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!

The Adventures of Wally Watermelon

A mischievous watermelon named Wally discovers a magical crystal and becomes a superhero in a new world.

Try this story at a different level?

 

Once upon a time, there was a silly watermelon named Wally. He lived in a place with lots of fruits and liked to have fun, but sometimes he did naughty things. One day, Wally went to a magic forest near his home. He didn’t know he was about to have a really big adventure.

While playing, Wally found a secret cave with a pretty, shiny stone. When he touched the stone, zap! Wally was in a different world with talking animals. Here, Wally had arms and legs and could do special things like jump super high and shoot seeds.

Wally made friends with the animals. They needed to stop a bad wizard from making all the fruits and veggies into ice cream. Wally and his friends worked as a team. They climbed mountains and crossed hot rivers. Wally learned that being small is okay if you help each other.

After many tough times, they got to the wizard’s castle. They used teamwork and Wally’s seed-shooting to beat the wizard. The fruit and veggie friends said Wally was a hero. Wally went home, but he was different. He stopped being naughty and became a hero who looked after the forest and his friends.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1adventureA fun trip where exciting things happen
2magicSomething that is not real, like a fairy’s power
3naughtyWhen you do things you’re not supposed to
4zapThe sound a comic book might make for lightning
5talkingWhen someone or something can use words like you
6specialNot like everyone else, in a good way
7teamworkWhen friends help each other to do something big
8toughWhen something is very hard to do
9heroA person who saves others and does brave things
10differentNot the same as before

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Who is the main character in the story?
2. Where did Wally find the shiny stone?
3. What special things could Wally do in the different world?
4. Why did Wally and his friends need to stop the bad wizard?
5. What did Wally and his friends do to beat the wizard?
6. How did Wally change after his adventure?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Once upon a time, there was a silly (1)______ named Wally. He (2)______ in a place with lots of fruits and liked to have fun, but sometimes he did naughty things. One day, Wally went to a magic forest near his home. He didn’t know he was about to have a really big adventure.

While playing, Wally found a secret cave with a pretty, shiny stone. When he touched the stone, zap! Wally was in a different world with talking animals. Here, Wally had arms and legs and could do special things like jump super high and (3)______ seeds.

Wally (4)______ friends with the animals. They needed to stop a bad wizard from making all the (5)______ and veggies into ice cream. Wally and his friends worked as a team. They climbed mountains and crossed hot rivers. Wally learned that being small is okay if you help each (6)______.

After many tough times, they got to the wizard’s castle. They (7)______ teamwork and Wally’s seed-shooting to beat the wizard. The fruit and veggie friends said Wally was a hero. Wally went home, but he was different. He stopped being naughty and became a hero who (8)______ after the forest and his friends.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a watermelon?
2. How would you feel if you found a secret cave?
3. Do you like adventures? Why or why not?
4. What special things can Wally do in the different world?
5. Do you think it’s important to help each other? Why or why not?
6. How would you feel if you had to climb mountains and cross hot rivers?
7. Do you think Wally is a hero? Why or why not?
8. Why do you think Wally stopped being naughty and started looking after the forest and his friends?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. adventure
2. magic
3. naughty
4. zap
5. talking
6. special
7. teamwork
8. tough
9. hero
10. different

Meanings:
(A) A person who saves others and does brave things
(B) When you do things you’re not supposed to
(C) The sound a comic book might make for lightning
(D) A fun trip where exciting things happen
(E) When something is very hard to do
(F) Not like everyone else, in a good way
(G) Something that is not real, like a fairy’s power
(H) When someone or something can use words like you
(I) Not the same as before
(J) When friends help each other to do something big
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the name of the silly watermelon?
(a) Billy
(b) Wally
(c) Sammy
(d) Tommy

2. Where did Wally find the shiny stone?
(a) On a mountain
(b) In a river
(c) In a castle
(d) In a secret cave

3. What happened to Wally when he touched the shiny stone?
(a) He turned into a wizard
(b) He became a superhero
(c) He became invisible
(d) He went to a different world

4. Who did Wally make friends with in the different world?
(a) Talking animals
(b) Talking toys
(c) Talking plants
(d) Talking robots

5. What did Wally and his friends need to stop the bad wizard from doing?
(a) Turning fruits and veggies into toys
(b) Turning fruits and veggies into rocks
(c) Turning fruits and veggies into ice cream
(d) Turning fruits and veggies into candy

6. How did Wally and his friends get to the wizard’s castle?
(a) They flew on a magic carpet
(b) They climbed mountains and crossed hot rivers
(c) They rode on a giant turtle
(d) They walked through a magical portal

7. What special ability did Wally have in the different world?
(a) Flying
(b) Swimming underwater
(c) Shooting seeds
(d) Running super fast

8. How did Wally change after his adventure?
(a) He stopped being naughty and became a hero
(b) He became even naughtier
(c) He forgot about his friends
(d) He stopped going on adventures

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Wally made friends with talking animals who needed his help to stop a bad wizard.
2. Wally did not return home and did not become a hero who looked after the desert and his enemies.
3. Wally found a secret cave with a shiny stone that took him to a different world.
4. Wally is a watermelon who dislikes having fun and always behaves well.
5. Wally was called a hero by his fruit and veggie friends.
6. In this different world, Wally could barely jump and had no ability to shoot anything.
7. Wally and his friends refused to work together and never attempted to conquer any challenges.
8. They eventually reached the wizard’s castle and defeated him using teamwork and Wally’s seed-shooting.
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?
Wally is the main character in the story.

2. Where did Wally find the shiny stone?
Wally found the shiny stone in a secret cave in the magic forest.

3. What special things could Wally do in the different world?
In the different world, Wally could jump super high and shoot seeds.

4. Why did Wally and his friends need to stop the bad wizard?
Wally and his friends needed to stop the bad wizard because he wanted to turn all the fruits and veggies into ice cream.

5. What did Wally and his friends do to beat the wizard?
Wally and his friends used teamwork and Wally’s seed-shooting to beat the wizard.

6. How did Wally change after his adventure?
After his adventure, Wally stopped being naughty and became a hero who looked after the forest and his friends.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) watermelon
(2) lived
(3) shoot
(4) made
(5) fruits
(6) other
(7) used
(8) looked
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. adventure
Answer: (D) A fun trip where exciting things happen

2. magic
Answer: (G) Something that is not real, like a fairy’s power

3. naughty
Answer: (B) When you do things you’re not supposed to

4. zap
Answer: (C) The sound a comic book might make for lightning

5. talking
Answer: (H) When someone or something can use words like you

6. special
Answer: (F) Not like everyone else, in a good way

7. teamwork
Answer: (J) When friends help each other to do something big

8. tough
Answer: (E) When something is very hard to do

9. hero
Answer: (A) A person who saves others and does brave things

10. different
Answer: (I) Not the same as before
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the name of the silly watermelon?
Answer: (b) Wally

2. Where did Wally find the shiny stone?
Answer: (d) In a secret cave

3. What happened to Wally when he touched the shiny stone?
Answer: (d) He went to a different world

4. Who did Wally make friends with in the different world?
Answer: (a) Talking animals

5. What did Wally and his friends need to stop the bad wizard from doing?
Answer: (c) Turning fruits and veggies into ice cream

6. How did Wally and his friends get to the wizard’s castle?
Answer: (b) They climbed mountains and crossed hot rivers

7. What special ability did Wally have in the different world?
Answer: (c) Shooting seeds

8. How did Wally change after his adventure?
Answer: (a) He stopped being naughty and became a hero
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Wally made friends with talking animals who needed his help to stop a bad wizard. (Answer: True)
2. Wally did not return home and did not become a hero who looked after the desert and his enemies. (Answer: False)
3. Wally found a secret cave with a shiny stone that took him to a different world. (Answer: True)
4. Wally is a watermelon who dislikes having fun and always behaves well. (Answer: False)
5. Wally was called a hero by his fruit and veggie friends. (Answer: True)
6. In this different world, Wally could barely jump and had no ability to shoot anything. (Answer: False)
7. Wally and his friends refused to work together and never attempted to conquer any challenges. (Answer: False)
8. They eventually reached the wizard’s castle and defeated him using teamwork and Wally’s seed-shooting. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 1 stories?

The Magical Mountain

Once upon a time, there was a magical mountain in the middle of a vast forest. The mountain was filled

The Magic Pony

Once upon a time, in a beautiful meadow, there lived a magic pony named Sparkle. Sparkle was a kind and

Three children embark on a thrilling adventure to outsmart a mischievous genie and discover the true meaning of happiness.

The Wishing Well Mystery

Once upon a time, three friends found a special well that could make wishes come true. They solved tricky riddles and met a funny genie who played tricks. But they learned that making others happy is more important than just getting what you wish for.

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