Short story anthologies for secondary school form time

Short story anthologies for form time

Short story anthologies for form time give secondary school tutors a way to share fiction in manageable bursts, encourage discussion and introduce new writers without committing to a whole novel. These short stories for teenagers cover detective mysteries, ghost stories, science fiction, relationships, contemporary life and human rights. Some collections contain brief, self-contained pieces, while longer stories can be enjoyed over several tutor periods. There are opportunities for reading aloud, independent reading and discussion. This list features books by Roald Dahl, David Almond, Malorie Blackman, Shaun Tan, Robin Stevens, Patrice Lawrence, Katherine Woodfine, Frances Hardinge, Benjamin Dean, and Neal Shusterman.

Short story anthologies for form time – our recommendations

Mystery & Mayhem by Katherine Woodfine, Julia Golding, Robin Stevens, Frances Hardinge, Clementine Beauvais, Elen Caldecott, Susie Day, Caroline Lawrence, Helen Moss, Sally Nicholls, Kate Pankhurst and Harriet Whitehorn

Twelve children’s authors contribute a mystery apiece to this collection of detective stories, investigations and unexpected discoveries. The settings and styles vary, giving pupils an introduction to different approaches to crime fiction. Among the contributors are Robin Stevens, Katherine Woodfine and Frances Hardinge. Each mystery has its own characters and central puzzle, providing opportunities to make predictions, examine clues and discuss how writers create suspense. This is a collection to dip into throughout the school term, particularly with groups who enjoy mysteries and detective fiction.

The Daydreamer by Ian McEwan, illustrated by Anthony Browne

Peter Fortune spends as much time inside his own head as he does in the everyday world. Across seven linked stories, his imaginings become startlingly real: he swaps bodies with the family cat and a baby cousin, and eventually experiences falling in love from inside an adult body. Ian McEwan blends funny, strange and thoughtful moments in this highly imaginative and thought-provoking illustrated collection, which is ideal to read to early KS3 children during form time.

Michael Morpurgo’s Tales from Shakespeare by Michael Morpurgo

Michael Morpurgo presents 10 classics using a deft storytelling touch to convey complex plots with a concise alacrity. Readers will understand and empathise with characters that can otherwise prove challenging. With compelling artwork by a who’s who of contemporary children’s illustrators including Barroux, Michael Foreman, Sam Usher, Dapo Adeola, Tom Clohosy Cole, Ian Beck, Peter Bailey, Alona Millgram and Joelle Avelino this fantastic hardback is ideal for students who need to build confidence before studying Shakespeare in KS3 or for GCSE. Highly recommended.

The Super Sunny Murder Club by Abiola Bello, Maisie Chan, Benjamin Dean, Nizrana Farook, Roopa Farooki, Sharna Jackson, Patrice Lawrence, Elle McNicoll, E. L. Norry, Serena Patel, Annabelle Sami, Dominique Valente and Robin Stevens, illustrated by Harry Woodgate

Summer holidays take an unexpected turn in this anthology of thirteen crime and mystery stories. Edited by Serena Patel and Robin Stevens, the collection brings together contemporary children’s writers including Benjamin Dean, Patrice Lawrence, Elle McNicoll and Sharna Jackson. The mysteries unfold in a variety of locations, from airports and tropical resorts to a berry-picking farm. Harry Woodgate’s illustrations accompany the stories.

Future Hopes: Hopeful stories in a time of climate change, edited by Wren James

What might a more sustainable future look like? Nine stories imagine answers, drawing on ideas from science, technology and environmental action. Among the contributors are M. G. Leonard, Tolá Okogwu, Neal Shusterman and Louie Stowell. The stories feature imaginative possibilities including skyscraper farms, insects as food and guerrilla gardening. This anthology for 9-14 year olds approaches climate change through fiction, presenting different futures and the people working towards them. Individual pieces can introduce discussions about environmental responsibility, innovation and how science fiction develops ideas from the present day.

Thirteen Chairs by Dave Shelton

Jack enters a strange room where twelve people sit around a table, leaving one chair empty. Each person has a frightening story to tell, and Jack gradually becomes part of the gathering. Dave Shelton uses this framing story to connect a collection of unsettling tales, building an atmosphere of curiosity and suspense. The individual stories introduce different characters and situations, while the gathering itself develops into a mystery. For form time, the book offers opportunities to read a tale aloud, discuss its ending and return to the larger story on another morning.

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More by Roald Dahl

Seven stories demonstrate Roald Dahl’s range beyond his best-known children’s novels. The title story introduces Henry Sugar, a wealthy man who becomes fascinated by an extraordinary ability and sets about acquiring it himself. Other tales include unusual encounters, surprising behaviour and remarkable claims. Dahl’s storytelling gives teachers plenty of opportunities to consider character motivation, narrative voice and the way an unexpected detail can alter a story. This collection can be used for independent reading or for sharing a longer story over several registration periods.

The Great Automatic Grammatizator and Other Stories by Roald Dahl

A machine capable of writing stories, a particularly unpleasant landlady and an elaborate scheme for revenge are among the inventions in this collection of thirteen Roald Dahl tales. Many of the stories move from seemingly ordinary situations towards surprising or disturbing conclusions. Dahl combines dark humour with memorable characters and carefully arranged twists. The collection gives 12+ year olds an opportunity to examine how a writer builds expectations and then overturns them.

Half a Creature from the Sea: A Life in Stories by David Almond, illustrated by Eleanor Taylor

David Almond draws on memories of growing up in north-east England for this collection of stories and autobiographical reflections. Real places, childhood experiences and imagined events overlap, creating stories in which familiar surroundings can become strange and mysterious. Eleanor Taylor’s illustrations add another dimension to the atmosphere of the book. Written for 12+ year olds, the collection offers a way to discuss how writers transform personal memories into fiction.

Tales from the Inner City by Shaun Tan

Animals appear in unexpected urban settings across twenty-five illustrated stories by Shaun Tan. Crocodiles, tigers, bees and whales are among the creatures whose presence encourages new ways of looking at human life and the natural world. The book combines prose with Tan’s distinctive artwork, allowing images and words to contribute to each story’s meaning. This imaginative collection for 12+ year olds can prompt discussions about relationships between people and animals, the environment and the symbolism of particular images. Its visual storytelling also offers opportunities for close observation and interpretation.

Here I Stand: Stories that Speak for Freedom, edited by Amnesty International UK, illustrated by Chris Riddell

Stories, poetry and illustrated narratives introduce questions of freedom, justice and human rights in this collection for 12+ year olds. Contributors include Sarah Crossan, Frances Hardinge, Matt Haig, Neil Gaiman and Jackie Kay, with cover illustrations by Chris Riddell. Each contribution approaches its subject through a different voice or literary form. The anthology can provide a starting point for thoughtful discussions about individual rights, equality, personal responsibility and the experiences of people around the world. Its mixture of writing styles also gives pupils opportunities to encounter contemporary authors and different forms of storytelling.

A Change Is Gonna Come by Various Authors

Change is the connecting theme in this anthology of short stories and poetry by established and emerging writers. Contributors include Tanya Byrne, Inua Ellams, Catherine Johnson, Patrice Lawrence, Ayisha Malik and Nikesh Shukla, alongside newer voices in young adult fiction. The collection brings together different experiences, characters and perspectives through contemporary storytelling. Its varied writing makes it possible to choose individual pieces for discussion about identity, belonging, relationships and social change.

Tasting Light: Ten Science Fiction Stories to Rewire Your Perceptions, edited by A. R. Capetta and Wade Roush

Ten science fiction stories imagine how emerging technologies might transform people’s lives. The settings include futures shaped by artificial intelligence, altered identities and space travel. Writers such as A. S. King, A. R. Capetta and Wendy Xu consider the personal consequences of technological change through different characters and situations. This anthology for 12+ year olds connects speculative fiction with questions about identity, communication and human relationships.

Love Hurts by Malorie Blackman

Malorie Blackman brings together contemporary teenage fiction about love, relationships and emotional challenges. The collection combines original short stories with extracts from existing novels, featuring writers including Gayle Forman, Markus Zusak, Patrick Ness and Andrew Smith. Blackman also contributes a new story. Different relationships and experiences provide opportunities to discuss how writers present affection, conflict, difficult decisions and changing feelings. The mixture of complete stories and extracts can introduce pupils to a wide selection of YA authors, offering starting points for further reading as well as discussion.

Unheard Voices: An Anthology of Stories and Poems to Commemorate the Bicentenary Anniversary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade by Malorie Blackman

Published to mark the bicentenary of the British abolition of the slave trade in 1807, this anthology brings together contemporary stories, poetry and historical testimony. Malorie Blackman assembles writing that examines enslavement, resistance, freedom and the experiences of people affected by the slave trade. First-hand accounts from formerly enslaved people sit alongside literary responses, giving 12+ year olds opportunities to encounter different kinds of historical and creative writing.

Ancient Love Stories by Emily Hauser, illustrated by Sander Berg

Award-winning classicist Emily Hauser presents 11 inclusive tales of fearless queens, and besotted emperors with themes of passion, jealousy, and longing in this eye-catching hardback illustrated by Sander Berg. Including retold versions of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal, The Lovers of Pompeii, Zhuo Wenjun and Sima Xiangru, and Sappho, ‘Ancient Love Stories’ shows teens the power of love through classic storytelling. Ideal for secondary school libraries.

Tales of the Damned: A Collection of Classic Horror Stories by Matt Ralphs, illustrated by Taylor Dolan

Matt Ralphs brings together eight chilling stories, including seven retellings of classic horror and an original tale, Vasilisa the Daughter. The Masque of the Red Death, Dracula, The Monkey’s Paw, Red Riding Hood, Frankenstein, Whistle and I’ll Come to You and Bluebeard are reimagined as atmospheric short stories, accompanied by Taylor Dolan’s striking illustrations. Each tale explores a different aspect of horror, from gothic monsters to sinister folklore and supernatural encounters.

Click the buttons below to purchase the books in this short story anthology list, as well as class sets of any of these books and many more, from Bookshop.org UK. Or buy all 13 listed titles from Amazon – ideal for gifts or your classroom library.

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Short story anthologies for secondary school form time resources for teachers

• The English and Media Centre’s Diverse Shorts anthology combines short stories and extracts by authors including David Almond, Andrea Levy, George Orwell and Angie Thomas. Accompanying critical literacy cards explore identity, justice, diversity, equality and responsibility, making the collection particularly useful for tutor time, PSHE and citizenship discussions.
• The English and Media Centre’s Literary Shorts teacher resource offers a free downloadable collection of activities to accompany its short story anthology. Resources cover character, setting, language, inference, plot, structure and comparing stories. Designed for KS3, the materials can be adapted into shorter reading and discussion activities. Free account registration is required.
• English Department’s whole-school literacy resources include a Shared Reading – Short Stories collection specifically intended for form time or classroom reading. Most of the stories are pitched at KS3 and can be displayed on a classroom board, providing material for shared reading sessions.
• Iridescent Adolescent teaching resources from the English and Media Centre provide free downloadable PowerPoints, worksheets and activities to accompany its anthology of diverse literary short stories. The materials include activities on individual stories, comparing texts, analysing narrative structure and developing personal responses. Free registration is required to access the downloads.
• Scottish Book Trust’s short stories and short books for secondary learners is a recommended reading collection originally compiled for a professional learning session for secondary teachers. It includes accessible fiction, contemporary anthologies and illustrated stories, with titles such as Proud, Owning It and Half a Creature from the Sea.
• The National Literacy Trust’s secondary reading for pleasure briefings offer free professional development materials for building a whole-school reading culture. The resources explore reading motivation, pupil choice and ways to encourage independent reading, making them useful when planning regular short story sessions during registration or form time.
• Oak National Academy’s Sherlock Holmes short stories unit provides Year 7 teaching materials based on Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Speckled Band and The Boscombe Valley Murder. Activities explore prediction, character, atmosphere and mystery, offering ideas that teachers can adapt for shorter reading sessions and discussions.
• Eduqas’ Approaches to Structure and Characterisation in Short Stories provides a KS3 interactive unit with downloadable teacher notes, extracts and activities. The resources investigate narrative structure and character development, offering prompts that can be adapted for discussing how short stories engage readers.
• The National Literacy Trust’s KS3 storytelling and writing resources include free vocabulary activities, creative writing prompts and strategies for exploring model texts. These can help form tutors extend shared reading sessions through short creative challenges, alternative endings and discussions about how stories are constructed.
• National Literacy Trust’s National Storytelling Week KS3 resources feature a free downloadable teaching pack and a recorded storytelling workshop with author Jeffrey Boakye. The activities use music and rhythm to inspire storytelling and creative writing, providing ideas for follow-up form time sessions after reading short fiction.

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