Paul Holmes -
University
English Professor

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Short Stories for Kids

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The Adventures of Clara Cloud

Clara the cloud discovers her purpose in bringing joy and rain to the world.

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Once there was a happy little cloud named Clara who loved to go on adventures and play pranks. One day she spotted a rainbow and decided to follow it.

Clara flew down and found herself in a city full of people, cars, and tall buildings. Excited to see more, she changed into a fluffy cotton candy. But then a little girl grabbed her from the air and took a bite.

Clara got free and turned into fog, hiding in the city. By chance, she found some kids singing and playing music in a park. She joined in, making a cheerful sound that made the kids happy.

Clara realized that she could do good things and make people happy. She turned back into a cloud and began to rain, helping the plants grow and cleaning the streets. People were grateful for the fresh rain and joy she brought to the city.

From then on, Clara chose to spread happiness instead of pranks. Everyone hoped to see the fun cloud that made their day better. Clara learned that the best adventure is to find your purpose in helping others be happy.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1adventuresExciting and sometimes risky experiences or journeys
2pranksTricks played on someone, usually in fun
3spottedNoticed or saw, especially suddenly
4rainbowA colorful arc in the sky that appears when the sun shines through rain
5fluffySoft and light, like a cloud or a pillow
6fogA thick cloud close to the ground that makes it hard to see
7cheerfulHappy and in good spirits
8realizedUnderstood or became aware of something
9gratefulFeeling thankful and appreciative
10freshClean, new, or not used before
11spreadTo extend or scatter something over an area
12purposeThe reason for doing something or the goal you want to achieve
13helpingGiving assistance or support to others
14adventureAn exciting experience or journey
15joyA feeling of great happiness or pleasure

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Who is the main character in the story?
2. What did Clara turn into when she saw the rainbow?
3. What happened when the little girl grabbed Clara?
4. How did Clara hide in the city?
5. What did Clara do when she found the kids singing and playing music?
6. How did Clara help the city and its people?
7. What did Clara learn from her adventure?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Once there was a (1)______ little cloud named (2)______ who loved to go on adventures and play pranks. One day she (3)______ a (4)______ and decided to follow it.

Clara flew down and found herself in a city full of people, cars, and tall buildings. Excited to see more, she changed into a fluffy cotton (5)______. But then a little girl grabbed her from the air and took a bite.

Clara got free and (6)______ into fog, (7)______ in the city. By chance, she found some kids singing and (8)______ music in a park. She joined in, making a cheerful sound that made the kids happy.

Clara (9)______ that she could do good (10)______ and make people happy. She turned back into a cloud and began to rain, helping the plants grow and (11)______ the (12)______. People were grateful for the fresh rain and joy she brought to the city.

From then on, Clara chose to spread (13)______ instead of pranks. Everyone (14)______ to see the fun cloud that made their day (15)______. Clara learned that the best adventure is to find your (16)______ in helping others be happy.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a cloud? Why do you think Clara liked going on adventures?
2. How would you feel if you saw a rainbow and decided to follow it?
3. Do you like playing pranks? Why or why not?
4. What do you think it would feel like to be turned into cotton candy and then eaten?
5. Have you ever hidden or played hide-and-seek? How did it feel?
6. Do you enjoy singing and playing music? Why or why not?
7. How do you think the kids felt when Clara joined in and made them happy?
8. What do you think it means to do good things and make people happy?
9. Do you think rain is important for plants and cleaning the streets? Why or why not?
10. Why do you think everyone in the city wanted to see Clara and have their day made better?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. adventures
2. pranks
3. spotted
4. rainbow
5. fluffy
6. fog
7. cheerful
8. realized
9. grateful
10. fresh
11. spread
12. purpose
13. helping
14. adventure
15. joy

Meanings:
(A) A colorful arc in the sky that appears when the sun shines through rain
(B) Feeling thankful and appreciative
(C) Tricks played on someone, usually in fun
(D) Clean, new, or not used before
(E) A thick cloud close to the ground that makes it hard to see
(F) A feeling of great happiness or pleasure
(G) Happy and in good spirits
(H) Giving assistance or support to others
(I) Understood or became aware of something
(J) Exciting and sometimes risky experiences or journeys
(K) To extend or scatter something over an area
(L) An exciting experience or journey
(M) Soft and light, like a cloud or a pillow
(N) Noticed or saw, especially suddenly
(O) The reason for doing something or the goal you want to achieve
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What was the name of the happy little cloud?
(a) Lily
(b) Sophie
(c) Clara
(d) Emma

2. What did Clara turn into when she saw the rainbow?
(a) A bird
(b) A rainbow
(c) Fluffy cotton candy
(d) A tree

3. What happened when the little girl grabbed Clara?
(a) Clara turned into a rainbow
(b) Clara got free and turned into fog
(c) Clara turned into a tree
(d) Clara disappeared

4. What did Clara find in the park?
(a) Dogs playing fetch
(b) Cats chasing mice
(c) Birds flying in the sky
(d) Kids singing and playing music

5. What did Clara turn into when she joined in with the kids?
(a) A fluffy cloud
(b) A rainbow
(c) A tree
(d) A cheerful sound

6. What did Clara do when she turned back into a cloud?
(a) She began to rain
(b) She turned into fog again
(c) She disappeared
(d) She turned into a rainbow

7. How did people react to Clara’s rain?
(a) They were grateful for the fresh rain
(b) They were scared of the rain
(c) They were angry at Clara
(d) They didn’t notice the rain

8. What did Clara learn from her adventure?
(a) The best adventure is to play pranks
(b) The best adventure is to help others be happy
(c) The best adventure is to find a rainbow
(d) The best adventure is to hide in the city

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. People in the city are grateful for the rain and joy Clara brings, and they start looking forward to seeing her.
2. The story is about a cloud named Clara who loves going on adventures and playing pranks.
3. She ignores some kids singing and playing music in a park and walks away, leaving them unaffected.
4. Clara realizes she can do bad things and make people unhappy, so she turns back into a cloud and starts raining to ruin plants and dirty the streets.
5. Clara follows a rainbow and ends up in a city full of people, cars, and tall buildings.
6. Clara gets caught and is unable to hide in the city by turning into fog.
7. Clara transforms into a crunchy cotton candy but doesn’t get taken a bite by a little girl.
8. Clara learns that her purpose is to spread happiness instead of playing pranks, and she finds fulfillment in helping others be happy.
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?
The main character in the story is Clara, the happy little cloud.

2. What did Clara turn into when she saw the rainbow?
When Clara saw the rainbow, she turned into a fluffy cotton candy.

3. What happened when the little girl grabbed Clara?
When the little girl grabbed Clara, she took a bite of her, but Clara managed to get free.

4. How did Clara hide in the city?
Clara hid in the city by turning into fog.

5. What did Clara do when she found the kids singing and playing music?
When Clara found the kids singing and playing music, she joined in and made a cheerful sound.

6. How did Clara help the city and its people?
Clara helped the city and its people by turning back into a cloud and raining, which helped the plants grow and cleaned the streets.

7. What did Clara learn from her adventure?
From her adventure, Clara learned that the best adventure is to find your purpose in helping others be happy.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) happy
(2) Clara
(3) spotted
(4) rainbow
(5) candy
(6) turned
(7) hiding
(8) playing
(9) realized
(10) things
(11) cleaning
(12) streets
(13) happiness
(14) hoped
(15) better
(16) purpose
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. adventures
Answer: (J) Exciting and sometimes risky experiences or journeys

2. pranks
Answer: (C) Tricks played on someone, usually in fun

3. spotted
Answer: (N) Noticed or saw, especially suddenly

4. rainbow
Answer: (A) A colorful arc in the sky that appears when the sun shines through rain

5. fluffy
Answer: (M) Soft and light, like a cloud or a pillow

6. fog
Answer: (E) A thick cloud close to the ground that makes it hard to see

7. cheerful
Answer: (G) Happy and in good spirits

8. realized
Answer: (I) Understood or became aware of something

9. grateful
Answer: (B) Feeling thankful and appreciative

10. fresh
Answer: (D) Clean, new, or not used before

11. spread
Answer: (K) To extend or scatter something over an area

12. purpose
Answer: (O) The reason for doing something or the goal you want to achieve

13. helping
Answer: (H) Giving assistance or support to others

14. adventure
Answer: (L) An exciting experience or journey

15. joy
Answer: (F) A feeling of great happiness or pleasure
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What was the name of the happy little cloud?
Answer: (c) Clara

2. What did Clara turn into when she saw the rainbow?
Answer: (c) Fluffy cotton candy

3. What happened when the little girl grabbed Clara?
Answer: (b) Clara got free and turned into fog

4. What did Clara find in the park?
Answer: (d) Kids singing and playing music

5. What did Clara turn into when she joined in with the kids?
Answer: (d) A cheerful sound

6. What did Clara do when she turned back into a cloud?
Answer: (a) She began to rain

7. How did people react to Clara’s rain?
Answer: (a) They were grateful for the fresh rain

8. What did Clara learn from her adventure?
Answer: (b) The best adventure is to help others be happy
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. People in the city are grateful for the rain and joy Clara brings, and they start looking forward to seeing her. (Answer: True)
2. The story is about a cloud named Clara who loves going on adventures and playing pranks. (Answer: True)
3. She ignores some kids singing and playing music in a park and walks away, leaving them unaffected. (Answer: False)
4. Clara realizes she can do bad things and make people unhappy, so she turns back into a cloud and starts raining to ruin plants and dirty the streets. (Answer: False)
5. Clara follows a rainbow and ends up in a city full of people, cars, and tall buildings. (Answer: True)
6. Clara gets caught and is unable to hide in the city by turning into fog. (Answer: False)
7. Clara transforms into a crunchy cotton candy but doesn’t get taken a bite by a little girl. (Answer: False)
8. Clara learns that her purpose is to spread happiness instead of playing pranks, and she finds fulfillment in helping others be happy. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 3 stories?

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