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 Butterfly Who Lost Her Colors

Bella, a butterfly with vibrant wings, embarks on a treacherous journey to restore her colors.

Try this story at a different level?

 

In a sunny field, there was a pretty butterfly named Bella. She had wings with lots of colors that shone like a rainbow. Bella loved to play among the flowers and make everyone happy. But one day, a naughty squirrel took her colors!

Bella felt very sad with no colors on her wings. She flew to ask a smart owl for help. The owl said, “Don’t worry! There’s a magic flower on a big mountain that can give your colors back.”

Bella was brave and went to look for the flower. She flew through rain and wind and climbed up high rocks. At last, she found the flower on top of the mountain. It was bright and shiny. Bella touched it, and her wings got their colors back!

Bella flew home, and her wings made the field look even more beautiful. Everyone, even the squirrel, said sorry and thought she looked wonderful. Bella learned that it’s who you are that matters, not how you look. She was kind to everyone, and the field was a happy place.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1butterflyA flying bug with pretty wings that can be many different colors
2squirrelA small animal with a big bushy tail that climbs trees
3mountainA very tall hill made of rock that can touch the clouds
4colorsAll the different reds, blues, greens, and yellows you can see
5flowersThe pretty parts of a plant that can smell good and look like a little cup
6rainbowA big curve in the sky with lots of colors that comes after rain
7naughtyWhen someone is being a little bit bad in a playful way
8braveWhen you are not scared to do something that might be hard
9shinySomething that looks like it has little lights on it
10wonderfulWhen something is really, really nice to look at

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What did Bella’s wings look like?
2. Who took Bella’s colors?
3. Who did Bella ask for help?
4. Where did Bella find the magic flower?
5. What happened to Bella’s wings when she touched the flower?
6. What did Bella learn at the end of the story?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In a sunny field, there was a pretty butterfly named Bella. She had (1)______ with lots of colors that shone like a rainbow. Bella loved to play among the flowers and make everyone happy. But one day, a naughty squirrel (2)______ her colors!

Bella (3)______ very sad with no colors on her wings. She flew to ask a smart owl for help. The owl said, “Don’t worry! There’s a magic flower on a big mountain that can give your colors back.”

Bella was brave and (4)______ to look for the flower. She flew through rain and wind and climbed up high (5)______. At last, she (6)______ the flower on top of the mountain. It was bright and shiny. Bella touched it, and her wings got their colors back!

Bella flew home, and her wings made the (7)______ look even more beautiful. Everyone, even the squirrel, said sorry and thought she looked wonderful. Bella learned that it’s who you are that matters, not how you look. She was kind to everyone, and the field was a happy (8)______.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a butterfly?
2. How would you feel if someone took your favorite toy?
3. Do you like playing outside in fields? Why or why not?
4. Do you think Bella was brave for climbing the mountain? Why or why not?
5. What is a magic flower?
6. How do you think Bella felt when her wings got their colors back?
7. Do you think it’s important to be kind to everyone? Why or why not?
8. How would you make the field a happy place?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. butterfly
2. squirrel
3. mountain
4. colors
5. flowers
6. rainbow
7. naughty
8. brave
9. shiny
10. wonderful

Meanings:
(A) A small animal with a big bushy tail that climbs trees
(B) When someone is being a little bit bad in a playful way
(C) The pretty parts of a plant that can smell good and look like a little cup
(D) A very tall hill made of rock that can touch the clouds
(E) A big curve in the sky with lots of colors that comes after rain
(F) A flying bug with pretty wings that can be many different colors
(G) Something that looks like it has little lights on it
(H) When you are not scared to do something that might be hard
(I) All the different reds, blues, greens, and yellows you can see
(J) When something is really, really nice to look at
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the name of the butterfly in the story?
(a) Lily
(b) Daisy
(c) Rosie
(d) Bella

2. What happened to Bella’s colors?
(a) Bella lost them
(b) Bella gave them away
(c) The wind blew them away
(d) A squirrel took them

3. Who did Bella ask for help?
(a) An owl
(b) A squirrel
(c) A butterfly
(d) A bird

4. Where did Bella find the magic flower?
(a) In a sunny field
(b) Under the sea
(c) On top of a mountain
(d) In a dark cave

5. What happened when Bella touched the magic flower?
(a) Her wings got their colors back
(b) Bella turned into a squirrel
(c) The flower disappeared
(d) Bella’s wings turned black

6. How did Bella feel when she had no colors on her wings?
(a) Happy
(b) Sad
(c) Angry
(d) Excited

7. What did Bella learn from her adventure?
(a) Colors are not important
(b) It’s who you are that matters, not how you look
(c) It’s better to be alone than with friends
(d) Being sad is better than being happy

8. What did everyone think of Bella when she got her colors back?
(a) She looked scary
(b) She looked sad
(c) She looked wonderful
(d) She looked angry

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Bella was cowardly and never climbed up the mountain to find the magic flower.
2. Bella felt very sad without her colorful wings.
3. After finding the flower, Bella avoided touching it and her wings lost their colors.
4. The owl told Bella about a magic flower on a big mountain that could give her colors back.
5. Bella is a bee with wings that have many colors.
6. Bella asked a smart owl for help to get her colors back.
7. A naughty squirrel took Bella’s colors away from her wings.
8. Bella hates to play in a field with flowers and make everyone happy.
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 did Bella’s wings look like?
Bella’s wings had lots of colors that shone like a rainbow.

2. Who took Bella’s colors?
A naughty squirrel took Bella’s colors.

3. Who did Bella ask for help?
Bella asked a smart owl for help.

4. Where did Bella find the magic flower?
Bella found the magic flower on top of a big mountain.

5. What happened to Bella’s wings when she touched the flower?
When Bella touched the flower, her wings got their colors back.

6. What did Bella learn at the end of the story?
Bella learned that it’s who you are that matters, not how you look.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) wings
(2) took
(3) felt
(4) went
(5) rocks
(6) found
(7) field
(8) place
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. butterfly
Answer: (F) A flying bug with pretty wings that can be many different colors

2. squirrel
Answer: (A) A small animal with a big bushy tail that climbs trees

3. mountain
Answer: (D) A very tall hill made of rock that can touch the clouds

4. colors
Answer: (I) All the different reds, blues, greens, and yellows you can see

5. flowers
Answer: (C) The pretty parts of a plant that can smell good and look like a little cup

6. rainbow
Answer: (E) A big curve in the sky with lots of colors that comes after rain

7. naughty
Answer: (B) When someone is being a little bit bad in a playful way

8. brave
Answer: (H) When you are not scared to do something that might be hard

9. shiny
Answer: (G) Something that looks like it has little lights on it

10. wonderful
Answer: (J) When something is really, really nice to look at
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the name of the butterfly in the story?
Answer: (d) Bella

2. What happened to Bella’s colors?
Answer: (d) A squirrel took them

3. Who did Bella ask for help?
Answer: (a) An owl

4. Where did Bella find the magic flower?
Answer: (c) On top of a mountain

5. What happened when Bella touched the magic flower?
Answer: (a) Her wings got their colors back

6. How did Bella feel when she had no colors on her wings?
Answer: (b) Sad

7. What did Bella learn from her adventure?
Answer: (b) It’s who you are that matters, not how you look

8. What did everyone think of Bella when she got her colors back?
Answer: (c) She looked wonderful
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Bella was cowardly and never climbed up the mountain to find the magic flower. (Answer: False)
2. Bella felt very sad without her colorful wings. (Answer: True)
3. After finding the flower, Bella avoided touching it and her wings lost their colors. (Answer: False)
4. The owl told Bella about a magic flower on a big mountain that could give her colors back. (Answer: True)
5. Bella is a bee with wings that have many colors. (Answer: False)
6. Bella asked a smart owl for help to get her colors back. (Answer: True)
7. A naughty squirrel took Bella’s colors away from her wings. (Answer: True)
8. Bella hates to play in a field with flowers and make everyone happy. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 1 stories?

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Peter the mischievous penguin learns the importance of bringing joy to others through a grand party.

The Playful Penguin’s Party

Peter the penguin wanted to have a big party, but he forgot the music, so he asked his friend Sammy the seal for help and they made a happy song for everyone to dance to.

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The Queen of Cats

Whiskers the cat was so kind that all the animals became friends and lived happily together.

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The Carnival of Colors

In Rainbowland, everyone had a big fun day with colors, parades, and tasty snacks. Timmy’s costume flew away, but his friends helped him fix it and win a prize.

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