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 Queen of Cats

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

Try this story at a different level?

 

Once upon a time, there was a special cat named Whiskers. Whiskers was very pretty and all the other cats called her their queen. She loved to sleep in the sun on her big cat tree.

One day, Whiskers saw some mice trying to leave. She could have been mean, but instead, she was nice and let them go. Everyone started calling her “The Queen with a Heart.”

Soon, all animals heard about Whiskers being so kind. They decided to be friends with each other, just like how Whiskers was. Cats, dogs, rabbits, and birds all lived happily together.

Whiskers showed everyone that being nice is the best way. The animals stopped being mean to each other and became good friends. Whiskers will always be remembered as the kindest Queen of Cats.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1specialNot like others, very unique
2prettyVery nice to look at
3queenThe lady who is in charge, like in a castle
4sunThe big, bright thing in the sky during the day
5sleepWhen you close your eyes to rest
6kindWhen you are nice to others
7friendsPeople you like to play and spend time with
8rememberedWhen people think of you even when you’re not there
9animalsCreatures that move, like cats and dogs
10meanNot nice

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Who was the special cat in the story?
2. What did the other cats call Whiskers?
3. Where did Whiskers like to sleep?
4. What did Whiskers see one day?
5. What did Whiskers decide to do when she saw the mice?
6. How did the animals start to act towards each other after Whiskers showed them how to be nice?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Once upon a time, there was a special cat (1)______ Whiskers. Whiskers was very (2)______ and all the other cats called her their queen. She loved to sleep in the sun on her big cat tree.

One day, Whiskers saw some mice trying to leave. She could have been mean, but instead, she was nice and let them go. Everyone started calling her “The (3)______ with a (4)______.”

Soon, all animals heard about Whiskers being so kind. They decided to be friends with each other, just like how Whiskers was. Cats, dogs, rabbits, and (5)______ all (6)______ happily together.

Whiskers showed everyone that being nice is the best way. The animals (7)______ being mean to each other and became (8)______ friends. Whiskers will always be remembered as the kindest Queen of Cats.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a cat tree?
2. How would you feel if you saw some mice trying to leave?
3. Do you like animals being friends with each other? Why or why not?
4. What do you think is the best way to be? Kind or mean?
5. How do you think Whiskers felt when everyone started calling her “The Queen with a Heart”?
6. What other animals do you think lived happily together with the cats, dogs, rabbits, and birds?
7. Do you think it’s important to be nice to others? Why or why not?
8. Why do you think Whiskers will always be remembered as the kindest Queen of Cats?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. special
2. pretty
3. queen
4. sun
5. sleep
6. kind
7. friends
8. remembered
9. animals
10. mean

Meanings:
(A) When you are nice to others
(B) Creatures that move, like cats and dogs
(C) When you close your eyes to rest
(D) When people think of you even when you’re not there
(E) The lady who is in charge, like in a castle
(F) Not like others, very unique
(G) People you like to play and spend time with
(H) Not nice
(I) The big, bright thing in the sky during the day
(J) Very nice to look at
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Who is the main character of the story?
(a) Watson
(b) Robert
(c) Whiskers
(d) Jones

2. What did the other cats call Whiskers?
(a) Their king
(b) Their friend
(c) Their enemy
(d) Their queen

3. Where did Whiskers like to sleep?
(a) In a cave
(b) On a boat
(c) On her big cat tree
(d) In a castle

4. What did Whiskers see trying to leave?
(a) Mice
(b) Birds
(c) Dogs
(d) Rabbits

5. How did Whiskers treat the mice?
(a) She caught them
(b) She let them go
(c) She played with them
(d) She ate them

6. What did everyone start calling Whiskers?
(a) The Queen with a Crown
(b) The Queen with a Sword
(c) The Queen with a Hat
(d) The Queen with a Heart

7. Who decided to be friends with each other?
(a) All animals
(b) Only cats
(c) Only dogs
(d) Only birds

8. What did the animals stop doing to each other?
(a) Being nice
(b) Being mean
(c) Being silly
(d) Being loud

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. The animals continued being mean to each other and didn’t become good friends because of Whiskers.
2. Whiskers saw some mice trying to leave and instead of being mean, she was nice and let them go.
3. Whiskers became known as “The Queen with No Heart” because she was so unkind.
4. Cats, dogs, rabbits, and birds all lived happily together because they were friends.
5. Whiskers dislikes sleeping in the sun on her big cat tree.
6. Not all the animals heard about Whiskers being nice and decided not to be friends with each other.
7. Whiskers is a very pretty cat that all the other cats love.
8. Whiskers showed everyone that being nice is the best way to be.
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 was the special cat in the story?
Whiskers was the special cat in the story.

2. What did the other cats call Whiskers?
The other cats called Whiskers their queen.

3. Where did Whiskers like to sleep?
Whiskers liked to sleep in the sun on her big cat tree.

4. What did Whiskers see one day?
Whiskers saw some mice trying to leave.

5. What did Whiskers decide to do when she saw the mice?
Whiskers decided to be nice and let the mice go.

6. How did the animals start to act towards each other after Whiskers showed them how to be nice?
The animals started to be nice to each other and became good friends.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) named
(2) pretty
(3) Queen
(4) Heart
(5) birds
(6) lived
(7) stopped
(8) good
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. special
Answer: (F) Not like others, very unique

2. pretty
Answer: (J) Very nice to look at

3. queen
Answer: (E) The lady who is in charge, like in a castle

4. sun
Answer: (I) The big, bright thing in the sky during the day

5. sleep
Answer: (C) When you close your eyes to rest

6. kind
Answer: (A) When you are nice to others

7. friends
Answer: (G) People you like to play and spend time with

8. remembered
Answer: (D) When people think of you even when you’re not there

9. animals
Answer: (B) Creatures that move, like cats and dogs

10. mean
Answer: (H) Not nice
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Who is the main character of the story?
Answer: (c) Whiskers

2. What did the other cats call Whiskers?
Answer: (d) Their queen

3. Where did Whiskers like to sleep?
Answer: (c) On her big cat tree

4. What did Whiskers see trying to leave?
Answer: (a) Mice

5. How did Whiskers treat the mice?
Answer: (b) She let them go

6. What did everyone start calling Whiskers?
Answer: (d) The Queen with a Heart

7. Who decided to be friends with each other?
Answer: (a) All animals

8. What did the animals stop doing to each other?
Answer: (b) Being mean
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. The animals continued being mean to each other and didn’t become good friends because of Whiskers. (Answer: False)
2. Whiskers saw some mice trying to leave and instead of being mean, she was nice and let them go. (Answer: True)
3. Whiskers became known as “The Queen with No Heart” because she was so unkind. (Answer: False)
4. Cats, dogs, rabbits, and birds all lived happily together because they were friends. (Answer: True)
5. Whiskers dislikes sleeping in the sun on her big cat tree. (Answer: False)
6. Not all the animals heard about Whiskers being nice and decided not to be friends with each other. (Answer: False)
7. Whiskers is a very pretty cat that all the other cats love. (Answer: True)
8. Whiskers showed everyone that being nice is the best way to be. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 1 stories?

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.

A princess falls in love with a humble peasant who brings her a plain potato.

The Princess and the Potato

Once upon a time, there was a princess named Penelope who loved potatoes more than anything. She said she would marry whoever gave her the best potato. Even though a fancy man brought a big potato, Penelope chose a boy named Peter with a small potato made with love. They got married and became happy together.

Penelope, the brave pirate princess, embarks on daring adventures, outsmarting sea monsters, cunning pirates, and even making a wish with a magical Golden Mermaid.

The Pirate Princess

Penelope the pirate princess goes on exciting adventures, defeats sea monsters, tricks bad pirates, and finds treasure.

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.