Stories by reading level

• Reading for Grade 1 and 2Children at this stage are decoding words and sentences at the same time, so the stories here stay short, use ordinary vocabulary and follow one clear line of events. Most take under five minutes to read aloud.189 stories · ages 5 to 8
• Reading for Grade 3 and 4This is where children start reading for the story rather than for the practice. The stories here are longer, carry more than one event, and expect the reader to hold a character in mind across several paragraphs.217 stories · ages 8 to 10
• Reading for Grade 5 and 6Confident readers who can handle a story that does not resolve comfortably. Several of these have endings worth arguing about, which is the point at this age.164 stories · ages 10 to 13

How the levels work

The grade shown is a guide to sentence length and vocabulary, not to subject matter. A grade 1 and 2 story keeps to short sentences and everyday words. A grade 5 and 6 story runs longer, holds more than one thread, and often ends somewhere uncomfortable.

If you would rather browse by subject than by level, more stories to read together lists every section side by side.

Every story carries its own age badge as well, so you can check before you start. If a child finds one too hard, the same moral usually appears somewhere in a simpler story: the fables are the shortest on the site and the Panchatantra the most varied.