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 Lighthouse Keeper’s Secret

Mr. Wilson's quest to retrieve a stolen crystal leads to a hilarious chase through the village.

Try this story at a different level?

 

In a little village by the sea, there lived a happy man named Mr. Wilson. He took care of a big light in a tower. He had a magic rock that could make wishes come true, but no one knew about it.

One day, a silly bird named Sammy found the rock and took it. The big light went out! The people in the village were confused and didn’t know why the light was gone.

Mr. Wilson ran after Sammy to get the rock back. He had bread pieces to help him catch the bird. He ran here and there, making the people laugh as he went through streets, over flowers, and into a place where they sell fish.

In the end, Mr. Wilson got the rock back! The tower light shone again, and everyone was happy. They said thank you to Mr. Wilson for being so brave. Mr. Wilson showed everyone that we can smile and have fun even when things are hard.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1villageA small place where people live, with houses and roads
2towerA tall building that reaches high into the sky
3magicSpecial and not real, like in fairy tales
4wishesThings you want to happen very much
5confusedWhen you don’t understand something and your head feels funny
6breadFood made from flour and water, you eat it with butter or jam
7streetsRoads in a town where cars and people go
8flowersPretty plants with colors that smell nice
9braveWhen you are not scared to do something hard
10smileWhen your face is happy and your mouth goes up at the sides

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Who lived in the little village by the sea?
2. What did Mr. Wilson take care of in the tower?
3. What did Sammy the bird find?
4. What happened when Sammy took the rock?
5. How did Mr. Wilson try to catch Sammy?
6. What happened in the end?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In a little village by the sea, there lived a happy man named Mr. Wilson. He took care of a big light in a tower. He had a magic rock that could make (1)______ come (2)______, but no one knew about it.

One day, a silly bird named Sammy found the rock and took it. The big light went out! The people in the (3)______ were (4)______ and didn’t know why the light was gone.

Mr. Wilson ran after Sammy to get the rock back. He had bread pieces to help him catch the bird. He ran here and there, making the people (5)______ as he went through (6)______, over flowers, and into a place where they sell fish.

In the end, Mr. Wilson got the rock back! The tower light (7)______ again, and everyone was happy. They said thank you to Mr. (8)______ for being so brave. Mr. Wilson showed everyone that we can smile and have fun even when things are hard.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a village?
2. How would you feel if you found a magic rock?
3. Do you like birds? Why or why not?
4. What do you think Mr. Wilson did when he saw the big light was gone?
5. Have you ever seen a tower? What did it look like?
6. How do you think Mr. Wilson felt when he got the rock back?
7. Do you think it’s important to be brave? Why or why not?
8. Why do you think the people in the village said thank you to Mr. Wilson?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. village
2. tower
3. magic
4. wishes
5. confused
6. bread
7. streets
8. flowers
9. brave
10. smile

Meanings:
(A) Pretty plants with colors that smell nice
(B) A tall building that reaches high into the sky
(C) When you don’t understand something and your head feels funny
(D) Food made from flour and water, you eat it with butter or jam
(E) A small place where people live, with houses and roads
(F) When you are not scared to do something hard
(G) When your face is happy and your mouth goes up at the sides
(H) Roads in a town where cars and people go
(I) Special and not real, like in fairy tales
(J) Things you want to happen very much
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Who took Mr. Wilson’s magic rock?
(a) Bobby
(b) Lucy
(c) Sammy
(d) Emily

2. What happened to the big light in the tower?
(a) It went out
(b) It got bigger
(c) It turned blue
(d) It disappeared

3. How did Mr. Wilson try to catch Sammy?
(a) With a net
(b) With bread pieces
(c) With a ball
(d) With a stick

4. Where did Mr. Wilson run to catch Sammy?
(a) Through the forest
(b) Through the mountains
(c) Through the streets
(d) Through the desert

5. What did the people in the village do when the tower light shone again?
(a) They were sad
(b) They were happy
(c) They were angry
(d) They were scared

6. What did the people say to Mr. Wilson?
(a) Goodbye
(b) Sorry
(c) Hello
(d) Thank you

7. What did Mr. Wilson show everyone?
(a) That we should be sad all the time
(b) That we should be angry all the time
(c) That we should be scared all the time
(d) That we can smile and have fun

8. Where did Mr. Wilson work?
(a) In the tower
(b) In the bakery
(c) In the school
(d) In the hospital

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. He had a cursed rock that could grant wishes, but nobody cared about it.
2. Mr. Wilson took care of a big light in a tower.
3. One day, a clever bird named Sammy found the rock and left it untouched, leaving the big light unaffected.
4. In the end, Mr. Wilson failed to retrieve the rock, and the tower light remained dim, disappointing everyone.
5. There was a happy man named Mr. Wilson who lived in a village by the sea.
6. He ran through streets, over flowers, and even into a place where they sell fish, making the people laugh.
7. The people in the village were well-informed and knew exactly why the light was gone.
8. Mr. Wilson chased after Sammy to get the rock back, using bread pieces to help him catch the bird.
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 lived in the little village by the sea?
Mr. Wilson lived in the little village by the sea.

2. What did Mr. Wilson take care of in the tower?
Mr. Wilson took care of a big light in the tower.

3. What did Sammy the bird find?
Sammy the bird found a magic rock.

4. What happened when Sammy took the rock?
The big light in the tower went out.

5. How did Mr. Wilson try to catch Sammy?
Mr. Wilson tried to catch Sammy by running after him and using bread pieces.

6. What happened in the end?
Mr. Wilson got the rock back and the tower light shone again, making everyone happy.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) wishes
(2) true
(3) village
(4) confused
(5) laugh
(6) streets
(7) shone
(8) Wilson
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. village
Answer: (E) A small place where people live, with houses and roads

2. tower
Answer: (B) A tall building that reaches high into the sky

3. magic
Answer: (I) Special and not real, like in fairy tales

4. wishes
Answer: (J) Things you want to happen very much

5. confused
Answer: (C) When you don’t understand something and your head feels funny

6. bread
Answer: (D) Food made from flour and water, you eat it with butter or jam

7. streets
Answer: (H) Roads in a town where cars and people go

8. flowers
Answer: (A) Pretty plants with colors that smell nice

9. brave
Answer: (F) When you are not scared to do something hard

10. smile
Answer: (G) When your face is happy and your mouth goes up at the sides
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Who took Mr. Wilson’s magic rock?
Answer: (c) Sammy

2. What happened to the big light in the tower?
Answer: (a) It went out

3. How did Mr. Wilson try to catch Sammy?
Answer: (b) With bread pieces

4. Where did Mr. Wilson run to catch Sammy?
Answer: (c) Through the streets

5. What did the people in the village do when the tower light shone again?
Answer: (b) They were happy

6. What did the people say to Mr. Wilson?
Answer: (d) Thank you

7. What did Mr. Wilson show everyone?
Answer: (d) That we can smile and have fun

8. Where did Mr. Wilson work?
Answer: (a) In the tower
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. He had a cursed rock that could grant wishes, but nobody cared about it. (Answer: False)
2. Mr. Wilson took care of a big light in a tower. (Answer: True)
3. One day, a clever bird named Sammy found the rock and left it untouched, leaving the big light unaffected. (Answer: False)
4. In the end, Mr. Wilson failed to retrieve the rock, and the tower light remained dim, disappointing everyone. (Answer: False)
5. There was a happy man named Mr. Wilson who lived in a village by the sea. (Answer: True)
6. He ran through streets, over flowers, and even into a place where they sell fish, making the people laugh. (Answer: True)
7. The people in the village were well-informed and knew exactly why the light was gone. (Answer: False)
8. Mr. Wilson chased after Sammy to get the rock back, using bread pieces to help him catch the bird. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 1 stories?

Polly's determination pays off when she finds her lost puppy safe and sound.

Polly’s New Puppy

Polly really wanted a puppy, so she worked hard and her mom and dad surprised her with one named Buttercup.

Maya's wish for endless laughter brings joy and unity to her village, making her the laughter ambassador.

The Mysterious Mango

Maya found a magical mango that granted her a wish, and she wished for laughter for everyone!

A determined cat named Fluffy builds a flying contraption and learns the importance of seeking guidance.

Fluffy’s Fantastic Flight

Fluffy the cat wanted to fly, so he made a flying thing, but got lost in the sky. Thankfully, friendly birds helped him come back down safely.

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

The Tangerine Tiger and his friends went on an adventure to find a special fruit that gives superpowers, but they realized that having fun and being friends is even better.

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