This Week's Featured Stories
If you're looking for a laugh, a midday pick-me-up or a dose of inspiration, you'll love our featured stories. You can read three free stories every month by picking from the selection below or by searching through every Chicken Soup for the Soul story ever published using the box to the right. You can also have stories delivered right to your inbox with our free, featured story emails. If you'd like to have unlimited access and be able to choose the perfect story for any moment, sign up for a premium subscription and have the freedom to enjoy any of our 20,000+ stories any time!
Title: 
Mom Versus the Three Stooges
There are many little ways to enlarge your child’s world. Love of books is the best of all.
~Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
I tumbled down the school bus steps and dashed up the sidewalk, accompanied by my brother, Joe and my sister, Julie. Throwing open the front door, we spilled into the living room and switched on the television set.
“Well, how nice to see you, too,” Mom said, appearing in the doorway. Our baby sister wriggled in her arms, anxious to be a part of the group. “Aren’t you even going to say hello to your little sister?”
Cathy was an adorable baby with wispy blond curls and big brown eyes, but we were already absorbed in our latest discovery. Our after-school television show had begun airing another series and we couldn’t get enough of these three funny guys. They entertained us from the moment they appeared on the screen. We cheered at their clumsy pratfalls and crowed with delight at their crazy antics. And a food fight, complete with whipped cream pies, caused us no end of laughter.
We’d never seen anything like The Three Stooges and after the first episode we were hooked. Nothing meant so much to us as getting home on time to watch our favorite show.
Despite Mom’s admonishments and...
(more)
98: Mom Versus the Three Stooges
Mom Versus the Three Stooges
There are many little ways to enlarge your child’s world. Love of books is the best of all.
~Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
I tumbled down the school bus steps and dashed up the sidewalk, accompanied by my brother, Joe and my sister, Julie. Throwing open the front door, we spilled into the living room and switched on the television set.
“Well, how nice to see you, too,” Mom said, appearing in the doorway. Our baby sister wriggled in her arms, anxious to be a part of the group. “Aren’t you even going to say hello to your little sister?”
Cathy was an adorable baby with wispy blond curls and big brown eyes, but we were already absorbed in our latest discovery. Our after-school television show had begun airing another series and we couldn’t get enough of these three funny guys. They entertained us from the moment they appeared on the screen. We cheered at their clumsy pratfalls and crowed with delight at their crazy antics. And a food fight, complete with whipped cream pies, caused us no end of laughter.
We’d never seen anything like The Three Stooges and after the first episode we were hooked. Nothing meant so much to us as getting home on time to watch our favorite show.
Despite Mom’s admonishments and...
(more)
Tired of browsing? Click here for a random story. Title:
The Sewing Machine
Sewing mends the soul.
~Author Unknown
For years, Mom’s sewing machine sat in the corner of our dining room. Occasionally it hummed until almost mealtime as Mom created a variety of items. At a time when my parents did not have much money, I had beautiful dresses to wear to school and church because of Mom’s creativity in remaking old dresses from her sisters. Our household snuggled under warm quilts at night, pieced together with scraps of cloth and tied to keep the batting securely in place.
My mom sewed tiny outfits for my Barbie doll, too. She made ball gowns, dresses and sportswear. She even splurged and bought Barbie trademark tiny buttons and trim to adorn these creations. I thought I had the best wardrobe any Barbie doll owner could want. My friends reinforced this idea when they longed for some of my mom’s outfits for their dolls.
Eventually I outgrew playing with dolls and I packed away those tiny homemade treasures. I wasn’t as excited about my own homemade clothing, and as Easter approached one year I begged for a store-bought dress. I never thought about the cost of a dress or my parents’ finances. I just wanted to be like all the other girls.
My mom offered to take me shopping, to the fabric store for material and a...
(more)
99: The Sewing Machine
The Sewing Machine
Sewing mends the soul.
~Author Unknown
For years, Mom’s sewing machine sat in the corner of our dining room. Occasionally it hummed until almost mealtime as Mom created a variety of items. At a time when my parents did not have much money, I had beautiful dresses to wear to school and church because of Mom’s creativity in remaking old dresses from her sisters. Our household snuggled under warm quilts at night, pieced together with scraps of cloth and tied to keep the batting securely in place.
My mom sewed tiny outfits for my Barbie doll, too. She made ball gowns, dresses and sportswear. She even splurged and bought Barbie trademark tiny buttons and trim to adorn these creations. I thought I had the best wardrobe any Barbie doll owner could want. My friends reinforced this idea when they longed for some of my mom’s outfits for their dolls.
Eventually I outgrew playing with dolls and I packed away those tiny homemade treasures. I wasn’t as excited about my own homemade clothing, and as Easter approached one year I begged for a store-bought dress. I never thought about the cost of a dress or my parents’ finances. I just wanted to be like all the other girls.
My mom offered to take me shopping, to the fabric store for material and a...
(more) Title:
The Easter Egg Hunts
If you want your children to turn out well, spend twice as much time with them and half as much money.
~Abigail Van Buren
I grew up with my parents and three siblings, and money was tight. On a day-to-day basis, I didn’t notice that the bread was a day old or that desserts or snacks were few and far between.
Unless the electricity went off (which it often did), I wasn’t aware of our financial status except during the holidays. Friends would be off skiing during Christmas vacation, while my siblings and I would take cardboard boxes from the Dumpster and slide down the local hills. Friends would mention going to the Caribbean during spring break while we spent the week playing with our local cousins. When my friends were wearing store-bought Halloween costumes, my siblings and I made our own by decorating our winter pajamas.
While I knew there were differences between my friends’ celebrations and ours, I always felt ahead of the pack when it came to Easter. We didn’t have the money for fancy clothes, ornate Easter baskets, or trips abroad. Instead, my mother outdid everyone I knew, and she started a tradition that I still maintain today.
She wrote Easter clues that rhymed and put a clue in each egg. She would then hide the eggs, and...
(more)
100: The Easter Egg Hunts
The Easter Egg Hunts
If you want your children to turn out well, spend twice as much time with them and half as much money.
~Abigail Van Buren
I grew up with my parents and three siblings, and money was tight. On a day-to-day basis, I didn’t notice that the bread was a day old or that desserts or snacks were few and far between.
Unless the electricity went off (which it often did), I wasn’t aware of our financial status except during the holidays. Friends would be off skiing during Christmas vacation, while my siblings and I would take cardboard boxes from the Dumpster and slide down the local hills. Friends would mention going to the Caribbean during spring break while we spent the week playing with our local cousins. When my friends were wearing store-bought Halloween costumes, my siblings and I made our own by decorating our winter pajamas.
While I knew there were differences between my friends’ celebrations and ours, I always felt ahead of the pack when it came to Easter. We didn’t have the money for fancy clothes, ornate Easter baskets, or trips abroad. Instead, my mother outdid everyone I knew, and she started a tradition that I still maintain today.
She wrote Easter clues that rhymed and put a clue in each egg. She would then hide the eggs, and...
(more) Tired of browsing? Click here for a random story. Title:
Her Smile
I wondered if my smile was as big as hers.
Maybe as big. But not as beautiful.
~Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Glancing up
Into the car mirror
Or brushing my teeth,
Sometimes, I catch a glimpse of it.
Sometimes, the tears cascade down my cheeks,
Or they just well up in the windows
Of my soul.
But I wouldn’t trade those moments
For a million dollars.
I love seeing her smile —
Our smile.
It’s one of the simple things
That holds us
Together
While we’re apart.
I miss her every day.
But her smile —
With all its warmth,
Compassion,
Tenderness
And dear silliness —
Comforts my soul.
I thank God
It’s there when I’m
Glancing up
Into the car mirror
Or brushing my teeth.
It’s beautiful…
~Christina Galeone
(more)
101: Her Smile
Her Smile
I wondered if my smile was as big as hers.
Maybe as big. But not as beautiful.
~Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Glancing up
Into the car mirror
Or brushing my teeth,
Sometimes, I catch a glimpse of it.
Sometimes, the tears cascade down my cheeks,
Or they just well up in the windows
Of my soul.
But I wouldn’t trade those moments
For a million dollars.
I love seeing her smile —
Our smile.
It’s one of the simple things
That holds us
Together
While we’re apart.
I miss her every day.
But her smile —
With all its warmth,
Compassion,
Tenderness
And dear silliness —
Comforts my soul.
I thank God
It’s there when I’m
Glancing up
Into the car mirror
Or brushing my teeth.
It’s beautiful…
~Christina Galeone
(more)
