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 Superhero Squirrel

A mischievous squirrel with the power to fly becomes the forest's superhero and saves the day.

Try this story at a different level?

 

In a forest full of big trees and singing birds, there was a little squirrel named Sammy who could fly! Sammy was like a superhero to the forest. He wore a cape made from leaves and acorns and would zoom to the rescue when there was trouble.

One day, Sammy saw his friend, a bunny named Billy, stuck in a tree. Sammy flew down, climbed the tree, and helped Billy get down. They had lots of fun together, saving bird nests and looking for hidden treasure.

A sly fox named Felix wanted to take all the acorns to get a fancy home in the city. He tried to trick Sammy by saying the acorns were all gone. But Sammy was smart and knew Felix was lying. So, Sammy made his own plan to stop the fox.

With his friends, Sammy set up a trap with a net, leaves, and shiny nuts. When Felix came to take the acorns, he got caught in the net! All of Sammy’s friends cheered because the fox was trapped.

Felix said sorry to everyone and promised not to be bad again. The animals worked together and kept the forest safe, and they called Sammy the Forest Guardian. Sammy kept on being a hero and learned that being strong means having good friends too. The forest was happy, and Sammy showed that even a small squirrel could be powerful when he has friends.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1forestA large area with lots of trees and plants
2superheroA character with special powers who helps others
3capeA piece of cloth worn around the neck and flows behind like in a costume
4zoomMove very fast
5rescueSave someone from a dangerous or bad situation
6treasureValuable things that are hidden or kept in a safe place
7slyClever in a sneaky or tricky way
8fancyVery nice and expensive
9trickTo fool someone into believing something that’s not true
10trapA device or plan used to catch someone or something
11guardianSomeone who protects and looks after a place or person
12powerfulHaving a lot of strength or influence

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Who is the main character in the story?
2. What did Sammy wear that made him look like a superhero?
3. What did Sammy do when he saw his friend Billy stuck in a tree?
4. Why did Felix want to take all the acorns?
5. How did Sammy stop Felix from taking the acorns?
6. What did Sammy learn about being strong?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In a forest full of big (1)______ and singing birds, there was a (2)______ squirrel named Sammy who could fly! Sammy was like a superhero to the forest. He wore a cape made from leaves and acorns and would (3)______ to the rescue when there was trouble.

One day, Sammy saw his friend, a bunny named Billy, stuck in a tree. Sammy flew down, climbed the tree, and (4)______ Billy get down. They had lots of fun together, saving bird nests and (5)______ for (6)______ treasure.

A sly fox named Felix wanted to take all the acorns to get a fancy home in the city. He tried to trick Sammy by saying the acorns were all gone. But Sammy was smart and (7)______ Felix was lying. So, (8)______ made his own plan to stop the fox.

With his friends, Sammy set up a trap with a net, leaves, and (9)______ nuts. When Felix came to take the acorns, he got caught in the net! All of Sammy’s friends cheered because the fox was trapped.

Felix said sorry to everyone and promised not to be bad again. The (10)______ worked together and (11)______ the forest safe, and they called Sammy the Forest Guardian. Sammy kept on being a hero and (12)______ that being strong means having good friends too. The forest was happy, and Sammy showed that even a small squirrel could be powerful when he has friends.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a superhero? Do you have a favorite superhero? Why or why not?
2. How would you feel if you could fly like Sammy the squirrel? What would you do if you could fly?
3. Do you like helping your friends? Why or why not? Can you think of a time when you helped a friend?
4. Do you think it’s important to have good friends like Sammy did? Why or why not?
5. What would you do if someone tried to trick you like Felix tried to trick Sammy? How would you stop them?
6. Why do you think Felix said sorry to everyone? Do you think he will be bad again? Why or why not?
7. Have you ever worked together with your friends to solve a problem? What was it like?
8. Do you think Sammy is a powerful squirrel? Why or why not? What makes someone powerful?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. forest
2. superhero
3. cape
4. zoom
5. rescue
6. treasure
7. sly
8. fancy
9. trick
10. trap
11. guardian
12. powerful

Meanings:
(A) Move very fast
(B) A character with special powers who helps others
(C) To fool someone into believing something that’s not true
(D) Clever in a sneaky or tricky way
(E) A large area with lots of trees and plants
(F) A device or plan used to catch someone or something
(G) Save someone from a dangerous or bad situation
(H) Having a lot of strength or influence
(I) A piece of cloth worn around the neck and flows behind like in a costume
(J) Valuable things that are hidden or kept in a safe place
(K) Someone who protects and looks after a place or person
(L) Very nice and expensive
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the name of the little squirrel in the story?
(a) Billy
(b) Sammy
(c) Felix
(d) Robert

2. What did Sammy wear that made him look like a superhero?
(a) A mask made from tree bark
(b) A crown made from flowers
(c) A belt made from twigs
(d) A cape made from leaves and acorns

3. Who did Sammy help when they were stuck in a tree?
(a) Billy the bunny
(b) Felix the fox
(c) A singing bird
(d) Sammy’s mom

4. What did Felix want to do with the acorns?
(a) Share them with all the animals in the forest
(b) Plant them to grow more trees
(c) Take them to the city to build a fancy home
(d) Bury them underground for the winter

5. How did Sammy know that Felix was lying about the acorns?
(a) Sammy asked his friends if they had seen any acorns
(b) Sammy found a hidden stash of acorns that Felix had hidden
(c) Sammy was smart and could see that there were still acorns on the trees
(d) Sammy overheard Felix talking to another animal about his plan

6. What did Sammy and his friends use to set up a trap for Felix?
(a) A giant rock and a rope
(b) A net, leaves, and shiny nuts
(c) A ladder and a bucket of water
(d) A hole in the ground covered with leaves

7. How did Sammy’s friends react when Felix got caught in the trap?
(a) They cheered because the fox was trapped
(b) They felt sorry for Felix and tried to help him escape
(c) They ran away because they were scared of the trap
(d) They ignored what was happening and continued playing

8. What did Felix promise to do after he got caught in the trap?
(a) Steal even more acorns from the forest
(b) Build a fancy home for all the animals in the forest
(c) Take Sammy’s place as the Forest Guardian
(d) Be good and not cause trouble again

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Sammy, the little squirrel, could fly and was like a superhero to the forest.
2. Felix got caught in the net and said sorry to everyone, promising not to be bad again.
3. Sammy helped his friend Billy, a mouse, get down from a tree and they had a few moments together.
4. Felix tried to trick Sammy by saying the acorns were all plentiful, but Sammy was smart and knew he was lying.
5. There was a sly fox named Felix who wanted to take all the acorns to get a fancy home in the city.
6. Sammy and his friends set up a trap with a rope, twigs, and shiny shells to catch Felix.
7. Sammy wore a cloak made from feathers and berries to zoom to the rescue when there was trouble.
8. Sammy became known as the Forest Guardian and showed that even a small squirrel could be powerful with good friends.
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?
Sammy is the main character in the story.

2. What did Sammy wear that made him look like a superhero?
Sammy wore a cape made from leaves and acorns that made him look like a superhero.

3. What did Sammy do when he saw his friend Billy stuck in a tree?
Sammy flew down, climbed the tree, and helped Billy get down when he saw him stuck in a tree.

4. Why did Felix want to take all the acorns?
Felix wanted to take all the acorns to get a fancy home in the city.

5. How did Sammy stop Felix from taking the acorns?
Sammy set up a trap with a net, leaves, and shiny nuts to catch Felix when he came to take the acorns.

6. What did Sammy learn about being strong?
Sammy learned that being strong means having good friends too.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) trees
(2) little
(3) zoom
(4) helped
(5) looking
(6) hidden
(7) knew
(8) Sammy
(9) shiny
(10) animals
(11) kept
(12) learned
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. forest
Answer: (E) A large area with lots of trees and plants

2. superhero
Answer: (B) A character with special powers who helps others

3. cape
Answer: (I) A piece of cloth worn around the neck and flows behind like in a costume

4. zoom
Answer: (A) Move very fast

5. rescue
Answer: (G) Save someone from a dangerous or bad situation

6. treasure
Answer: (J) Valuable things that are hidden or kept in a safe place

7. sly
Answer: (D) Clever in a sneaky or tricky way

8. fancy
Answer: (L) Very nice and expensive

9. trick
Answer: (C) To fool someone into believing something that’s not true

10. trap
Answer: (F) A device or plan used to catch someone or something

11. guardian
Answer: (K) Someone who protects and looks after a place or person

12. powerful
Answer: (H) Having a lot of strength or influence
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the name of the little squirrel in the story?
Answer: (b) Sammy

2. What did Sammy wear that made him look like a superhero?
Answer: (d) A cape made from leaves and acorns

3. Who did Sammy help when they were stuck in a tree?
Answer: (a) Billy the bunny

4. What did Felix want to do with the acorns?
Answer: (c) Take them to the city to build a fancy home

5. How did Sammy know that Felix was lying about the acorns?
Answer: (c) Sammy was smart and could see that there were still acorns on the trees

6. What did Sammy and his friends use to set up a trap for Felix?
Answer: (b) A net, leaves, and shiny nuts

7. How did Sammy’s friends react when Felix got caught in the trap?
Answer: (a) They cheered because the fox was trapped

8. What did Felix promise to do after he got caught in the trap?
Answer: (d) Be good and not cause trouble again
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Sammy, the little squirrel, could fly and was like a superhero to the forest. (Answer: True)
2. Felix got caught in the net and said sorry to everyone, promising not to be bad again. (Answer: True)
3. Sammy helped his friend Billy, a mouse, get down from a tree and they had a few moments together. (Answer: False)
4. Felix tried to trick Sammy by saying the acorns were all plentiful, but Sammy was smart and knew he was lying. (Answer: False)
5. There was a sly fox named Felix who wanted to take all the acorns to get a fancy home in the city. (Answer: True)
6. Sammy and his friends set up a trap with a rope, twigs, and shiny shells to catch Felix. (Answer: False)
7. Sammy wore a cloak made from feathers and berries to zoom to the rescue when there was trouble. (Answer: False)
8. Sammy became known as the Forest Guardian and showed that even a small squirrel could be powerful with good friends. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 2 stories?

The Magic Portrait

Once upon a time, there was a small village in the middle of a deep, dark forest. In this village

Three friends stumble upon a magical peach palace filled with talking animals and enchanted treasures, unlocking their own creativity and joy.

The Peculiar Peach Palace

Three friends find a magical palace full of talking animals, fairies, and fruits that do funny things. They unlock a special room that helps them feel creative and make the world happier.

The Land of Flying Pancakes

Lily’s pancake adventure taught her to be brave, clever, and kind, and now everyone in her village celebrates with a pancake party every year.