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 Castle in the Clouds

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Once upon a time, there was a girl named Lily. She lived in a small house by a big mountain. She saw a pretty castle in the sky from her window. One day, she decided to climb the mountain to see the castle.

Lily took a basket of food and started walking up the mountain. The wind was strong, and it picked her up. She landed inside the castle! She met a friendly man named Master Cloud.

Master Cloud told Lily that only good kids can see the castle. He lost his key and needed help. Lily looked all over the castle for clues to find the key.

Lily found the key in a magic garden with talking animals. A parrot and a turtle helped her. Lily got the key and Master Cloud gave her a wish. She wished for everyone to be kind. Lily went home and told everyone to be nice, just like in her wish.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1castleA big house where a king or queen might live
2mountainA very tall hill
3basketSomething you can carry things in, made of woven strips
4windAir that moves fast and can push things
5friendlyNice to others and easy to like
6cluesHints that help you find something or solve a mystery
7magicSpecial and can do things that are not real
8parrotA colorful bird that can talk
9wishSomething you hope for or want to happen
10kindBeing nice to others

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What did Lily see from her window?
2. What did Lily take with her when she climbed the mountain?
3. What happened to Lily when she was walking up the mountain?
4. Who did Lily meet inside the castle?
5. Where did Lily find the key?
6. What did Lily wish for when she got the key?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Once upon a time, there was a girl named Lily. She (1)______ in a small house by a big mountain. She saw a pretty castle in the sky from her window. One day, she decided to (2)______ the mountain to see the castle.

Lily took a basket of food and started walking up the mountain. The wind was (3)______, and it picked her up. She landed inside the castle! She met a (4)______ man named Master Cloud.

Master Cloud told Lily that only good kids can see the castle. He lost his key and (5)______ help. Lily (6)______ all over the castle for clues to find the key.

Lily found the key in a magic garden with talking animals. A (7)______ and a turtle helped her. Lily got the key and Master Cloud gave her a wish. She wished for everyone to be kind. Lily went home and (8)______ everyone to be nice, just like in her wish.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a castle? Why do you think Lily wanted to see the castle in the sky?
2. How would you feel if you saw a castle in the sky from your window? Why?
3. Do you like climbing mountains? Why or why not?
4. What is a key? Do you think keys are important? Why or why not?
5. How do you think it feels to have a wish come true? What would you wish for?
6. Do you think it’s important to be kind to others? Why or why not?
7. Have you ever helped someone find something? How did it make you feel?
8. If you could meet a friendly man named Master Cloud, what would you ask him? Why?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. castle
2. mountain
3. basket
4. wind
5. friendly
6. clues
7. magic
8. parrot
9. wish
10. kind

Meanings:
(A) Special and can do things that are not real
(B) Something you hope for or want to happen
(C) Being nice to others
(D) Hints that help you find something or solve a mystery
(E) A colorful bird that can talk
(F) A very tall hill
(G) A big house where a king or queen might live
(H) Nice to others and easy to like
(I) Something you can carry things in, made of woven strips
(J) Air that moves fast and can push things
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Where did Lily live?
(a) By the ocean
(b) By a big mountain
(c) In a big city
(d) In a small village

2. What did Lily see from her window?
(a) A big tree
(b) A pretty castle in the sky
(c) A flying bird
(d) A colorful flower

3. How did Lily get inside the castle?
(a) The wind picked her up
(b) She climbed through a window
(c) She found a secret door
(d) She knocked on the front door

4. Who did Lily meet inside the castle?
(a) Princess Lily
(b) King Castle
(c) Master Cloud
(d) Queen Sky

5. What did Master Cloud need help with?
(a) Finding his lost key
(b) Cleaning the castle
(c) Cooking dinner
(d) Fixing a broken window

6. Where did Lily find the key?
(a) Under her bed
(b) In a treasure chest
(c) On top of the mountain
(d) In a magic garden with talking animals

7. What did Lily wish for?
(a) Everyone to be rich
(b) Everyone to be strong
(c) Everyone to be kind
(d) Everyone to be funny

8. What did Lily do after she went home?
(a) She went to sleep
(b) She played with her toys
(c) She went back to the castle
(d) She told everyone to be nice

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Lily didn’t see a pretty castle in the sky from her window.
2. Master Cloud needed help finding his lost key, and Lily searched all over the castle for clues to find it.
3. There was no girl named Lily who lived in a small house by a big mountain.
4. Lily took a basket of food with her on her journey up the mountain.
5. Lily chose not to climb the mountain to see the castle.
6. The wind was strong and it picked Lily up and carried her to the castle.
7. Lily met a friendly man named Master Cloud inside the castle.
8. Lily couldn’t find the key in a magic garden with talking animals, and Master Cloud didn’t grant her a wish to make everyone be kind.
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 Lily see from her window?
Lily saw a pretty castle in the sky from her window.

2. What did Lily take with her when she climbed the mountain?
Lily took a basket of food with her when she climbed the mountain.

3. What happened to Lily when she was walking up the mountain?
The wind was strong and it picked Lily up, and she landed inside the castle.

4. Who did Lily meet inside the castle?
Lily met a friendly man named Master Cloud inside the castle.

5. Where did Lily find the key?
Lily found the key in a magic garden with talking animals.

6. What did Lily wish for when she got the key?
Lily wished for everyone to be kind when she got the key.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) lived
(2) climb
(3) strong
(4) friendly
(5) needed
(6) looked
(7) parrot
(8) told
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. castle
Answer: (G) A big house where a king or queen might live

2. mountain
Answer: (F) A very tall hill

3. basket
Answer: (I) Something you can carry things in, made of woven strips

4. wind
Answer: (J) Air that moves fast and can push things

5. friendly
Answer: (H) Nice to others and easy to like

6. clues
Answer: (D) Hints that help you find something or solve a mystery

7. magic
Answer: (A) Special and can do things that are not real

8. parrot
Answer: (E) A colorful bird that can talk

9. wish
Answer: (B) Something you hope for or want to happen

10. kind
Answer: (C) Being nice to others
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Where did Lily live?
Answer: (b) By a big mountain

2. What did Lily see from her window?
Answer: (b) A pretty castle in the sky

3. How did Lily get inside the castle?
Answer: (a) The wind picked her up

4. Who did Lily meet inside the castle?
Answer: (c) Master Cloud

5. What did Master Cloud need help with?
Answer: (a) Finding his lost key

6. Where did Lily find the key?
Answer: (d) In a magic garden with talking animals

7. What did Lily wish for?
Answer: (c) Everyone to be kind

8. What did Lily do after she went home?
Answer: (d) She told everyone to be nice
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Lily didn’t see a pretty castle in the sky from her window. (Answer: False)
2. Master Cloud needed help finding his lost key, and Lily searched all over the castle for clues to find it. (Answer: True)
3. There was no girl named Lily who lived in a small house by a big mountain. (Answer: False)
4. Lily took a basket of food with her on her journey up the mountain. (Answer: True)
5. Lily chose not to climb the mountain to see the castle. (Answer: False)
6. The wind was strong and it picked Lily up and carried her to the castle. (Answer: True)
7. Lily met a friendly man named Master Cloud inside the castle. (Answer: True)
8. Lily couldn’t find the key in a magic garden with talking animals, and Master Cloud didn’t grant her a wish to make everyone be kind. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 1 stories?

Bobo the mischievous monkey and Toots the colorful toucan befriend a group of squirrels and discover a magical singing waterfall in the Jade Jungle, ultimately learning the power of friendship and laughter.

The Journey to the Jade Jungle

Bobo the monkey went on an adventure in the jungle with his friend Toots the bird. They met a special raccoon and made lots of new friends.

The broken letterbox becomes a source of laughter and connection as the townsfolk turn it into an interactive game for a mischievous squirrel named Nutkin.

The Broken Letterbox

The people in the colorful town found their broken letterbox and played a fun game to fix it.

A magical swan named Saffron and a brave boy named Milo embark on a journey to defeat an evil sorcerer and teach a lesson about friendship.

The Saffron Swan

A shiny swan named Saffron and a brave boy named Milo became friends and stopped a bad man together.

The Mischievous Kitten

Once upon a time, in a small village, there lived a family with a mischievous kitten named Mimi. Mimi was

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