Tuesday 22 September · 8 minutes · Ages 3–7
Tonight's bedtime story
Tonight's story is The Ass and His Shadows, 8 minutes to read aloud, suggested for ages 3–7. One story is chosen for the whole site each day, so you can open this page and start reading.
The Ass is proud and boasts about his looks. He's puzzled when he sees three figures like him, thinking they are new companions. When they vanish, other animals explain they are shadows. Humbled, the Ass tries to make friends but struggles. He learns to appreciate his own company and then finds true friendship through kindness.
The lesson: True friendship is about sharing and caring for others, not just finding someone exactly like you.
How tonight's story is chosen
One story is picked for the whole site each day, the same for every visitor, so there is nothing to decide at nine o'clock. The pick changes at midnight, never repeats two days running, and is always drawn from the calm end of the library.
Why it is usually a short one
Weekday picks are kept under about eight minutes read aloud, because a school-night story that overruns costs more than it gives. At weekends the limit relaxes, so a longer tale can appear. If you would rather choose the length yourself, there are five-minute stories, ten-minute stories and long stories in chapters.
If tonight's pick is not right for your child
The age label above is a suggestion, not a rule. A story marked for ages five to eight will usually work for a confident four-year-old and will still hold an older child who likes the tale. If it is not the right fit, browse by age, pick a mood from the collections, or take the random button and see what turns up. Parents who want the reasoning behind the labels will find it in the guide on what to read at each age.
Reading it aloud
Every story page has a Listen button that reads the tale in your device's own voice, a story-book mode that turns the chapters into big-text pages, and a night light for the last story of the evening. There are notes on reading aloud well if you would like them.
If you would rather
Stories in the same spirit as tonight's.
