Welcome to the Top 53 Stories From England for kids to read online – a fantastic collection of bedtime tales, perfect for children of all ages! These stories, available as free PDF downloads, are written specifically for kids, making them easy to read and understand. Each story comes with printable pictures and audio in English so that you can create a fun and engaging learning experience for your little ones. Whether you’re looking for short stories to tell during story time, or longer, classic fairy tales for a magical night, this collection has it all.

In this educational assortment, you’ll find stories for girls and boys alike, offering endless hours of entertainment and moral lessons. Reading these stories with your children will not only help them fall asleep but also enhance their early years of learning. These tales are perfect for preschool, kindergarten, and elementary students, being an excellent pick for toddlers and young children within the EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) framework. These stories from England showcase the rich heritage and a diverse range of characters, promoting a sense of community and shared history, truly capturing the essence of storytelling.

So what are you waiting for? Dive into this treasure trove of stories, and watch your child’s imagination soar as they journey through the engaging worlds of fantasy, adventure, and important life lessons. Happy reading!

Top 53 Stories From England for kids to read online:

1. Jack and the Beanstalk: This is a story about Jack, the son of a poor farmer, who trades his cow for magic beans despite his mother’s objections. The beans grow overnight into a beanstalk that reaches the clouds, and Jack climbs up to a castle where a giant resides. He is tasked with retrieving a chicken that lays golden eggs and a talking harp. Jack succeeds in his mission and eventually kills the giant, reclaiming the castle that belonged to his family. The story emphasizes the importance of believing in magic and having courage.
2. The Three Little Bears: The story is about three bears living in the forest who ate porridge and slept in chairs and beds of different sizes. One day, an old woman came to their house, tasted their porridge, sat in their chairs, and slept in their beds. When the bears returned home and realized what had happened, they searched for the culprit and found the old woman in the little bear’s bed, who then woke up and ran away. The bears never saw her again. The story is available for download as an ebook in PDF format.
3. Dick Whittington And His Cat: The story is about a poor orphan boy named Dick Whittington who wanted to go to London. He arrived in the city homeless and hungry, but was taken in by a wealthy merchant named Fitzwarren. Dick worked in the kitchen and became friends with the servant and helped Alice, Fitzwarren’s daughter. He then saved up to buy a cat to chase away the rats, which became the key to his success. The cat was taken on a ship to Barbary where it helped solve a rat problem for the king and queen, who rewarded them with gold. The captain of the ship gave most of the fortune to Dick who became a lord and the mayor of London. He became wealthy and generous to the city by donating money towards building a church, library and student housing. He lived happily ever after with Alice and their children.
4. The Three Sillies: In this story, a farmer’s daughter and her boyfriend consider getting married, but become hysterical over the danger of a hammer in the basement potentially falling on their future son’s head. The daughter’s boyfriend leaves to travel the world and meets several people with bizarre and humorous habits. He returns home, having learned that there are many more “silly” people in the world, and decides to marry the farmer’s daughter.
5. The Rose-Tree: In this story, a young girl with golden hair is mistreated by her wicked stepmother who eventually chops off her hair and cooks her heart. However, her loving brother buries her heart under a rose tree that later blooms, and a white bird with a beautiful voice sings a song revealing the truth about what happened to the girl. The bird trades a pair of red shoes for the song lyrics, then trades a gold watch for another performance. Finally, the bird causes the stepmother’s death by dropping a millstone on her.
6. The Old Woman and Her Pig: In this story, an old woman buys a little pig and tries to take it home but the pig refuses to go over a steep hill. She asks for help from a dog, a stick, fire, water, an ox, and a butcher, but they all refuse. Then she meets a cat who agrees to help her if she brings milk from a cow, which she does, and the cat kills a rat that gnaws the rope, thus starting a chain reaction that leads to the pig finally making it over the hill and the old woman getting home.
7. A Christmas Carol: A Christmas Carol is a classic story about Ebenezer Scrooge, a wealthy and stingy businessman who hates Christmas. One night, Scrooge is visited by three ghosts who show him his past and present. The experience softens him and he decides to change his ways. He becomes generous, apologizes to people he has wronged, and spends time with his nephew’s family, becoming like a second father to Tiny Tim. The story is about redemption and the power of kindness and generosity.
8. The tale of Peter Rabbit: The story tells of four rabbits, Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-tail and Peter, and their adventure in Mr. McGregor’s garden despite their mother’s warning. Peter is very naughty and ends up being chased by Mr. McGregor, losing his jacket and shoes along the way. He eventually escapes and returns home, but is not feeling well. The other rabbits get a delicious supper, while Peter gets medicine. The story is available for download in PDF format.
9. Twelfth Night: This is the story of Orsino, the Duke of Illyria who was in love with a beautiful Countess named Olivia, but she despised him. Viola, a young girl who was rescued from a shipwreck and disguised herself as a boy, became a servant of Orsino. Orsino asked her to deliver his message of love to Olivia, but things got complicated when Olivia fell in love with Viola, who was disguised as a boy at the time. Meanwhile, Viola’s twin brother Sebastian arrived in Illyria and ended up marrying Olivia, who mistook him for Viola. In the end, all misunderstandings were cleared up, and Viola, now undisguised, married Orsino.
10. Pooh And Piglet Go Hunting And Nearly Catch A Woozle: In this story, Piglet and Pooh go on a hunt for a Woozle, with the help of some tracks in the snow. As they follow the tracks, they encounter more and more sets of paw prints, causing them to become increasingly anxious. Eventually, they realize that they have been circling the same tree repeatedly, and that the “tracks” they thought were from multiple animals were actually from their own footsteps. Christopher Robin comes to their rescue and provides some comforting words before Pooh heads off for lunch.
11. The tears of princess Prunella: This story is about a lonely princess who needs a playmate, and she chooses a deaf boy who is the son of the court musician. The boy becomes the princess’s playmate and is provided with the status of Marquis. However, the boy becomes sadder each day because he cannot hear all the sounds since birth, so he leaves for the woods. On his way to learn how to become a real sweet boy, he meets a girl and learns the final lessons. After two years, he goes back to his princess and heals her wound and restores her smile. They cannot agree on whether the sounds of the city or forest are more beautiful, but they are happy together.
12. The kite that went to the moon: Tom makes the biggest kite in the village, but it won’t fly. He goes on a journey with Anna to find out why, meeting a little old man with a magic bag, an elf, and the Lady of the Moon. They eventually find Tom’s kite on the moon, and it carries them back home to the village.
13. Little Gretchen and the wooden shoe on Christmas morning: This story is about a kind and cheerful old woman, Granny, and her adopted granddaughter, Gretchen, who live together in a small log hut by a great forest in Germany. With Granny working in the forest, they collect twigs that they sell in the village market, and with this and the free firewood from the forest, they manage to live. Gretchen has never owned a toy in her life but hopes to get one from Santa Claus for Christmas. Granny tells her they are too poor to afford anything extra. Gretchen still hopes that the village children or Santa Claus will bring her a present, but Granny is sceptical. The following morning, Gretchen finds a little bird in Granny’s wooden shoe that has a broken wing and fixes it up using Granny’s help. Gretchen concludes that it was the Christmas Angels that brought the little bird. The story ends with Gretchen reflecting on the joy of Christmas.
14. Watt and the kettle: The story is about James Watt, who as a boy noticed drops of water forming on a saucer held over a boiling kettle’s steam. Curious, he asked his aunt about it and was told not to waste his time. As an adult, he was interested in steam’s power and how it could be improved for better use. After much experimentation, he created a plan that greatly improved engine design, resulting in steam being a useful servant for industries such as transportation and manufacturing. An ebook version of the story is available for download.
15. The Loch Ness Monster: This is the story of the Loch Ness monster, a magical creature living in Loch Ness, Scotland, who would often play with the people by swimming to the surface. One day, an evil man set traps to catch Nessie, and fearing for her safety, she disappeared to a secret cave at the bottom. Though sometimes caught glimpses by people, Nessie remained in hiding, still a legend and subject of many stories. The story is available for download in PDF format.
16. A Night Out in London with a Dinosaur: A life-sized model of a Stegosaurus in the National History Museum in London comes to life at night to explore the city, making friends with animals along the way. The dinosaur returns to its exhibit just in time for the museum to open and the visitors are amazed at how realistic it looks. The dinosaur is ready for its next adventure in Paris. An ebook of the story is available for download.
17. The Tale of Two Bad Mice: This story is about two mischievous mice, Tom Thumb and Hunca Munca, who sneak into a doll’s house and create chaos by breaking and destroying everything they find. However, they eventually make up for their naughtiness by paying for the damages with a crooked sixpence they found. The story ends with Hunca Munca cleaning the doll’s house every morning. Downloads of the story in PDF format are available for offline reading.
18. Romeo and Juliet: This story is about the tragic love story of Romeo, the son of Lord Montague, and Juliet, the daughter of Lord Capulet. They fall in love at first sight but are separated by their feuding families and Romeo is banished from Verona. Juliet fakes her own death so she can be with Romeo, but he hears of her death before learning the truth. He too ends his life and Juliet wakes up to find him dead and takes her life as well. The story ends with the two families making peace and building statues for the young couple.
19. The story of the amber beads: The story is about a Scottish girl named Jeanie who has a necklace of amber beads with small objects inside, like moss, a bee, and a beetle. Her grandfather found the lump of amber on the beach after a storm and carved the beads himself. Mother Nature tells Jeanie how the gum of the tall and stately amber pine, which attracted insect visitors with its scent and taste, turned into amber. She also explains that the great storm brought Jeanie’s lump of amber to the shore and that the land sank into the sea in ancient times.
20. King Lear: King Lear is an elderly king who wants to divide his kingdom among his three daughters. He asks each of them how much they love him, but only Cordelia answers with honesty and loyalty, refusing to use flattery. Lear disowns Cordelia and divides his kingdom between his other daughters, who mistreat him and refuse to take care of him. Lear loses his sanity and wanders in despair with his loyal but funny court jester. Cordelia, now queen of France, returns to save her father and fights against her cruel sisters. Nevertheless, love turns tragic as the story ends with the death of Lear and Cordelia.
21. Dr. Dolittle Escapes from the Pirates: Doctor Dolittle and his animal companions are chased by Barbary pirates while sailing on their ship. Jip, the dog, wakes up from a nap and smells trouble ahead. Despite putting up all the sails, the pirates continue to catch up to them until the swallows give them a solution. The doctor unravels ropes and creates thousands of thin strings, which the swallows use to pull the ship and make it go incredibly fast. They manage to escape from the pirates and leave them behind.
22. Dr. Dolittle and the Ape Bridge: In this story, Queen Ermintrude’s husband becomes angry and sends his army to capture the doctor, who is hiding in the jungle with his animal companions. They eventually reach the Land of the Apes, but are followed by the army. The apes quickly make a living bridge to help the doctor and his animals cross a river, and the army arrive too late to catch them. The doctor and his animals are safe at last.
23. As you please: The story is about a wicked Duke Frederick who takes over the duchy that belongs to his brother and banishes his brother to the forest. The daughter of the banished duke, Rosalind, falls in love with a young wrestler named Orlando. She is then banished by the Duke and she goes to the forest of Arden to find her father. She disguises herself as a young man called Ganymede and her cousin Celia as Aliena. While in the forest, Orlando writes poems about Rosalind, and they eventually meet each other without Orlando recognizing her. In the end, they all meet at a beautiful wedding held in the forest, and they all live happily ever after.
24. Dr. Dolittle on a journey: The story is about Doctor Dolittle and his animal friends who are traveling by ship to Africa. They are guided by a Swallow and encounter various challenges along the way, such as navigating through warm weather and a storm that causes their ship to sink. Polynesia, the parrot, is excited to return to her homeland and they are eventually led to the king of the Jolliginki by a man in the jungle. A white mouse stowaway is found in the doctor’s hat and they continue their journey to Africa.
25. Dr. Dolittle and His Pets: The story is about Doctor John Dolittle, who loved animals and kept many kinds of pets. He had so many animals that they made his house dirty according to his sister, Sarah Dolittle. Despite losing patients due to the animals, Doctor Dolittle continued to acquire more and more pets, and it cost him a lot to feed them. Eventually, he sold his piano and the brown suit he wore on Sundays to generate more funds. He became poorer and poorer but remained famous, with dogs, cats, and children following him.
26. Dr. Dolittle learns animal language: In this story, the Cat’s-meat Man suggests to the Doctor that he should become an animal doctor because he “knows all about animals.” The Doctor is initially unsure about this career change, but his parrot Polynesia convinces him to give it a try. With the help of Polynesia, the Doctor learns the language of animals and becomes a highly sought-after doctor for creatures of all kinds. He even creates separate doors for each type of animal that comes to his house for treatment. In the end, the animals all over the world come to know him as the great Doctor who understands their language.
27. Dr. Dolittle has more financial problems: The story features Dr. Dolittle who takes care of sick animals in his house and acquires more and more pets as time goes by. However, his sister becomes upset by the presence of a crocodile in the house, and she leaves, leaving him alone with his animal family. The animals take over the housework to save money, but as winter approaches, they begin to struggle to make ends meet. Despite this, Dr. Dolittle remains optimistic and tells them not to worry about money, focusing instead on being happy.
28. The story of Grace Darling: The story is about Grace Darling, daughter of the lighthouse keeper on a small island off the coast of England. One stormy night, she wakes up to the sounds of a ship in distress and, with her father’s help, ventures out into the dangerous sea to rescue the survivors. Despite the fierce wind and waves, they manage to save several people and bring them back to safety. The story emphasizes bravery and selflessness in the face of danger. A downloadable ebook of the story is available.
29. The Dreamer: The story follows a poor couple, Peter and Kate, who live in an old house by a river. Peter has a dream in which a man tells him to wait on a bridge for three days, and someone will come and make him rich. Although Kate discourages him, Peter sets out and waits on the bridge, but nobody comes. On the third day, a tailor talks to him and tells him about his dream, which leads Peter to go home and dig under an apple tree on his land, where he finds a chest full of gold coins. Peter and Kate become rich, and they share their wealth with others. The story teaches that believing in dreams can bring rewards, and it’s important to not let opportunities pass by.
30. A Midsummer Night’s Dream: In this story, Hermia and Lysander are in love, but Hermia’s father wants her to marry Demetrius. The Duke of Athens gives Hermia four days to decide whether to marry Demetrius or face death. Meanwhile, in the forest outside Athens, the King and Queen of the fairies have a quarrel and Oberon, the King, orders his servant Puck to use a magic flower to create chaos among the mortals. Puck mistakenly puts the flower on Lysander’s eyes, causing him to fall in love with Helena instead of Hermia. After many misunderstandings, everything is resolved, and the four mortal lovers are married. The fairy king and queen live happily in the forest.
31. Robinson Crusoe: Friday Rescued from the Man-eaters: A man living alone on an island sees 30 men arrive on the shore, and he fears they may attack him. One captive escapes and runs towards the man, who sees the others chasing him. He decides to help the man and kills two attackers with his weapons. The captive is grateful, and they become friends. The man, whom he names Friday, helps him with the daily tasks, and he teaches him to talk and read. They live together in safety and harmony, and they both become very happy.
32. The Royal Oak: The story tells of the Royal Oak, a famous oak tree in Shropshire, England that served as a hiding place for English King Charles II. After losing his father to execution and being crowned king of England by the Scottish people, Cromwell’s army pursued Charles II until he was forced to hide in a forest, climbing up the Royal Oak with two friends to evade capture. With food and a thick canopy for cover, they waited until Cromwell’s soldiers left, before escaping on an old mill horse with the help of some poor woodcutters. Eventually, Charles II managed to escape to France.
33. Dr. Dolittle is finally back home: After a long journey, Dr Dolittle and his animal friends spent time traveling with a circus before finally returning home to Puddleby-on-the-Marsh. Despite many adventures, they become tired of the circus and longed to go home. When they finally arrived, all the animals were happy to be back. The doctor became a wealthy man after his travels and was able to take care of everything, including paying his bills and enjoying his time with his animal friends. Even in the winter, they sat around the fire and read stories together while the monkeys in Africa wondered if he would ever come back. It is clear that the doctor and his animals had been through much, but had come home safe and happy.
34. Dr. Dolittle in the Fishing Village: In this story, Doctor Dolittle and his animal friends help a red-haired fisherman who was left stranded on a rock by a pirate. They find him with the help of Jip, the smartest dog in the world. The grateful fisherman invites the doctor and his animals to stay with him for a few days and the kind villagers give them gifts. The mayor even gives Jip a gold collar that reads “Jip, the smartest dog in the world.” The doctor and his friends then sail away on their ship with the red sails.
35. Dr. Dolittle and the Rock: In this story, the doctor and his animal friends search for a boy’s missing uncle who they believe is in trouble due to a lack of snuff tobacco. After following the scent on the wind, they end up at a large rock where they discover a deep hole leading to a cave. There, they find the uncle fast asleep with a large box of snuff tobacco next to him.
36. Dr. Dolittle and Jip the Dog: Dr. Dolittle and his animal friends try to find a missing fisherman with the help of eagles, but they are unsuccessful. Jip, the dog, suggests they use the smell of snuff to locate him and determines that he is most likely in Wales or Devon based on the direction of the wind. The group decides to search for him and sets off to find him.
37. Dr. Dolittle and the Blabbermouths of the Ocean: In this story, the Doctor and his animal friends rescue a little boy who has been locked up in a rum room on a pirate ship. The boy tells them that his uncle, a fisherman, was captured with him but has disappeared. The Doctor seeks help from a school of porpoises, who inform him that the nephew’s uncle had a fishing sloop that sank, but they are pretty sure he did not drown. The animals celebrate the good news while the boy claps his hands in happiness.
38. Dr. Dolittle and Too-Too the Owl hear something: In this story, the doctor and his animal friends board a pirate ship and try to open a mysterious locked door to find treasure inside. When they hear a sound from the other side, the doctor and his owl friend Too-Too use their keen senses to determine that there is someone in the room who is unhappy and crying. The doctor decides to chop a hole in the door to investigate further.
39. Dr. Dolittle and the Barbary Dragon: In this story, Doctor Dolittle and his animal friends are trying to escape from a group of pirates, but one of their pigs catches a cold and sneezes, giving away their position and leading to the pirates trapping them. However, with the help of a clever plan and some friendly sharks, the doctor is able to convince the pirates to give up their life of piracy and become peaceful birdseed farmers.
40. Dr. Dolittle receives a warning from the rats: A doctor and his animal friends pull their ship to an island to rest and find water. A rat warns the doctor that his ship will sink soon, so he decides to take the pirates’ ship to escape. The doctor and his animals sneak onto the pirate ship, which has no one on board, and sail away.
41. Dr. Dolittle: Medicine and Magic: In this story, Polynesia the parrot helps the imprisoned Dr. Dolittle and his animal friends by telling them Prince Bumpo is coming to see them that night. The doctor must find a way to turn the prince into a golden prince so he can cross the sea and marry Sleeping Beauty. While it is difficult, the doctor successfully changes the prince into a golden prince and they all escape. However, they are sad to leave behind Chee-Chee, Polynesia, and the Crocodile who were their friends in Africa. As they set sail, they are guided home by swallows, and the animals say goodbye to each other.
42. Dr. Dolittle and the Prince: In the story, Dr. Dolittle and his animal friends get lost in the jungle and accidentally wander into the king’s palace, where they are captured and sent back to prison. However, Polynesia, the parrot, comes up with a plan to help Prince Bumpo, who wants to be turned into a golden prince. Polynesia tells him that the doctor can help him, and the prince sneaks into the prison to find him. The story ends with the doctor and his friends being saved and returning home. A download link for the story in PDF format is provided.
43. Dr. Dolittle and the Unique Animal: In this story, the Pushing Pullyu animal, the only two-headed animal in the world, is found by monkeys in the depths of the African jungle. Despite being difficult to catch and shy, they manage to bring it to Dr. Dolittle, who is urged to exhibit it to make money. However, the doctor decides against it and takes the animal with him on his journey home. The story ends with the doctor bidding farewell to the animals of the jungle and leaving with his pets.
44. Dr. Dolittle at the Ape Council: In this story, Chee-Chee tells the other apes that Doctor Dolittle has to go back home to pay his debts, and they gather to discuss how to show their gratitude. They decide to give him a rare animal that humans have not seen before, and after some discussion, they settle on the “Pushing Pullyu” animal. Chee-Chee explains to the apes that humans collect animals and put them in cages, and they all agree this is a cruel practice. They want to give the doctor a unique present that shows their appreciation for all he has done.
45. Dr. Dolittle and the Leader of the Lions: In this story, Dr. Dolittle is busy caring for sick monkeys. He asks lions, leopards, and antelopes for help, but they refuse. However, when the Lion’s cub gets sick, the Lion’s wife makes him apologize to Dr. Dolittle and they come to help. Eventually, all the animals work together to cure the monkeys, and the doctor is able to rest after his hard work. An ebook of the story is available to download.
46. The Spanish Armada: The story is about the battle between the Spanish Armada, a fleet of more than a hundred huge ships, and the smaller but more agile English fleet led by Sir Francis Drake. Despite the odds, the English ships were able to inflict damage on the Spanish fleet by attacking individual ships and setting fire to them, causing panic and confusion. The Spanish were eventually defeated by a combination of the stormy weather and the English pursuit, resulting in the sinking of many of their large ships on the rocky coast. As a result, England was saved from being invaded by the Spanish Armada.
47. King Alfred and the Cakes: A story is told of King Alfred, who while fleeing from his enemies the Danes, found shelter in a small cottage in the forest. The woman who lived there allowed him in and asked him to watch her cakes while they baked in exchange for some supper. The king became distracted and the cakes burned, prompting the woman to scold him. Her husband returned and recognized the king, and the woman begged for forgiveness. The king forgave her and asked for forgiveness for spoiling her supper. An ebook download link is provided.
48. Dr. Dolittle meets the King: In the story, Doctor Dolittle and his animals arrive at the King’s palace in Africa, but the King refuses to let them pass through his land. As a result, the King’s men lock up the Doctor and his pets in a dungeon. The parrot, Polynesia, comes up with a plan to trick the King into releasing them. While the King is sleeping, Polynesia imitates the Doctor’s voice, warning the King that he could make everyone sick if they are not released. The King releases them from the dungeon, but soon realizes he has been tricked and becomes angry. The story offers a downloadable PDF version.
49. Bonnie Prince Charlie: The story is about Prince Charlie who tried to win back the throne of England. He came to Scotland with only seven followers, but soon many Scots joined him and called him “Bonnie Prince Charlie.” Although they won a few battles against King George’s soldiers, they were ultimately defeated and had to flee. Prince Charlie hid for weeks among the heather and mountains, with the help of his loyal poor friends who didn’t betray him, until a kind Scottish lady named Flora MacDonald helped him escape to France while disguised as her servant, Betty Burke.
50. Dr. Dolittle receives a message from Africa: The doctor and his animal friends receive a message from Africa, where a terrible disease is spreading among the apes. With not enough money to buy tickets, the doctor heads to the coast to borrow a boat. The animals pack and lock up the house, then leave on the ship. Gub-Gub the pig is excited but surprised to find that beds on ships are called “bunk beds”. They are about to begin their journey when the Swallow offers to show them the way to Africa.
51. Robinson Crusoe: Building the Boat: The protagonist of the story learns to make the best of his fate and tries to find a way of living that would ease his life after being stranded on a deserted island. He builds himself a tent and a turf wall around it and later, covers it with reeds and branches. He also digs a cave to store his belongings. He learns to make necessary things with tools and without them, like a chair and a table, and documents his daily activities. He spends his fourth year on the island trying to make a canoe to escape, but fails and accepts his fate. He realizes that possessing only what one can use is more valuable than hoarding and that the good things of the world are only as good for us as we can use them.
52. The Shipwreck of Robinson Crusoe: The story is about a man who takes on a dangerous sea voyage to manage the trading part on the Guinea coast. When his ship is hit by a violent tornado, he and the crew struggle to survive. They run aground on an unknown island and face the dangers of the wild sea. The man manages to survive the shipwreck but is left with nothing to his name.
53. Jack the Giant Slayer: This story is about a boy named Jack who becomes known as “Jack the giant slayer” for his ability to kill giants. He defeats a giant in France, two giants in England, and helps rescue a damsel in distress. Along the way, he acquires magical gifts from a grateful giant and is eventually awarded as one of the Knights of the Round Table.

In conclusion, the Top 53 Stories From England presents a delightful collection of tales for children that showcases the rich and diverse culture, history, and imagination of the country. These stories not only entertain young readers but also provide valuable lessons about friendship, bravery, and wisdom. By exploring the magical world of English folklore, children get a chance to broaden their horizons and develop a deeper appreciation for storytelling. Undoubtedly, this collection will spark curiosity, inspire creativity, and leave a lasting impression, making it a treasured reading experience for kids online.