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 Marshmallow Mountains

Lily conquers the Marshmallow Mountains, learns the secret recipe, and shares everlasting marshmallows with the world.

Try this story at a different level?

 

Once upon a time, there was a special place with big, soft hills called Marshmallow Mountains. These hills were like the sweet, squishy marshmallows people like to eat. The hills had magic that let anyone who climbed them talk to animals.

A girl named Lily wanted to climb the highest hill. A rabbit named Oliver told her that at the top, she could find a secret marshmallow recipe. So Lily walked up the hills, wanting to find that recipe.

On her journey, Lily met a squirrel named Nutmeg who couldn’t find her acorn. Lily asked all the animals to help find the acorn. They found it together in the soft hill. Lily saw how good it feels to help friends.

In the end, Lily made it to the top and found a small door. Behind it was the secret recipe and a unicorn who gave it to her. Lily went home and made marshmallows that stayed perfect forever. She started a business and told everybody to work hard, be kind, and help others just like she did in the Marshmallow Mountains.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1specialSomething not like other things, very unusual
2climbedWent up something, like a hill or a tree
3magicA kind of power that can do amazing things
4journeyA trip or adventure to a place
5squirrelA small animal with a big bushy tail that likes to jump in trees
6secretSomething that is not supposed to be seen or known by everyone
7recipeInstructions that tell you how to make something yummy
8unicornA magical horse with one horn on its head
9perfectWhen something is just right, with no mistakes
10businessA place where people make and sell things

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What were the hills in the special place called?
2. What did the hills feel like?
3. What could people do if they climbed the hills?
4. Who told Lily about the secret marshmallow recipe?
5. What did Lily find on her journey?
6. What did Lily do with the secret recipe?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Once upon a time, there was a special place with big, soft hills called Marshmallow Mountains. These hills were (1)______ the sweet, squishy marshmallows (2)______ like to eat. The hills had magic that let anyone who climbed them talk to animals.

A girl named Lily wanted to climb the highest (3)______. A rabbit named Oliver told her that at the top, she could find a secret marshmallow recipe. So Lily walked up the (4)______, wanting to find that recipe.

On her journey, Lily met a squirrel named Nutmeg who couldn’t find her (5)______. Lily asked all the animals to help find the acorn. They found it together in the soft hill. Lily saw how good it feels to help friends.

In the end, Lily made it to the top and found a (6)______ door. Behind it was the secret recipe and a unicorn who gave it to her. Lily went home and made marshmallows that (7)______ perfect forever. She started a (8)______ and told everybody to work hard, be kind, and help others just like she did in the Marshmallow Mountains.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a marshmallow? Why do people like to eat them?
2. How would you feel if you could talk to animals?
3. Do you like helping your friends? Why or why not?
4. Do you think it’s important to work hard? Why or why not?
5. What do you think the secret marshmallow recipe is?
6. How do you think Lily felt when she found the small door at the top of the hill?
7. Would you like to have a business like Lily’s? Why or why not?
8. Why do you think Lily told everybody to work hard, be kind, and help others?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. special
2. climbed
3. magic
4. journey
5. squirrel
6. secret
7. recipe
8. unicorn
9. perfect
10. business

Meanings:
(A) Something that is not supposed to be seen or known by everyone
(B) Went up something, like a hill or a tree
(C) Something not like other things, very unusual
(D) Instructions that tell you how to make something yummy
(E) When something is just right, with no mistakes
(F) A magical horse with one horn on its head
(G) A trip or adventure to a place
(H) A place where people make and sell things
(I) A small animal with a big bushy tail that likes to jump in trees
(J) A kind of power that can do amazing things
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What were the hills in Marshmallow Mountains like?
(a) Small and hard
(b) Tall and rocky
(c) Flat and smooth
(d) Big and soft

2. What did Lily want to find at the top of the hill?
(a) A hidden treasure
(b) A magical wand
(c) A secret marshmallow recipe
(d) A talking unicorn

3. Who helped Lily find Nutmeg’s acorn?
(a) Lily’s parents
(b) Lily’s friends
(c) All the animals
(d) Lily’s teacher

4. What did Lily see when she opened the small door at the top of the hill?
(a) The secret recipe and a unicorn
(b) A magical portal to another world
(c) A room full of marshmallows
(d) A talking squirrel

5. What did Lily do with the secret recipe?
(a) She shared it with all her friends
(b) She made marshmallows that stayed perfect forever
(c) She threw it away
(d) She sold it to a famous chef

6. What advice did Lily give to everybody?
(a) Work hard, be kind, and help others
(b) Eat marshmallows every day
(c) Never climb the hills again
(d) Keep the secret recipe to themselves

7. Why did Lily start a business?
(a) To become rich and famous
(b) To sell the perfect marshmallows
(c) To make new friends
(d) To explore the Marshmallow Mountains

8. What did Lily learn on her journey?
(a) Marshmallows are the best food in the world
(b) The hills are dangerous and should be avoided
(c) Unicorns are not real
(d) It feels good to help friends

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. The Marshmallow Mountains had big, soft hills that were like squishy marshmallows.
2. Climbing the hills allowed people to talk to animals.
3. Lily met a rabbit named Nutmeg who couldn’t find her acorn.
4. Lily made marshmallows that constantly changed and started a business, teaching others to be lazy, selfish, and ignore others.
5. A squirrel named Oliver told Lily about the common recipe at the bottom of the hill.
6. Lily wanted to climb the highest hill to find a secret marshmallow recipe.
7. Lily and the animals worked separately to find Nutmeg’s acorn in the hard hill.
8. At the top of the hill, Lily found a small door with the secret recipe behind it.
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 were the hills in the special place called?
The hills were called Marshmallow Mountains.

2. What did the hills feel like?
The hills felt soft and squishy, like marshmallows.

3. What could people do if they climbed the hills?
If people climbed the hills, they could talk to animals.

4. Who told Lily about the secret marshmallow recipe?
A rabbit named Oliver told Lily about the secret marshmallow recipe.

5. What did Lily find on her journey?
On her journey, Lily found a lost acorn with the help of her animal friends.

6. What did Lily do with the secret recipe?
Lily went home and used the secret recipe to make marshmallows that stayed perfect forever. She started a business and told everyone to work hard, be kind, and help others just like she did in the Marshmallow Mountains.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) like
(2) people
(3) hill
(4) hills
(5) acorn
(6) small
(7) stayed
(8) business
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. special
Answer: (C) Something not like other things, very unusual

2. climbed
Answer: (B) Went up something, like a hill or a tree

3. magic
Answer: (J) A kind of power that can do amazing things

4. journey
Answer: (G) A trip or adventure to a place

5. squirrel
Answer: (I) A small animal with a big bushy tail that likes to jump in trees

6. secret
Answer: (A) Something that is not supposed to be seen or known by everyone

7. recipe
Answer: (D) Instructions that tell you how to make something yummy

8. unicorn
Answer: (F) A magical horse with one horn on its head

9. perfect
Answer: (E) When something is just right, with no mistakes

10. business
Answer: (H) A place where people make and sell things
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What were the hills in Marshmallow Mountains like?
Answer: (d) Big and soft

2. What did Lily want to find at the top of the hill?
Answer: (c) A secret marshmallow recipe

3. Who helped Lily find Nutmeg’s acorn?
Answer: (c) All the animals

4. What did Lily see when she opened the small door at the top of the hill?
Answer: (a) The secret recipe and a unicorn

5. What did Lily do with the secret recipe?
Answer: (b) She made marshmallows that stayed perfect forever

6. What advice did Lily give to everybody?
Answer: (a) Work hard, be kind, and help others

7. Why did Lily start a business?
Answer: (b) To sell the perfect marshmallows

8. What did Lily learn on her journey?
Answer: (d) It feels good to help friends
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. The Marshmallow Mountains had big, soft hills that were like squishy marshmallows. (Answer: True)
2. Climbing the hills allowed people to talk to animals. (Answer: True)
3. Lily met a rabbit named Nutmeg who couldn’t find her acorn. (Answer: False)
4. Lily made marshmallows that constantly changed and started a business, teaching others to be lazy, selfish, and ignore others. (Answer: False)
5. A squirrel named Oliver told Lily about the common recipe at the bottom of the hill. (Answer: False)
6. Lily wanted to climb the highest hill to find a secret marshmallow recipe. (Answer: True)
7. Lily and the animals worked separately to find Nutmeg’s acorn in the hard hill. (Answer: False)
8. At the top of the hill, Lily found a small door with the secret recipe behind it. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 1 stories?

Whiskers, the Queen of Cats, unites animals of all kinds and teaches them the power of compassion.

The Queen of Cats

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

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.

Lily and her animal friends explore a crystal cave, discovering magical powers and learning important lessons.

The Crystal Cave

Lily found a magical cave and made friends with animals who helped her find treasure.

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