It's a struggle to find good readers in Japanese. I've used higher level parallel text readers, but with the English present, it is rather tempting to avoid the Japanese as soon as it becomes difficult. These books are short, but not too short. They're simple, but not too simple. I have finally had a feeling of accomplishment after reading a whole story without having to pause for the dictionary, or look up grammar points. There were a few new words, but enough context to guess at their meaning. If I didn't know the Kanji, then the Furigana gave me the reading and I more than likely knew the word from that.
It's nice, for the first time, to have the reward of reading a _real_ story, entirely in Japanese. Plus, the CD contains most of the stories in audio form so you can hone your listening skills or put it on in the background to keep your ear keen. Find the right level for your own experience and go for it!
The first story I have read, Mujina, is about a Japanese folk monster - if the rest of the stories are similar, then I will be learning a whole lot of culture and legend, too.
Expensive, but worth it.