Fairy Tales That Make For Fantastic Bedtime Stories

Children love reading and listening to fairy tales, especially as bedtime stories. Readers are drawn to fairy tales for many reasons; from the magical delight of talking animals and spells to the valuable moral lessons on kindness, bravery, generosity, and the importance of doing what is right. And of course, the warnings about the dangers of greed, vanity and deceit are not overlooked.

 

Even though fairy tales often feature magical and fantastical elements, they also have characters that children can relate to. Whether it’s a young hero on a quest or a kind and caring princess, children can see themselves in these characters and feel a connection to their struggles and triumphs.

 

Fairy tales often deal with universal themes and emotions, such as love, loss, and the struggle between good and evil. Children find these themes to be both moving and relatable.

 

Whatever the reason may be for your young reader, here is a list of our top 44 fairy tales which are sure to delight as bedtime stories, or otherwise.

 

 

1. Cinderella by Susanna Davidson
2. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs by Lesley Sims
3. Sleeping Beauty by Mary Man-Kong
4. Little Red Riding Hood by Heather Amery
5. Rapunzel by Saviour Pirotta
6. Hansel and Gretel by Margaret Mayo
7. The Frog Prince by Sally Gardner
8. The Princess and the Pea by Anne Walter
9. Beauty and the Beast by Christopher E. Long
10. The Little Mermaid by Gary Reed
11. Thumbelina by Susan Blackaby
12. The Ugly Duckling by Sebastien Braun
13. The Emperor’s New Clothes by Susan Blackaby
14. The Pied Piper of Hamelin by Michael Morpurgo
15. The Three Little Pigs by Tom Roberts
16. Jack and the Beanstalk by Steven Kellogg
17. Goldilocks and the Three Bears by Jim Aylesworth
18. The Gingerbread Man by Nick Page
19. Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves by Katie Daynes
20. Aladdin and the Magic Lamp by Katie Daynes
21. The Lion and the Mouse by Lou Kuenzle
22. The Tortoise and the Hare by by Shannon Eric Denton
23. The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse by Lou Kuenzler
24. The Boy Who Cried Wolf by Tony Ross
25. The Three Billy Goats Gruff by Mary Finch
26. The Shoemaker and the Elves by Seva Spanos
27. The Musicians of Bremen by Roser Ros
28. The Brave Little Tailor by Brothers Grimm
29. The Fisherman and His Wife by Rachel Isadora
30. The Bremen Town Musicians by Ilse Plume
31. The Princess and the Frog by Margaret Nash
32. The Snow Queen by Amy Ehrlich
33. The Twelve Dancing Princesses by Brigette Barrager
34. The Red Shoes by Barbara Bazilian
35. The Steadfast Tin Soldier by Susan Blackaby
36. The Emperor and the Nightingale by Rosie Dickins
37. The Magic Porridge Pot by Jackie Walter
38. The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids by Ann Blades
39. Tom Thumb by Eric Carle
40. Puss in Boots by Lisa Findlay
41. The Golden Goose by Barbara Reid
42. The Tinderbox by Hans Christian Andersen
43. The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen
44. The Wild Swans by Joy Cowley

 

Many of the fairy tales above have been adapted and retold over time. Listed above are some of the notable authors of the famous fairy tales which are ‘Just Right’ for children to read independently.

You can pick from these or other fantastic stories for children in English from the BookGuru Library. We are always happy to assist.