A Likely Story
Short Fiction for Long Summer Days
These quick reads by experts in the short story genre are sure to help you beat the summer heat. Breeze through these cool tales and then dip into our curated word lists.
High SpiritsIn eleven interconnected stories inspired by her family in the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Spain, and the United States, the author describes the lives of several generations of the Beléns.
1-2-3 Scream!Warning: this collection of stories may cause readers ages eight to twelve to scream with both fear and laughter.
Baseball in AprilAnd Other StoriesThis collection of short stories, which draws on the author's own childhood, focuses on Latino and Latina children growing up in California.
Interpreter of MaladiesThe title story of Jhumpa Lahiri's collection explores the way people try, and fail, to communicate with one another.
The Ch'i-lin PurseA Collection of Ancient Chinese StoriesThis collection of engaging stories was inspired by Chinese folklore and legend.
Auggie & MeThis companion to the bestselling Wonder offers three new perspectives on Auggie's story. Here is a link to Wonder by R.J. Palacio.
BlackoutThis interwoven novel of short stories explores the relationships and love lives of teenagers during a blackout on a hot summer night in New York City.
Fresh InkAn AnthologyThis collection of diverse short stories, edited by Lamar Giles, brings together new work by established and up-and-coming young adult authors.
The Jungle BookIn this collection of stories set in India, Rudyard Kipling introduces beloved characters such as Mowgli, the boy raised by wolves, and Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, the courageous mongoose.
Flying Lessons & Other StoriesThis collection, edited by We Need Diverse Books founder Ellen Oh, features short stories by popular writers of middle grade and young adult fiction.
The CircuitThis collection of autobiographical short stories by Francisco Jiménez explores the immigrant experience in the United States.
Krik? Krak!In this short story collection, award-winning writer Edwidge Danticat explores everyday life in Haiti.
Sideways Stories from Wayside SchoolThis collection of wacky tales explores the lives of the zany students and teachers at Wayside School.
DublinersThis masterful short story collection by James Joyce, originally published in 1914, explores the lives of ordinary inhabitants of Dublin.
Selected Short Stories of Edgar Allan PoeExplore this collection of vocabulary lists from Poe’s most popular short stories that feature dark themes, psychological suspense, and gothic horror.
Winesburg, OhioA Group of Tales of Ohio Small-Town LifeThis collection of interlinked short stories centers around protagonist George Willard and the inhabitants of his hometown.
The Canterville GhostIn this ghost story, the skeptical and coolheaded Otis family moves into a haunted house.
The CollectorsIn ten young adult stories by different authors, characters reveal their personalities through descriptions of items in collections that are important to them.
You Are Here: Connecting FlightsThis collection of twelve stories by different authors is set in the Chicago Gateway International Airport, where tween characters are experiencing delays and encounters colored by their Asian American heritage.
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