Exciting bedtime stories: 12 Bedtime Stories for Kids (For Sweet Dreams)

12 Bedtime Stories for Kids (For Sweet Dreams)

Bedtime stories for kids are as old as bedtime itself, but do you know how to make them more enjoyable? Do you know about the benefits of bedtime stories?

We’re helping our fellow parents out by highlighting the importance of bedtime stories and sharing 12 bedtime stories you can add to your collection.

Table of Contents

• Bedtime Stories for Kids
• The Importance of Bedtime Stories
• What Makes a Good Bedtime Story?
• Tips for Making Storytime More Interesting
• And So To Sleep

Bedtime Stories for Kids

Whether you want cute, funny, or fantastical, these bedtime stories for kids deliver.

Callista And The Puma

This tale is from Argentina and tells the story of a young girl, the friendship she develops with a wild puma, and how kindness is repaid.

Once there was a girl named Callista. Her father was a soldier, and after the country in which she was born, Spain, invaded South America, she moved to Argentina with her family.

The people who lived in Argentina were angry the Spanish had taken over their land, so they surrounded the camp in which the Spanish families were living, hoping to make them leave.

Callista was told not to leave the camp, but she was hungry. So, one day, she snuck out to find food.

As she explored the jungle, she came across a cave where a mother puma had just given birth. Callista helped the mother puma clean the cubs and found food for her to eat.

One day the native people found Callista, and she was scared. However, they did not harm her and instead took her back to their village, gave her food, and looked after her. Callista felt loved and at home and lived there a long while.

Then, the Spanish soldiers attacked the village, found Callista, and took her back to the camp. Her father was very angry with her and sent soldiers to tie her to a tree in the jungle as punishment. She was there for days.

The village people were scared she might die, but they were also scared of the Spanish soldiers. After three days, they went to try to rescue Callista but feared she would be dead. However, when they got to the trees, Callista was fine.

The puma Callista cared for had come back to look after her.

The villagers untied Callista and took her home with them, where she lived a long and happy life.

The Unexpected Rock

This story is told by the Miwok tribe, who live in what we now call Yosemite. It reveals how the rock formation Tutokanula, or El Capitan, grew out of the earth overnight.

One day two children were playing in a stream. When they got out, they were chilly, but the girl saw a soft, mossy area in the sun.

“Let’s go and sit there,” she said, “It will be warm in the sun.”

The children laid on the moss and soon fell asleep. As the day went on, the rock inched upwards to keep them close to the sun and warm. The children were so comfortable they stayed asleep.

At dinner time, the children’s family searched everywhere but could not find them.

Then coyote sniffed the ground, followed the children’s trail, and said, “They must be on top of this new rock.”

Antelope was the best jumper, and the family asked him to get the children, but he could only reach a short way up the rock.

Grizzly bear was the best climber, so they asked her to get the children, but she could only reach a little higher than antelope.

All of the animals tried — jackrabbit, raccoon, even mountain lion, but none could reach the children.

“Let me try,” said the inchworm, and all of the animals laughed.

“You are too small,” they said. “How could you possibly do what we couldn’t?”

But the children’s family asked him to try.

Slowly, slowly, the inchworm passed the points the other animals had reached. Finally, he got to the top and woke the children by crawling on their faces and led them down the mountain.

That day, the Miwok named the rock Tutokanula in honor of the inchworm, the tiny creature who achieved great things.

The Reward

The Reward is a cautionary tale from India and warns against the dangers of being greedy.

There once was an emperor named Akbar. He went hunting in the woods, but when it started to get dark, he became lost. A young boy, Mahesh, heard the emperor calling for help, went into the jungle, and led him back to the palace.

As a reward, the emperor took a ring from his finger and gave it to Mahesh.

“Bring this ring back to the palace in the morning, show it to the guards, and tell them to let you in,” said the emperor, “Then I can reward you for your kindness.”

The next day Mahesh came back to the palace, showed the ring to the guard, and asked to see the emperor. However, the guard was a greedy man and told Mahesh, “I will only let you in if you give me half of your reward.”

Mahesh agreed and went to see the emperor.

“I would like 50 lashes as my reward,” said Mahesh.

The emperor tried to talk him out of it, but Maresh insisted. After the 25th lash, Mahesh stopped the emperor and explained about the guard.

The emperor was very angry with the guard. He went out and gave the guard the remaining 25 lashes and fired him on the spot.

Then the emperor asked Maresh again what he would like as a reward.

“I promised the guard half of everything,” Maresh said, “So I do not want any further reward.”

So, instead, the emperor gave Mahesh’s family a new home and all they needed to enjoy a happy life.

The Mermaid’s Ring

A fairytale from Scotland, The Mermaid’s Ring shows that what you want and what’s right for you can be two very different things.

One day a young fisherman accidentally caught a mermaid in his net. Legends say if you catch a mermaid, she must grant a wish if you let her go.

“I wish the girl I like would love me forever,” he said.

“Why do you like her?” asked the mermaid.

“Because she is the prettiest girl in the land.”

The mermaid thought for a while and handed the boy a magical ring.

“Give this ring to the girl you want to spend the rest of your life with,” she said, “but you must wait one full year from today before it will work.”

The boy took the ring, and on his way home, he passed a homeless girl.

“Please, sir,” she said, “Can you spare something to eat? I will work for you in return.”

The boy didn’t have much, but he agreed to share his food with the girl if she helped him put away his nets. They shared his food, and the girl left while the boy crawled into bed and dreamed of his love.

Every day for a month, the girl would help him with the nets, and he would share his food. Then one day, she was not there. The boy was worried, went to look for her, and found her asleep in his fishing shed.

The boy was ashamed that he never thought about where the girl would sleep. He woke her up, let her sleep by his fire, and then added a room to his home for her.

“You can sleep here for the next 11 months,” he told her. “But then my wife will move in, and you will have to leave. ”

The next day, the girl was not waiting to help with his nets, and he was angry.

“I gave her food and a room,” he said, “and this is how she repays me?”

He dropped the nets and burst angrily through his front door.

The boy couldn’t believe his eyes. His little home had never been so clean. His bed was washed and made, there was a pile of chopped wood by the fire, and a pot of stew waited for him on the fire.

Again, the boy felt ashamed. The girl had worked hard all day and made his home more lovely than he ever had.

They ate together, and the girl left for her room while the boy crawled into his clean bed and dreamed of his love.

As the months passed, the boy would ask the girl to stay and talk before they both went to sleep in their rooms. They shared stories of their families, and the boy spoke every night of his love.

And then one morning, the boy awoke to find the girl waiting by the door with her things under her arm.

“What are you doing?” asked the boy.

“It is time for you to marry your love,” she said, “So I must go.”

The boy hadn’t realized a full year had passed. He grabbed the ring and ran to the village to find his love. When he found her, the boy saw that she looked exactly the same, but he no longer felt the same way.

So he ran back to his home and chased after the girl.

“Did you find your love?” she asked.

“Yes and no,” said the boy, “I found an ordinary girl in the village, but now that I am with you, I know I have found my love.”

And so the boy gave the girl his ring, and they spent the rest of their lives together.

A Tale Of Māui

Māui is a folk hero in Polynesian mythology. Rarely worshipped as an actual god, he is seen as a good-natured trickster whose deeds were intended to better the lives of the Polynesian people.

Māui was a curious being and wanted to know where fire came from. He thought that if he put out all of the fires in the village, he would be able to see how they were relit.

Māui’s mother was the rangatira, leader of the village.

“Someone will have to go and ask Mahuika, the goddess of fire, for more,” she said.

So Māui, who was also Mahuika’s grandson, went to ask for more fire. Her cave was inside the burning mountain, and when he arrived and asked for more fire, Mahuika gave him one of her burning fingernails.

But Māui put the fire out and asked for another. Again and again, he did this until Mahuika had no fingernails and only one toenail left. Mahuika was very angry and sent fire to chase him, but Māui called on the weather god who came and put the fire out.

Mahuika threw her last toenail at Māui but missed. The toenail landed in the Mahoe, Tōtara, Patete, Pukatea, and the Kaikōmako trees. The trees held the fire deep in their branches, for it was a gift from the gods.

Māui took dry branches from the trees, took them to the village, and showed the villagers how to rub the branches together and release the fire.

This is how people discovered how to make fire.

The Emperor’s New Clothes

Danish author Hans Christian Anderson wrote many well-known fairy tales, many of which have been retold and adapted into movies. One of his less well-known stories is The Emperor’s New Clothes.

There was once an emperor who didn’t care about ruling his land. Instead, all he cared about was living in his palace, having the finest food and drink, owning the most expensive things, and most of all, wearing the most beautiful clothes.

One day some crooks came to the land. They told the emperor they had the finest cloth in the world, but it was magical. Only the smartest, most brilliant, most influential people could see it, and anyone who was not brilliant, intelligent, or important could see nothing.

When the emperor was shown the cloth, he could see nothing at all, and he was scared.

“If people find out I am not clever, or smart, or important, they will choose another emperor,” he thought. “Then, I will not be the most important person in the land, and the finest things will not surround me. ”

So the emperor told the crooks that yes, it was the finest cloth he had ever seen and asked them to make an outfit for his grand parade.

On the day of the parade, everyone in the kingdom came to see the emperor. They had all heard about the magical cloth and wanted to see it for themselves.

The giant parade began, and the emperor walked down the great National Mall. Nobody could see the magical clothes, but everyone was too afraid to speak up.

A child then pointed at the emperor and asked, “Why isn’t he wearing any clothes?”

This made other people brave enough to speak up, and soon, almost the entire kingdom was talking about the silly emperor. He was so worried about beautiful clothes, expensive things, and what people thought, he walked down the street naked rather than telling the truth.

You Need A Lion’s Whisker

This fairy tale from Ethiopia tells the story of a woman who learns there are no shortcuts and that patience, perseverance, and hard work are essential.

Leeya married a man who already had a son. She tried to be friends with the boy, but nothing she did worked. So Leeya went to see the medicine man in the mountains.

“Please help me,” Leeya said. “I want the boy to be happy and to be friends with him. I’ve tried for an entire week, but nothing works.”

“I can help, but first, I need you to pluck a whisker from a living lion and bring it to me,” he said.

Leeya was afraid, but she wanted to be friends, so she went to where the lions lived.

Every day for a month, Leeya would put out a bowl of meat and watch from behind a rock when the lion came to feed.

The next month she did the same thing but knelt up, so her head was showing. The next month she stood taller so the lion could see her from the waist up, and the following month she stood beside the rock.

For the next six months, she inched closer to the lion. In the tenth month, she stood next to him while he ate. In the eleventh, she held the bowl, and in the twelfth month, she would place her hand on the lion’s face.

Finally, she was brave enough to pluck a whisker from the lion, and she took it to the medicine man. The medicine man accepted the whisker from her and threw it into the fire.

“Why did you do that?” asked Leeya. “I worked hard for a full year to get that whisker.”

“You worked hard,” said the medicine man. “You were patient, gave the lion what it needed, and gained its trust. Is it any harder to do the same for a young boy who misses his mother?”

Then Leeya understood. There were no shortcuts, but patience, love, understanding, and perseverance would get her where she wanted to be.

Swapping Places

This ancient tale is as relevant today as it was when it was first told. Everybody’s job may seem easy until you have to do it yourself.

Long ago, there was a family. The man went out every day to work on the farm, and the woman stayed in the house, working to look after the children and the home.

One day the farmer came home and complained the house was a mess, the baby was crying, there was no butter, no bread, and his dinner wasn’t ready.

“What do you do all day?” he asked his wife angrily. “I could do a better job in one day than you do all week.”

“Okay, then,” said his wife, “Tomorrow I will work on the farm, and you will look after the home.”

And that is what they did.

The woman went out early to work in the field, and the man began his day by feeding the chickens and putting milk in the churn to make butter.

But the baby started crying, so he went to pick him up. While the man was shushing the baby, their toddler ran into the kitchen, knocked over the churn, and milk spilled everywhere.

The man started to clean up the mess but realized he hadn’t given the children their breakfast. He began to make breakfast, but he’d forgotten to close the door when he fed the chickens, and now they were in the house, leaving feathers and poop everywhere.

And so it went on, all day. Every time he tried to do something, the farmer found other things went wrong.

When the woman returned from the fields, she found the house covered in feathers and chicken poop. The children were hungry and dirty and had run through the milk leaving a sticky, smelly trail. She found her husband sitting on the bed with a crying baby.

“I am sorry, dear wife,” he said, “I cannot believe all of the things you have to juggle while you work hard at home every day. I will never complain again.”

And he didn’t. Not only that, on the days he came home to no food, he would cook supper for the family, help with the children, and churn the butter for the next day.

Growing For A King

Growing For A King, a Chinese cautionary tale, is an excellent place to begin talking about the dangers of peer pressure.

An old king had no children, so he held a competition to find the next leader.

He decreed that every child who wanted to try would be given a seed. They had to go home and nurture the seed for one year. At the end of the year, the grower of the best plant would be the new leader.

Heng entered the contest and took a seed home. She put the seed in the best soil, watered it carefully, and gave it just the right amount of sun.

By the end of the first month, other children in the town had tiny sprouts, but Heng did not. By the end of the third month, all of the other children had little, bushy plants, but still, Heng had nothing.

The other children made fun of Heng, telling her she could never be the leader because she couldn’t even grow a tiny plant.

Heng swapped the soil and the pot. She tried everything she could think of, but at the end of the year, she still had nothing.

The last day of the contest arrived, and all of the children took their plants to the palace, except Heng. She sat at home and cried, but her parents said she should be proud of her hard work and took her along to the judging.

The king walked up and down, judging the beautiful, luscious plants; some of them even had fruit. Then he arrived at Heng.

“Where is your plant?” asked the king.

Through her tears, Heng said, “I worked very hard. I gave the seed my best soil, watered it every day, put it in just the right amount of sun, and brought it in from the cold. But nothing I did could make the seed grow.”

“That’s right,” said the king. “I gave everyone seeds that had been boiled and dried. None of them could grow into plants”.

“You are the only honest child who was strong enough to admit your seed wouldn’t grow, the king continued. “That makes you our new leader.”

The Stonemason’s Wish

The moral of this story is to be careful what you wish for and that you should appreciate what you have.

There was once a stonemason who was unhappy with his life.

“I wish I were the king,” he said, and suddenly he was.

The stonemason soon discovered that the king always had people asking him questions and that he had to work when he wanted to rest.

“I wish I were the sun,” said the stonemason. “The sun is powerful and doesn’t get told what to do.”

And suddenly, he was the sun. But the stonemason soon discovered the clouds could block the sun’s power.

“I wish I were a rain cloud,” said the stonemason. “They are powerful enough to block out the sun.”

And suddenly, he was a raincloud. As he rained down on the earth, the stonemason tried to change the shapes of the rocks.

“I wish I were powerful enough to change the shape of rocks,” said the stonemason, and suddenly he was a mason again, holding a chisel, ready to carve the stone.

“I am glad to be a stonemason again,” he said. “I can change stone into beautiful things, and that is all I need.”

Mousey Merchant

An Indian tale, Mousey Merchant is a classic “underdog makes good” story that your child may enjoy.

In the city, there was a wealthy merchant. He would lend people money for their business, and in return, he took some profits.

Mousey was a poor boy who asked the merchant for a loan.

“How will you make money?” asked the merchant. “You have no business and nothing worth taking if you do not pay me back. ”

“You’re called Mousey, so have this dead mouse,” said the merchant, and he and his friends laughed.

Mousey took the dead mouse, gave it to someone with a pet cat, and in return received two handfuls of chickpeas.

He ground the chickpeas, filled his only jar with water, and waited by the road, under a tree.

A group of woodcutters came by, and Mousey gave them the food and drink in return for two pieces of their wood. He sold the wood and bought four handfuls of peas and another jar.

The next day the woodcutters swapped four pieces of wood for his food and drink. Mousey kept two pieces and traded two for more supplies. This went on for months until the rains came and the woodcutters could not work, and wood was in short supply.

Mousey sold his spare wood for a lot of money and bought a store. Over the years, slowly, he built up a business and made sure to help others who nobody else was willing to support.

One day he was invited to the merchant’s house. He declined the invitation and instead paid the merchant back his “loan” by sending him a dead mouse and a second one as “interest.”

Pumpkin In A Jar

Pumpkin in a Jar teaches that there is always a solution to a problem, even when it seems impossible.

There was once a troll who lived under a bridge. From time to time, he would reach up to someone crossing the bridge, pull them down to his cave, make them look after him and his home, and use his magic to make them stay.

One day he grabbed a girl who was more clever than the rest.

“You have to challenge me to your impossible task, and if I complete the task, you have to let me go,” said the girl. “The rules of magic say so.”

Every troll has one, but only one, impossible task he can set. If someone completes the task, he has to let them go.

“Here is a jar,” the troll said. “You must grow a pumpkin in the jar and bring it back to me at the end of the fall. But, the pumpkin must be in the jar, and the jar and pumpkin must be whole and undamaged. ”

At the end of the fall, the girl came back and handed the troll his jar. It was the same jar he gave her; it was undamaged, and inside was a whole, intact pumpkin.

The troll was very angry, but a deal was a deal, and he had to let her go.

The girl told everyone in the village:

“If the troll catches you, ask for his impossible task. Take his jar, place it over a pumpkin flower, and tie it to the vine. The pumpkin will grow inside the jar, and just before it is big enough to break the jar open, cut the pumpkin from the vine — it will stop growing.”

And so, the troll was never again able to keep anyone captive to do his housework.

The Importance of Bedtime Stories

Telling a child a bedtime story is much more than sharing a tale. Bedtime stories are important because they help to:

Build Bonds

Any time you spend giving your child your full attention in a positive way will help to reinforce your relationship. Your child may not remember the stories when they are older, but they will remember the feeling of having you sit beside the bed with them.

Promote Literacy

When you share a bedtime storybook with your child, you are introducing the joy of reading. You also create a loving, caring feeling they will associate with books long after they have grown and flown the nest.

Develop Language Skills

As your children listen to stories, they absorb a more expansive vocabulary and learn how to use those words to express themselves.

Inspire Creativity

Hearing stories, especially those that involve people, places, and situations they would not normally encounter, can spark your child’s imagination. It can encourage them to envision things beyond their own experiences.

What Makes a Good Bedtime Story?

A good bedtime story has characters your child can relate to or understand. It will have a little excitement or tension, but not so much that it will keep your child awake.

Most of the best bedtime stories have a moral or character who overcomes some kind of adversity. Your child will learn they shouldn’t give up.

Tips for Making Storytime More Interesting

Bedtime stories can be more interesting if you elaborate on the basics. Give plenty of details about people and places, and use plenty of voices and facial expressions to convey emotion.

You can also use quiet voices and louder voices when telling different parts of the story.

And So To Sleep

Spending time with your child before they go to sleep, sharing stories, and giving them your undivided attention, is a fabulous way to end their day. It also builds warm, happy memories for the two of you.

In years to come, they may not remember the details of the stories, the voices you used, or the faces you made, but they will remember how sharing that time together made them feel.

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Bedtime Stories for kids- Free Bedtime Stories to read for children

Establishing a bedtime routine is among the top and most compelling aspects of being a parent. It allows the child to sleep comfortably regardless of the situation. What about changing up your routine by reading a book. It can be beneficial to bond, develop your mind and stimulation sleep.

If you choose “bedtime stories for kids” will read, the titles you select are also crucial. The goal should be to help develop communication skills while bonding the child. So, not every book is suitable for this type of activity. What should you consider while choosing a story to read to your child before bed? Here are some tips.

What are amazing bedtime stories?

Reading bedtime tales to kids is a great way to unwind after a hard day and get them ready for sleep. Although many children are content reading at the same table every night, Most parents love adding some variety to the routine of Bedtime. It doesn’t matter if you’re reading the Tooth Fairy Stories or enjoying the absurd selection of poetry. Children’s imaginations are piqued by bedtime stories like moral stories in english, short stories and bible stories for kids, which also offer them something to ponder as they go off to sleep. It doesn’t matter who reads the story so long as the kids can take a break and revel in the pleasure and power of having a good story to read before bed.

free bedtime stories for kids

Here are some excellent children’s books to read before bed:

1. Nighty Night –

One of the most well-known authors of children’s literature is the creator of the Nighty Night series. Leslie Patricelli is famous for their richly illustrated books. She adds an empathetic touch with simple words, and stories children can connect with.

Nighty Night is a guide to children’s routine before getting ready for bed. The book focuses on baths, brushing teeth, and reading time. The story also features telling the moon goodnight and even dancing. The book also has a glossary of other nighttime activities. It also gives extensive exercise before when your children go to bed.

2. Baby Touch and Feel Bedtime –

The book contains authentic images of items children can use as bedtime toys. DK offers an active approach to Bedtime, where children can feel and touch things associated with sleep. A few items include soft blankets and slippers that are grippy and comfortable washcloths. It is recommended for kids under four years old to help them sleep on their own and become comfortable with the space in the vicinity of the bed.

3. The Going to Bed Book –

Sandra Boynton has used illustrations and hilarious rhymes to draw children’s imagination during their time in bed. The book can capture the interest of kids that are excited and nervous. The story is about an animal group travelling on cruises. They have a routine that they have adapted to practice. Today, they’re in bed. However, their performance is disrupted by a plethora of antics. It’s interesting to watch the plot unfold.

4. Ladybug Girl Says Goodnight –

The book was created by Jacky Davis and drawn by David Soman. The book shows the nighttime routine of Ladybug Girl, including her time in the pyjamas, complete with wings that are dotted. It’s part of the famous Ladybug Girl series. It’s the perfect selection for bedtime story lovers who want to sleep.

5. A Recipe for Bedtime –

Peter Bentley has written one of the most captivating bedtime stories. The author then brings in one of his most well-known artists, Sarah Massini. The story’s twist is when stuffed animals take on the routine of sleeping for children. The lyrics are comforting for children. The report concludes with a soft lullaby which can replace the more traditional songs that kids are accustomed to.

Why you should read your kid’s bedtime stories? 

Here are three reasons it’s crucial to continue reading to your child’s older one in the evenings.

1. It Maintains Your Bond

You and your child can spend time together rooting for the good people and booing the evil ones if you maintain their bedtime routine. Additionally, you will gain insight into your child’s worldview and the world from their comments on the plot, characters and setting of the story.

You’ll gain more understanding than you would by just asking, “So, how’s life?” since you’re able to join their world through the intermediary of a character. Michelle Anthony, a child psychologist in Denver with a PhD, says.

You may share similar opinions when you discuss the book and your child’s interests!

Also check : disney stories

2. It Improves Reading Skills

Children’s reading needs rise as they move into the upper elementary grades, but one-on-one reading instruction does not. Reading aloud to children helps develop vocabulary and vital literacy skills. Reading aloud -particularly in more sophisticated books can help your child to learn complicated words and sentences and helps with writing in addition to reading comprehension.

For instance, the child will hear you read aloud in a tone of expression, pause to punctuate, increase and decrease your voice according to the movement and accelerate or slow down to show the level that the story is in a state of stress.

Also check : poems for kids

3. It Imparts New Perspectives

Reading aloud to children, especially those in the fourth and fifth grades, will encourage them to think about and think about the text, according to Krista Granieri, an adjunct professor of literacy from New York who also teaches special education classes in elementary schools.

When she reads with her pupils, Granieri thinks out loud and makes comparison-and-contrast notes regarding the text. This helps her pupils comprehend the subject matter more thoroughly.

For instance, if you’re reading with your child and it features a dog, you may notice: “A Pomeranian! like Princess, the canine of Aunt Elaine. Princess, though, is bronzed. I didn’t realize there were those with black fur as well.”

Apart from being more critical than toddlers, fluent readers can also recognize the author’s craft. If your child is exposed to consistently good writing and develops their hearing, Granieri says, they’ll be able to replicate the same skill in school.

Conclusion

Stories for kids will help your child to sleep comfortably and quickly. Unique characters that can aid your child’s development and learn life-long lessons. Because children love to draw, you must consider the most appealing illustrations to make your storytime more enjoyable.

10 exciting fairy tales for adults

Books

August 23, 2021

A selection of not childishly deep magical stories that will make you think.

1. “The Wild Swan and Other Tales” by Michael Cunningham

A collection of 10 recognizable classic tales that Cunningham has reworked and added new, relevant meanings. For example, you will find out how the life of the Prince turned out, for whom his sister did not have time to finish the shirt, so instead of his right hand he was left with a swan wing. It is not very convenient to ride the subway and take a taxi with him. Cunningham offers his own version of the development of events that are usually left behind the scenes in fairy tales.

2. The Ocean at the End of the Road by Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman’s books often blur the line between real life and magic. So in The Ocean at the End of the Road, the main character, a boy from an ordinary English suburb, discovers that the world is not at all what it is commonly believed. He will have to see with his own eyes strange creatures from the other world.

Each reader decides for himself that this is a fantasy of a boy who is trying to escape from reality, family problems and loneliness, or indeed there is a place in our life for something unusual.

Buy at LitRes

3. Winter’s Tale by Mark Helprin

Mark Helprin’s most famous magical realism novel. What is not here: snowy New York, heroes in unusual circumstances, love and miracles. A magical story in which the fates of the characters are intertwined in an exciting narrative.

4. Hill Dwellers by Richard Adams

The story of the rabbits who left their home and set out to find a new one is not childishly psychological and intense. The rabbits in The Hill Dwellers, like people, have their own language, culture, legends (for example, about the terrible Black Rabbit Inle). And rabbits act in difficult situations also in different ways, just like people.

5. “Fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm in a new way”, Philip Pullman

British writer Philip Pullman has prepared his own interpretation of stories familiar to us since childhood – fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm. He chose fifty of his favorite stories and retold them as closely as possible to the original. The most interesting thing is that after each fairy tale there is a detailed commentary: its type, analysis, other interpretations of the same story in different countries and by other authors.

Buy at LitRes

6. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Graham

The story of Mr. Rat the water rat, Mr. Mole, Mr. Badger, and Mr. Toad the toad remains popular even 100 years after it was first published. An adult reader will like not so much the plot (it is rather uncomplicated), but rather the philosophical attitude, subtle English humor and poetic narration. The same book that will brighten up the evening with a cup of tea and a blanket.

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7. “The Riddle of the Old Forest”, Dino Buzzati

Dark tale-legend about childhood and how fleeting it is. And, of course, about the connection between man and nature. All this is presented in the form of a parable, where trees have spirits, animals talk, and the wind sings its songs. Buzzati’s style is simple, concise, with hints and understatements. An adult reader will surely be captivated by the atmosphere of the work.

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8. “Moomin and Comet”, Tove Jansson

The world of Moomins captures in childhood and does not let go over the years. Jansson’s stories are always about the world’s good and bad, adventure and quiet reflection. Moomintroll and the Comet is one of the first books in a large series of fairy tales. Here, even in the anxious atmosphere of anticipation of an impending catastrophe, there is a place for hope. It is for this philosophical optimism that we love Tuva.

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9. “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” by Roald Dahl

Like any other good fairy tale, the story of the boy Charlie is an adventure. Together with other children, he gets on an excursion to the most unusual Chocolate Factory in the world. And, as in any other good fairy tale, good will be rewarded, and evil will be punished.

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10. Urban Legends, Charles de Lint

Charles de Lint writes fairy tales set in the modern urban world. The collection of short stories is united by the setting – the fictional large city of Newford. Ordinary people – students, artists, office workers, the poor – are faced with things strange and inexplicable.

De Lint’s world is full of magic, and the main magic is strength of character, courage, resilience, kindness, which will always find a place in our boring everyday life.

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The most beautiful fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm

The Brothers Grimm – The most beautiful fairy tales: 1 – 20

2Sweet porridge
Once upon a time there was a poor, modest girl alone with her mother, and they had nothing to eat. Once the girl went into the forest and met an old woman on the way, who already knew about her miserable life and gave her an earthen pot. He had only to say: “Pot, cook!” – and tasty, sweet millet porridge will be cooked in it; and tell him only: “Potty, stop it!” – and the porridge will stop cooking in it. Read the tale →

3Golden Goose
Once upon a time there was a man in the world who had three sons, and the youngest of them was called Fool, and everyone despised and ridiculed him and offended him at every opportunity. It happened one day that the elder had to go to the forest to cut wood, and his mother gave him a good pie and a bottle of wine in reserve so that he would not starve and would not know thirst. he was in a very good mood and worked with a needle that was urine. And just then it happened that a woman was walking along the street and shouting: “Plum jam, plum jam!” This cry to the tailor was very to the liking; he put his little head out the window and also shouted: “Come here, aunt! There is a buyer for your goods. Read the story →

5 Friendship of a cat and a mouse
The cat met the mouse and sang to her so much about her great love and friendship that the mouse finally agreed to live in the same house with her and start a common household. Yes, we should have prepared supplies for the winter, otherwise we will have to starve, ”said the cat. – You, mouse, you can’t walk everywhere. Look, you’ll end up falling into a mousetrap. Read a fairy tale →

6 A wolf and seven kids
Once upon a time there was an old goat. She had seven kids, and she loved them so much, as only a mother can love her children. Once she was about to go into the forest, bring food; Here she called all her seven children and said: – Dear children, I want to go to the forest, but you watch the wolf. If he comes here, he will eat all of you, along with the skin and wool. Read the tale →

7The Frog King or Iron Henry
In ancient times, when spells still helped, there was a king in the world; all his daughters were beautiful, but the youngest was so beautiful that even the sun, which had seen a lot in its lifetime, was surprised, shining on her face. She was sweet to everyone who only saw her; well, and she was the sweetest and dearest of all to her grandmother, who didn’t even know what to give her, her beloved granddaughter. She once gave her a red velvet cap, and since this cap was very fitting for her and she didn’t want to wear anything else, they began to call her Little Red Riding Hood. Read the tale →

9Three brothers
A long time ago there lived a man who had three sons, and there was not much wealth in all: only the house in which he himself lived. Each of the sons would like to inherit that house after his death, but they were all equally dear to their father; so he didn’t know what to do so as not to offend anyone. Read the tale →

10King Thrushbeard
A certain king had a daughter that was too beautiful, but too proud and arrogant, so that no groom was too strong for her. She refused one suitor after another, and even ridiculed everyone. So one day the king, her father, arranged a big holiday and invited all those who wanted to marry from near and far countries to the holiday. Read the tale →

11Clever Elsa
Once upon a time there was a man who had a daughter, and she was called clever Elsa. When she grew up, her father said to her mother: “We must give her in marriage.” – “Okay,” said the mother, “if only there was such a good fellow who would want to take her as his wife. Read the story →

12 The Bremen Town Musicians
One owner had a donkey that had been dragging and dragging coolies to the mill for many years in a row, but finally exhausted, and began to become unfit for work. The owner began to figure out how to feed him sell off, but the donkey noticed in time that things were not going well, ran away from the owner and headed along the road to Bremen: there, they say, I will be a city musician. Read the tale →

13One-eyed, Two-eyed and Three-eyed
Once upon a time there was a woman, and she had three daughters; the eldest was called One-Eyed, because she had only one eye on her forehead; the middle one was called Two-eyed, because she, like all people, had two eyes; and the youngest was called Three-Eyed, because she had three eyes, and the third was in her forehead. And because Two-Eyes looked the same as everyone else, her sisters and mother did not like her very much. Read the tale →

0100 One father lived with two sons. The older one was smart, quick-witted, and every business was arguing in his hands, while the younger one was stupid, slow-witted and could not learn anything. and one day she took a whole dish of beans, and was going to boil them. On her hearth, she blew a decent light, and to make it flare up more cheerfully, she threw a bundle of straw into the fire. As she poured the beans into the pot, one bean slid off the dish, fell to the floor, and ended up there next to the straw; and then a red-hot coal from the stove jumped out to both of them. Read the tale →

17 The hare and the hedgehog
This tale, folks, looks like a fairy tale, but it’s still true, – my grandfather, from whom I heard it, used to say every time he told it with feeling and plainly: “There is truth in it, son, otherwise why would they start telling it?” And this is how it was.