What are good short stories to read aloud to 3rd graders?

October 2, 2017 11:53 AM

What short stories would 3rd graders enjoy? I'm reading stories aloud to 3rd graders for 15 minutes once a week, and I need some good suggestions. For me, the stories that I remember from grade school where always the twists: The Monkey's Paw, The Necklace, etc. What great short stories do you remember from childhood? Or what great short stories have you read to 8- and 9-year-olds?
posted by mrgrimm to Writing & Language (13 answers total)

3rd grade is fairy tales and fables time in California!!! I HIGHLY recommend every kind of retelling of classic fairytales, especially those that tell, for example, the story of Cinderella but in Egypt, China, etc.

Also: Shel Silverstein poetry. You can cover a lot of ground with silly poetry, and his is always a hit.

omg as soon as I have access to my laptop I’m gonna send you a list of all my former students’ favorites

Ahhhhhh so excited for you
posted by Hermione Granger at 11:57 AM on October 2, 2017 [2 favorites]

Best answer: THEY'RE MADE OUT OF MEAT by Terry Bisson
posted by Captain_Science at 12:23 PM on October 2, 2017 [4 favorites]

I'm pretty sure this is the right age for Wayside Stories.
posted by Think_Long at 12:34 PM on October 2, 2017 [8 favorites]

Must it be a short story or can you make it a book, where you read a chapter or two each week? My fourth-grade teacher read to us this way, and I give him credit for making me a reader. His standards(I was in 4th grade in 1978-79) were Judy Blume and Beverly Cleary. The whole class looked forward to reading time.
posted by poppunkcat at 12:51 PM on October 2, 2017 [3 favorites]

I have fond memories of listening to my teacher read Bunnicula around this time.
posted by carrioncomfort at 1:04 PM on October 2, 2017 [2 favorites]

Audrey (Cow) by Dan Bar-el is a fantastic read-aloud and the chapters are in the form of interviews with different animals. If you like to do different voices, this book is for you.
posted by mogget at 1:27 PM on October 2, 2017

Myron by Louis Sachar
posted by aetg at 1:28 PM on October 2, 2017

The Wolves in the Walls, which is a stylish picture book pitched at older children
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 3:01 PM on October 2, 2017

Yes, Bunnicula! Judy Blume has two short ones kids love: Freckle Juice and The Pain and The Great One.
posted by raspberrE at 7:23 PM on October 2, 2017

Response by poster: > THEY'RE MADE OUT OF MEAT by Terry Bisson

No joke, that was my first pick before I asked this question. It's nice to have the secondary nomination. Short, all dialogue, pretty funny in a juvenile way.

Must it be a short story or can you make it a book

The kids eat their universal breakfast and their teacher reads to them for 15-20 minutes. They are reading a book right now called Stone Fox (not my thing).

So, while I'd be down with Bunnicula (or more likely Phantom Tollbooth) or Judy Blume, I'd like to turn these kids onto short stories. It's hard to find good short stories for that age!

I'm also going with "The Fun They Had" by Isaac Asimov (before I blow their minds with some Martian Chronicles. jk ... or maybe not ...)
posted by mrgrimm at 10:56 PM on October 2, 2017

The Open Window
posted by low_horrible_immoral at 5:28 AM on October 3, 2017 [1 favorite]

"The Ransom of Red Chief" by O. Henry
posted by sharks don't eat potatoes at 1:24 PM on October 3, 2017 [1 favorite]

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle! (Each chapter is its own short story)
posted by SisterHavana at 5:16 AM on October 4, 2017 [1 favorite]