A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Aesop's fables
Aesop, who was supposed to have lived from about 620 to 560 B.C. in Greece, was famous for his Fables. As well as being good fun, these also teach moral lessons.

Alberto's new neighbours
Alberto took one look at his new neighbours and knew that his life was going to get more difficult. He watched them arrive in their big, noisy car and watched them get out. There they were, two of them, as big and as noisy as their car, and smelly and stupid as well.

Ali goes to university
Ali can't wait to leave his home and his home town and go off to university. But during his first year he learns some valuable lessons of life.

Animal Farm
This satirical novel by George Orwell is ostensibly about a group of animals who oust the humans from the farm they live on and run it themselves, only to have it corrupted into a brutal tyranny.

A perfectly fair business deal
Hobbes-Smith collects antique musical instruments. At a music festival in Italy, he sees a valuable violin which he wants to add to his collection. Is the owner prepared to sell it? Read this story and find out.

April Fool's Day
Danny Applewhite was developing into a rather arrogant young man. He was among the top five achievers at his school, but would he be smart enough to avoid being a fool on April 1st?

Ataturk's Childhood
This short story by Serdar Yıldırım, one of our readers, tells about an incident in Ataturk's childhood in which he shows qualities that would make him world famous later in life.

Athletes of the Ancient Olympic Games
Read short biographies of 5 great athletes from the Ancient Olympics and do an activity in which you compare the information in them.

Beginner's Luck
When James Milner lands a job in his uncle's bank he rides his luck for a while and even a huge earns himself a huge bottle of vintage champagne for one transaction. But how long can his luck last?

The Birth of a Star
Henry is an astronomer. He is very excited because he thinks he might have discovered the beginning of a new star. But then he gets even more exciting news ... he's going to be a father!

The Broken Mirror, The Black Cat, and Lots of Good Luck
Nikos was an ordinary man. One thing that he absolutely did not believe in was superstition. But when so many things that are meant to cause bad luck started bringing him good luck he began to wonder ...

Burke and Wills
In 1860-61 Robert O'Hara Burke and William John Wills led an expedition of 19 men with the intention of crossing Australia from Melbourne in the south to the Gulf of Carpentaria in the north, a distance of around 2,800 kilometres.

Calloway's Code
When Calloway sent a message in code from the war front in order to get it past the censors, the whole office of the New York Enterprise newsaper got to work to decipher it and reveal the biggest scoop of the year.

The Chaplet
In this amusing story by Saki find out what happens when two big egos - one belonging to a chef and the other to an orchestra conductor - meet head on!

Chinese zodiac
The Jade Emperor (Emperor of Heaven) called for a contest on his birthday: a race! All the animals of the kingdom were invited to participate, but there would only be 12 winners, and the prize was a permanent place in the Zodiac Years.

A Christmas Carol
This story by Charles Dickens is a Victorian morality tale of an old and bitter miser, Ebenezer Scrooge, who undergoes a profound experience of redemption.

The Christmas The Lights Went Out
Five people, whose lives interrelate, live the build up to Christmas in different ways in different places. A sudden blackout changes their lives forever ...

The Chrysalids
This science-fiction novel by John Wyndham (US title: Re-Birth), first published in 1955, is the least typical of Wyndham's major novels, and in some people's opinion the best. It tells the story of David, who is telepathic in an imaginary future time when mutations are considered to be evil.

A Clockwork Orange
This novel by Anthony Burgess, later the basis for a film by Stanley Kubrick, tells the story of ultraviolent delinquent and gang leader Alex DeLarge.

Coetzee's novels
Read synopses of some of the novels of Nobel prize winning writer, South African J.M. Coetzee, and then compare them.

The Comeback
When the once-great opera singer Fausto Ruiz returns to the place where he was born, things do not work out as he had expected ...

Coming Back Up
So we’re driving along, a road in the middle of nowhere, a few trees now and then on each side of the road, mountains in the distance, there hasn’t been a town for ages and then you see this sign, not really a proper sign at all, just a piece of card with some words scribbled on it: “Bungee Jumping, 5km”

The Day Bob Marley Died
A young man working as a tree-planter in the Highlands of Scotland experiences an incredible coincidence.

A Diagnosis of Death
In this scary story by Ambrose Bierce, a man explains to his doctor how he came to believe in ghosts.

The Dinosaur in Jake’s Garage
When Jake finds a dinosaur in his garage, nobody believes him. But when he finally brings it out to show them, the result is not what he expected either ...

The Dreamtime
The Dreamtime is the central, unifying theme in Australian Aboriginal mythology. It describes the process of the world being called into being. The Australian Aboriginal culture is based on nature in every aspect. Most of their mythological heroes are animals common in Australia.

Elephants, bananas and Aunty Ethel
I looked at my watch and saw that it was going backwards. “That’s ok” I was thinking. “If my watch is going backwards, then it means that it’s early, and not late, so I’m not late for work at all…” and then I woke up. Again.

The end?
This story, written by one of our users – Chia Lih Tan, or, to use his English name, Charles – , begins: ‘You know, I have been thinking about this for a long time. I want to start a new life, with a new you,’ she said. ‘A new me?’ I asked.  Is it the end or is it a new beginning?

Ex-Famous
Every time Joe Mangold went into his local shop or local café or walked down his street, he looked at other people carefully. He wanted to see if people were looking at him. He wanted to see if anyone recognised him.

Fairy tale magic
Read short versions of seven common fairy tales that contain examples of the use of magic. Then compare them and write a fairy tale yourself.

Farenheit 451
This novel by Ray Bradbury is set in a world where books are banned and critical thought is suppressed. The central character, Guy Montag, is employed as a "fireman" (which, in this case, means "book burner"). 451 degrees Fahrenheit is stated as "the temperature at which book-paper catches fire, and burns ..."

The Fix
The four judges have been sitting in a small room in the Milton Hotel in London for three hours now. They must agree on who will win the four awards in the important Global Music Awards. But there is a problem. A big problem. The judges have not yet agreed on one single thing. They must all agree on each winner. If they can’t all agree, then the award will not be given – nobody will win.

Funny Exam Answers
You just won't believe some of the answers that school students write in history exams! Read a hilarious selection and work out why they are funny or strange.

Funny signs
Sometimes speakers of other languages do their best to try and help English speakers by making signs in English. The results are sometimes surprising, to say the least!

A Game of Go
Two people sit down opposite each other to play a game. Between them is a large wooden board. One of the players is an old man. He is now 89 years old. He has spent all of his life playing this game, which is called Go. The other person is a young woman. The young woman has only been playing Go for three years.

The Gods and the Human Resources Department
Zeus was having a bad day. “It’s just not fair!” he shouted. The Deputy Human Resources Manager for the Myths, Legends and Folktales sections (Western, Central and Eastern Europe, Africa, India, Asia and Americas) had just told Zeus that the Myths and Legends Departments were going to be merged.

The Golden boys
A bored teenager cannot take any more of the golden boys after twelve years of humiliation on holidays.

Got any goss?
Corinne is a new girl in town. She soon becomes friends with Alicia and Alicia’s boyfriend, Anto. But Anto seems to be more interested in Corinne than Alicia. What can Corinne do? Read this story and help Corinne decide!

The Great Leonino and Ringo the Clown
The rivalry and jealousy between two circus performers makes one of them plot against the other. However, his plan goes terribly wrong.

The Hero
In this story by Sue Ragland, the author's uncle is drafted into the army. He and all the other conscripts head off to war. Or do they?

The Hunting Bird
Samir’s grandfather told him that once, a long time ago, the bird had been a famous hunting bird. But now it looked old and tired and it seemed it couldn't fly. But could it?

In my father's footsteps
Today was a pilgrimage. Today – for Andy – was a day like going to Rome, or sick people to Lourdes, or the people walking to Santiago de Compostela, or even Mecca. But Andy is a different type of pilgrim ...

The Interesting Most Boring Man in the World
People often said that Thierry Boyle was the most boring man in the world. He didn’t know why people thought he was so boring. Thierry thought he was quite interesting. But he was unhappy because people thought he was boring. He wanted people to think that he was a very interesting person. Thierry thought about how to make himself more interesting. He decided that he needed to be famous for something.

The Invention of Nothing
I will be forgotten by history. Perhaps that was because I invented something. I invented nothing.

King of the Pumpkins
A young boy and his cat go in search of the King of the Pumpkins, to try and find out what - if anything - is true about his mother's stories.

The Kitemaker
When the people of Jaizhar decided to hold a kite flying competition, Mehfooz and the kitemaker made the most wonderful kite anyone had ever seen. They were sure to win ... or were they?

Look what the cats dug up!
An old woman lives with her many cats in a lovely little garden full of orange trees. They the developers come along, planning to build a new road. All of the neighbours are worried, but the cats have other ideas ...

The Lorax
This children's story by Dr. Seuss chronicles the plight of the environment and the Lorax (a "mossy, bossy" man-like creature), who speaks for the trees against the greedy Once-ler.

The Masalai of Lep Island
This Papua New Guinea folk story involves a masalai (a large  ugly cannibal, similar to an ogre).

The Masterpiece
This chilling psycho-terror story was written by seventeen-year-old high-school student Carmen María Ugarteche Soriano from Bolivia.

The medieval travelling salesman
Nowadays New Year is celebrated on January 1. But this has not always been so. In the past often another date was chosen as the starting day of the year. The use of different dates at the same time must have caused much confusion ...

The Middlesbury Star
Middlesbury was a town that was as boring as its name. That’s what Joe thought, anyway, and he had lived there for 12 years, all of his life in fact, so he was an expert on Middlesbury. And it was boring. The place was so boring that it didn’t even have its own newspaper, said Joe.

Mini-sagas
A mini-saga is a story of exactly 50 words – not more or less. Read sagas sent in by our users, and write one yourself.

Mr Smith's new nose
It is the 22nd century and the world is very different. With new technologies, people can have the bodies that they want. Read this story and see what happens when Mr. Smith decides to change his body.

Names
Naming houses? Naming babies? It's sometimes not as straightforward as it seems ...

Ngaio Marsh: crime stories
Dame Ngaio Marsh, 1895-1982, one of New Zealand’s most remarkable and charismatic women, was world-renowned as a leading crime fiction writer. In this activity, compare the plots of some of her different crime stories.

Not a drop to drink
The Romans tried to bring water to the desert 2000 years ago. A Portuguese explorer tried the same thing in 1777. Will the narrator of this story, with the use of modern technology, succeed where the others failed?

Playing God
In a future world where genetic manipulation and DNA modification is prohibited, there are still people who are prepared to risk jail sentences to get what they want. And doctors prepared to play God ...

The Polar Bear's Dinner
So, I’m a polar bear, right? Got that? A polar bear. Not one of those brown bears that live in forests and on mountains. One of those big white ones, you know, surely. Where do I live? On an iceberg of course, not that far from the North Pole. We never go too near the North Pole though, it’s much too cold up there.

The Princess and the pea
Read this famous fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, and decide which is the best moral for the story.

Promotion
Don Jenkins works for an international telecommunications company. He wants to be promoted and is hopeful when he is suddenly chosen to go to an important conference in Paris. But he soon finds that things aren’t what they seem, and he gradually becomes involved in a web of intrigue. What is really happening to the company? You’ll find out in this story.

Rice Bowl Wishes
A "fabulous, original" Chinese children's story of traditional values with a very strong message.

River
The river is never what it seems. The river changes. And so, of course, do people - especially after an experience on the river one day ...

The Robe of Peace
Johnny Bellchambers was the flashiest dresser in all of New York. Then, suddenly, he disappeared into thin air. In this amusing story by O. Henry find out what happened to him ...

Scarlett
Scarlett is twelve years old and is trying to understand the world around her. She asks questions about everything, all the time. She also says that she already knows five languages. Find out how …

The Secret Motorcycle
Giacomo de Filippo has a secret motorcycle ... or so he thinks! Sometimes you think that you are the main actor in your life, but then you find out that you are only a minor character in someone else’s ...

A Serious Case
I have a friend who is afraid of spiders. This isn’t very unusual; a lot of people are afraid of spiders. I don’t really like spiders much myself. But my friend isn’t afraid of spiders in any normal way. She isn’t just afraid of spiders, she is totally, completely and utterly terrified of them.

The Skier
Afel was twelve years old when he saw them. “What are those?” he asked his uncle excitedly. “Skis,” replied his uncle, “And those people are called skiers.” Afel was in love. Here was the snow, and here were people who were flying across the snow. It was just like one of his dreams. It was perfect. At that moment, he decided. He wanted to be a skier.

A Small Family Business
“One last job”, thought Jack Robino. “One last job, then I’ll finally retire.” Jack knew that it was time to give up working and go and collect his pension like other people of his age. But would his last job work out?

So you wanna be a roadie?
What a life! Being a roadie must involve meeting rock stars and picking up all the girls. Or does it? A young man finds out all about it from someone who knows.

Sports quotes
You'll never believe what some people say! Read these hilarious quotes from sports people involved in football, tennis and other sports, and work out why they're funny or strange.

Stand on Zanzibar
In this science-fiction story by John Brunner, perhaps the definitive overpopulation novel to date, the main driver is overpopulation and its projected consequences.

The Stone Cutter
This fascinating tale from Asian mythology has a very powerful message. Read it, answer some questions, and do some writing yourself.

The Stranger
In the middle of an Arizona desert night, a group of explorers are approached by a mysterious stranger with a tale to tell.

Three jokes
Have you heard the one about the chicken and the frog? How about the one about the firing squad? And the one about the parrot who didn't want to talk? In this activity you have to 'tell' the jokes yourself.

The Three Tree Thieves
Terry had a problem. There was a big tree blocking his view. So he got two friends to help him get rid of it. Would they manage to do that and get away with it?

Tommaso Argento in London
It is sixteenth century Britain. Tommaso Argento has been sent to study commerce in Oxford. However, Tommaso has discovered the joys of poetry and dreams of becoming a poet. His father has now asked him to return to Italy to continue with the family business. Will Tommaso return and honour his father? Or will he stay in London to pursue his dream? Read this story and find out!

Treasure Island
This classic adventure novel by Robert Louis Stevenson narrates a tale of "buccaneers and buried gold". First published in 1883, its influence on popular perception of pirates is vast.

The Trial
In this surreal tale by Franz Kafka the sinister tone is set right from the beginning: "On the morning of his thirtieth birthday, a junior bank manager, Josef K., who lives in lodgings, is unexpectedly arrested by two unidentified agents for an unspecified crime".

Treasure Story
This story by Serdar Yıldırım, one of our readers, tells of Keloğlan, a young man who sets off to find some hidden treasure. With the help of the wise man Nasreddin Hodja he succeeds, and all his dreams come true ...

Two Peas in a Pod
Edie and Evie are identical twins. Identical in appearance, but their personalities are not at all identical. Things get very weird when one of them pretends to be the other ...

Uncle Tom's Cabin
Sub-titled Life Among the Lowly, this anti-slavery novel by American author Harriet Beecher Stowe was published in 1852, and had a profound effect on worldwide attitudes toward African Americans and slavery. In the United States, it is widely thought to have helped intensify the sectional conflict that led to civil war.

The Untied Nations
It was the house at the end of the street; the one where nobody wanted to live. Seeing as people from the city didn’t want to live there, the landlord asked people from other countries to live there. At first everything went well, but then the neighbours began falling out. Fortunately, one of them had an idea ...

Where Home Is
This poignant story is about refugees in a place where they don't belong. They spend time listening to sad, sad songs and wondering if they will ever go home.

Why I Want a Wife
This text by Judy Syfers explains in great detail what many husbands see as a wife's role, and is described as a "classic piece of feminist humor".