Paul Holmes -
University
English Professor

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Short Stories for Kids

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The Remarkable Raspberry Rain

A young girl named Emily discovers a tree that produces rainbow-colored raspberries, bringing joy to her village.

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Once upon a time in a small village called Berryville, there lived a young girl named Emily. Emily was known for her love of adventure and her exceptional curiosity. One day, as she was exploring the nearby forest, Emily stumbled upon a mysterious tree unlike any she had ever seen before. Its branches were heavy with luscious raspberries, but instead of the usual red color, these raspberries were shimmering in a vibrant array of colors. With her heart racing, Emily plucked one from the tree and took a bite. To her astonishment, a shower of raspberry rain instantly began to pour down from the sky!

Excitedly, Emily sprinted back to the village to share her incredible discovery. Word quickly spread and soon the entire village was in a frenzy, bringing all kinds of containers to catch the remarkable raspberry rain. People’s faces glowed with delight as they held the rainbow-colored raspberries in their hands. The air was filled with laughter and joy as the village transformed into a colorful oasis. Even the vegetables and flowers seemed to dance with glee in the raspberry rain.

However, as the days went by, something peculiar started to happen. The raspberries began to lose their vivid colors and became dull and lifeless. The villagers became dismayed, realizing that the remarkable raspberry rain was slowly fading away. There was a sudden hush in the village as everyone worried about losing this extraordinary phenomenon.

Determined to find a solution, Emily set off on a mission to discover the secret of the remarkable raspberry rain. She searched tirelessly until she stumbled upon an old book in the village library. Within its dusty pages, she found a recipe for a special fertilizer made from the laughter of children. Excitedly, Emily shared her findings with the villagers, and together they organized a laughter fest. Children from all around started playing games and telling jokes, filling the air with giggles and laughter.

The following day, as everyone gathered beneath the mystical raspberry tree, a gentle breeze began to blow, filling the air with a sweet raspberry scent. Suddenly, a shower of vibrant raspberries started to fall, even more beautiful and colorful than before. The village erupted with cheers and laughter, as the remarkable raspberry rain returned more spectacular than ever.

From that day forward, the villagers never took their laughter for granted. They understood the importance of joy and how it had the power to transform even the most ordinary things. And so, Berryville became known as a village where laughter and happiness bloomed, thanks to the remarkable raspberry rain. The villagers learned that with a positive mindset and a little laughter, they could make any day extraordinary.

🎧 Listen:

📖 Vocabulary:

1extraordinaryBeyond what is usual, ordinary, or regular
2vibrantFull of energy and life; bright and striking
3lusciousVery appealing to the taste or smell; deliciously rich
4astonishmentGreat surprise or amazement
5frenzyA state or period of uncontrolled excitement or wild behavior
6dismayedFeeling of consternation and distress, typically caused by something unexpected
7peculiarStrange or odd; unusual
8hushA sudden, calm silence
9tirelesslyWithout stopping or giving up; with great effort or energy
10mysticalHaving a spiritual significance that is neither apparent to the senses nor obvious to the intelligence
11eruptedBroke out suddenly and dramatically
12laughterThe sound of people chuckling or giggling
13fertilizerA substance added to soil to enhance its fertility
14phenomenonAn extraordinary event or situation that is remarkable and impressive
15mindsetA particular attitude or way of thinking

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What was Emily known for in the village?
2. What did Emily discover in the forest?
3. How did the villagers react when they heard about Emily’s discovery?
4. What happened to the raspberries as the days went by?
5. What did Emily find in the old book?
6. What did the villagers do to bring back the remarkable raspberry rain?
7. How did the villagers feel when the raspberry rain returned?
8. What lesson did the villagers learn from the experience with the raspberry rain?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Once upon a time in a small village called Berryville, there lived a young girl named Emily. Emily was known for her love of adventure and her exceptional curiosity. One day, as she was (1)______ the nearby forest, Emily (2)______ upon a mysterious tree unlike any she had ever seen before. Its branches were heavy with (3)______ raspberries, but instead of the usual red color, these raspberries were shimmering in a vibrant array of colors. With her (4)______ racing, Emily plucked one from the tree and took a bite. To her astonishment, a shower of raspberry rain instantly began to pour down from the sky!

Excitedly, Emily sprinted back to the village to share her incredible discovery. Word quickly spread and soon the (5)______ village was in a frenzy, bringing all kinds of containers to catch the remarkable raspberry rain. People’s faces glowed with delight as they held the rainbow-colored (6)______ in their hands. The air was filled with laughter and joy as the village transformed into a colorful oasis. Even the vegetables and flowers seemed to dance with glee in the raspberry rain.

However, as the days went by, something peculiar started to happen. The raspberries (7)______ to lose their (8)______ colors and became dull and lifeless. The villagers became dismayed, realizing that the remarkable raspberry rain was slowly fading away. There was a sudden hush in the village as everyone worried about losing this extraordinary phenomenon.

Determined to find a solution, Emily set off on a mission to (9)______ the secret of the remarkable raspberry rain. She (10)______ tirelessly until she stumbled upon an old book in the village library. Within its dusty pages, she found a recipe for a special fertilizer made from the laughter of children. Excitedly, Emily shared her findings with the villagers, and together they organized a laughter fest. (11)______ from all around started playing games and (12)______ jokes, filling the air with giggles and laughter.

The following day, as everyone gathered beneath the mystical raspberry tree, a gentle breeze began to blow, filling the air with a sweet raspberry scent. Suddenly, a shower of vibrant raspberries (13)______ to fall, even more beautiful and colorful than before. The (14)______ erupted with (15)______ and laughter, as the remarkable raspberry rain returned more spectacular than ever.

From that day forward, the villagers never took their laughter for granted. They understood the importance of joy and how it had the power to transform even the most ordinary things. And so, Berryville became known as a village where laughter and happiness bloomed, thanks to the remarkable raspberry rain. The villagers learned that with a positive mindset and a (16)______ laughter, they could make any day extraordinary.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is the significance of Emily’s love of adventure and curiosity in the story?
2. How would you feel if you discovered a tree with magical fruit like Emily did?
3. Do you think the villagers’ initial reaction to the raspberry rain was appropriate? Why or why not?
4. Why do you think the raspberries started losing their color and becoming dull?
5. How do you think the villagers felt when they realized the remarkable raspberry rain was fading away?
6. What do you think Emily’s motivation was for finding a solution to save the raspberry rain?
7. Do you think it was important for the villagers to find a solution to bring back the remarkable raspberry rain? Why or why not?
8. How do you think the laughter of children helped bring back the remarkable raspberry rain?
9. Why do you think the villagers organized a laughter fest instead of trying something else to save the raspberry rain?
10. How do you think the villagers felt when the remarkable raspberry rain returned even more beautiful and colorful than before?
11. Do you think the villagers’ perspective on joy and happiness changed after the experience with the remarkable raspberry rain? Why or why not?
12. Why do you think the villagers learned to never take their laughter for granted?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. extraordinary
2. vibrant
3. luscious
4. astonishment
5. frenzy
6. dismayed
7. peculiar
8. hush
9. tirelessly
10. mystical
11. erupted
12. laughter
13. fertilizer
14. phenomenon
15. mindset

Meanings:
(A) A sudden, calm silence
(B) The sound of people chuckling or giggling
(C) Beyond what is usual, ordinary, or regular
(D) A particular attitude or way of thinking
(E) Strange or odd; unusual
(F) A state or period of uncontrolled excitement or wild behavior
(G) A substance added to soil to enhance its fertility
(H) Very appealing to the taste or smell; deliciously rich
(I) Full of energy and life; bright and striking
(J) Broke out suddenly and dramatically
(K) Having a spiritual significance that is neither apparent to the senses nor obvious to the intelligence
(L) Great surprise or amazement
(M) An extraordinary event or situation that is remarkable and impressive
(N) Feeling of consternation and distress, typically caused by something unexpected
(O) Without stopping or giving up; with great effort or energy
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the name of the village where Emily lives?
(a) Berryville
(b) Appleton
(c) Cherryville
(d) Orangefield

2. What did Emily discover in the forest?
(a) A hidden treasure
(b) A magical potion
(c) A tree with colorful raspberries
(d) A talking animal

3. What happened when the villagers caught the rainbow-colored raspberries?
(a) They became sad and disappointed
(b) They felt delighted and joyful
(c) They became sick and tired
(d) They didn’t notice any difference

4. What did Emily find in the village library?
(a) A map to a hidden treasure
(b) An old book with a recipe for fertilizer
(c) A secret door to another world
(d) A recipe for a magical potion

5. What did the villagers organize to bring back the remarkable raspberry rain?
(a) A singing competition
(b) A dance party
(c) A silent meditation session
(d) A laughter fest with children

6. What happened when the villagers gathered beneath the raspberry tree after the laughter fest?
(a) A thunderstorm started
(b) The tree disappeared
(c) The villagers fell asleep
(d) A sweet raspberry scent filled the air

7. How did the villagers feel when the remarkable raspberry rain returned?
(a) They became angry and frustrated
(b) They didn’t notice any difference
(c) They erupted with cheers and laughter
(d) They felt sad and disappointed

8. What did the villagers learn from the experience with the remarkable raspberry rain?
(a) The importance of joy and laughter
(b) The importance of staying indoors
(c) The importance of eating raspberries
(d) The importance of silence and meditation

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. The villagers learn the insignificance of joy and laughter in making any day ordinary.
2. The village becomes excited and everyone rushes to catch the raspberry rain.
3. Emily is known for her love of adventure and curiosity.
4. Emily neglects a solution and finds a recipe for a regular fertilizer made from children’s laughter.
5. The raspberries lose their vibrant colors and become dull and lifeless.
6. The villagers organize a laughter fest to bring back the remarkable raspberry rain.
7. The laughter fest is unsuccessful and the raspberry rain returns even more ordinary than before.
8. Emily ignores a mysterious tree with colorless raspberries in the nearby forest.
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 Emily known for in the village?
Emily was known for her love of adventure and her exceptional curiosity.

2. What did Emily discover in the forest?
Emily discovered a mysterious tree with shimmering, rainbow-colored raspberries.

3. How did the villagers react when they heard about Emily’s discovery?
The villagers became excited and brought containers to catch the remarkable raspberry rain.

4. What happened to the raspberries as the days went by?
The raspberries started to lose their vivid colors and became dull and lifeless.

5. What did Emily find in the old book?
Emily found a recipe for a special fertilizer made from the laughter of children.

6. What did the villagers do to bring back the remarkable raspberry rain?
The villagers organized a laughter fest, where children played games and told jokes to fill the air with laughter.

7. How did the villagers feel when the raspberry rain returned?
The villagers felt ecstatic and cheered as the remarkable raspberry rain returned more beautiful and colorful than before.

8. What lesson did the villagers learn from the experience with the raspberry rain?
The villagers learned the importance of joy and how it had the power to transform even the most ordinary things. They realized that with a positive mindset and a little laughter, they could make any day extraordinary.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) exploring
(2) stumbled
(3) luscious
(4) heart
(5) entire
(6) raspberries
(7) began
(8) vivid
(9) discover
(10) searched
(11) Children
(12) telling
(13) started
(14) village
(15) cheers
(16) little
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. extraordinary
Answer: (C) Beyond what is usual, ordinary, or regular

2. vibrant
Answer: (I) Full of energy and life; bright and striking

3. luscious
Answer: (H) Very appealing to the taste or smell; deliciously rich

4. astonishment
Answer: (L) Great surprise or amazement

5. frenzy
Answer: (F) A state or period of uncontrolled excitement or wild behavior

6. dismayed
Answer: (N) Feeling of consternation and distress, typically caused by something unexpected

7. peculiar
Answer: (E) Strange or odd; unusual

8. hush
Answer: (A) A sudden, calm silence

9. tirelessly
Answer: (O) Without stopping or giving up; with great effort or energy

10. mystical
Answer: (K) Having a spiritual significance that is neither apparent to the senses nor obvious to the intelligence

11. erupted
Answer: (J) Broke out suddenly and dramatically

12. laughter
Answer: (B) The sound of people chuckling or giggling

13. fertilizer
Answer: (G) A substance added to soil to enhance its fertility

14. phenomenon
Answer: (M) An extraordinary event or situation that is remarkable and impressive

15. mindset
Answer: (D) A particular attitude or way of thinking
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the name of the village where Emily lives?
Answer: (a) Berryville

2. What did Emily discover in the forest?
Answer: (c) A tree with colorful raspberries

3. What happened when the villagers caught the rainbow-colored raspberries?
Answer: (b) They felt delighted and joyful

4. What did Emily find in the village library?
Answer: (b) An old book with a recipe for fertilizer

5. What did the villagers organize to bring back the remarkable raspberry rain?
Answer: (d) A laughter fest with children

6. What happened when the villagers gathered beneath the raspberry tree after the laughter fest?
Answer: (d) A sweet raspberry scent filled the air

7. How did the villagers feel when the remarkable raspberry rain returned?
Answer: (c) They erupted with cheers and laughter

8. What did the villagers learn from the experience with the remarkable raspberry rain?
Answer: (a) The importance of joy and laughter
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. The villagers learn the insignificance of joy and laughter in making any day ordinary. (Answer: False)
2. The village becomes excited and everyone rushes to catch the raspberry rain. (Answer: True)
3. Emily is known for her love of adventure and curiosity. (Answer: True)
4. Emily neglects a solution and finds a recipe for a regular fertilizer made from children’s laughter. (Answer: False)
5. The raspberries lose their vibrant colors and become dull and lifeless. (Answer: True)
6. The villagers organize a laughter fest to bring back the remarkable raspberry rain. (Answer: True)
7. The laughter fest is unsuccessful and the raspberry rain returns even more ordinary than before. (Answer: False)
8. Emily ignores a mysterious tree with colorless raspberries in the nearby forest. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 4 stories?

A unique tiger with tangerine stripes leads his animal friends on a quest for a magical fruit, only to discover that true magic lies in friendship and laughter.

The Tale of the Tangerine Tiger

A unique tiger with tangerine stripes leads his animal friends on a quest for a magical fruit, only to discover that true magic lies in friendship and laughter.

Jack and Emma's lives are forever changed when they discover a tiny dinosaur in an enormous egg.

The Dinosaur Egg

Jack and Emma’s lives are forever changed when they discover a tiny dinosaur in an enormous egg.

Stella the unicorn uses her magical rainbow to spread happiness and love to all creatures.

The Rainbow Bridge

Stella the unicorn uses her magical rainbow to spread happiness and love to all creatures.

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