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 Voyage to Vegetable Land

Embarking on a magical adventure in Vegetable Land, Max discovers that vegetables are superheroes in disguise.

Try this story at a different level?

 

Once there was a boy named Max who hated vegetables. His mom and dad were farmers and wanted him to eat healthy, but Max wouldn’t eat anything green. One day when his parents were gone, he found a hidden treasure map in his dad’s workshop. It led to a place called “Vegetable Land,” so Max decided to go on an adventure.

Max ended up on a boat named the S.S. Veggie Cruise with a crew of talking vegetables, like Captain Carrot and the Tomato Twins. They took him on a tour of the ship. Max thought it sounded fun, so he stayed for the ride.

That night, the sea got rough and Max knocked over a box of magic vegetables. Suddenly, he and the ship turned into giant versions in a huge vegetable garden. There were big broccoli trees and huge carrot forests.

Max met lots of vegetables that acted like people. There were jokester tomatoes, serious broccoli farmers, and happy lettuce that bounced like acrobats. An old cauliflower wizard became Max’s friend and taught him it’s good to try new things. Being around them, Max started to like vegetables.

Max learned that vegetables were tasty and made him strong. He loved the crunch of lettuce and how sweet and juicy carrots and tomatoes were. When it was time to go home, Max told his friends goodbye and went back to his real life. He told his parents all about his trip and started enjoying healthy food. Max became an explorer who loved veggies.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1vegetablesFood that comes from plants and is good for you, like carrots and lettuce
2adventureA fun and exciting journey where you might discover new things
3crewA group of people who work together, usually on a ship or airplane
4tourA guided visit around a place to see different things
5roughNot smooth; having big waves or bumps
6magicSpecial and mysterious, like something out of a fairy tale
7giantVery, very big; much larger than normal
8acrobatsPerformers who can do amazing flips and jumps
9wizardA person in stories who can do powerful spells
10tastySomething that is really good to eat
11explorerSomeone who travels to find new places
12healthyGood for your body and keeps you strong and well

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Who were Max’s mom and dad?
2. What did Max find in his dad’s workshop?
3. What happened when Max knocked over the box of magic vegetables?
4. What were some of the vegetables Max met in Vegetable Land?
5. Why did Max start to like vegetables?
6. What did Max do when he went back home?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Once there was a boy named Max who hated vegetables. His mom and dad were farmers and wanted him to eat healthy, but Max wouldn’t eat anything green. One day when his parents were gone, he found a hidden (1)______ map in his dad’s (2)______. It led to a place called “Vegetable Land,” so Max decided to go on an adventure.

Max (3)______ up on a boat named the S.S. Veggie (4)______ with a crew of talking vegetables, like Captain Carrot and the Tomato (5)______. They took him on a tour of the (6)______. Max thought it sounded fun, so he stayed for the ride.

That night, the sea got rough and Max knocked over a box of magic vegetables. Suddenly, he and the ship turned into giant versions in a huge vegetable garden. There were big broccoli trees and huge carrot (7)______.

Max met lots of vegetables that acted (8)______ people. There were jokester tomatoes, serious broccoli farmers, and happy lettuce that bounced like (9)______. An old cauliflower wizard became Max’s friend and taught him it’s good to try new things. Being around them, Max started to like vegetables.

Max learned that vegetables were (10)______ and made him strong. He loved the crunch of lettuce and how sweet and juicy carrots and tomatoes were. When it was time to go home, Max told his friends goodbye and (11)______ back to his real life. He told his parents all about his trip and started enjoying healthy food. Max (12)______ an explorer who loved veggies.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a treasure map? Why do you think Max wanted to go on an adventure?
2. How would you feel if you were on a boat with talking vegetables? Why or why not?
3. Do you like vegetables? Why or why not?
4. Do you think Max made the right choice by trying new things and liking vegetables? Why or why not?
5. How do you think Max’s parents felt when he started enjoying healthy food? Why?
6. What is your favorite vegetable? Why do you like it?
7. If you could go on an adventure, where would you go? Why?
8. How do you think Max’s life changed after his trip to Vegetable Land? Why?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. vegetables
2. adventure
3. crew
4. tour
5. rough
6. magic
7. giant
8. acrobats
9. wizard
10. tasty
11. explorer
12. healthy

Meanings:
(A) Good for your body and keeps you strong and well
(B) A fun and exciting journey where you might discover new things
(C) Someone who travels to find new places
(D) Very, very big; much larger than normal
(E) Performers who can do amazing flips and jumps
(F) A person in stories who can do powerful spells
(G) Something that is really good to eat
(H) A group of people who work together, usually on a ship or airplane
(I) Food that comes from plants and is good for you, like carrots and lettuce
(J) Not smooth; having big waves or bumps
(K) Special and mysterious, like something out of a fairy tale
(L) A guided visit around a place to see different things
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What did Max find in his dad’s workshop?
(a) A hidden treasure map
(b) A secret recipe book
(c) A box of magic vegetables
(d) A toy boat

2. What was the name of the boat Max went on?
(a) S.S. Adventure Ship
(b) S.S. Treasure Hunt
(c) S.S. Vegetable Land
(d) S.S. Veggie Cruise

3. What happened when Max knocked over the box of magic vegetables?
(a) The ship started sinking
(b) He and the ship turned into giant versions in a vegetable garden
(c) Max turned into a vegetable
(d) The vegetables came to life and started talking

4. What kind of vegetables did Max meet in Vegetable Land?
(a) Carrots, apples, and bananas
(b) Tomatoes, broccoli, and lettuce
(c) Potatoes, cucumbers, and peas
(d) Onions, peppers, and spinach

5. Who became Max’s friend in Vegetable Land?
(a) An old cauliflower wizard
(b) Captain Carrot
(c) The Tomato Twins
(d) The happy lettuce

6. What did Max learn from the cauliflower wizard?
(a) Vegetables are boring
(b) Vegetables are gross
(c) Vegetables are only for grown-ups
(d) It’s good to try new things

7. What did Max start enjoying after his trip to Vegetable Land?
(a) Candy and junk food
(b) Fast food
(c) Healthy food
(d) Meat and potatoes

8. What did Max become after his adventure?
(a) A pirate who hated vegetables
(b) A chef who cooked only vegetables
(c) An explorer who loved veggies
(d) A scientist who studied vegetables

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Max’s parents were doctors who wanted him to eat healthy.
2. The crew of the S.S. Veggie Cruise were talking fruits, like Captain Orange and the Banana Twins.
3. Max learned to enjoy vegetables and started eating healthy after his adventure in Vegetable Land.
4. The treasure map led Max to a place called “Fruit Land.”
5. Max went on a vacation to Vegetable Land on a boat called the S.S. Veggie Cruise.
6. Max met vegetables that acted like people, such as jokester tomatoes and serious broccoli farmers.
7. Max accidentally knocked over a box of magic vegetables, which turned him and the ship into giant versions in a vegetable garden.
8. Max found a hidden treasure map in his dad’s workshop.
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 were Max’s mom and dad?
Max’s mom and dad were farmers.

2. What did Max find in his dad’s workshop?
Max found a hidden treasure map in his dad’s workshop.

3. What happened when Max knocked over the box of magic vegetables?
When Max knocked over the box of magic vegetables, he and the ship turned into giant versions in a huge vegetable garden.

4. What were some of the vegetables Max met in Vegetable Land?
Some of the vegetables Max met in Vegetable Land were jokester tomatoes, serious broccoli farmers, and happy lettuce that bounced like acrobats.

5. Why did Max start to like vegetables?
Max started to like vegetables because he learned that they were tasty and made him strong.

6. What did Max do when he went back home?
When Max went back home, he told his parents all about his trip and started enjoying healthy food.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) treasure
(2) workshop
(3) ended
(4) Cruise
(5) Twins
(6) ship
(7) forests
(8) like
(9) acrobats
(10) tasty
(11) went
(12) became
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. vegetables
Answer: (I) Food that comes from plants and is good for you, like carrots and lettuce

2. adventure
Answer: (B) A fun and exciting journey where you might discover new things

3. crew
Answer: (H) A group of people who work together, usually on a ship or airplane

4. tour
Answer: (L) A guided visit around a place to see different things

5. rough
Answer: (J) Not smooth; having big waves or bumps

6. magic
Answer: (K) Special and mysterious, like something out of a fairy tale

7. giant
Answer: (D) Very, very big; much larger than normal

8. acrobats
Answer: (E) Performers who can do amazing flips and jumps

9. wizard
Answer: (F) A person in stories who can do powerful spells

10. tasty
Answer: (G) Something that is really good to eat

11. explorer
Answer: (C) Someone who travels to find new places

12. healthy
Answer: (A) Good for your body and keeps you strong and well
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What did Max find in his dad’s workshop?
Answer: (a) A hidden treasure map

2. What was the name of the boat Max went on?
Answer: (d) S.S. Veggie Cruise

3. What happened when Max knocked over the box of magic vegetables?
Answer: (b) He and the ship turned into giant versions in a vegetable garden

4. What kind of vegetables did Max meet in Vegetable Land?
Answer: (b) Tomatoes, broccoli, and lettuce

5. Who became Max’s friend in Vegetable Land?
Answer: (a) An old cauliflower wizard

6. What did Max learn from the cauliflower wizard?
Answer: (d) It’s good to try new things

7. What did Max start enjoying after his trip to Vegetable Land?
Answer: (c) Healthy food

8. What did Max become after his adventure?
Answer: (c) An explorer who loved veggies
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Max’s parents were doctors who wanted him to eat healthy. (Answer: False)
2. The crew of the S.S. Veggie Cruise were talking fruits, like Captain Orange and the Banana Twins. (Answer: False)
3. Max learned to enjoy vegetables and started eating healthy after his adventure in Vegetable Land. (Answer: True)
4. The treasure map led Max to a place called “Fruit Land.” (Answer: False)
5. Max went on a vacation to Vegetable Land on a boat called the S.S. Veggie Cruise. (Answer: False)
6. Max met vegetables that acted like people, such as jokester tomatoes and serious broccoli farmers. (Answer: True)
7. Max accidentally knocked over a box of magic vegetables, which turned him and the ship into giant versions in a vegetable garden. (Answer: True)
8. Max found a hidden treasure map in his dad’s workshop. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧

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