Short story collections

We love short stories! Whether you're looking for an anthology you can dip in and out of, or something to read in one sitting, these are some our favourite short story collections: inspiring, intriguing and surprising.

Counting Stars

by David Almond

Hodder Children's Books

This evocative collection of short stories gives a clear insight into the experiences which lie behind David Almond's novels.

Read about 'Counting Stars'
The Kissing Game

by Aiden Chambers

Bodley Head Children's Books

Each tale defines a particular moment in life, a revelation, usually for a teenage male protagonist.

Read about 'The Kissing Game'
Echoes

by Laura Dockrill

HarperCollins

The new book from Laura Dockrill is a collection of modern-day fairytales, poems and retellings of classic stories, all with a slightly sinister edge. Reminiscent of Roald Dahl, Tim Burton and even Grimm, the stories take on a not-quite supernatural...

Read about 'Echoes'
Homesick

by Roshi Fernando

Bloomsbury

Thoughtful, melancholic, haunting, Homesick is a collection of interlinked stories which muse on growing up, fitting in and the ephemeral nature of human life.

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Smoke and Mirrors

by Neil Gaiman

Headline

A collection of short stories: an elderly widow finds the Holy Grail beneath an old fur coat; a stray cat fights and refights a terrible nightly battle to protect his adoptive family from evil...

Read about 'Smoke and Mirrors'
Next

by Keith Gray

Andersen Press

Following on from the success of Losing It, Keith Gray has edited a new collection of eight short stories for young people exploring the complex question of what happens when we die.

Read about 'Next'
Losing It

by Edited by Keith Gray

Andersen Press

This is a collection of eight short stories about growing-up, virginity and sex for teenagers.

Read about 'Losing It'
No One Belongs Here More Than You

by Miranda July

Canongate Books

Miranda July’s debut collection is an engaging mix of the heartfelt and self-aware, with some very funny moments and sharp observations.

Read about 'No One Belongs Here More Than You'
Pretty Monsters

by Kelly Link

Walker Canongate

It's a mistake anyone could make - digging up the body from the wrong grave. How could you possibly know the corpse would follow you home? And how can you explain it to your Mum?

Read about 'Pretty Monsters'
Steampunk! An Anthology of Fantastically Rich and Strange Stories

by Kelly Link

Walker Books

A hugely varied anthology of thrilling and inventive short stories

Read about 'Steampunk! An Anthology of Fantastically Rich and Strange Stories'
Tales From Outer Suburbia

by Shaun Tan

Templar

These often thought-provoking stories look at the reactions ordinary people have to the unusual situations they find themselves in and feature a host of different illustrative styles ranging from collage to painterly Edward Hopper-esque scenes.

Read about 'Tales From Outer Suburbia'