Short stories are an incredibly powerful tool to get students reading, thinking critically, and talking with their peers about stories. In the world of distance learning, they can also be a wonderful means of providing students with engaging texts, even if there’s no access to physical library shelves.
Please note that the short stories listed below are categorized by how I could see these stories used in the classroom. Additionally, next to each title, I included a grade level range that will give you an idea of the mature content or reading level of each story.
I am confident you will find success with these titles in your classroom:
Stories with lighthearted humor...
“How a Boy Can Become a Grease Fire” (from Look Both Ways) ~ Jason Reynolds (6-8)
“Charles” ~ Shirley Jackson (6-8)
“Seventy-Six Dollars and Forty-Nine Cents” (from Flying Lessons and other stories) ~ Kwame Alexander (6-8)
Stories with mystery & Twist Endings…
“The Difficult Path” (from Flying Lessons and other stories) ~ Grace Lin (6-8)
“Two Were Left” ~ Hugh B. Cave (6-8)
“The Treasure of Lemon Brown” ~ Walter Dean Myers (6-8)
“Thank You Ma’am” ~ Langston Hughs (6-8)
“The Getaway” ~ John Savage (6-8)
“The Dinner Party” ~ Mona Gardner (7-8)
“The Cage” ~ Martin Raim (6-8)
“Cemetery Path” ~ Leonard Q. Ross (6-8)
“The Landlady” ~ Roald Dahl (7-8)
“The Lottery” ~ Shirley Jackson (7-8)
“The Necklace” ~ Guy de Maupassant (7-8)
“After Twenty Years” ~ O. Henry (6-8)
“The Story of an Hour” ~ Kate Chopin (7-8)
Stories with engaging middle school experiences...
“Fish Cheeks” ~ Amy Tan (6-8)
“The Low Cuts Strike Again” (from Look Both Ways) ~ Jason Reynolds (6-8)
“Call of Duty” (from Look Both Ways) ~ Jason Reynolds (7-8)
“Sol Painting, Inc.” (from Flying Lessons and other stories) ~ Meg Medina (6-8)
“The Beans and Rice Chronicles of Isaiah Dunn” (from Flying Lessons and other stories) ~ Kelly J. Baptist (7-8)
“Main Street” (from Flying Lessons and other stories) ~ Jacqueline Woodson (6-8)
“Flying Lessons” (from Flying Lessons and other stories) ~ Soman Chainani (7-8)
“Sometimes a Dream Needs a Push” ~ Walter Dean Myers (6-8)
I think you and your students will enjoy these short stories. They have diverse authors, feature diverse characters, are of varying lengths, were written in different time periods, and showcase a variety of writing styles. Hopefully, you will find a short story that fits your needs.
Happy Reading & Teaching!
♥ Kara & Riley
