Paul Holmes -
University
English Professor

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Short Stories for Kids

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The Peculiar Purple Pie

A small village is transformed by a baker's magical pies, teaching the importance of sharing.

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In a tiny village, there was a man named Mr. Higgins who made yummy treats. One day, he was making a pie and used some paint by mistake! He didn’t know and put the pie in his bakery.

When a person ate the pie, their face turned purple, and they floated up! People were amazed and came to try the pie. They did fun things like sing and rhyme. The village was very happy because of Mr. Higgins’ funny pie.

But then, people wanted all the pies to themselves. They forgot to share, and the village wasn’t happy anymore. Mr. Higgins knew he had to help everyone remember to be kind.

Mr. Higgins told everyone that the real magic was sharing and being nice. The villagers listened and started to be kind again. Everyone shared the pies, and the village was filled with friendship and smiles. The pie helped them learn to care for each other.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1treatsYummy things to eat, like cookies or candy
2bakeryA place where you can buy bread and cakes
3amazedFeeling very surprised because something is so wonderful
4floatedGoing up into the air without touching the ground
5villagersPeople who live in the same small place, like a tiny town
6sharingLetting others use or have some of what you have
7magicSpecial power that can do things that are not real
8friendshipWhen people like each other and are nice to each other
9pieA round food with a crust and something sweet or tasty inside
10careTo love and look after someone or something

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What happened when people ate the pie?
2. Why were people amazed and came to try the pie?
3. Why did the village become unhappy?
4. What did Mr. Higgins tell everyone about the real magic?
5. What happened when the villagers started being kind again?
6. How did the pie help the village learn to care for each other?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In a tiny village, there was a man named Mr. Higgins who made yummy treats. One day, he was (1)______ a pie and used some (2)______ by mistake! He didn’t know and put the pie in his bakery.

When a person ate the pie, their face turned (3)______, and they floated up! People were amazed and (4)______ to try the pie. They did fun things like sing and rhyme. The village was very happy because of Mr. Higgins’ funny pie.

But then, people wanted all the pies to themselves. They forgot to share, and the village wasn’t happy anymore. Mr. (5)______ knew he had to help everyone remember to be kind.

Mr. Higgins (6)______ everyone that the real magic was sharing and being nice. The villagers listened and started to be kind again. Everyone shared the (7)______, and the village was filled with (8)______ and smiles. The pie helped them learn to care for each other.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a treat?
2. How would you feel if your face turned purple and you floated up after eating a pie?
3. Do you like pies? Why or why not?
4. What do you think happened when people ate the funny pie?
5. How would you feel if people didn’t share the pies with you?
6. What do you think Mr. Higgins wanted everyone to remember?
7. Do you think it’s important to be kind to others? Why or why not?
8. How do you think the village felt when they started sharing the pies and being kind again?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. treats
2. bakery
3. amazed
4. floated
5. villagers
6. sharing
7. magic
8. friendship
9. pie
10. care

Meanings:
(A) Special power that can do things that are not real
(B) To love and look after someone or something
(C) A place where you can buy bread and cakes
(D) Letting others use or have some of what you have
(E) When people like each other and are nice to each other
(F) Yummy things to eat, like cookies or candy
(G) A round food with a crust and something sweet or tasty inside
(H) People who live in the same small place, like a tiny town
(I) Going up into the air without touching the ground
(J) Feeling very surprised because something is so wonderful
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What did Mr. Higgins make?
(a) Toys
(b) Clothes
(c) Books
(d) Treats

2. What happened when people ate the pie?
(a) They turned into animals
(b) Their face turned purple and they floated up
(c) They became invisible
(d) They grew taller

3. Why were people amazed?
(a) Because the pie tasted really good
(b) Because the pie made them sleepy
(c) Because the pie made them do fun things
(d) Because the pie made them sad

4. What did people forget to do?
(a) Sing
(b) Dance
(c) Sleep
(d) Share

5. What did Mr. Higgins tell everyone?
(a) That the real magic was sharing and being nice
(b) That the real magic was hiding and being mean
(c) That the real magic was running and being loud
(d) That the real magic was sleeping and being lazy

6. What did the villagers start doing again?
(a) Being mean
(b) Being sad
(c) Being kind
(d) Being silly

7. What filled the village?
(a) Anger and frowns
(b) Friendship and smiles
(c) Fear and tears
(d) Loneliness and sadness

8. What did the pie help the villagers learn?
(a) To care for each other
(b) To ignore each other
(c) To fight with each other
(d) To hide from each other

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. There was a man named Mr. Higgins who made yummy treats in a small village.
2. Mr. Higgins was unaware he had to remind everyone to be unkind and withhold.
3. Everyone in the village shared the pies and the village became happy and filled with friendship.
4. Mr. Higgins accidentally used paint instead of an ingredient while making a pie.
5. The villagers ignored Mr. Higgins and continued to be unkind to each other again.
6. People in the village refused to try the pie and had no fun singing and rhyming.
7. People in the village became selfish and stopped sharing the pies.
8. When people ate the pie, their faces remained the same color and they stayed grounded.
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 happened when people ate the pie?
Their face turned purple and they floated up.

2. Why were people amazed and came to try the pie?
Because it made them do fun things like sing and rhyme.

3. Why did the village become unhappy?
Because people stopped sharing the pies and only wanted them for themselves.

4. What did Mr. Higgins tell everyone about the real magic?
He told them that the real magic was sharing and being nice.

5. What happened when the villagers started being kind again?
The village became filled with friendship and smiles.

6. How did the pie help the village learn to care for each other?
The pie helped them learn to care for each other because it made them realize the importance of sharing and being kind.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) making
(2) paint
(3) purple
(4) came
(5) Higgins
(6) told
(7) pies
(8) friendship
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. treats
Answer: (F) Yummy things to eat, like cookies or candy

2. bakery
Answer: (C) A place where you can buy bread and cakes

3. amazed
Answer: (J) Feeling very surprised because something is so wonderful

4. floated
Answer: (I) Going up into the air without touching the ground

5. villagers
Answer: (H) People who live in the same small place, like a tiny town

6. sharing
Answer: (D) Letting others use or have some of what you have

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

8. friendship
Answer: (E) When people like each other and are nice to each other

9. pie
Answer: (G) A round food with a crust and something sweet or tasty inside

10. care
Answer: (B) To love and look after someone or something
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What did Mr. Higgins make?
Answer: (d) Treats

2. What happened when people ate the pie?
Answer: (b) Their face turned purple and they floated up

3. Why were people amazed?
Answer: (c) Because the pie made them do fun things

4. What did people forget to do?
Answer: (d) Share

5. What did Mr. Higgins tell everyone?
Answer: (a) That the real magic was sharing and being nice

6. What did the villagers start doing again?
Answer: (c) Being kind

7. What filled the village?
Answer: (b) Friendship and smiles

8. What did the pie help the villagers learn?
Answer: (a) To care for each other
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. There was a man named Mr. Higgins who made yummy treats in a small village. (Answer: True)
2. Mr. Higgins was unaware he had to remind everyone to be unkind and withhold. (Answer: False)
3. Everyone in the village shared the pies and the village became happy and filled with friendship. (Answer: True)
4. Mr. Higgins accidentally used paint instead of an ingredient while making a pie. (Answer: True)
5. The villagers ignored Mr. Higgins and continued to be unkind to each other again. (Answer: False)
6. People in the village refused to try the pie and had no fun singing and rhyming. (Answer: False)
7. People in the village became selfish and stopped sharing the pies. (Answer: True)
8. When people ate the pie, their faces remained the same color and they stayed grounded. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 1 stories?

A mischievous penguin named Percy and a wise snow owl named Oliver form an unbreakable friendship on their journey to the legendary "Penguin Parade."

The Penguin Parade

Percy the penguin found a secret map and went on an adventure with his new friend Oliver.

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!

The Busy Bee

Once upon a time, in a beautiful meadow filled with flowers, there lived a busy little bee named Buzz. Buzz

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