The main task of this book is to help beginners make the leap from studying isolated words and phrases to reading (and enjoying) simple Russian texts. Using simplified sentence structures and a very basic vocabulary, this collection of short stories allows even novice learners to appreciate and understand the intricacies of the Russian language. Reading makes the learning process more fluid and fun. There are questions after each story. They can help teachers and learners make up dialogues. So, the book can be used both at a language course and for self-teaching.