Paul Holmes -
University
English Professor

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Short Stories for Kids

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The Tangerine Thief

A mischievous squirrel named Benny embarks on an unexpected journey after stealing a tangerine.

Try this story at a different level?

 

In a small village, there lived a playful squirrel named Benny. He loved adventures and often got into trouble. One day, while wandering, he saw a juicy tangerine on someone’s windowsill and took it. But he didn’t expect this to start a big adventure.

After taking the tangerine, Benny dropped it by accident. A monkey named Max caught it and ran away. Max liked playing tricks just like Benny, so he thought it was all a fun game. Benny was shocked but chased after Max to get the tangerine back.

While chasing Max, Benny and Max ran through the jungle near their village. They met other animals like Polly the parrot and Timmy the tortoise who joined in the chase. The chase was exciting and a bit dangerous, but they all enjoyed the adventure.

When they finally caught up with Max near a beautiful waterfall, Benny had an idea. He suggested they all share the tangerine and go on adventures together in the future. Max liked the idea, so they all ate the tangerine together and laughed a lot.

From that day on, Benny, Max, Polly, and Timmy became best friends. They learned that adventures could bring them together and that working as a team was more fun. They went on many more adventures, enjoying every moment and making lots of happy memories.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1playfulLikes to have fun and play
2adventuresExciting experiences or journeys
3wanderingWalking around without a clear purpose
4juicyFull of water and tastes really good
5shockedVery surprised
6dangerousCan cause harm or injury
7parrotA colorful bird that can mimic sounds
8tortoiseA slow-moving animal with a hard shell
9waterfallWater falling from a high place to a lower place
10suggestedOffered an idea for others to think about
11laughedMade sounds of happiness
12memoriesThings you remember from the past

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Who is the main character of the story?
2. What did Benny take from someone’s windowsill?
3. What happened after Benny dropped the tangerine?
4. Who caught the tangerine and ran away?
5. Who joined Benny and Max in the chase through the jungle?
6. What did Benny suggest they do with the tangerine when they caught up with Max?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In a (1)______ village, there lived a (2)______ squirrel named Benny. He loved adventures and often got into trouble. One day, while wandering, he saw a juicy tangerine on someone’s (3)______ and took it. But he didn’t expect this to start a big adventure.

After taking the tangerine, Benny dropped it by accident. A monkey named Max caught it and ran away. Max (4)______ playing (5)______ just like Benny, so he thought it was all a fun game. Benny was shocked but chased after Max to get the tangerine back.

While (6)______ Max, Benny and Max ran through the jungle near their village. They met other animals like Polly the parrot and Timmy the tortoise who joined in the chase. The chase was exciting and a bit (7)______, but they all enjoyed the adventure.

When they finally caught up with Max near a beautiful waterfall, Benny had an (8)______. He (9)______ they all share the tangerine and go on adventures together in the future. Max liked the idea, so they all ate the tangerine together and laughed a lot.

From that day on, Benny, Max, Polly, and Timmy became (10)______ friends. They learned that adventures could bring them together and that working as a team was more fun. They went on many more adventures, (11)______ every (12)______ and making lots of happy memories.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is an adventure? Why do you think Benny loved adventures?
2. How would you feel if you found a juicy tangerine on someone’s windowsill? Why?
3. Do you like playing tricks? Why or why not?
4. What do you think about Benny’s idea of sharing the tangerine and going on adventures together? Why?
5. Have you ever had an exciting or dangerous experience? Can you tell us about it?
6. Do you think it’s important to work as a team? Why or why not?
7. What kind of adventures would you like to go on with your friends? Why?
8. How do you think Benny, Max, Polly, and Timmy felt when they became best friends? Why?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. playful
2. adventures
3. wandering
4. juicy
5. shocked
6. dangerous
7. parrot
8. tortoise
9. waterfall
10. suggested
11. laughed
12. memories

Meanings:
(A) Walking around without a clear purpose
(B) A slow-moving animal with a hard shell
(C) Offered an idea for others to think about
(D) Likes to have fun and play
(E) A colorful bird that can mimic sounds
(F) Made sounds of happiness
(G) Very surprised
(H) Water falling from a high place to a lower place
(I) Things you remember from the past
(J) Exciting experiences or journeys
(K) Can cause harm or injury
(L) Full of water and tastes really good
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the name of the playful squirrel in the story?
(a) Max
(b) Benny
(c) Polly
(d) Timmy

2. What did Benny take from someone’s windowsill?
(a) A banana
(b) An apple
(c) A tangerine
(d) A pear

3. Who caught the tangerine after Benny dropped it?
(a) Polly
(b) Max
(c) Timmy
(d) No one caught it

4. What did Max think when he caught the tangerine?
(a) He wanted to keep it for himself
(b) He felt guilty for taking it
(c) It was all a fun game
(d) He didn’t know what to do with it

5. Who joined Benny in chasing after Max?
(a) Max and Polly
(b) Benny and Timmy
(c) Max and Timmy
(d) Polly and Timmy

6. Where did Benny and Max run through while chasing each other?
(a) The beach
(b) The city
(c) The mountains
(d) The jungle

7. What did Benny suggest when they caught up with Max?
(a) They all share the tangerine and go on adventures together
(b) They fight over the tangerine
(c) They give the tangerine back to its owner
(d) They forget about the tangerine and go home

8. What did Benny, Max, Polly, and Timmy become after sharing the tangerine?
(a) Best friends
(b) Enemies
(c) Strangers
(d) Neighbors

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Benny suggests they all share the tangerine and become friends.
2. Benny is a playful squirrel who loves going on adventures.
3. Benny, Max, Polly, and Timmy go on separate journeys and do not become close friends.
4. The chase takes them through the jungle near their village.
5. Polly the parrot and Timmy the tortoise watch Benny and Max in the chase.
6. Max, a mischievous monkey, catches the tangerine and runs away.
7. Benny runs away from Max to keep the tangerine.
8. Benny intentionally places a tangerine he found on someone’s windowsill.
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 of the story?
The main character of the story is Benny, the playful squirrel.

2. What did Benny take from someone’s windowsill?
Benny took a juicy tangerine from someone’s windowsill.

3. What happened after Benny dropped the tangerine?
After Benny dropped the tangerine, a monkey named Max caught it and ran away.

4. Who caught the tangerine and ran away?
A monkey named Max caught the tangerine and ran away.

5. Who joined Benny and Max in the chase through the jungle?
Polly the parrot and Timmy the tortoise joined Benny and Max in the chase through the jungle.

6. What did Benny suggest they do with the tangerine when they caught up with Max?
Benny suggested that they all share the tangerine and go on adventures together in the future.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) small
(2) playful
(3) windowsill
(4) liked
(5) tricks
(6) chasing
(7) dangerous
(8) idea
(9) suggested
(10) best
(11) enjoying
(12) moment
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. playful
Answer: (D) Likes to have fun and play

2. adventures
Answer: (J) Exciting experiences or journeys

3. wandering
Answer: (A) Walking around without a clear purpose

4. juicy
Answer: (L) Full of water and tastes really good

5. shocked
Answer: (G) Very surprised

6. dangerous
Answer: (K) Can cause harm or injury

7. parrot
Answer: (E) A colorful bird that can mimic sounds

8. tortoise
Answer: (B) A slow-moving animal with a hard shell

9. waterfall
Answer: (H) Water falling from a high place to a lower place

10. suggested
Answer: (C) Offered an idea for others to think about

11. laughed
Answer: (F) Made sounds of happiness

12. memories
Answer: (I) Things you remember from the past
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

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

2. What did Benny take from someone’s windowsill?
Answer: (c) A tangerine

3. Who caught the tangerine after Benny dropped it?
Answer: (b) Max

4. What did Max think when he caught the tangerine?
Answer: (c) It was all a fun game

5. Who joined Benny in chasing after Max?
Answer: (d) Polly and Timmy

6. Where did Benny and Max run through while chasing each other?
Answer: (d) The jungle

7. What did Benny suggest when they caught up with Max?
Answer: (a) They all share the tangerine and go on adventures together

8. What did Benny, Max, Polly, and Timmy become after sharing the tangerine?
Answer: (a) Best friends
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Benny suggests they all share the tangerine and become friends. (Answer: True)
2. Benny is a playful squirrel who loves going on adventures. (Answer: True)
3. Benny, Max, Polly, and Timmy go on separate journeys and do not become close friends. (Answer: False)
4. The chase takes them through the jungle near their village. (Answer: True)
5. Polly the parrot and Timmy the tortoise watch Benny and Max in the chase. (Answer: False)
6. Max, a mischievous monkey, catches the tangerine and runs away. (Answer: True)
7. Benny runs away from Max to keep the tangerine. (Answer: False)
8. Benny intentionally places a tangerine he found on someone’s windowsill. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 2 stories?

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The Maze of Mirrors

Mia and Ben went on an adventure in a tricky maze with funny mirrors, and they found the way out by waving at a special mirror that wasn’t a mirror at all!

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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.

The Big Ghost

Once upon a time, in a small village, there lived a big ghost named Ghoulie. Ghoulie was a friendly ghost,

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