Free Online Story Books for Kids
Online Books for Children is a free library of short illustrated stories for kids aged about 3 to 8. Every story can be read on a phone, tablet or computer in three to six minutes, with no sign-up and nothing to download.
Browse stories by collection
Bedtime StoriesCalm stories for the end of the day.Funny Bedtime StoriesTen stories to make them laugh before sleep.Silly Bedtime StoriesMarshmallow rain, bubble dragons and other nonsense.Short Stories for KidsQuick stories about courage, kindness and family.Read Aloud BooksLots of dialogue, great for reading to a group.
The cafeteria smelled like a mix of floor wax and pepperoni pizza. Noah stared down at his lunchbox...
Oliver’s backpack was full of "treasures": three rusted nails, a half-eaten granola bar, and a...
The driveway smelled like a mix of green apple dish soap and swamp water. Leo’s mission was simple:...
What happens when a high-tech drone meets a pitcher of sticky lemonade? Join Riley and Jax in this...
Elliot tapes banana leaves to his back and tries to land on a sunflower like the butterflies he...
Clarence the rooster hides an alarm clock in the hay so he can sleep in. At dawn it blasts rock...
What happens when an alligator chef keeps losing his spoons? Join Albie in this funny bedtime story...
Zork sneaks into a family's laundry room and greets the washing machine as the Great Spinning Leader...
What happens when a spider is afraid of flies? Tea time! Join Webster in this funny bedtime story...
What happens when a robot's jokes are all in binary? Join Gizmo in this funny bedtime story about...
What happens when a sheep counts humans to sleep? Join Shirley in this funny bedtime story! A...
What happens when a tough guard dog meets a tiny butterfly? Laughter! Join Bruno in this funny...
Hugo the hamster wants to be a silent ninja, but every step crunches and squeaks. A silly bedtime...
Can a cat be a dog? Join Baxter in this funny bedtime story! A hilarious tale about identity and...
What happens when a ghost is afraid of the dark? Meet Hubert and his glow-in-the-dark pajamas! A...
What happens when the Moon stays awake to play video games? Join Oliver in this silly bedtime story...
Can a cow really ice skate? Join Clarabelle and her milk buckets in this silly bedtime story! A...
What happens when the clock runs backward? Eat dessert first in this silly bedtime story! A...
Barnaby wants to roast marshmallows for his knight friends, but every roar comes out as a cloud of...
What happens when a giraffe is afraid of heights? Meet Gigi and her pink knee pads in this silly...
Pip thinks the South Pole is too hot! Follow his hilarious journey to a 5-star fridge in this silly...
Eli finds a tiny purple scarf and decides it makes him invisible. He hides behind a single daisy...
What happens when a squirrel collects socks instead of acorns? Join Sammy in this silly bedtime...
Barnaby the Bear expects a storm, but a pink cloud rains giant marshmallows. A short, sweet bedtime...
Milo the monkey is hungry, but a scary jump stands between him and the sweetest banana in the...
Lara was terrified of the thunder until her mom built a fortress of love. Discover how a plaid...
The training wheels are gone! Join Breno as he learns that falling is just part of the journey and...
Thomas the steam engine wanted to fly like a plane. Discover how a dangerous bridge and a heavy load...
Can a handful of sunflower seeds bring a smile back to a lonely neighbor? Join Antonella in this...
Caleb is an umbrella who is afraid of rain. In a big storm he learns he can keep others dry. A story...
Ryan is ready to blast off in his cardboard spaceship, but he needs a co-pilot! Discover how a tired...
Catarina's new sneakers are shiny and glow, but they won't stop complaining! Discover how she found...
Luna the cat decided to help her owner find inspiration by jumping into the paint! Discover how...
Pietro was afraid his new glasses would make him look like a robot. Instead, they revealed a world...
Ian is a bat who sleeps with the lights on! Discover how he saved his brother and learned to trust...
Maria Clara finds a broken doll destined for the trash. Discover how a little girl's compassion...
Victor almost scored an own goal! Discover how a muddy save taught him that the most important part...
What happens when the Tooth Fairy forgets a visit? Join Agatha as she learns how a little patience...
Stella hears a lonely whale crying in the ocean. Discover how a brave girl and a pier bell helped a...
Danny lost his favorite marble under the sofa! Join him in this brave adventure as he discovers that...
Edu learns that his senior dog Rex can't run like he used to. Read this touching story about...
Bryan's kite gets stuck, but his grandfather saves the day with a simple paper plane. Read this...
Daisy and Grandma are making magic bread! Read this heartwarming story for kids about the joy of...
Elara discovers that the dark isn't so scary when you have a little imagination. Read this...
Maya's new yellow boots are spotless, and her mother would like them to stay that way. Then Maya...
Grace discovers that a simple book can be a portal to amazing adventures. An inspiring story for...
Skye the bird has a very different voice. Read this heartwarming story about self-esteem, finding...
Follow the brave mission of Leo and his paper boat. A heartwarming story for kids about courage...
Join Sophia in this heartwarming autumn story for kids. Learn the secret of patience as she tries to...
Caspian the River dreams of being as still as a pond. A beautiful story about discovering that life...
Willow the little seed is afraid to leave her flower. A heartwarming story about trusting the wind...
Hootie the Little Owl wakes up in the middle of the day and sees the world's colors for the first...
Sterling is a hard, lonely mountain who thinks he doesn't need anyone. Discover how a small cloud’s...
Spinny the spider wants to catch the moon, but finds something even better. A magical morning story...
Cushty the Mushroom leaves the shadows to see the golden sun for the first time. A beautiful story...
Pippin the tiny elf discovers that a glowing treasure is much more beautiful when shared. A...
Pip is a plain green caterpillar who dreams of color. After a long sleep in her cocoon, something...
Pippin the Cricket learns the difference between noisy fireworks and the silent beauty of the first...
Benson the Bullfrog thinks his voice is too loud and ugly. But when a storm threatens the pond, his...
Ruby and Oliver find a magical box in the attic. A heartwarming adventure about flying balloons...
King Arthur has a magnificent gold crown, but it’s too heavy to let him be happy. Discover what...
Bella is on a dream vacation, but she misses something special. A touching story about the joy of...
Sunny is a bright yellow umbrella who is terrified of the rain. Discover how a stormy afternoon...
While other hens lay white eggs, Daisy looks at the sky and lays rainbows! A beautiful story about...
Leo goes fishing with his dad hoping for a huge catch. The bucket stays empty, but the morning is...
Oliver the cat has hunted flies and socks, but now he faces his toughest foe: a sunbeam! A funny and...
Dexter is a bat who is afraid of the dark! Join him on a magical night journey as he discovers that...
Maya collects "Invisible Things" in a golden box. A beautiful children's story about the scents...
Finley the Goldfish discovers a mysterious glowing ball in his tank. A peaceful bedtime story about...
Pip is a scared field mouse until he finds a silver thimble. A heartwarming story about how...
An ant and a termite are stuck in a hole. Can they work together to escape? A beautiful children's...
Read the story of Pip, the friendliest ghost in the attic. A gentle and spooky bedtime story perfect...
Rusty is a young rooster with a big mission: to wake up the giant sun! A heartwarming farm story...
Join Leo on a magical scavenger hunt at his grandparents' house! A heartwarming story about...
Read the magical tale of Lily and the Dream Cloud! A free, gentle bedtime story for kids about...
Caleb the Chameleon can't find his own color for the big party. A magical story about self-discovery...
Meet Dug, the giant green dinosaur! A fun children's story about a big dinosaur who discovers that...
Meet Patch, a lonely scarecrow who dreams of being a friend instead of a monster. A touching...
Barnaby the bunny has one floppy ear he wants to fix, until it hears a secret no one else can. A...
Lola the gecko has a secret superpower: her tail grows back. A gentle story about healing...
Glowy is a tiny firefly who is afraid of the dark, until the night he finds out that his own small...
Where to start
For bedtime, try Lara's Magic Blanket Fort or one of the funny bedtime stories. For reading together during the day, Victor's Great Save and Sir Pip and the Silver Helmet are good first picks.
About these stories
The stories are original, written for this site, and each one comes with its own illustration. They are short on purpose, so a story fits into the time you actually have: the minutes before lights out, a bus ride, the start of a class. You can read more about who runs the site on our About Us page.