Fun stories of under 50 words for emergent readers. When Princess Bubble the mermaid gets a pair of socks for her birthday, she has no idea what they are! Can she think of a use for them? The Tiddlers series features fun stories with a word count of fewer than 50 words for children who are just starting to read. A word list at the beginning of the story allows for a quick check of the reader's ability to read and understand words before reading, and a spot the picture puzzle at the end of the story encourages rereading for pleasure. ompiled in consultation with Catherine Glavina, PGCE Primary and Early Years Course Leader, The Centre for Professional Education, University of Warwick.