Storytelling Style: One-Syllable Words

Have you ever tried telling a story in words of just one syllable? You might be surprised to find out that there is a tradition of books full of stories told in one-syllable words (or mostly one-syllable words). There's even a society of people who speak only in "one pulse words" as they call them (since syllable has too many syllables); you can read about them here: Some Guys I know March to the Beat of One Weird Drum.

Below you will find a list of one-syllable books online, and for the Grimm's Fairy Tales, there is even an audiobook you can listen to at LibriVox! So, give it a try and see what you think: it's a great way to think about each word of your tale in a new way! Here's an Aesop's fable told in one-syllable words:

(Tenniel-Wolf Aesop)

Fairy Tales and Fables

• Grimm's Fairy Tales - Retold in One-Syllable Words
• Alice in Wonderland, Retold in Words of One Syllable
• Aesop's fables, in words of one syllable
• Gulliver's Travels. In words of one syllable
• Popular fairy tales in words of one syllable
• Reynard the Fox, in words of one syllable
• Robinson Crusoe in Words of One Syllable
• The Swiss Family Robinson, Told in Words of One Syllable

Religious Stories

• Bible stories in words of one syllable
• History of the Old Testament in Words of One Syllable
• True things from God's word, in words of one syllable
• A child's life of Christ : in words of one syllable
• The Pilgrim's Progress in Words of One Syllable

Biographies

• Lives of the Presidents Told in Words of One Syllable
• The Life of George Washington. In Words of One Syllable
• The life of Abraham Lincoln for young people
• Our hero, General U. S. Grant, in words of one syllable.
• Gen'l Wm. T. Sherman, his life and battles, mostly in one syllable words
• History of the battles of America in words of one syllable
• Christopher Columbus and the discovery of the new world
• Life and battles of Napoleon Bonaparte. In words of one syllable

Histories

• History of England, in words of one syllable
• History of Ireland, in words of one syllable
• History of France in words of one syllable
• History of Germany in words of one syllable
• History of Russia, in words of one syllable
• History of Japan in words of one syllable
• History of the United States in words of one syllable
• History of New York : in words of one syllable
• History of Virginia in words of one syllable
• History of Ohio, in words of one syllable
• History of Illinois in words of one syllable
• History of Missouri in words of one syllable