Paul Holmes -
University
English Professor

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Short Stories for Kids

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The Mystery of the Missing Moon

A young boy named Milo solves the mystery of the missing moon with the help of woodland creatures.

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Once upon a time, in a small village named Sunfield, the moon suddenly disappeared from the sky during a clear night. The villagers, who relied on the moon for light, were thrown into a frenzy. What could have happened to their precious moon? Among the villagers was a young boy named Milo, who loved solving mysteries. Determined to find the missing moon, he set out on a journey to solve the mysterious case.
Milo began his investigation by questioning the villagers. One villager claimed to have heard a strange booming noise coming from the nearby Dark Forest. Eager to explore, Milo ventured into the forest, determined to find any clues. As he navigated through the trees, he stumbled upon a mischievous group of woodland creatures led by a wise old owl named Oliver. Oliver explained that they had been playing hide-and-seek with the moon, but had accidentally hidden it too well.
Together, Milo and Oliver developed a plan to retrieve the moon. They gathered all the animals and organized a search party. Milo led the group as they combed through every inch of the forest. After hours of searching, a tiny squirrel named Sammy discovered the moon hidden behind a large maple tree. The forest erupted with joyful cheers as Milo returned the moon to its rightful place in the sky.
As the villagers celebrated the return of the moon, Milo felt a sense of accomplishment. He learned that sometimes, the answers to mysteries are hidden in unexpected places. He realized the importance of teamwork, as it was through working together with the animals that they were able to find the missing moon. Milo shared this lesson with his villagers, reminding them of the power of unity and the joy that comes from solving problems together.
From that day on, Sunfield became a village filled with happiness and gratitude. Milo’s adventure left a lasting impact on the villagers, teaching them not to take things for granted and to appreciate the beauty of nature that surrounds them. And so, every night as the moon appeared in the sky, the villagers would gaze up in awe, knowing that their beloved moon was a reminder of the power of friendship and the joy of overcoming challenges together.

🎧 Listen:

📖 Vocabulary:

1frenzyA state of wild excitement or uncontrolled behavior
2mysteriousDifficult to explain or understand; full of secrets
3investigationA systematic or detailed inquiry or examination
4mischievousPlayfully naughty or troublesome
5woodlandRelating to a forest or wooded area
6retrieveTo get back or regain possession of something
7organizedArranged in a structured and coordinated way
8combingSearching thoroughly or in a detailed manner
9eruptedBurst out suddenly or violently
10accomplishmentA feeling of pride or fulfillment from achieving something
11unexpectedNot anticipated or within the realm of what’s predicted
12teamworkThe combined action of a group, especially when effective and efficient
13gratitudeA feeling of thankfulness and appreciation
14unityThe state of being joined as a whole
15overcomingSucceeding in dealing with a problem or difficulty

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What happened to the moon in the village of Sunfield?
2. Why were the villagers thrown into a frenzy when the moon disappeared?
3. What did Milo do to try and solve the mystery of the missing moon?
4. Who did Milo question first in his investigation?
5. What did the villager claim to have heard coming from the Dark Forest?
6. Who did Milo meet in the forest and what were they doing?
7. How did Milo and Oliver plan to retrieve the moon?
8. What lesson did Milo learn from his adventure and how did he share it with the villagers?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Once upon a time, in a small (1)______ named Sunfield, the moon suddenly disappeared from the sky during a clear night. The villagers, who (2)______ on the moon for light, were thrown into a frenzy. What could have (3)______ to their precious moon? Among the villagers was a young boy named Milo, who loved solving mysteries. Determined to find the missing moon, he set out on a journey to solve the mysterious case.
Milo (4)______ his investigation by questioning the villagers. One villager claimed to have heard a strange booming noise coming from the nearby Dark Forest. Eager to explore, Milo ventured into the (5)______, determined to find any clues. As he (6)______ through the trees, he stumbled upon a mischievous group of woodland creatures led by a wise old owl named (7)______. Oliver explained that they had been playing hide-and-seek with the moon, but had accidentally hidden it too well.
Together, Milo and Oliver developed a plan to retrieve the moon. They gathered all the animals and organized a search (8)______. Milo led the group as they combed through every inch of the forest. After hours of searching, a tiny squirrel named Sammy discovered the moon hidden behind a large maple tree. The forest erupted with joyful cheers as Milo returned the moon to its (9)______ place in the sky.
As the villagers celebrated the return of the moon, Milo felt a (10)______ of accomplishment. He learned that sometimes, the answers to (11)______ are hidden in unexpected places. He (12)______ the importance of teamwork, as it was through working together with the animals that they were able to find the missing moon. Milo shared this lesson with his villagers, reminding them of the power of unity and the joy that comes from solving problems together.
From that day on, Sunfield became a village filled with happiness and gratitude. Milo’s adventure left a lasting impact on the (13)______, teaching them not to take things for granted and to appreciate the beauty of (14)______ that (15)______ them. And so, every night as the moon appeared in the sky, the villagers would gaze up in awe, knowing that their beloved moon was a reminder of the power of friendship and the joy of overcoming (16)______ together.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What do you think the villagers felt when the moon disappeared from the sky?
2. How would you feel if something you relied on suddenly disappeared?
3. Do you think Milo was brave for venturing into the Dark Forest? Why or why not?
4. What is the importance of teamwork in solving problems?
5. Have you ever been part of a search party? How did it feel to work together with others towards a common goal?
6. How would you have felt if you were the one to discover the hidden moon?
7. Do you think Milo’s adventure changed the villagers’ perspective on life? Why or why not?
8. What is the significance of the moon in our lives?
9. Have you ever had to solve a mystery or a problem? How did you approach it?
10. Do you think it’s important to appreciate the beauty of nature? Why or why not?
11. How does the story demonstrate the power of friendship?
12. What lessons can we learn from Milo’s adventure?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. frenzy
2. mysterious
3. investigation
4. mischievous
5. woodland
6. retrieve
7. organized
8. combing
9. erupted
10. accomplishment
11. unexpected
12. teamwork
13. gratitude
14. unity
15. overcoming

Meanings:
(A) To get back or regain possession of something
(B) Burst out suddenly or violently
(C) Searching thoroughly or in a detailed manner
(D) Succeeding in dealing with a problem or difficulty
(E) Playfully naughty or troublesome
(F) The state of being joined as a whole
(G) A state of wild excitement or uncontrolled behavior
(H) A feeling of thankfulness and appreciation
(I) Difficult to explain or understand; full of secrets
(J) Relating to a forest or wooded area
(K) The combined action of a group, especially when effective and efficient
(L) Not anticipated or within the realm of what’s predicted
(M) Arranged in a structured and coordinated way
(N) A systematic or detailed inquiry or examination
(O) A feeling of pride or fulfillment from achieving something
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What was the name of the village where the moon disappeared?
(a) Sunfield
(b) Moonville
(c) Starville
(d) Skyland

2. Who was the young boy determined to find the missing moon?
(a) Oliver
(b) Sammy
(c) Milo
(d) Watson

3. Where did Milo venture to find clues about the missing moon?
(a) Sunny Meadow
(b) Bright Beach
(c) Dark Forest
(d) Misty Mountain

4. Who did Milo meet in the forest who explained that they had hidden the moon too well?
(a) Sammy
(b) Oliver
(c) Watson
(d) Milo’s father

5. What did Milo and Oliver organize to search for the moon?
(a) Search party
(b) Picnic
(c) Dance party
(d) Book club

6. Who discovered the moon hidden behind a large maple tree?
(a) Oliver
(b) Milo
(c) Watson
(d) Sammy

7. What lesson did Milo learn from his adventure?
(a) The power of magic
(b) The importance of teamwork
(c) The joy of solitude
(d) The beauty of nature

8. What did the villagers do every night as the moon appeared in the sky?
(a) Dance and sing
(b) Sleep peacefully
(c) Ignore the moon
(d) Gaze up in awe

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. The villagers relied on the stars for light.
2. Milo found the moon hidden behind a large maple tree, and returned it to the sky with the help of the animals.
3. Milo and Oliver disbanded a search party to avoid finding the moon, without the help of the animals.
4. Milo ventured into the Dark Forest after hearing a strange booming noise.
5. Milo discovered a herd of woodland creatures led by a foolish young owl named Oliver.
6. The moon disappeared from the sky during a clear night in the village of Sunfield.
7. Milo, a young boy who despised solving mysteries, set out to find the misplaced sun.
8. Milo questioned the villagers to gather information about the disappearance of the moon.
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 happened to the moon in the village of Sunfield?
The moon disappeared from the sky during a clear night.

2. Why were the villagers thrown into a frenzy when the moon disappeared?
The villagers relied on the moon for light, so its disappearance caused panic and confusion.

3. What did Milo do to try and solve the mystery of the missing moon?
Milo began his investigation by questioning the villagers to gather information about what could have happened.

4. Who did Milo question first in his investigation?
Milo questioned the villagers to gather information about what could have happened to the moon.

5. What did the villager claim to have heard coming from the Dark Forest?
One villager claimed to have heard a strange booming noise coming from the nearby Dark Forest.

6. Who did Milo meet in the forest and what were they doing?
Milo met a group of woodland creatures led by a wise old owl named Oliver. They were playing hide-and-seek with the moon.

7. How did Milo and Oliver plan to retrieve the moon?
Milo and Oliver organized a search party with the animals in the forest to comb through every inch of the forest and find the hidden moon.

8. What lesson did Milo learn from his adventure and how did he share it with the villagers?
Milo learned the importance of teamwork and the joy that comes from solving problems together. He shared this lesson with the villagers, reminding them of the power of unity and the joy of overcoming challenges together.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) village
(2) relied
(3) happened
(4) began
(5) forest
(6) navigated
(7) Oliver
(8) party
(9) rightful
(10) sense
(11) mysteries
(12) realized
(13) villagers
(14) nature
(15) surrounds
(16) challenges
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. frenzy
Answer: (G) A state of wild excitement or uncontrolled behavior

2. mysterious
Answer: (I) Difficult to explain or understand; full of secrets

3. investigation
Answer: (N) A systematic or detailed inquiry or examination

4. mischievous
Answer: (E) Playfully naughty or troublesome

5. woodland
Answer: (J) Relating to a forest or wooded area

6. retrieve
Answer: (A) To get back or regain possession of something

7. organized
Answer: (M) Arranged in a structured and coordinated way

8. combing
Answer: (C) Searching thoroughly or in a detailed manner

9. erupted
Answer: (B) Burst out suddenly or violently

10. accomplishment
Answer: (O) A feeling of pride or fulfillment from achieving something

11. unexpected
Answer: (L) Not anticipated or within the realm of what’s predicted

12. teamwork
Answer: (K) The combined action of a group, especially when effective and efficient

13. gratitude
Answer: (H) A feeling of thankfulness and appreciation

14. unity
Answer: (F) The state of being joined as a whole

15. overcoming
Answer: (D) Succeeding in dealing with a problem or difficulty
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What was the name of the village where the moon disappeared?
Answer: (a) Sunfield

2. Who was the young boy determined to find the missing moon?
Answer: (c) Milo

3. Where did Milo venture to find clues about the missing moon?
Answer: (c) Dark Forest

4. Who did Milo meet in the forest who explained that they had hidden the moon too well?
Answer: (b) Oliver

5. What did Milo and Oliver organize to search for the moon?
Answer: (a) Search party

6. Who discovered the moon hidden behind a large maple tree?
Answer: (d) Sammy

7. What lesson did Milo learn from his adventure?
Answer: (b) The importance of teamwork

8. What did the villagers do every night as the moon appeared in the sky?
Answer: (d) Gaze up in awe
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. The villagers relied on the stars for light. (Answer: False)
2. Milo found the moon hidden behind a large maple tree, and returned it to the sky with the help of the animals. (Answer: True)
3. Milo and Oliver disbanded a search party to avoid finding the moon, without the help of the animals. (Answer: False)
4. Milo ventured into the Dark Forest after hearing a strange booming noise. (Answer: True)
5. Milo discovered a herd of woodland creatures led by a foolish young owl named Oliver. (Answer: False)
6. The moon disappeared from the sky during a clear night in the village of Sunfield. (Answer: True)
7. Milo, a young boy who despised solving mysteries, set out to find the misplaced sun. (Answer: False)
8. Milo questioned the villagers to gather information about the disappearance of the moon. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 4 stories?

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

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.

Lily discovers a hidden door in the enchanted forest and befriends a sparkling fairy named Hazel.

The Fairy’s Secret

Lily discovers a hidden door in the enchanted forest and befriends a sparkling fairy named Hazel.

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