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 Adventure in the Moonlit Desert

Max discovers that true adventure lies not in treasure, but in friendship and unexpected surprises.

Try this story at a different level?

 

Under the starry sky, the big, round moon shone over the desert sand. A boy named Max decided to go on an adventure. With a carrot-shaped flashlight and a water bottle, he quietly left his house, dreaming of finding treasures in the sand dunes.

Max walked deeper into the desert and found a half-buried treasure chest. His heart beat fast with excitement! Just as he was about to dig, a cheeky fox named Toby appeared. “You think it’s treasure?” Toby laughed. “It might just be a pile of old socks left by a pirate!” Max laughed at the thought of stealing socks from a pirate.

Ignoring Toby’s joke, Max dug up the chest. Inside were not gold or jewels, but shiny roller skates! “Awesome!” Max shouted. He put them on and started skating. Suddenly, Toby shouted, “Watch out!” A giant tumbleweed rolled toward them. Laughing, Max jumped aside and avoided it.

Feeling adventurous, Max kept skating with Toby. “You’re fast!” Toby shouted, trying to keep up. Suddenly, the ground shook, and a small sandstorm appeared, revealing a sparkling oasis! They skated through the storm and found a pool surrounded by palm trees and glowing fireflies like tiny stars.

At the oasis, they saw desert animals having a dance party with firefly lights. A wise old tortoise invited them to join. “Every creature has a rhythm! Let’s dance!” he said. Max and Toby laughed and danced with the animals. They had so much fun! Max learned that surprises can be great and true treasure is the friends you make. As the sun rose, Max skated home, knowing the best stories come from unexpected adventures and shared laughter.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1adventureA fun and exciting journey or experience
2flashlightA small, portable light you can carry
3dunesHills of sand in the desert
4excitementA feeling of being very happy and eager
5cheekyPlayfully rude or mischievous
6treasureValuable things like gold or jewels
7roller skatesShoes with wheels for skating
8tumbleweedA large ball of dry plants that rolls in the wind
9sandstormA strong wind that blows sand around
10oasisA place in the desert with water and plants
11firefliesSmall insects that glow in the dark
12tortoiseA slow-moving animal with a hard shell

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What did Max bring with him on his adventure to the desert?

2. What did Max find when he dug up the treasure chest?

3. Who is Toby and what did he say when he saw the treasure chest?

4. What happened when Max started skating with Toby in the desert?

5. What did Max and Toby find when the sandstorm appeared?

6. What lesson did Max learn by the end of his adventure?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Under the starry sky, the big, round moon (1)______ over the desert sand. A boy named Max decided to go on an adventure. With a carrot-shaped flashlight and a water bottle, he quietly left his house, (2)______ of finding treasures in the sand dunes.

Max walked deeper into the desert and found a half-buried treasure chest. His (3)______ beat fast with excitement! Just as he was about to dig, a cheeky fox named Toby (4)______. “You think it’s treasure?” Toby laughed. “It might just be a pile of old socks left by a pirate!” Max laughed at the thought of stealing socks from a pirate.

Ignoring Toby’s joke, Max dug up the chest. Inside were not gold or (5)______, but shiny roller skates! “Awesome!” Max (6)______. He put them on and started skating. Suddenly, Toby shouted, “Watch out!” A giant tumbleweed rolled toward them. Laughing, Max jumped aside and avoided it.

Feeling adventurous, Max kept skating with Toby. “You’re fast!” Toby shouted, (7)______ to keep up. Suddenly, the ground shook, and a small sandstorm appeared, revealing a sparkling oasis! They skated through the storm and (8)______ a pool surrounded by palm (9)______ and glowing fireflies like tiny stars.

At the oasis, they saw desert animals having a dance party with firefly lights. A wise old tortoise invited them to join. “Every creature has a rhythm! Let’s dance!” he (10)______. Max and (11)______ laughed and danced with the animals. They had so much fun! Max learned that surprises can be great and true treasure is the friends you make. As the sun rose, Max skated home, knowing the best (12)______ come from unexpected adventures and shared laughter.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is your favorite adventure you have ever had?

2. How would you feel if you found a treasure chest like Max?

3. Do you like to skate or ride bikes? Why or why not?

4. What is a fun surprise you have experienced?

5. Do you think it is important to have friends while having adventures? Why?

6. How would you feel if you saw a dancing party with animals?

7. What is your favorite animal, and would you like to dance with it?

8. Do you think finding treasures is more fun than making friends? Why or why not?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. adventure
2. flashlight
3. dunes
4. excitement
5. cheeky
6. treasure
7. roller skates
8. tumbleweed
9. sandstorm
10. oasis
11. fireflies
12. tortoise

Meanings:
(A) Small insects that glow in the dark
(B) Valuable things like gold or jewels
(C) A small, portable light you can carry
(D) A strong wind that blows sand around
(E) Playfully rude or mischievous
(F) A slow-moving animal with a hard shell
(G) Hills of sand in the desert
(H) A fun and exciting journey or experience
(I) Shoes with wheels for skating
(J) A large ball of dry plants that rolls in the wind
(K) A feeling of being very happy and eager
(L) A place in the desert with water and plants
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What did Max take with him on his adventure?
(a) A map
(b) A shovel
(c) A carrot-shaped flashlight
(d) A compass

2. What did Max find half-buried in the sand?
(a) A treasure chest
(b) A gold coin
(c) A pirate ship
(d) A magic lamp

3. Who appeared while Max was about to dig up the treasure chest?
(a) A rabbit
(b) Toby the fox
(c) A turtle
(d) A bird

4. What was inside the treasure chest?
(a) Gold coins
(b) Shiny roller skates
(c) Old pirate maps
(d) A treasure map

5. What did Max and Toby encounter while they were skating?
(a) A sandstorm
(b) A cactus
(c) A mirage
(d) A giant tumbleweed

6. What did Max and Toby find at the oasis?
(a) A hidden treasure
(b) A giant sandcastle
(c) A dance party with desert animals
(d) A waterfall

7. Who invited Max and Toby to join the dance party?
(a) A playful rabbit
(b) A singing bird
(c) A dancing lizard
(d) A wise old tortoise

8. What lesson did Max learn from his adventure?
(a) True treasure is the friends you make
(b) Always dig for gold
(c) Never trust a fox
(d) The desert is scary

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. A serious fox named Toby appeared and joked about the treasure being old shoes.
2. Max went on a mundane journey in the desert under the moonlight.
3. They discovered a sparkling oasis during a small sandstorm.
4. He brought a carrot-shaped flashlight and a water bottle with him.
5. Max and Toby skated together and encountered a giant tumbleweed.
6. Max found a treasure chest that was fully-buried in the sand.
7. Instead of gold or jewels, the treasure chest contained shiny roller skates.
8. Max learned that true treasure is the memories you make along the way.
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 did Max bring with him on his adventure to the desert?
Max brought a carrot-shaped flashlight and a water bottle.

2. What did Max find when he dug up the treasure chest?
Max found shiny roller skates inside the treasure chest.

3. Who is Toby and what did he say when he saw the treasure chest?
Toby is a cheeky fox. He said the treasure might just be a pile of old socks left by a pirate.

4. What happened when Max started skating with Toby in the desert?
When Max started skating, a giant tumbleweed rolled toward them, but he jumped aside and avoided it.

5. What did Max and Toby find when the sandstorm appeared?
They found a sparkling oasis with a pool, palm trees, and glowing fireflies.

6. What lesson did Max learn by the end of his adventure?
Max learned that true treasure is the friends you make and that surprises can be great.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) shone
(2) dreaming
(3) heart
(4) appeared
(5) jewels
(6) shouted
(7) trying
(8) found
(9) trees
(10) said
(11) Toby
(12) stories
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. adventure
Answer: (H) A fun and exciting journey or experience

2. flashlight
Answer: (C) A small, portable light you can carry

3. dunes
Answer: (G) Hills of sand in the desert

4. excitement
Answer: (K) A feeling of being very happy and eager

5. cheeky
Answer: (E) Playfully rude or mischievous

6. treasure
Answer: (B) Valuable things like gold or jewels

7. roller skates
Answer: (I) Shoes with wheels for skating

8. tumbleweed
Answer: (J) A large ball of dry plants that rolls in the wind

9. sandstorm
Answer: (D) A strong wind that blows sand around

10. oasis
Answer: (L) A place in the desert with water and plants

11. fireflies
Answer: (A) Small insects that glow in the dark

12. tortoise
Answer: (F) A slow-moving animal with a hard shell
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What did Max take with him on his adventure?
Answer: (c) A carrot-shaped flashlight

2. What did Max find half-buried in the sand?
Answer: (a) A treasure chest

3. Who appeared while Max was about to dig up the treasure chest?
Answer: (b) Toby the fox

4. What was inside the treasure chest?
Answer: (b) Shiny roller skates

5. What did Max and Toby encounter while they were skating?
Answer: (d) A giant tumbleweed

6. What did Max and Toby find at the oasis?
Answer: (c) A dance party with desert animals

7. Who invited Max and Toby to join the dance party?
Answer: (d) A wise old tortoise

8. What lesson did Max learn from his adventure?
Answer: (a) True treasure is the friends you make
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. A serious fox named Toby appeared and joked about the treasure being old shoes. (Answer: False)
2. Max went on a mundane journey in the desert under the moonlight. (Answer: False)
3. They discovered a sparkling oasis during a small sandstorm. (Answer: True)
4. He brought a carrot-shaped flashlight and a water bottle with him. (Answer: True)
5. Max and Toby skated together and encountered a giant tumbleweed. (Answer: True)
6. Max found a treasure chest that was fully-buried in the sand. (Answer: False)
7. Instead of gold or jewels, the treasure chest contained shiny roller skates. (Answer: True)
8. Max learned that true treasure is the memories you make along the way. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 2 stories?

Freddie Firefly embarks on a daring adventure, encountering a spider, a lost caterpillar, and wise owls.

The Adventures of Freddie Firefly

Freddie the firefly had an exciting adventure in the magical forest, where he made new friends and learned important lessons about bravery and friendship.

Stella the unicorn uses her magical rainbow to spread happiness and love to all creatures.

The Rainbow Bridge

Stella the unicorn gets an invitation to a contest and wins magic dust to make everyone happy.

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