Stories First Readers

Book Binding Tutorial

Begin by printing the cover and the Printer Spread separately. Be sure to set the printer to “double-sided” and to “flip on the short-edge.”  You can also print odd pages, flip manually and print even pages.  Then, align the cover and inside pages, clip in place, and staple to make a 5.5 x 8.5 booklet.

Aesop’s Fables

Aesop’s Fables, a collection of traditional tales
A tortoise and hare race; a little mouse helps a big lion; a boy cries wolf; and other traditional stories by Aesop.

AGES: All
LENGTH: 1,850 words, 29 pages
ILLUSTRATIONS: heavily illustrated
READABILITY: Flesch-Kincaid- grade 2.5; Gunning-Fog- 5.1 |  
(0-2000) Highest Frequency Words: 97.7%

The Gingerbread Man

The Gingerbread Man,  a traditional story
A gingerbread man comes to life and runs away from many who want to eat him. 

AGES: All
LENGTH: 707 words, 15 pages
ILLUSTRATIONS: heavily illustrated
READABILITY: Flesch-Kincaid- grade 2.2; Gunning-Fog- 5.8  
(0-2000) Highest Frequency Words: 99.3%

Little Red Riding Hood 

Little Red Riding Hood, a traditional story
A little girl meets a wolf on her way to Grandmother’s house.

AGES: ALL
LENGTH: 1,289 words, 17 pages
ILLUSTRATIONS: heavily illustrated 
READABILITY: Flesch-Kincaid grade level 2.4 ; Gunning-Fog-4.6

The Little Prince

The Little Prince,  a story by Etienne de Saint-Exupery
A little prince lives on his planet with only one friend, his rose. When the little prince leaves and has adventures, he misses his rose. 

AGES: All
LENGTH: 1,557 words, 23 pages
ILLUSTRATIONS: heavily illustrated
READABILITY: Flesch-Kincaid- grade 2.5; Gunning-Fog- 5.1 |  
(0-2000) Highest Frequency Words: 97.7%

Jesse Owens

Jesse Owens, a true story
An African American running legend and his journey to the 1936 Berlin Olympics. 

AGES: All
LENGTH: 1,824 words, 23 pages
ILLUSTRATIONS: heavily illustrated
READABILITY: Flesch-Kincaid-2.1; Gunning-Fogg-na

Cinderella

Cinderella, a traditional story
A poor girl must work for her step-mother and step-sisters. She is unhappy, until she goes to the royal ball.

AGES: ALL
LENGTH: 1,796 words, 23 pages
ILLUSTRATIONS: heavily illustrated
READABILITY: Flesch-Kincaid- grade 4.3; Gunning Fog- 6
(0-2000) Highest Frequency Words: 95.8%​

The Musicians of Bremen

The Musicians of Bremen, a traditional story
Animals are abandoned, so they go out on the road looking to become musicians in the big city, Bremen.

AGES: ALL
LENGTH: 2,137 words, 26 pages
ILLUSTRATIONS: heavily illustrated
READABILITY: Flesch-Kincaid- grade 2.7; Gunning Fog-5.2

Urashima Tarō

Urashima Tarō, a story from Japan  
A fisherman visits a magical world where time seems to fly by. 

AGES: Upper elementary and up
LENGTH: 2,769 words, 23 pages
ILLUSTRATIONS: heavily illustrated
READABILITY: Flesch-Kincaid- grade 1.6; Gunning-Fog- 3.5 |  
(0-2000) Highest Frequency Words: 91.7%

Maria and Marjorie

Maria and Marjorie, based on a true story
Sisters from Oklahoma and members of the Osage Nation work hard and support each other as they become two of America’s greatest ballerinas.

AGES: ALL
LENGTH: 1,461 words, 17 pages
ILLUSTRATIONS: heavily illustrated
READABILITY: Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level- 3.2; Gunning-Fog- 5.3

A Christmas Carol​

A Christmas Carol​, a story by Charles Dickens
Scrooge only cares about money so three spirits take him to see Christmas past, present, and future.

AGES: ALL
LENGTH: 2,414 words, 27 pages
ILLUSTRATIONS: heavily illustrated
READABILITY: Flesch-Kincaid- grade 2.1; Gunning Fog- 4.7​

Hansel and Gretel

Hansel and Gretel, a traditional story
Two children are abandoned in the forest. They are very hungry until they see a house made out of candy. But they soon find the candy is a trap.

AGES: ALL
LENGTH: 2,096 words, 19 pages
ILLUSTRATIONS: heavily illustrated
READABILITY: Flesch-Kincaid- grade 2.6; Gunning Fog-4.8

Alice in Wonderland

Alice in Wonderland, a story by Lewis Carroll
A little girl, Alice, runs after a White Rabbit. She runs into many strange creatures in a magical world.

AGES: ALL
LENGTH: 2,446 words, 29 pages
ILLUSTRATIONS: heavily illustrated
READABILITY: Flesch-Kincaid- grade 2.0; Gunning Fog- 4.6

Sleeping Beauty

Sleeping Beauty, a traditional story
A witch puts a curse on a princess: she will fall asleep for all eternity. But true love wakes up the sleeping beauty.

AGES: ALL
LENGTH: 1,771 words, 23 pages
ILLUSTRATIONS: heavily illustrated
READABILITY: Flesch-Kincaid- grade 3.2; Gunning Fog- 5.6

Maid Maleen

Maid Maleen, a traditional story
A girl refuses to give up the man she loves, so she is locked in a tower.

AGES: ALL
LENGTH: 1,801 words, 16 pages
ILLUSTRATIONS: moderately illustrated
READABILITY: Flesch-Kincaid- grade 3.4; Gunning Fog- 5.9​