Paul Holmes -
University
English Professor

Free Materials For ESL Teachers and Learners

Short Stories for Kids

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The Peacock Parade

Freddie the squirrel learns a valuable lesson about the true meaning of happiness and unity.

Try this story at a different level?

 

In a magical forest, there was a special event where peacocks showed off their pretty feathers. It was called the Peacock Parade. Every year, peacocks from all over the forest would come together, and all the animals loved to watch.

A young squirrel named Freddie wanted to see the parade really badly. He thought the peacocks were the coolest, with all their colors. So he went looking for it on an adventure.

When Freddie was looking, he met some monkeys who liked to play tricks. They lied to Freddie, saying he needed to find a secret feather before he could see the parade. Freddie trusted them and started looking everywhere for this feather.

Freddie was looking for a long time and got super tired and sad. Then he met Oliver, a smart old owl. Freddie told Oliver his story. Oliver laughed a little and said, “There’s no secret feather. The monkeys tricked you. The parade is about having fun and being together, not finding things.”

Freddie learned that being happy doesn’t mean you have to find something special. It’s about enjoying what’s around you and being together with others. He went back and told everyone, and they all got excited to watch the parade. Freddie saw that real adventures and lessons are closer than you think, just waiting for you.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1magicalSomething that is like a fairy tale or has special powers
2peacocksBeautiful birds with long, colorful tails
3feathersThe soft, fluffy things that cover birds’ bodies
4adventureA fun journey where you might discover new things
5squirrelA small animal with a bushy tail that climbs trees
6monkeysAnimals that can swing from trees and are known for being playful
7tricksThings people do to fool someone else
8trustedBelieved that someone was telling the truth
9paradeA celebration where people or animals walk in a line for others to see
10tiredFeeling like you need to rest because you have no energy
11smartSomeone who is very wise and knows a lot
12lessonsThings you learn, especially from experiences

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What was the special event in the magical forest called?
2. Why did Freddie want to see the Peacock Parade?
3. Who did Freddie meet when he was looking for the parade?
4. What did the monkeys tell Freddie he needed to find?
5. Who did Freddie meet after he got tired and sad?
6. What did Freddie learn about being happy?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In a magical forest, there was a special event where peacocks showed off their pretty feathers. It was called the (1)______ Parade. Every year, peacocks from all over the forest would come together, and all the animals loved to watch.

A (2)______ squirrel (3)______ Freddie wanted to see the parade really badly. He thought the peacocks were the coolest, with all their colors. So he went (4)______ for it on an adventure.

When Freddie was looking, he met some monkeys who (5)______ to (6)______ tricks. They lied to Freddie, saying he needed to find a secret feather before he could see the parade. Freddie trusted them and started looking everywhere for this feather.

Freddie was looking for a (7)______ time and got super tired and sad. Then he met (8)______, a smart old owl. Freddie told Oliver his story. Oliver laughed a little and said, “There’s no secret feather. The monkeys tricked you. The parade is about having fun and being together, not (9)______ things.”

Freddie learned that being happy doesn’t mean you have to find something special. It’s about enjoying what’s around you and being together with others. He went back and told everyone, and they all got excited to (10)______ the parade. (11)______ saw that real adventures and (12)______ are closer than you think, just waiting for you.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is the Peacock Parade?
2. How would you feel if you were Freddie and the monkeys tricked you?
3. Do you like going on adventures? Why or why not?
4. What did Freddie learn from Oliver the owl?
5. How do you think Freddie felt when he realized there was no secret feather?
6. Do you think it’s important to enjoy what’s around you? Why or why not?
7. What is the lesson that Freddie learned from his adventure?
8. Have you ever learned a lesson from a mistake? Can you tell us about it?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. magical
2. peacocks
3. feathers
4. adventure
5. squirrel
6. monkeys
7. tricks
8. trusted
9. parade
10. tired
11. smart
12. lessons

Meanings:
(A) A small animal with a bushy tail that climbs trees
(B) Feeling like you need to rest because you have no energy
(C) Someone who is very wise and knows a lot
(D) A fun journey where you might discover new things
(E) A celebration where people or animals walk in a line for others to see
(F) Something that is like a fairy tale or has special powers
(G) Things you learn, especially from experiences
(H) The soft, fluffy things that cover birds’ bodies
(I) Believed that someone was telling the truth
(J) Beautiful birds with long, colorful tails
(K) Animals that can swing from trees and are known for being playful
(L) Things people do to fool someone else
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the special event in the magical forest called?
(a) Monkey Tricks
(b) Peacock Parade
(c) Secret Feather Hunt
(d) Colorful Adventure

2. Why did Freddie want to see the Peacock Parade?
(a) He thought the peacocks were cool with their colors.
(b) He wanted to play tricks on the monkeys.
(c) He wanted to find the secret feather.
(d) He wanted to meet Oliver, the smart old owl.

3. Who tricked Freddie into looking for a secret feather?
(a) Peacocks
(b) Squirrels
(c) Owls
(d) Monkeys

4. How did Freddie feel when he couldn’t find the secret feather?
(a) Excited and happy
(b) Angry and frustrated
(c) Curious and determined
(d) Tired and sad

5. Who did Freddie meet after he got tired and sad?
(a) Monkeys who played tricks
(b) Peacocks from the parade
(c) Oliver, the smart old owl
(d) Squirrels who were lost

6. What did Oliver tell Freddie about the secret feather?
(a) The secret feather is hidden in the magical forest.
(b) The secret feather can only be found by peacocks.
(c) There’s no secret feather, the monkeys tricked you.
(d) The secret feather is the key to a magical treasure.

7. What did Freddie learn from Oliver?
(a) Being happy is about enjoying what’s around you and being together with others.
(b) The secret feather is the most important thing in the forest.
(c) The monkeys are the smartest animals in the forest.
(d) The Peacock Parade is not worth watching.

8. How did Freddie feel after learning the lesson from Oliver?
(a) Disappointed and angry at the monkeys
(b) Excited and ready to watch the parade
(c) Confused and lost in the forest
(d) Scared and worried about the secret feather

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Freddie went back and informed everyone the falsehood, and they all became disinterested in watching the parade. Freddie realized that real adventures and lessons are far away and hard to come by.
2. Freddie then met Oliver, a wise young owl, who informed him that the monkeys deceived him and there was indeed a secret feather. The parade was not about having fun and being together, but about finding things.
3. Freddie learned that being happy doesn’t mean you have to find something special, but it’s about enjoying what’s around you and being together with others.
4. Peacocks from a few areas of the forest would gather for the Peacock Parade, and only a few animals enjoyed watching.
5. A young squirrel named Freddie really wanted to see the parade because he thought peacocks were the coolest with all their colors.
6. In a regular forest, there was an occasion called the Peacock Parade where peacocks displayed their ordinary feathers.
7. Freddie met some monkeys who liked to play tricks and they lied to him, saying he needed to find a secret feather before he could see the parade.
8. Freddie believed the monkeys and started searching everywhere for the secret feather, but he got tired and sad after looking for a long time.
9. False Version:
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 was the special event in the magical forest called?
The special event was called the Peacock Parade.

2. Why did Freddie want to see the Peacock Parade?
Freddie wanted to see the Peacock Parade because he thought the peacocks were really cool with all their colors.

3. Who did Freddie meet when he was looking for the parade?
Freddie met some monkeys who liked to play tricks when he was looking for the parade.

4. What did the monkeys tell Freddie he needed to find?
The monkeys told Freddie that he needed to find a secret feather before he could see the parade.

5. Who did Freddie meet after he got tired and sad?
Freddie met Oliver, a smart old owl, after he got tired and sad.

6. What did Freddie learn about being happy?
Freddie learned that being happy doesn’t mean you have to find something special. It’s about enjoying what’s around you and being together with others.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) Peacock
(2) young
(3) named
(4) looking
(5) liked
(6) play
(7) long
(8) Oliver
(9) finding
(10) watch
(11) Freddie
(12) lessons
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. magical
Answer: (F) Something that is like a fairy tale or has special powers

2. peacocks
Answer: (J) Beautiful birds with long, colorful tails

3. feathers
Answer: (H) The soft, fluffy things that cover birds’ bodies

4. adventure
Answer: (D) A fun journey where you might discover new things

5. squirrel
Answer: (A) A small animal with a bushy tail that climbs trees

6. monkeys
Answer: (K) Animals that can swing from trees and are known for being playful

7. tricks
Answer: (L) Things people do to fool someone else

8. trusted
Answer: (I) Believed that someone was telling the truth

9. parade
Answer: (E) A celebration where people or animals walk in a line for others to see

10. tired
Answer: (B) Feeling like you need to rest because you have no energy

11. smart
Answer: (C) Someone who is very wise and knows a lot

12. lessons
Answer: (G) Things you learn, especially from experiences
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the special event in the magical forest called?
Answer: (b) Peacock Parade

2. Why did Freddie want to see the Peacock Parade?
Answer: (a) He thought the peacocks were cool with their colors.

3. Who tricked Freddie into looking for a secret feather?
Answer: (d) Monkeys

4. How did Freddie feel when he couldn’t find the secret feather?
Answer: (d) Tired and sad

5. Who did Freddie meet after he got tired and sad?
Answer: (c) Oliver, the smart old owl

6. What did Oliver tell Freddie about the secret feather?
Answer: (c) There’s no secret feather, the monkeys tricked you.

7. What did Freddie learn from Oliver?
Answer: (a) Being happy is about enjoying what’s around you and being together with others.

8. How did Freddie feel after learning the lesson from Oliver?
Answer: (b) Excited and ready to watch the parade
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Freddie went back and informed everyone the falsehood, and they all became disinterested in watching the parade. Freddie realized that real adventures and lessons are far away and hard to come by. (Answer: False)
2. Freddie then met Oliver, a wise young owl, who informed him that the monkeys deceived him and there was indeed a secret feather. The parade was not about having fun and being together, but about finding things. (Answer: False)
3. Freddie learned that being happy doesn’t mean you have to find something special, but it’s about enjoying what’s around you and being together with others. (Answer: True)
4. Peacocks from a few areas of the forest would gather for the Peacock Parade, and only a few animals enjoyed watching. (Answer: False)
5. A young squirrel named Freddie really wanted to see the parade because he thought peacocks were the coolest with all their colors. (Answer: True)
6. In a regular forest, there was an occasion called the Peacock Parade where peacocks displayed their ordinary feathers. (Answer: False)
7. Freddie met some monkeys who liked to play tricks and they lied to him, saying he needed to find a secret feather before he could see the parade. (Answer: True)
8. Freddie believed the monkeys and started searching everywhere for the secret feather, but he got tired and sad after looking for a long time. (Answer: True)
9. False Version: (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 2 stories?

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The Queen of Cats

Whiskers, the cat with shiny white fur and bright green eyes, became the kindest queen ever.

Four friends embark on a magical adventure, only to discover that the real treasure is their friendship.

The Four Leaf Clover Quest

Four friends go on an adventure to find a special clover that grants wishes, but learn that friendship is the real magic.

Polly's determination pays off when she finds her lost puppy safe and sound.

Polly’s New Puppy

Polly really wanted a puppy, so she did lots of chores to show she could take care of one.

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