Paul Holmes -
University
English Professor

Free Materials For ESL Teachers and Learners

Short Stories for Kids

Complete lesson plans, including stories, listening, classroom activities, quiz questions and more!

Amy and the Magic Book

Try this story at a different level?

 

Once there was a little girl named Amy who loved books. One day, she found a very old book in the library called “The Magic Book of Wonders.”

When Amy opened the book, she went into a magic land with talking animals and big friendly giants. She could change things in this place just by turning the pages of the book.

Amy had fun making a river of chocolate and clouds like cotton candy. She even made a unicorn that told funny jokes. Everyone was happy because of the magic.

But then, people stopped being happy with little things. Amy went back to the library to fix it. She said magic words from the book and everything went back to normal. People learned to be happy with the small things again. And the magic book stayed in the library for someone else to find one day.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1bookSomething you read with lots of pages
2libraryA place with lots of books to read
3magicSomething that can do amazing things like make things appear or disappear
4landA place where you can go and explore
5talkingWhen something can speak like a person
6giantsVery big and tall people
7changeTo make something different
8riverA long, flowing stream of sweet chocolate
9unicornA magical horse with a horn on its head
10wordsThe things you say or read that have special powers

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Who is the main character in the story?
2. What did Amy find in the library?
3. What happened when Amy opened the book?
4. What fun things did Amy make with the magic book?
5. Why did Amy go back to the library?
6. What happened when Amy said the magic words from the book?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Once there was a little girl named Amy who loved (1)______. One day, she (2)______ a very old book in the library called “The Magic Book of Wonders.”

When Amy opened the book, she went into a magic land with talking animals and big friendly giants. She could change things in this place just by (3)______ the pages of the book.

Amy had fun (4)______ a river of chocolate and clouds like cotton candy. She even (5)______ a (6)______ that told funny jokes. Everyone was happy because of the magic.

But then, people stopped being happy with little things. Amy went back to the library to fix it. She said magic words from the (7)______ and everything went back to normal. People (8)______ to be happy with the small things again. And the magic book stayed in the library for someone else to find one day.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a library? Why do you think Amy found the magic book in the library?
2. How would you feel if you could go into a magic land like Amy did? Why or why not?
3. Do you like books? Why or why not? What is your favorite book?
4. What is something small that makes you happy? Why does it make you happy?
5. Do you think it’s important to be happy with the little things? Why or why not?
6. How do you think Amy felt when people stopped being happy with the little things? Why?
7. What would you do if you found a magic book like Amy did? Why?
8. Do you think it’s good that the magic book stayed in the library for someone else to find? Why or why not?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. book
2. library
3. magic
4. land
5. talking
6. giants
7. change
8. river
9. unicorn
10. words

Meanings:
(A) To make something different
(B) Something that can do amazing things like make things appear or disappear
(C) When something can speak like a person
(D) Something you read with lots of pages
(E) A magical horse with a horn on its head
(F) Very big and tall people
(G) A place with lots of books to read
(H) The things you say or read that have special powers
(I) A place where you can go and explore
(J) A long, flowing stream of sweet chocolate
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the name of the little girl in the story?
(a) Lily
(b) Emma
(c) Amy
(d) Sophia

2. Where did Amy find the magic book?
(a) In the library
(b) In her bedroom
(c) In the park
(d) In her school

3. What happened when Amy opened the magic book?
(a) She fell asleep
(b) She went into a magic land
(c) She became invisible
(d) She started flying

4. What could Amy do by turning the pages of the book?
(a) Make herself invisible
(b) Fly in the sky
(c) Change things in the magic land
(d) Talk to animals

5. What did Amy make with the magic book?
(a) A river of chocolate and clouds like cotton candy
(b) A big house and a swimming pool
(c) A spaceship and a robot
(d) A mountain and a volcano

6. What did Amy do when people stopped being happy with little things?
(a) Cried and went home
(b) Hid the magic book
(c) Ignored the problem
(d) Went back to the library to fix it

7. How did Amy fix the problem?
(a) By asking her parents for help
(b) By running away from the magic land
(c) By throwing the book away
(d) By saying magic words from the book

8. What happened to the magic book in the end?
(a) Amy took it home with her
(b) It stayed in the library for someone else to find
(c) It disappeared forever
(d) The animals in the magic land destroyed it

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Amy despised books and found a very new book in the library.
2. When Amy opened the book, she went to a magical land with talking animals and friendly giants.
3. Everything went back to normal and the magic book stayed in the library for someone else to find.
4. People in the magical land stopped being happy with big things.
5. Amy went back to the library to fix it by reciting the cursed words from the book.
6. Amy even made a unicorn that told funny jokes.
7. Amy had a miserable time making a river of chocolate and clouds like cotton candy.
8. Amy could change things in the magical land by turning the pages of the book.
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. Who is the main character in the story?
Amy is the main character in the story.

2. What did Amy find in the library?
Amy found a very old book called “The Magic Book of Wonders” in the library.

3. What happened when Amy opened the book?
When Amy opened the book, she went into a magic land with talking animals and big friendly giants.

4. What fun things did Amy make with the magic book?
Amy made a river of chocolate, clouds like cotton candy, and even a unicorn that told funny jokes with the magic book.

5. Why did Amy go back to the library?
Amy went back to the library to fix things because people stopped being happy with little things.

6. What happened when Amy said the magic words from the book?
When Amy said the magic words from the book, everything went back to normal and people learned to be happy with the small things again.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) books
(2) found
(3) turning
(4) making
(5) made
(6) unicorn
(7) book
(8) learned
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. book
Answer: (D) Something you read with lots of pages

2. library
Answer: (G) A place with lots of books to read

3. magic
Answer: (B) Something that can do amazing things like make things appear or disappear

4. land
Answer: (I) A place where you can go and explore

5. talking
Answer: (C) When something can speak like a person

6. giants
Answer: (F) Very big and tall people

7. change
Answer: (A) To make something different

8. river
Answer: (J) A long, flowing stream of sweet chocolate

9. unicorn
Answer: (E) A magical horse with a horn on its head

10. words
Answer: (H) The things you say or read that have special powers
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the name of the little girl in the story?
Answer: (c) Amy

2. Where did Amy find the magic book?
Answer: (a) In the library

3. What happened when Amy opened the magic book?
Answer: (b) She went into a magic land

4. What could Amy do by turning the pages of the book?
Answer: (c) Change things in the magic land

5. What did Amy make with the magic book?
Answer: (a) A river of chocolate and clouds like cotton candy

6. What did Amy do when people stopped being happy with little things?
Answer: (d) Went back to the library to fix it

7. How did Amy fix the problem?
Answer: (d) By saying magic words from the book

8. What happened to the magic book in the end?
Answer: (b) It stayed in the library for someone else to find
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Amy despised books and found a very new book in the library. (Answer: False)
2. When Amy opened the book, she went to a magical land with talking animals and friendly giants. (Answer: True)
3. Everything went back to normal and the magic book stayed in the library for someone else to find. (Answer: True)
4. People in the magical land stopped being happy with big things. (Answer: False)
5. Amy went back to the library to fix it by reciting the cursed words from the book. (Answer: False)
6. Amy even made a unicorn that told funny jokes. (Answer: True)
7. Amy had a miserable time making a river of chocolate and clouds like cotton candy. (Answer: False)
8. Amy could change things in the magical land by turning the pages of the book. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 1 stories?

The Enchanted Forest

Once upon a time there was an enchanted forest full of magical creatures. All the animals lived in harmony and

A little girl named Lily saves her town from darkness by convincing mischievous squirrels to return stolen sunflowers.

The Day the Sun Forgot to Rise

Once upon a time, there was a town that got scared when the sun didn’t come up. A brave girl named Lily found squirrels taking sunflowers, and she told them to put them back. The people in the town planted the flowers again and sang to make the sun come back. They learned that being hopeful is important, and the sun always came up after that day.

Feedback