Paul Holmes -
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The Blueberry Pie Mystery

A detective solves the mystery of the missing blueberry pies and brings together a bear family and the town.

Try this story at a different level?

 

Once upon a time, in the small town of Berryville, there was a famous bakery called Sweet Delights. The bakery was famous for its delicious blueberry pies. The aroma would drift through the streets, enticing everyone within sniffing distance. One bright sunny day, a shocking mystery occurred. All the blueberry pies disappeared from the bakery overnight! The entire town was in an uproar and the bakery’s owner, Mrs. Baker, was beside herself with worry.

The townspeople gathered and speculated about who could have committed such a daring crime. Some blamed the mischievous squirrel gang, claiming they had a sweet tooth for blueberries. Others pointed fingers at the rival bakery across town, Berrylicious Bakes, assuming they had engaged in a dastardly act of sabotage. Mrs. Baker, being a wise woman, decided to call in a detective to solve the mystery.

Detective Graspberry, a clever and eccentric detective, arrived on the scene. With his magnifying glass in hand, he inspected the crime scene, looking for clues. His sharp eyes noticed a trail of blueberry juice leading out of the bakery and into the woods. The detective followed the trail, which led him to a small cottage surrounded by blueberry bushes. Could this be the hideout of the pie thief?

With determination, Detective Graspberry peered through the cottage window and gasped. There, sitting at a table, was a family of adorable bears, each of them devouring a fresh blueberry pie. The detective, curious to know how this family had come across the pies, knocked on their door. The bears were friendly and explained their story. They had stumbled upon the unattended pies and, being unable to resist such a tempting treat, had helped themselves.

Realizing the innocence of the bear family, Detective Graspberry returned to the town with a plan. He suggested that Mrs. Baker make an agreement with the bears. The bears would help pick blueberries for the pies, ensuring a continuous supply, and in return, they could have a small portion of the pies. The townspeople agreed, and the blueberry pie mystery was solved.

The town’s bakery flourished, and the bear family became honorary blueberry pickers. They even started a blueberry festival in Berryville, where the whole town celebrated their newfound friendship. The mystery taught everyone the importance of working together, understanding different perspectives, and solving problems with kindness rather than blame. And so, as the townspeople enjoyed the delicious blueberry pies, they cherished the lesson learned and the sweet taste of friendship.

🎧 Listen:

📖 Vocabulary:

1enticingAttracting someone strongly as if by a charm
2uproarA state of noisy and confused activity
3speculatedFormed theories or conjectures without firm evidence
4mischievousPlayfully causing minor trouble or annoyance
5sabotageDeliberate destruction or obstruction of something for strategic advantage
6eccentricUnconventional and slightly strange in behavior
7magnifyingUsed to enlarge or examine something closely
8determinationFirmness of purpose; resoluteness
9adorableInspiring great affection; very pleasing
10devouringEating something greedily or hungrily
11stumbledFound or encountered by chance
12innocentFree from guilt or blame
13flourishedGrew or developed successfully
14honoraryGiven a title or status as an honor without the usual requirements
15cherishedHeld dear; felt or showed love for

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What was the bakery in Berryville famous for?
2. How did the townspeople react when all the blueberry pies disappeared?
3. Who did some of the townspeople blame for the missing pies?
4. What did Detective Graspberry notice at the crime scene?
5. Where did the trail of blueberry juice lead the detective?
6. Who did the detective find eating the blueberry pies?
7. How did the bear family come across the pies?
8. What agreement did Detective Graspberry suggest to Mrs. Baker and the bear family?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Once upon a time, in the small town of Berryville, there was a famous bakery called Sweet Delights. The bakery was famous for its delicious blueberry pies. The aroma would drift through the streets, enticing everyone within sniffing distance. One bright sunny day, a shocking (1)______ occurred. All the blueberry pies disappeared from the bakery overnight! The (2)______ town was in an uproar and the bakery’s (3)______, Mrs. Baker, was beside herself with worry.

The townspeople gathered and speculated about who could have committed such a daring crime. Some blamed the mischievous squirrel gang, claiming they had a (4)______ tooth for blueberries. Others pointed fingers at the rival bakery across town, (5)______ Bakes, assuming they had engaged in a dastardly act of sabotage. Mrs. Baker, being a wise woman, decided to call in a detective to solve the mystery.

Detective Graspberry, a clever and eccentric detective, arrived on the scene. With his (6)______ glass in hand, he inspected the crime scene, looking for clues. His sharp eyes noticed a trail of blueberry juice leading out of the bakery and into the woods. The detective followed the trail, which led him to a small cottage surrounded by blueberry (7)______. Could this be the hideout of the pie (8)______?

With determination, Detective Graspberry peered through the cottage (9)______ and gasped. There, sitting at a table, was a family of adorable bears, each of them devouring a fresh blueberry pie. The detective, curious to know how this family had come across the pies, (10)______ on their door. The bears were friendly and explained their story. They had stumbled upon the unattended pies and, being (11)______ to (12)______ such a tempting treat, had helped themselves.

Realizing the innocence of the bear family, Detective Graspberry returned to the town with a plan. He suggested that Mrs. Baker make an agreement with the bears. The bears would help pick blueberries for the pies, ensuring a continuous supply, and in return, they could have a small portion of the pies. The (13)______ agreed, and the blueberry pie mystery was solved.

The town’s (14)______ flourished, and the bear family became honorary blueberry pickers. They even started a blueberry festival in Berryville, where the whole town celebrated their newfound (15)______. The mystery taught everyone the importance of working together, understanding different (16)______, and solving problems with kindness rather than blame. And so, as the townspeople enjoyed the delicious blueberry pies, they cherished the lesson learned and the sweet taste of friendship.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is your favorite type of pie and why?
2. How would you feel if you were the owner of the bakery and all the blueberry pies disappeared overnight?
3. Do you like mysteries? Why or why not?
4. Do you think it’s fair to blame someone without evidence? Why or why not?
5. Have you ever had a misunderstanding with someone? How did you resolve it?
6. How important do you think it is to understand different perspectives when trying to solve a problem?
7. What is your favorite lesson that you’ve learned from a story? Why?
8. Do you think it’s possible to solve problems with kindness rather than blame? Why or why not?
9. Have you ever made a new friend unexpectedly? How did it happen?
10. How would you feel if you stumbled upon a delicious treat that wasn’t yours? Would you be able to resist?
11. What do you think is the key to a successful partnership or agreement?
12. How do you think the bear family felt when they were accepted as honorary blueberry pickers in the town? Why?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. enticing
2. uproar
3. speculated
4. mischievous
5. sabotage
6. eccentric
7. magnifying
8. determination
9. adorable
10. devouring
11. stumbled
12. innocent
13. flourished
14. honorary
15. cherished

Meanings:
(A) Attracting someone strongly as if by a charm
(B) Playfully causing minor trouble or annoyance
(C) Formed theories or conjectures without firm evidence
(D) Used to enlarge or examine something closely
(E) Given a title or status as an honor without the usual requirements
(F) Inspiring great affection; very pleasing
(G) Deliberate destruction or obstruction of something for strategic advantage
(H) Eating something greedily or hungrily
(I) A state of noisy and confused activity
(J) Free from guilt or blame
(K) Held dear; felt or showed love for
(L) Grew or developed successfully
(M) Firmness of purpose; resoluteness
(N) Unconventional and slightly strange in behavior
(O) Found or encountered by chance
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What was the name of the famous bakery in Berryville?
(a) Berrylicious Bakes
(b) Blueberry Haven
(c) Sweet Delights
(d) Pie Paradise

2. Who was the owner of the bakery?
(a) Detective Graspberry
(b) Mrs. Baker
(c) The bear family
(d) The squirrel gang

3. What did Detective Graspberry find at the crime scene?
(a) A magnifying glass
(b) A note from the pie thief
(c) A bag of blueberries
(d) A trail of blueberry juice

4. Where did the trail of blueberry juice lead Detective Graspberry?
(a) The rival bakery, Berrylicious Bakes
(b) A small cottage in the woods
(c) The squirrel gang’s hideout
(d) The town’s blueberry farm

5. Who did Detective Graspberry find inside the cottage?
(a) A family of bears
(b) Mrs. Baker
(c) The squirrel gang
(d) Berrylicious Bakes employees

6. Why did the bear family eat the blueberry pies?
(a) They were hired by Mrs. Baker to taste test the pies
(b) They were hungry and couldn’t resist the temptation
(c) They stumbled upon the unattended pies
(d) They were trying to sabotage Sweet Delights

7. What agreement did Detective Graspberry suggest to Mrs. Baker?
(a) The bears would help pick blueberries in exchange for a portion of the pies
(b) The bears would become employees at Sweet Delights
(c) The bears would be banished from Berryville
(d) The bears would pay a fine for stealing the pies

8. What lesson did the town learn from the blueberry pie mystery?
(a) The importance of solving problems with kindness
(b) The importance of keeping blueberry pies under lock and key
(c) The importance of never trusting bears
(d) The importance of blaming others

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. The blueberry pies disappeared overnight from the bakery.
2. The town celebrated their newfound friendship with a blueberry festival.
3. Detective Graspberry discouraged an agreement between Mrs. Baker and the bears.
4. The bakery in the story is called Salty Delights.
5. Detective Graspberry followed a trail of blueberry juice to a small cottage.
6. Mrs. Baker, the bakery owner, called in a detective to solve the mystery.
7. The bear family in the cottage had shared the stolen blueberry pies.
8. Some townspeople praised the mischievous squirrel gang for the crime.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this story in two sentences. Here are some hints:
Who are the main characters?
What happens in the story?

Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What was the bakery in Berryville famous for?
The bakery was famous for its delicious blueberry pies.

2. How did the townspeople react when all the blueberry pies disappeared?
The townspeople were in an uproar and worried about the missing pies.

3. Who did some of the townspeople blame for the missing pies?
Some of the townspeople blamed the mischievous squirrel gang and the rival bakery, Berrylicious Bakes.

4. What did Detective Graspberry notice at the crime scene?
Detective Graspberry noticed a trail of blueberry juice leading out of the bakery.

5. Where did the trail of blueberry juice lead the detective?
The trail of blueberry juice led the detective to a small cottage surrounded by blueberry bushes.

6. Who did the detective find eating the blueberry pies?
The detective found a family of bears eating the blueberry pies.

7. How did the bear family come across the pies?
The bear family stumbled upon the unattended pies and couldn’t resist helping themselves.

8. What agreement did Detective Graspberry suggest to Mrs. Baker and the bear family?
Detective Graspberry suggested that Mrs. Baker make an agreement with the bear family. They would help pick blueberries for the pies in return for a small portion of the pies.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) mystery
(2) entire
(3) owner
(4) sweet
(5) Berrylicious
(6) magnifying
(7) bushes
(8) thief
(9) window
(10) knocked
(11) unable
(12) resist
(13) townspeople
(14) bakery
(15) friendship
(16) perspectives
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. enticing
Answer: (A) Attracting someone strongly as if by a charm

2. uproar
Answer: (I) A state of noisy and confused activity

3. speculated
Answer: (C) Formed theories or conjectures without firm evidence

4. mischievous
Answer: (B) Playfully causing minor trouble or annoyance

5. sabotage
Answer: (G) Deliberate destruction or obstruction of something for strategic advantage

6. eccentric
Answer: (N) Unconventional and slightly strange in behavior

7. magnifying
Answer: (D) Used to enlarge or examine something closely

8. determination
Answer: (M) Firmness of purpose; resoluteness

9. adorable
Answer: (F) Inspiring great affection; very pleasing

10. devouring
Answer: (H) Eating something greedily or hungrily

11. stumbled
Answer: (O) Found or encountered by chance

12. innocent
Answer: (J) Free from guilt or blame

13. flourished
Answer: (L) Grew or developed successfully

14. honorary
Answer: (E) Given a title or status as an honor without the usual requirements

15. cherished
Answer: (K) Held dear; felt or showed love for
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What was the name of the famous bakery in Berryville?
Answer: (c) Sweet Delights

2. Who was the owner of the bakery?
Answer: (b) Mrs. Baker

3. What did Detective Graspberry find at the crime scene?
Answer: (d) A trail of blueberry juice

4. Where did the trail of blueberry juice lead Detective Graspberry?
Answer: (b) A small cottage in the woods

5. Who did Detective Graspberry find inside the cottage?
Answer: (a) A family of bears

6. Why did the bear family eat the blueberry pies?
Answer: (c) They stumbled upon the unattended pies

7. What agreement did Detective Graspberry suggest to Mrs. Baker?
Answer: (a) The bears would help pick blueberries in exchange for a portion of the pies

8. What lesson did the town learn from the blueberry pie mystery?
Answer: (d) The importance of blaming others
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. The blueberry pies disappeared overnight from the bakery. (Answer: True)
2. The town celebrated their newfound friendship with a blueberry festival. (Answer: True)
3. Detective Graspberry discouraged an agreement between Mrs. Baker and the bears. (Answer: False)
4. The bakery in the story is called Salty Delights. (Answer: False)
5. Detective Graspberry followed a trail of blueberry juice to a small cottage. (Answer: True)
6. Mrs. Baker, the bakery owner, called in a detective to solve the mystery. (Answer: True)
7. The bear family in the cottage had shared the stolen blueberry pies. (Answer: False)
8. Some townspeople praised the mischievous squirrel gang for the crime. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 4 stories?

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Ella the elephant's friends, Max the monkey and Polly the parrot, come to her rescue when she gets an earache from a cheeky bug.

The Elephant’s Earache

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