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307 stories

Bedtime stories for early readers (ages 5–8)

Longer adventures, cleverer heroes, and morals worth talking about

Start with The Two Soldiers and the Robber Surprise me
Bedtime stories for early readers (ages 5–8)

Five- to eight-year-olds can follow a story across several chapters, hold two characters in mind at once and spot a trick coming. The 307 stories here are the site's largest age group, from four-minute fables to long tales told over two nights.

Between five and eight, children can follow a story across several chapters, hold two characters in their heads at once, and enjoy a villain who is properly villainous. Many of these stories are the fuller versions of tales they met as preschoolers, plus adventures, quests and fables whose lesson is worth a conversation. Some children will want to read the first page to you.

Where to start with early readers

12 of 307 to start with. The full list follows.

4 min Ages 3–7 · Classic Tales Goldilocks and The Three Bears

Curious Goldilocks wanders into a magical forest and discovers a charming cottage. When she finds nobody home, her…

 6 min Ages 3–7 · Classic Tales The Princess and the Pea

A lonely Prince yearns for a true princess, but two grand ladies fail to impress him. Then, on a stormy night, a…

 7 min Ages 3–7 · Classic Tales The Gingerbread Man

A kind old woman bakes a delicious gingerbread man who springs to life and dashes off to explore the world. He meets a…

 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…

 7 min Ages 3–7 · Classic Tales The Ugly Duckling

A mother duck hatches a clutch of ducklings, but one egg is unusually large. When it hatches, the grey, scruffy…

 8 min Ages 3–7 · Classic Tales The Lion and the Mouse

A timid mouse and a mighty lion cross paths in the jungle. When the powerful king of the jungle finds himself in a…

 9 min Ages 4–8 · Classic Tales The Velveteen Rabbit

Velveteen Rabbit, a well-loved toy, dreams of becoming real through a child's affection. Guided by the wise Skin Horse…

 10 min Ages 3–7 · Classic Tales The Elves and the Shoemaker

A kind shoemaker and his wife struggle to make ends meet in their quaint village shop. One morning, they discover their…

 13 min Ages 4–8 · Classic Tales Little Red Riding Hood

Little Red Riding Hood sets off through the enchanting forest to deliver a basket of goodies to her sick grandmother…

 15 min Ages 4–8 · Magic Snow White and the Seven Dwarves

Snow White, kind and gentle, lives in a magical forest, adored by all. Her wicked stepmother, the Queen, grows jealous…

 3 min Ages 3–7 · Classic Tales The Two Soldiers and the Robber

Tomas and Juan, two brave soldiers, are returning to camp when they encounter a fearsome robber in a dark forest…

 4 min Ages 4–8 · Rhyming Stories & Poems A Christmas Star

Timmy, a curious boy, loves gazing at the stars. One snowy night, he spots a new, golden star shining brightly above…

The year they start correcting you

Around six, children begin to notice that you skipped a paragraph. They remember how the story went last time, they object to a changed name, and they will tell you that the giant said it differently. It is irritating at half past seven and it is also the clearest sign that they have moved from listening to a story to holding one.

Stories that reward that kind of attention are the ones to choose. Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves turns on a password and a counted number of jars, so the details matter. The Boy Who Cried Wolf works because a six-year-old sees the ending coming three pages away and cannot wait for you to reach it.

This is also the age to let them hear a tale told two ways. Reading the softened Red Riding Hood and then the fuller one a week later starts an argument about which is better, which is a better literary education than any amount of explaining.

The same instinct makes this the best age for a story with a rule in it. Children of six and seven are fierce about fairness, and they will track a promise, a bargain or a warning across a whole tale to see whether it is kept. The Thief and the House-Dog turns on exactly that, in four minutes, and is worth reading on a night when there has been an argument about rules downstairs.

What five- to eight-year-olds ask for by name

Requests at this age are specific, and they cluster.

Cleverness, not strength

The hero who wins by thinking is the one they want. Puss in Boots talks his way into a castle, Seven At One Blow is a tailor beating giants by trickery, and Hans in Luck is a boy who loses everything and is delighted about it, which reliably starts a conversation. Gubbon Seer is the same shape with the smallest possible hero.

Tales they already half know

Children arrive at five with fragments of the classics from nursery and screens, and they want the real thing. Hansel and Gretel, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Jack and the Beanstalk are the fuller versions of stories they met as preschoolers, and hearing the whole thing at last is a genuine event. Most run six to eight minutes, which puts them on the ten-minute page as well as this one.

When they want to read a page to you

Somewhere in this bracket a child will offer to read. Say yes, but keep it small: one page, or the bit of dialogue their favourite character says, while you carry the rest. A bedtime story that becomes a reading lesson stops being a bedtime story, and the child who decoded every word is usually too alert to sleep afterwards.

Short, plainly written tales are the ones to hand over. The Dolphins, the Whales, and the Sprat and The Swallow and the Other Birds are both around four or five minutes with sentences a new reader can manage. Keep the long ones for your voice.

The reading aloud and school readiness guide has more on splitting the reading without wrecking the wind-down, and our guide for five- to eight-year-olds goes further into what to expect year by year.

Going past ten minutes without losing bedtime

Around seven, children start wanting stories that do not finish tonight. That is manageable if you decide in advance where you will stop. The longest tales here are split into chapters, so pick the chapter break before you start rather than negotiating at the end.

The Baba Yaga and Aladdin and the Magic Lamp both suit that treatment, and both are better read over two nights than rushed in one. The whole set lives on the long stories page.

Two more things worth knowing about this group. Because suggested ranges overlap, a good third of these stories also appear on preschoolers or big kids, so a family with a five-year-old and an eight-year-old can usually find one story that works for both. And if you want fewer tales with a moral attached and more with a quest in them, the adventure stories collection is the place to look.

When they announce that a story is babyish

It happens abruptly, usually around seven, and it is rarely about the story. What they are objecting to is being treated as younger than they are, so the answer is to trade up in language and ambition rather than in how frightening the tale is.

Harder words, the same safety

The Pied Piper of Hamelin and The Raven both carry suggested ranges of ages 6 to 10 and feel like a promotion without adding anything genuinely disturbing. The Little Mermaid is only four minutes long and asks more of a listener than most stories twice its length.

Rhyme is not just for little ones

Verse gets dismissed as babyish and then enjoyed anyway, because a seven-year-old who can read is newly alert to how words sound. The rhyming stories and poems are worth trying again at this age, particularly as a second, shorter story after something longer.

What changes between five and eight
Age 5Age 6-7Age 8
Comfortable length5-6 minutes7-8 minutes10 minutes or a chapter
Wants the hero toBe kindBe cleverBe tested
Reaction to a villainWants them beatenWants to know whyEnjoys them
Their part in itChoosing the storyReading one pagePredicting the ending
TryThe Dolphins, the Whales, and the SpratPuss in BootsHansel and Gretel

Every story suggested for ages 5–8, A to Z

  1. The Two Soldiers and the Robber3 min · Ages 3–7
  2. A Christmas Star4 min · Ages 4–8
  3. Dapplegrim4 min · Ages 4–8
  4. Goldilocks and The Three Bears4 min · Ages 3–7
  5. Little Red Riding Hood (A Gentler Retelling)4 min · Ages 3–7
  6. Prince Ariel4 min · Ages 4–8
  7. The Bow and the Lyre4 min · Ages 3–7
  8. The Crow and the Pitcher4 min · Ages 3–7
  9. The Dog and the Oyster4 min · Ages 4–8
  10. The Emperor’s New Clothes4 min · Ages 4–8
  11. The Farmer and the Fox4 min · Ages 3–7
  12. The Fox Without a Tail4 min · Ages 4–8
  13. The Grasshopper and the Ants4 min · Ages 3–7
  14. The Mice in Council4 min · Ages 4–8
  15. The North Wind and the Sun4 min · Ages 3–7
  16. The Raven4 min · Ages 6–10
  17. The Swallow and the Other Birds4 min · Ages 4–8
  18. The Thief and the House-Dog4 min · Ages 4–8
  19. The Thieves and the Cock4 min · Ages 4–8
  20. Jimmy Scarecrow’s Christmas5 min · Ages 3–7
  21. Lily and the Lion5 min · Ages 4–8
  22. Little Red Hen5 min · Ages 3–7
  23. The Anxious Leaf5 min · Ages 3–7
  24. The Butterfly5 min · Ages 3–7
  25. The Dog and the Cook5 min · Ages 3–7
  26. The Dog and the Shadow5 min · Ages 3–5
  27. The Dolphins, the Whales, and the Sprat5 min · Ages 5–8
  28. The Dwarf With The Golden Beard5 min · Ages 4–8
  29. The Farmer and the Cranes5 min · Ages 3–7
  30. The Farmer and the Stork5 min · Ages 3–7
  31. The Fir Tree5 min · Ages 3–7
  32. The Fox and the Crow5 min · Ages 4–8
  33. The Fox and the Pheasants5 min · Ages 4–8
  34. The Friendly Frog5 min · Ages 3–7
  35. The Heron5 min · Ages 3–7
  36. The Man Who Made The Trees Blossom5 min · Ages 4–8
  37. The Nodding Tiger5 min · Ages 3–7
  38. The Peasant and the Apple Tree5 min · Ages 3–7
  39. The Shepherd and the Lion5 min · Ages 4–8
  40. The Shepherd and the Sea5 min · Ages 3–7
  41. The Snow Man5 min · Ages 3–7
  42. The Stag and His Reflection5 min · Ages 4–8
  43. The Three Dwarfs5 min · Ages 3–7
  44. The Three Golden Apples5 min · Ages 4–8
  45. The Two Frogs5 min · Ages 4–8
  46. The Velvet Paw and the Throne of Stars5 min · Ages 5–8
  47. The Water Lily and The Gold-Spinners5 min · Ages 3–7
  48. The White Duck5 min · Ages 4–8
  49. Whatever Happened to the Pea?5 min · Ages 3–7
  50. Hans in Luck6 min · Ages 5–8
  51. Little Girl’s Christmas6 min · Ages 3–7
  52. Pandora’s Box6 min · Ages 6–10
  53. The Ant and the Grasshopper6 min · Ages 4–8
  54. The Ass and the Lapdog6 min · Ages 5–8
  55. The Ass, the Fox, and the Lion6 min · Ages 4–8
  56. The Astrologer Who Fell into a Well6 min · Ages 3–7
  57. The Bald Man and the Fly6 min · Ages 3–7
  58. The Boy Who Cried Wolf6 min · Ages 4–8
  59. The Bull and the Goat6 min · Ages 3–7
  60. The Cat and the Mice6 min · Ages 3–7
  61. The Cat Who Could Eat So Much6 min · Ages 3–7
  62. The Clown and the Countryman6 min · Ages 3–7
  63. The Cobbler Turned Doctor6 min · Ages 5–8
  64. The Courteous Prince6 min · Ages 5–8
  65. The Devoted Friend6 min · Ages 4–8
  66. The Eagle and the Arrow6 min · Ages 4–8
  67. The Elder Tree Mother6 min · Ages 4–8
  68. The Enormous Turnip6 min · Ages 3–7
  69. The Farmer and the Snake6 min · Ages 3–7
  70. The Fighting Bulls and the Frog6 min · Ages 4–8
  71. The Fox and the Grapes6 min · Ages 4–8
  72. The Fox and the Monkey6 min · Ages 4–8
  73. The Goat and the Vine6 min · Ages 3–7
  74. The Goose that Laid the Golden Eggs6 min · Ages 3–7
  75. The Great White Bear and the Trolls6 min · Ages 4–8
  76. The Hare and the Tortoise6 min · Ages 3–7
  77. The Heifer and the Ox6 min · Ages 3–7
  78. The Lion, the Bear, and the Fox6 min · Ages 4–8
  79. The Magic Fishbone6 min · Ages 5–8
  80. The Man and His Two Wives6 min · Ages 6–10
  81. The Man and the Wooden God6 min · Ages 6–10
  82. The Milkmaid and Her Pail6 min · Ages 4–8
  83. The Mischievous Dog6 min · Ages 3–7
  84. The Monkey and the Camel6 min · Ages 4–8
  85. The Moon-Cake6 min · Ages 3–7
  86. The Nurse and the Wolf6 min · Ages 4–8
  87. The Oak and the Reeds6 min · Ages 4–8
  88. The Old Woman and the Doctor6 min · Ages 3–7
  89. The Orchard Sprite of the Forbidden Planet6 min · Ages 4–8
  90. The Ox and the Frog6 min · Ages 3–7
  91. The Pea Blossom6 min · Ages 4–8
  92. The Peacock and the Fox6 min · Ages 4–8
  93. The Picky Prince, the Princess and the Peanut6 min · Ages 3–7
  94. The Princess and the Pea6 min · Ages 3–7
  95. The Rich Man and the Tanner6 min · Ages 4–8
  96. The Seven Foals6 min · Ages 5–8
  97. The Tortoise and the Ducks6 min · Ages 3–7
  98. The True History of Little Golden Hood6 min · Ages 4–8
  99. The Two Pots6 min · Ages 5–8
  100. The White Doe6 min · Ages 4–8
  101. The Wise Girl6 min · Ages 6–10
  102. The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing6 min · Ages 5–8
  103. Why the Sea is Salt6 min · Ages 4–8
  104. Grandmother7 min · Ages 3–7
  105. Gubbon Seer7 min · Ages 5–8
  106. Little Blue Riding Hood7 min · Ages 3–7
  107. Little Gretchen and the Wooden Shoe7 min · Ages 4–8
  108. Long, Broad and Sharpsight7 min · Ages 6–10
  109. One Eye, Two Eyes, Three Eyes7 min · Ages 6–10
  110. Princess Rosetta7 min · Ages 4–8
  111. Santa Never Forgets!7 min · Ages 3–7
  112. Seven At One Blow7 min · Ages 5–8
  113. Snow White and Rose Red7 min · Ages 4–8
  114. Son of the Island and the Turtle7 min · Ages 4–8
  115. The Bird with Nine Heads7 min · Ages 6–10
  116. The Birdcatcher, the Partridge, and the Cock7 min · Ages 6–10
  117. The Blacksmith and His Dog7 min · Ages 4–8
  118. The Bundle of Sticks7 min · Ages 3–7
  119. The Coral Queen and the Space Pirate’s Curse7 min · Ages 6–10
  120. The Crow and the Swan7 min · Ages 4–8
  121. The Dragon Tamers7 min · Ages 4–8
  122. The Farmer and His Sons7 min · Ages 5–8
  123. The Fly and the Draught-Mule7 min · Ages 3–7
  124. The Fox and the Leopard7 min · Ages 4–8
  125. The Fox and the Stork7 min · Ages 3–7
  126. The Frog and the Ox7 min · Ages 3–7
  127. The Gingerbread Man7 min · Ages 3–7
  128. The Hare with Many Friends7 min · Ages 3–7
  129. The Horse and the Groom7 min · Ages 4–8
  130. The Ice Mirror of the Frost Galaxy7 min · Ages 4–8
  131. The Light Princess7 min · Ages 5–8
  132. The Lion and the Boar7 min · Ages 4–8
  133. The Lion and the Three Bulls7 min · Ages 4–8
  134. The Little Weed7 min · Ages 4–8
  135. The Midnight Dance of the Shadow Comet7 min · Ages 4–8
  136. The Miraculous Pitcher7 min · Ages 4–8
  137. The Missing Unicorn7 min · Ages 5–8
  138. The Monkey’s Heart7 min · Ages 5–8
  139. The Old Witch7 min · Ages 4–8
  140. The Peacock and the Crane7 min · Ages 6–10
  141. The Photon Harp of the Storm Nebula7 min · Ages 5–8
  142. The Pot and the Kettle7 min · Ages 3–7
  143. The Prince and the Goblin7 min · Ages 6–10
  144. The Rainbow Bridge of the Galactic City7 min · Ages 4–8
  145. The Ratcatcher7 min · Ages 4–8
  146. The Ridiculous Wishes7 min · Ages 4–8
  147. The Rose and the Butterfly7 min · Ages 4–8
  148. The Silent Flight of the Lunar Owl7 min · Ages 4–8
  149. The Six Sillies7 min · Ages 3–7
  150. The Star Wife7 min · Ages 6–10
  151. The Straw, The Coal, and The Bean7 min · Ages 6–10
  152. The Three Billy Goats Gruff7 min · Ages 3–7
  153. The Tortoise and the Hare7 min · Ages 3–7
  154. The Troll Wedding7 min · Ages 4–8
  155. The Twelve Wild Ducks7 min · Ages 4–8
  156. The Ugly Duckling7 min · Ages 3–7
  157. The Vain Jackdaw7 min · Ages 4–8
  158. The Wolf and the Crane7 min · Ages 4–8
  159. The Wolf and the Lamb7 min · Ages 6–10
  160. The Wonderful Sheep7 min · Ages 4–8
  161. Thumbelina7 min · Ages 4–8
  162. Together We Are Good: The Day the Little Helpers Saved the Town7 min · Ages 3–7
  163. Twinkling Feet’s Halloween7 min · Ages 3–7
  164. Why The Animals No Longer Fear The Sheep7 min · Ages 4–8
  165. Babiole8 min · Ages 5–8
  166. Chicken Licken8 min · Ages 4–8
  167. Giauna the Beautiful8 min · Ages 4–8
  168. Goldilocks and the FOUR Bears!8 min · Ages 3–7
  169. Henny Penny8 min · Ages 3–7
  170. How Jack Went To Seek His Fortune8 min · Ages 5–8
  171. Huffy Puffy Wolf8 min · Ages 3–7
  172. Little Ida’s Flowers8 min · Ages 4–8
  173. My Sea Beast and the Bubble Garden Adventure8 min · Ages 3–7
  174. Princess Hase, a Story of Old Japan8 min · Ages 4–8
  175. Starlit Quest for the Cosmic Petal8 min · Ages 3–7
  176. The Amber Amulet of the Dragon Star8 min · Ages 5–8
  177. The Ass and His Shadows8 min · Ages 3–7
  178. The Birds, the Beasts, and the Bat8 min · Ages 3–7
  179. The Chronicle of the Pancake8 min · Ages 4–8
  180. The City Mouse and the Country Mouse8 min · Ages 3–7
  181. The Cock and the Jewel8 min · Ages 4–8
  182. The Dragon of the North8 min · Ages 5–8
  183. The Elfin Knight8 min · Ages 5–8
  184. The Enchanted Pig8 min · Ages 4–8
  185. The Giant Who Had No Heart In His Body8 min · Ages 4–8
  186. The Gingerbread Knight’s Sweet Victory in Space8 min · Ages 4–8
  187. The Golden Beetle8 min · Ages 4–8
  188. The Golden Nugget8 min · Ages 6–10
  189. The Kingdom of the Ogres8 min · Ages 4–8
  190. The Lark and Her Young Ones8 min · Ages 4–8
  191. The Lion and the Fox8 min · Ages 5–8
  192. The Lion and the Mouse8 min · Ages 3–7
  193. The Lion and the Statue8 min · Ages 5–8
  194. The Mad Goose and the Tiger Forest8 min · Ages 4–8
  195. The Monkey as King8 min · Ages 5–8
  196. The Old Man and Death8 min · Ages 5–8
  197. The Old Man and His Grandson8 min · Ages 4–8
  198. The One-Eyed Doe8 min · Ages 3–7
  199. The Princess Who Wasn’t8 min · Ages 4–8
  200. The Queen Bee8 min · Ages 4–8
  201. The Queer Little Baker Man8 min · Ages 4–8
  202. The Sapphire Crown of the Desert Moon8 min · Ages 5–8
  203. The Snow Queen8 min · Ages 4–8
  204. The Stag at the Pool8 min · Ages 3–7
  205. The Stars in the Sky8 min · Ages 3–7
  206. The Stones of Five Colours and the Empress Jokwa8 min · Ages 5–8
  207. The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse8 min · Ages 4–8
  208. The Weeds8 min · Ages 4–8
  209. The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids8 min · Ages 5–8
  210. The Wolf and the Shepherd8 min · Ages 4–8
  211. The Yellow Dwarf8 min · Ages 5–8
  212. Why The Autumn Leaves Are Red8 min · Ages 4–8
  213. Bushy Bride9 min · Ages 4–8
  214. Hey Diddle Diddle, Little Red Hen9 min · Ages 3–7
  215. How Molo Stole the Lovely Rose-Red9 min · Ages 6–10
  216. Moonlit Secrets of the Celestial Forest9 min · Ages 4–8
  217. My Own Self9 min · Ages 4–8
  218. Prince Yamato Take9 min · Ages 5–8
  219. Princess Belle-Etoile9 min · Ages 4–8
  220. Princess Rose and the Golden Bird9 min · Ages 5–8
  221. Riquet With The Tuft9 min · Ages 4–8
  222. Rose of Evening9 min · Ages 5–8
  223. The Baba Yaga9 min · Ages 5–8
  224. The Bear and the Two Travelers9 min · Ages 4–8
  225. The Crystal Caverns of the Asteroid Belt9 min · Ages 6–10
  226. The Fairy9 min · Ages 4–8
  227. The Faithless Parrot9 min · Ages 5–8
  228. The Farmer and the Pixie9 min · Ages 4–8
  229. The Fisherman and His Wife9 min · Ages 6–10
  230. The Four Wishes9 min · Ages 5–8
  231. The Fox and the Goat9 min · Ages 4–8
  232. The Frog Prince9 min · Ages 4–8
  233. The Golden Touch of King Midas9 min · Ages 6–10
  234. The Little Good Mouse9 min · Ages 4–8
  235. The Master Maid9 min · Ages 4–8
  236. The Old Lion and the Fox9 min · Ages 4–8
  237. The Princess Mayblossom9 min · Ages 3–7
  238. The Pumpkin Giant9 min · Ages 4–8
  239. The Story of the Old Man Who Made Withered Trees to Flower9 min · Ages 4–8
  240. The Three Princesses in the Blue Mountain9 min · Ages 4–8
  241. The Three Robbers9 min · Ages 4–8
  242. The Velveteen Rabbit9 min · Ages 4–8
  243. The Wasp and the Snake9 min · Ages 5–8
  244. The Whispering Winds of the Galactic Well9 min · Ages 5–8
  245. The Wild Boar and the Fox9 min · Ages 4–8
  246. Goody Two Shoes10 min · Ages 3–7
  247. Mudjee Monedo10 min · Ages 6–10
  248. Princess Kwan-Yin10 min · Ages 6–10
  249. Rabbit’s Eyes10 min · Ages 4–8
  250. Sunbeam's Journey to the Ice Planet's Heart10 min · Ages 5–8
  251. Sunshine Stories10 min · Ages 3–7
  252. Tamlane10 min · Ages 5–8
  253. The Crow Peri10 min · Ages 4–8
  254. The Daughter of the Mother in the Corner10 min · Ages 4–8
  255. The Dog in the Manger10 min · Ages 4–8
  256. The Elves and the Shoemaker10 min · Ages 3–7
  257. The Fair With Golden Hair10 min · Ages 3–7
  258. The Firefly Code and the Starlit Path10 min · Ages 5–8
  259. The Lad Who Went to the North Wind10 min · Ages 6–10
  260. The Lion, the Fox, and the Beasts10 min · Ages 5–8
  261. The Lost Melody of the Nebula Brook10 min · Ages 6–10
  262. The Mouse, the Frog, and the Hawk10 min · Ages 5–8
  263. The Old Hound10 min · Ages 6–10
  264. The Pied Piper… and BUTTERFLIES!10 min · Ages 5–8
  265. The Wild Swans10 min · Ages 6–10
  266. Three Feathers10 min · Ages 6–10
  267. A Midsummer Night’s Dream11 min · Ages 4–8
  268. Cinderella11 min · Ages 4–8
  269. East of the Sun and West of the Moon11 min · Ages 5–12
  270. Princess Pink Knickers11 min · Ages 5–8
  271. Princess Susie11 min · Ages 6–10
  272. The Cat and the Old Rat11 min · Ages 4–8
  273. The Fiery Dragon11 min · Ages 5–8
  274. The Forgotten Tales of the Meteor Witch11 min · Ages 5–8
  275. The Nightingale11 min · Ages 8–12
  276. The Tale of Tom Thumb11 min · Ages 6–10
  277. Tom Tit Tot11 min · Ages 4–8
  278. Old Sultan12 min · Ages 6–10
  279. The Golden Thread of the Interstellar Loom12 min · Ages 6–10
  280. A Little Princess13 min · Ages 6–10
  281. Little Red Riding Hood13 min · Ages 4–8
  282. Prince Darling13 min · Ages 4–8
  283. The Golden Goose13 min · Ages 4–8
  284. The Little Match Girl13 min · Ages 4–8
  285. The Musicians of Bremen13 min · Ages 4–8
  286. Beauty and the Beast14 min · Ages 4–8
  287. Jack and the Beanstalk14 min · Ages 4–8
  288. Prince Hyacinth and the Dear Little Princess14 min · Ages 4–8
  289. Puss in Boots14 min · Ages 4–8
  290. The Selfish Giant14 min · Ages 4–8
  291. The Six Swans14 min · Ages 4–8
  292. The Sleeping Beauty In The Wood14 min · Ages 4–8
  293. The Twelve Dancing Princesses14 min · Ages 4–8
  294. Snow White and the Seven Dwarves15 min · Ages 4–8
  295. The Tinderbox15 min · Ages 6–10
  296. Aladdin and the Magic Lamp16 min · Ages 5–8
  297. The Happy Prince16 min · Ages 6–10
  298. The Little Mermaid16 min · Ages 6–10
  299. The Pied Piper of Hamelin17 min · Ages 6–10
  300. Rumpelstiltskin18 min · Ages 6–10
  301. Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves19 min · Ages 6–10
  302. The Goose Girl19 min · Ages 6–10
  303. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs20 min · Ages 5–8
  304. The Blue Bird20 min · Ages 6–10
  305. Hansel and Gretel21 min · Ages 6–10
  306. Rapunzel21 min · Ages 5–12
  307. The Magical Tale of Cinderella21 min · Ages 4–8

Questions about reading to early readers

How long should a bedtime story be for a 6 year old?

Seven to eight minutes suits most six-year-olds, which is one full-length fairy tale. If they are still wide awake at the end, that is a sign to read earlier rather than to read longer.

Should I stop reading aloud once my child can read?

No. Children can follow a story read to them that is well above the level they can decode themselves, so reading aloud keeps stretching their vocabulary long after they can manage a book alone.

Which classic fairy tales suit a 5 to 8 year old?

Hansel and Gretel, Puss in Boots, Jack and the Beanstalk and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs all work in this bracket. Each runs six to eight minutes aloud and ends with the danger resolved.

My child wants to finish the story tomorrow night. Is that a good idea?

Yes, and it is often the easiest way to get a reluctant sleeper into bed on time. Stop at a chapter break you have chosen in advance rather than at the moment the tension peaks.

Can a five-year-old and an eight-year-old share a bedtime story?

Usually, because most stories carry a suggested range of four to eight or five to eight and therefore appear on both age pages. Pick a tale with a clever hero and let the older one predict the ending.