New from our writers
The Cloud That Lost Its Way
Puff, a little cloud blown far from his family, finds himself above a village where dry gardens and an emptying pond need rain.
Stories to read aloud to children
These stories bring together gentle adventures, familiar favorites, and imaginative tales that children can enjoy with a grown-up or on their own. Read The Selfish Giant or The Tale of Peter Rabbit, or listen along as any story is read aloud in a natural voice; every story is free to read or to listen to.
New from our writers
The Little Lantern
Milo is the smallest firefly in the garden, and his glow never seems to shine as brightly as the others’.
New from our writers
The Little Star Who Was Afraid to Shine
Twinkle, a little star afraid to shine, believes his light is too small to make a difference.
The Selfish Giant
A giant walls the children out of his garden, and spring refuses to come.
The Best Lie in Vijayanagara
The king holds a contest for the best lie, with a prize of a thousand gold coins.
The Thief and the Magic Sticks
A rich merchant has been robbed, and every one of his servants swears they are innocent.
How the Camel Got His Hump
In the beginning of years the Camel would not work. He just said "Humph!"
The Line That Got Shorter
Akbar draws a line on the floor and challenges his courtiers to make it shorter without touching it.
The Tale of Peter Rabbit
Peter's mother tells him never to go into Mr. McGregor's garden.
The Gift of the Magi
With only $1.87 for a Christmas gift, Della sells her beautiful hair to buy a platinum chain for her husband’s heirloom watch.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
A cyclone carries Dorothy and her dog Toto to the magical Land of Oz.
Through the Looking-Glass
Alice climbs through the mirror over the fireplace into Looking-Glass House, where everything runs backwards, the flowers talk, and the whole country is a giant game…
Why the Sun and the Moon Live in the Sky: Six Nigerian Tales
Six "why" stories told by the Efik and Ibibio people of southern Nigeria: why the sun and moon live in the sky, why the moon grows and shrinks, why the bat flies by…
Stories of Krishna and Prahlad
Seven tales for children from Sister Nivedita's Cradle Tales of Hinduism: baby Krishna carried through the storm to Gokool, the naughty little butter-thief no rope…
The Tales of Sheikh Chilli
Sheikh Chilli means well, works hard and dreams big, and somehow everything still goes wrong.
A Christmas Carol
On Christmas Eve, the miser Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by the ghost of his old partner Marley and by three spirits, who show him Christmases past, present and yet to…
Rip Van Winkle
Easy-going Rip wanders into the Catskill Mountains, shares a drink with some strange old men playing ninepins, and falls asleep.
Pandora's Box
Long ago, when the world was young, there was no sickness, no work and no sorrow.
The Barber's Clever Wife
A lazy barber's wife sends him out to make his fortune and then saves him, again and again, from tigers, robbers and a king, with her quick wits.
The Price of a Horse
A rich man’s will says the money from selling his horse must go to a poor family.
Harisarman and Other Indian Tales
Five Indian folk tales: Harisarman, the poor Brahman who pretends to be a great fortune-teller and keeps getting lucky; the clever little Lambikin; the dreamer and…
How Fear Came
The rains have failed, the rivers are dry, and the Water Truce is called: no animal may hunt at the drinking place.
How the Leopard Got His Spots
Once the Leopard was sandy-yellow all over, until the animals all moved into the stripy, speckly forest.
Tenali Chooses How to Die
Tenali Raman finally goes too far, and the furious king sentences him to death.
The Cat That Walked by Himself
When the wild animals were tamed by the first woman, the Cat made a bargain of his own, for he walked by himself and all places were alike to him.
The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County
Ask old Simon Wheeler a simple question and you'll get the whole tale of Jim Smiley, who would bet on anything, and his frog Dan'l Webster.
The Golden Touch
King Midas loves gold more than anything, even his little daughter Marygold, until a stranger grants his wish that everything he touches will turn to gold.
The Kingdom of Cards
On a lonely island live the Kings, Queens, Aces and Knaves of the Kingdom of Cards, who do everything by the Rules and have never asked why.
The Rat's Wedding
A clever rat trades up, one bargain after another, from a thorn in his foot to a king's daughter for a bride.
The Snow Queen
A splinter of a demon's mirror lodges in little Kay's eye and heart, and the Snow Queen carries him off to her frozen palace.
The Tale of Benjamin Bunny
Peter Rabbit's cousin Benjamin takes him back into Mr. McGregor's garden to fetch his lost clothes.
The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin
The squirrels sail to Owl Island to gather nuts and politely bring gifts to Old Brown the owl.
Toomai of the Elephants
Little Toomai is ten, the son and grandson of elephant drivers, and he loves the great old elephant Kala Nag more than anything.
Washing the Black Dog
The royal barber pleases the king so much that he asks to be made a minister.
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Alice follows a White Rabbit down a hole into a world of shrinking potions, a Cheshire Cat, a mad tea party and a Queen who wants everyone's head off.
Beauty and the Beast
To save her father, Beauty goes to live in the palace of a terrible Beast.
Hitopadesha: Six Fables of Good Counsel
Six famous animal fables from the Hitopadesha, the Sanskrit "Book of Good Counsels"
Jack and the Beanstalk
Jack swaps the family cow for five magic beans. His mother throws them out of the window, and by morning a beanstalk reaches the sky, and the castle of a giant who…
Where can I find stories to read aloud to children for free?
You can read these stories for free on Pagehush, with no ads. Any story can also be read aloud in a natural voice.
Can I listen to children’s stories on my phone?
Yes. Pagehush works on a phone, and any story can be read aloud so you can listen together.