search box in the header.
Newest stories
2 min
Ages 1–3 · Nursery Rhymes
Old MacDonald Had a Farm
1 min
Ages 1–3 · Nursery Rhymes
Incy Wincy Spider
1 min
Ages 1–3 · Nursery Rhymes
Little Miss Muffet
1 min
Ages 1–3 · Nursery Rhymes
Jack and Jill
1 min
Ages 1–3 · Nursery Rhymes
Rock-a-bye Baby
1 min
Ages 1–3 · Nursery Rhymes
Row, Row, Row Your Boat
1 min
Ages 1–3 · Nursery Rhymes
Mary Had a Little Lamb
1 min
Ages 1–3 · Nursery Rhymes
Baa, Baa, Black Sheep