About DozyStories
DozyStories is a bilingual story library for shared reading and English learning. It now holds 95 stories, including 92 Grimm tales and the first additions from other traditions. Each has newly written English and Chinese texts.
What We Do
Make classic stories from different cultures readable and worth discussing together. Our current stories use A2–B1 English retellings, with 6–12 CEFR-tagged words and an original introduction for each tale. New additions will also identify their sources and the versions behind each retelling.
Stories from Around the World
Grimm tales are the starting point for this library. We plan to add stories from different regions and cultures as each bilingual retelling, source check, reading guide and illustration is ready. New stories will identify the versions behind their retellings rather than present one telling as the only one.
Our Editorial Principles
- Retell and cite — both texts are newly written, and new stories identify the versions used
- Clearly labelled — vocabulary carries CEFR levels and IPA, and every example sentence comes verbatim from that story
- Respect the source — keep important plot points, explain the version and cultural context, and recommend an age
Why We Rewrite Instead of Reprinting
Our 92 Grimm tales use newly written English texts based on their plots rather than reprinting older translations. New stories also name the specific versions behind their retellings, so readers can see where each story comes from.
The Four Checks Every Story Passes
- Rewrite the text in clear English and natural Chinese while keeping the source version’s important events and choices.
- Check the source: keep important plot points, name the version used, and check that the retelling does not reproduce an existing translation.
- Vocabulary: 6–12 words per story, each tagged with IPA pronunciation, part of speech and a CEFR level (A2/B1/B2/C1), and defined in both English and Chinese. Every example sentence is taken verbatim from that story, so you can find it in context.
- Review the reading experience: check both texts, vocabulary examples, age guidance, illustrations and discussion questions against the story.
How We Handle Difficult Moments
Grimm was never uniformly gentle. We do not sanitise these tales — softening the ending or quietly removing the cost strips a story of the weight it was meant to carry. Instead we keep what happens and tell it with restraint. Every story carries a recommended age, and the introduction flags what to expect and what is worth talking about afterwards.
About the Illustrations
The illustrations on this site are AI-generated and exist to support reading. They are not renderings of any particular screen adaptation, and are not meant as authoritative depictions of the tales.
Contact
If you spot an error, disagree with a translation choice, or you are a teacher wanting to use these stories in class, the contact page is the place to reach us.