Paul Holmes -
University
English Professor

Free Materials For ESL Teachers and Learners

Short Stories for Kids

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Amy and the Magic Book

Try this story at a different level?

 

In a tiny village, there was a girl named Amy who loved books. One day, she found a very old book in the library called “The Magic Book of Wonders.”

When she opened the book, she was zapped into a place where she could change things just by turning the pages. There were talking animals and huge friendly giants. Amy could make anything she wanted, like rivers of chocolate and candy clouds in the sky.

Soon, Amy made lots of fun things, like a joking unicorn. The village became a happy place because of her magic. But after a while, people stopped being amazed by the special little things in life.

Amy saw the problem and went back to the book. She read a spell to make everything go back to normal. The magic went away, and people learned to enjoy simple things again.

Amy was now known as the girl who could make magic but taught others to love small joys in life. The book stayed in the library, and Amy knew that the world around us is already full of wonder.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1villageA small town with houses and people
2libraryA place where you can borrow books
3bookSomething you read with words and pictures
4zappedSuddenly transported to a different place
5pagesThe sheets of paper in a book
6talkingAnimals that can speak like humans
7giantsVery big and friendly creatures
8riversLong streams of water
9candySweet treats made of sugar
10amazedVery surprised and impressed
11spellMagic words that make things happen
12joysThings that make you happy and bring you pleasure

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Who is the main character in the story?
2. What did Amy find in the library?
3. What happened when Amy opened the book?
4. What are some of the things Amy made with her magic?
5. Why did people stop being amazed by the special little things?
6. How did Amy fix the problem and teach others to enjoy simple things again?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In a tiny village, there was a (1)______ named Amy who (2)______ books. One day, she found a very old book in the (3)______ called “The Magic Book of Wonders.”

When she opened the book, she was zapped into a place where she could change things just by turning the pages. There (4)______ talking animals and huge friendly giants. Amy could make anything she wanted, like rivers of chocolate and candy clouds in the sky.

Soon, Amy made lots of fun things, like a (5)______ unicorn. The (6)______ became a happy place because of her magic. But after a (7)______, (8)______ stopped being amazed by the special little things in life.

Amy saw the problem and went back to the book. She read a spell to make everything go back to (9)______. The magic went away, and people (10)______ to enjoy simple (11)______ again.

Amy was now known as the girl who could make magic but taught others to love (12)______ joys in life. The book stayed in the library, and Amy knew that the world around us is already full of wonder.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a magic book?
2. How would you feel if you could make anything you wanted just by turning the pages of a book? Why?
3. Do you like the idea of having talking animals and friendly giants around you? Why or why not?
4. What do you think happened when people stopped being amazed by the special little things in life?
5. How do you think Amy felt when she saw that people were no longer amazed by the magic?
6. Do you think it’s important to enjoy simple things in life? Why or why not?
7. Why do you think Amy decided to read a spell to make everything go back to normal?
8. What do you think Amy learned from her experience with the magic book?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. village
2. library
3. book
4. zapped
5. pages
6. talking
7. giants
8. rivers
9. candy
10. amazed
11. spell
12. joys

Meanings:
(A) Sweet treats made of sugar
(B) Animals that can speak like humans
(C) Magic words that make things happen
(D) Very big and friendly creatures
(E) A small town with houses and people
(F) Long streams of water
(G) The sheets of paper in a book
(H) Things that make you happy and bring you pleasure
(I) Something you read with words and pictures
(J) Suddenly transported to a different place
(K) A place where you can borrow books
(L) Very surprised and impressed
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the name of the girl in the story?
(a) Amy
(b) Sarah
(c) Emma
(d) Lily

2. What did Amy find in the library?
(a) A secret treasure
(b) A talking animal
(c) The Magic Book of Wonders
(d) A hidden door

3. What happened when Amy opened the book?
(a) She fell asleep
(b) She lost her memory
(c) She turned invisible
(d) She was transported to a magical place

4. What could Amy do by turning the pages of the book?
(a) Fly in the sky
(b) Change things
(c) Talk to animals
(d) Solve mysteries

5. What did Amy make using her magic?
(a) Rivers of chocolate and candy clouds
(b) A flying carpet
(c) A time machine
(d) A talking robot

6. What happened when people stopped being amazed by the special things?
(a) Amy lost her magic powers
(b) Amy became sad
(c) Amy went on an adventure
(d) Amy went back to the book to fix it

7. How did Amy solve the problem?
(a) She ran away from the village
(b) She asked for help from a wizard
(c) She read a spell to make everything go back to normal
(d) She made more magic things

8. What did people learn from Amy?
(a) To always use magic
(b) To enjoy simple things in life
(c) To never read books
(d) To be afraid of the unknown

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Amy found a new book in the library called “The Magic Book of Wonders.”
2. People stopped appreciating the small joys in life because of Amy’s magic.
3. Amy created boring things like rivers of broccoli and broccoli clouds in the sky.
4. There was a boy named Amy who loved books.
5. In this magical place, Amy could change things by turning the pages.
6. The village remained a sad place because of Amy’s magic.
7. Amy realized the problem and used a spell to make everything go back to normal.
8. When Amy opened the book, she was transported to a magical place.
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 is the main character in the story?
The main character in the story is Amy.

2. What did Amy find in the library?
Amy found a very old book called “The Magic Book of Wonders” in the library.

3. What happened when Amy opened the book?
When Amy opened the book, she was zapped into a place where she could change things just by turning the pages.

4. What are some of the things Amy made with her magic?
Amy made lots of fun things like rivers of chocolate and candy clouds in the sky. She also made a joking unicorn.

5. Why did people stop being amazed by the special little things?
People stopped being amazed by the special little things because they got used to all the magic that Amy was making.

6. How did Amy fix the problem and teach others to enjoy simple things again?
Amy went back to the book and read a spell to make everything go back to normal. The magic went away and people learned to enjoy simple things again.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) girl
(2) loved
(3) library
(4) were
(5) joking
(6) village
(7) while
(8) people
(9) normal
(10) learned
(11) things
(12) small
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. village
Answer: (E) A small town with houses and people

2. library
Answer: (K) A place where you can borrow books

3. book
Answer: (I) Something you read with words and pictures

4. zapped
Answer: (J) Suddenly transported to a different place

5. pages
Answer: (G) The sheets of paper in a book

6. talking
Answer: (B) Animals that can speak like humans

7. giants
Answer: (D) Very big and friendly creatures

8. rivers
Answer: (F) Long streams of water

9. candy
Answer: (A) Sweet treats made of sugar

10. amazed
Answer: (L) Very surprised and impressed

11. spell
Answer: (C) Magic words that make things happen

12. joys
Answer: (H) Things that make you happy and bring you pleasure
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the name of the girl in the story?
Answer: (a) Amy

2. What did Amy find in the library?
Answer: (c) The Magic Book of Wonders

3. What happened when Amy opened the book?
Answer: (d) She was transported to a magical place

4. What could Amy do by turning the pages of the book?
Answer: (b) Change things

5. What did Amy make using her magic?
Answer: (a) Rivers of chocolate and candy clouds

6. What happened when people stopped being amazed by the special things?
Answer: (d) Amy went back to the book to fix it

7. How did Amy solve the problem?
Answer: (c) She read a spell to make everything go back to normal

8. What did people learn from Amy?
Answer: (b) To enjoy simple things in life
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Amy found a new book in the library called “The Magic Book of Wonders.” (Answer: False)
2. People stopped appreciating the small joys in life because of Amy’s magic. (Answer: True)
3. Amy created boring things like rivers of broccoli and broccoli clouds in the sky. (Answer: False)
4. There was a boy named Amy who loved books. (Answer: False)
5. In this magical place, Amy could change things by turning the pages. (Answer: True)
6. The village remained a sad place because of Amy’s magic. (Answer: False)
7. Amy realized the problem and used a spell to make everything go back to normal. (Answer: True)
8. When Amy opened the book, she was transported to a magical place. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 2 stories?

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The Three Friendly Ghosts

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The Magic of Friendship

Once upon a time, there were two best friends named Susan and Sarah. They were always together and shared a

A young boy named Milo solves the mystery of the missing moon with the help of woodland creatures.

The Mystery of the Missing Moon

One night, the moon disappeared in Sunfield, and Milo wanted to find out where it went. He discovered that the animals in Dark Forest had hidden it while playing a game, so he and his new friend Oliver the owl gathered everyone to search for it. Finally, they found the moon and put it back in the sky, teaching everyone the power of teamwork and friendship.

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