Readastorus - Classic Children's Stories

Christmas Every Day by William Dean Howells - A Family Christmas Story

December 22, 2022 08:29 - 16 minutes

Children around the world grow more excited by the day in December as Christmas approaches. Are you looking forward to Christmas morning? How would you feel if it was always Christmas? Well, that’s just what one little girl wondered over 100 years ago in this special holiday tale, "Christmas Every Day."

Jimmy Scarecrow's Christmas by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman - A Family Christmas Story

December 19, 2022 19:13 - 15 minutes

Being a scarecrow is a hard enough job in the best of times, but when winter comes, it can be miserable. Yet, for one scarecrow, a cold Christmas brought a wonderful opportunity.

The White Heron by Sarah Orne Jewett

August 02, 2022 22:28 - 27 minutes

This tale flips the traditional "boy meets girl" fairy-tale narrative by introducing a strong-willed nature loving girl who puts her own desires and beliefs ahead of those of a young man she meets in the woods. The child of a rural family doctor in Maine, Sarah Orne Jewett was writing short stories professionally from age 18. Most of her work was purchased by The Atlantic magazine, with the glaring exception of "The White Heron." The story went of the become the title piece of her first book ...

Little Brier Rose (Sleeping Beauty) by The Brothers Grimm

September 18, 2021 16:38 - 6 minutes

The story of sleeping beauty has been told many ways and was made into an animated movie by Walt Disney. The original story by the brothers Grimm was actually titled "Little Brier Rose" which is also the name of the princess who fell asleep.

Monosyllabics by Laura E. Richards

August 29, 2021 12:43 - 2 minutes

This story isn't really a story. It's a poem. What makes it's both unique and fun is that every word has just one syllable.Why don't you read along:The black cat satIn the fat man’s hat;“Oh, dear!” the fat man said.“May the great gray batCatch the bad black catWho has left me no hatFor my head!”The big brown bearTried to curl his hairTo go to the Fair so gay.But he looked such a frightThat his aunt took flight,And he cried till night, they say.A pale pink pig,In a large blond wig,Danced a wil...

The Night Moth With a Crooked Feeler by Clara Dillingham Pearson

August 15, 2021 20:42 - 10 minutes

Sometimes when we look at others, we see our own imperfection magnified and think less of ourselves. However, while we we all have flaws and problems, its is how we treat others that really matters.

A Noble Dog by Edith Nesbit

August 08, 2021 21:27 - 3 minutes

Everyone and everything has a purpose. In this story a Newfoundland shows his talent when it's needed most

Dolly’s Voyage by L.L. Weedon

July 23, 2021 15:47 - 3 minutes

Sometimes kids can be a little too rough with their toys, but have you ever wondered how the toys feel about being tossed around. This is a story about how one doll felt about the abuse she received from her little girl's brother.

Jack and the Beanstalk

June 19, 2021 17:14 - 7 minutes

One of the most famous stories of all time is about a boy who disobeys his mother and trades the family cow for a few beans.

The Chicken Who Wouldn't Eat Gravel by Clara Dillingham Pierson

June 01, 2021 18:08 - 12 minutes

Sometimes it seems like parents tell us to do things that make no sense or to eat things that taste bad. Most of the time those things that we hate doing turn out to be really good fo us. That's just what a young chicken discovers in this wonderful story of life in the barnyard.

When We Were Very Young - Part Two by A.A. Milne

May 20, 2021 19:28 - 9 minutes

One of the world's favorite books of children's poetry was written by Winnie the Pooh creator, A. A. Milne in 1924. Generations have enjoyed these memorable verses and now the are available for anyone to publish or read without paying.Over three episodes, we will feature a selection of poems from this book. In this episode we hope you'll enjoy: Market SquareDisobedienceSpring MorningThe IslandThree Three FoxesJonathan JoeAt the Zoo

When We Were Very Young - Part One by A. A. Milne

May 16, 2021 12:28 - 7 minutes

One of the world's favorite books of children's poetry was written by Winnie the Pooh creator, A. A. Milne in 1924. Generations have enjoyed these memorable verses and now the are available for anyone to publish or read with paying.Over the next few episodes, we will feature five of six poems from this book.In this episode we hope you'll enjoy:Buckingham PalacePuppy and IThe Four FriendsLines and Squaresand Nursery Chairs

Tiny Little Things by Unknown

May 10, 2021 18:12 - 7 minutes

Even though the Readastorus is a huge mythical story telling dinosaur, he still cares about all the creatures in the world just as this little girl learned to do in this wonderful story by an unknown author.

Bremen Town Musicians by The Brothers Grimm

May 03, 2021 19:26 - 8 minutes

As we get older we want to do new things and that's just what happened with the donkey, dog, cat, and Rooster in this wonderful old story from the Brothers Grimm.

When We Were Very Young - Part Three by A. A. Milne

April 24, 2021 19:07 - 7 minutes

Here is the final episode of our reading of one of the most famous books of children's verse by the author of "Winnie the Pooh."

Thumbelina by Hans Christian Anderson

April 23, 2021 17:44 - 25 minutes

The story is about a tiny little girl and the struggles she faced along the path to her destiny.

Winnie-the-Pooh: The Wrong Sort of Bees by A.A. Milne

April 20, 2021 19:50 - 15 minutes

One of the greatest children’s stories of all time was written way back in 1925. Today, I’d like to introduce you the world's most famous bear, Winnie-the Pooh.This was the very first story ever written about Winnie-the-Pooh and Christopher Robin. Now, 95 years later, it is in the public domain. Next year, we will begin bringing you more of the classic tales of Pooh and his friends. In the meantime, you might want to check out some earlier Readatorus episodes from A.A. Milne’s “When We Were V...

The Deliverers Of Their Country by Edith Nesbit

April 14, 2021 17:31 - 28 minutes

We really like stories written by Edith Nesbit. They are lots of fun and usually the kids save the day as they do in this story, set many years ago in Great Britain, when a little girl has a big surprise land in her eye while her brother has his turn up in a tea cup.

The Golden Windows by Laura E. Richards

April 08, 2021 14:52 - 6 minutes

Here’s a story about a little boy who sees one thing from far away and something quite different on closer inspection.What we see with our eyes can change depending on where we are when we see it, just like what we think is true can be different depending on our personal beliefs and perspective.

Mother Earth's Children by Elizabeth Gordon

April 03, 2021 16:55 - 9 minutes

Do you love fruits and vegetables?Hmmm. Some of you seem to making icky faces.You might like them better if you could see,just how much much fun these plants can be.So, I believe that it is time,to tell their stories in a rhyme.

The Aged, Aged Man by Lewis Carroll

March 26, 2021 16:40 - 5 minutes

Today we have a silly story, actually it’s a nonsense poem that was written by the author of Alice in Wonderland and included in his second Alice book “Through the Looking Glass.” In the book it is introduced to Alice by the Knight, so we allowed the him to introduce it to you.It’s called The Aged Aged Man or is that it’s name or is it A’ Sitting on a Gate…

How the Moon Became Beautiful

March 24, 2021 21:32 - 5 minutes

Long ago, people did not much of what that you learn in school today. Even the sun and the moon were mysterious objects that were impossible to understand, so ancient people created stories to help explain the natural objects as is the case with this ancient Chinese folk tale.

Little Boy Blue by L. Frank Baum

March 23, 2021 17:28 - 17 minutes

Mother Goose wrote lots of great rhymes like:Little Boy Blue, come blow your horn.The sheep 's in the meadow, the cow 's in the corn;Where 's the little boy that minds the sheep?He 's under the haystack, fast asleep!But we didn’t know much more than that about little boy blue until L. Frank Baum shared the rest of the story in his version of Little Boy Blue.

Nursery Alice by Lewis Carroll

March 18, 2021 16:18 - 39 minutes

One of the most popular stories of all time is about a little girl named Alice and her adventures in Wonderland. While wonderful, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is a very long and sometimes complicated story. That’s why Lewis Carroll decided to write a version of his book just for younger children.

The Lonely Little Pig by Clara Dillingham Pierson

March 12, 2021 14:57 - 10 minutes

Have you ever been ignored by others? Did you get angry or did it make you sad? Well, that’s just what happens to the little pig in our story. Find out what she does when the other pigs refuse to play with her after she arrives at a new farm.

The Book of Beasts by Edith Nesbit

March 06, 2021 15:12 - 28 minutes

While being a kid can be fun, adults are in charge. Have you ever imagined being the boss? What would you do? In "The Book of Beasts" a young boy discovers that he has the power to change the lives of others. This story is one of Readasturus' new favorites.

The Reluctant Dragon by Kenneth Graham

February 27, 2021 16:41 - 1 hour

What would you do if you ran onto a dragon? Would you be scared? What is the dragon was a literary beast who only wanted to write poetry? And would you protect him from those who don’t understand him and think he’s a dangerous monster? Let’s find out.

The Girl Who Owned a Bear by L. Brank Baum

February 24, 2021 16:22 - 17 minutes

Have you ever watched “The Wizard of Oz. Some parts can be pretty scary. But children’s stories from long ago often had scary parts. Sometimes a little scare can be kinda fun.Well, the man who wroteThe Wizard of Oz also wrote a bunch of other children’s stories including this one.

Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter

February 22, 2021 12:10 - 6 minutes

Find out what happens when one mischevious young bunny defies his mother's orders.

The Little Red Hen

February 19, 2021 17:40 - 8 minutes

Do you think it’s better to sit around and let someone do all the work making dinner or should everyone work together to help make the meal? Listen as the Little Red Hen deals with that very situation.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

February 15, 2021 14:07 - 8 minutes

A little girl learns a lesson about going places she shouldn't and using other's things without their permission.

The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Anderson

February 12, 2021 14:04 - 22 minutes

Being different doesn't make you bad. In fact, our differences make each of us unique. Often the "ugly duckling" turns out to be a "beautiful swan."

The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen

February 10, 2021 21:48 - 54 minutes

The original story of a young mermaid who wished to become a human, marry a young prince and gain an immortal soul is far different from the popular Disney movie. It is far more dark – although we have edited out the most violent portion.This tragic story – with a happy ending – was writtten by legendary Danish author Hand Christian Andersen and was published in 1837.