Paul Holmes -
University
English Professor

Free Materials For ESL Teachers and Learners

Short Stories for Kids

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The Magical Marmalade

A little girl named Lily discovers a jar of magical marmalade that brings everything to life.

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There once was a little girl named Lily who loved going on adventures. One day, while she was looking around in her grandma’s attic, she found an old jar of marmalade covered in dust. When she opened the jar, a sparkling cloud of smoke came out, and a playful purple butterfly called Bubbles appeared. Bubbles had a special power: if he put marmalade on something, it would come to life!

Lily and Bubbles were excited and went to the garden to see what the marmalade could do. They found a plain rosebush and Bubbles sprinkled some marmalade on it. Suddenly, the bush was filled with beautiful, bright colors. They were so happy that they started putting marmalade on everything in the garden. Statues started to dance, trees sang songs, and flowers even told jokes!

But their fun turned into trouble when they met a cranky gnome called Grumblebore. He didn’t like all the noise and chaos in his quiet garden and wanted to stop them. Lily and Bubbles didn’t know that the magic would only last until the sun set, and soon everything would turn back to normal.

Lily and Bubbles tried to fix the mess, but they just made it worse. The flowers grew bigger, the statues moved more, and Grumblebore ended up floating in the air because he got marmalade on him! They were running out of time. Then Lily realized that it wasn’t the magic that made things fun, but the happiness it gave to everyone. She told Bubbles about what she learned.

Bubbles understood and used his last bit of magic to throw marmalade everywhere. This made the most beautiful sunset ever. There were amazing colors and it smelled like strawberries, which made everyone stop and watch, even Grumblebore. Grumblebore saw how much fun he was missing and decided to be happier. He changed and started being called Grumbly, the gnome who wasn’t so cranky anymore.

Lily and Bubbles said goodbye to their garden friends as the magic faded and everything went back to normal. Back in her grandma’s attic, Lily remembered all the fun they had. She figured out that real magic comes from being happy, having friends, and enjoying simple things. With a sparkle in her eye, she couldn’t wait to go on her next magical journey.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1adventuresExciting and sometimes risky experiences or activities
2atticA space or room just below the roof of a house, often used for storage
3marmaladeA type of sweet spread or jelly made from citrus fruit, sugar, and water
4sparklingShining with flashes of light, like tiny stars
5playfulFull of fun and high spirits; lighthearted
6chaosComplete disorder and confusion
7crankyBad-tempered or easily annoyed
8gnomeA mythical creature that is small and humanlike, often found in folklore
9statuesSculptures representing people or animals, usually made of stone or metal
10magicThe use of special powers to make things happen that would normally be impossible
11sunsetThe time in the evening when the sun goes down and the sky is filled with beautiful colors
12strawberriesA sweet, red fruit that is often eaten in the summer
13realizedCame to understand something clearly
14fadedBecame less bright or disappeared slowly
15journeyAn act of traveling from one place to another

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Who is the main character in the story?
2. What did Lily find in her grandma’s attic?
3. What happened when Bubbles put marmalade on the rosebush?
4. Why did Grumblebore want to stop Lily and Bubbles?
5. What happened when Lily and Bubbles tried to fix the mess they made?
6. What did Lily realize was more important than the magic?
7. What happened at the end of the story?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

There once was a little girl named Lily who loved going on adventures. One day, while she was (1)______ around in her grandma’s attic, she found an old jar of (2)______ covered in dust. When she opened the jar, a (3)______ cloud of smoke came out, and a playful purple butterfly called (4)______ appeared. Bubbles had a special power: if he put marmalade on something, it would come to life!

Lily and Bubbles were excited and went to the garden to see what the marmalade could do. They found a plain rosebush and Bubbles sprinkled some marmalade on it. Suddenly, the bush was filled with beautiful, bright (5)______. They were so happy that they started putting marmalade on everything in the (6)______. Statues started to dance, trees sang songs, and flowers even told (7)______!

But their fun turned into (8)______ when they met a cranky gnome called Grumblebore. He didn’t like all the noise and chaos in his quiet garden and wanted to stop them. Lily and Bubbles didn’t know that the magic would only last until the sun set, and soon everything would turn back to normal.

Lily and Bubbles tried to fix the mess, but they just made it worse. The flowers grew (9)______, the statues moved more, and (10)______ ended up floating in the air because he got marmalade on him! They were running out of time. Then Lily realized that it wasn’t the magic that made things fun, but the happiness it gave to everyone. She told Bubbles about what she learned.

Bubbles understood and used his last bit of magic to throw marmalade everywhere. This made the most (11)______ sunset ever. There were amazing colors and it smelled like (12)______, which made everyone stop and watch, even Grumblebore. Grumblebore saw how much fun he was missing and decided to be (13)______. He changed and started being called Grumbly, the gnome who wasn’t so cranky anymore.

Lily and Bubbles said goodbye to their garden friends as the magic faded and everything went back to (14)______. Back in her grandma’s attic, Lily remembered all the fun they had. She (15)______ out that real magic comes from being happy, having friends, and enjoying simple things. With a (16)______ in her eye, she couldn’t wait to go on her next magical journey.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is an adventure? Have you ever been on an adventure?
2. How would you feel if you found something magical like Lily did? Why or why not?
3. Do you like the idea of objects coming to life? Why or why not?
4. What do you think would happen if you put marmalade on something in real life? Why?
5. How would you feel if you met a cranky gnome like Grumblebore? Why?
6. Do you think it’s important to make other people happy? Why or why not?
7. How would you feel if you could make things come to life with a magical power? Why?
8. What do you think is the most important lesson that Lily learned? Why?
9. Do you believe in real magic? Why or why not?
10. How do you think Lily felt at the end of the story? Why?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. adventures
2. attic
3. marmalade
4. sparkling
5. playful
6. chaos
7. cranky
8. gnome
9. statues
10. magic
11. sunset
12. strawberries
13. realized
14. faded
15. journey

Meanings:
(A) A mythical creature that is small and humanlike, often found in folklore
(B) The use of special powers to make things happen that would normally be impossible
(C) Exciting and sometimes risky experiences or activities
(D) An act of traveling from one place to another
(E) Bad-tempered or easily annoyed
(F) Shining with flashes of light, like tiny stars
(G) Sculptures representing people or animals, usually made of stone or metal
(H) A type of sweet spread or jelly made from citrus fruit, sugar, and water
(I) Came to understand something clearly
(J) Full of fun and high spirits; lighthearted
(K) Became less bright or disappeared slowly
(L) The time in the evening when the sun goes down and the sky is filled with beautiful colors
(M) Complete disorder and confusion
(N) A space or room just below the roof of a house, often used for storage
(O) A sweet, red fruit that is often eaten in the summer
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What did Lily find in her grandma’s attic?
(a) A dusty book
(b) A colorful butterfly
(c) An old jar of marmalade
(d) A secret treasure map

2. What happened when Bubbles sprinkled marmalade on the rosebush?
(a) It turned into a giant rose
(b) It became filled with beautiful, bright colors
(c) It started to sing songs
(d) It disappeared completely

3. Who didn’t like all the noise and chaos in the garden?
(a) Lily’s grandma
(b) Bubbles
(c) The flowers
(d) Grumblebore

4. What happened to Grumblebore when he got marmalade on him?
(a) He turned into a statue
(b) He grew bigger
(c) He started floating in the air
(d) He disappeared

5. What did Lily realize about the magic?
(a) It wasn’t the magic that made things fun, but the happiness it gave to everyone
(b) The magic would last forever
(c) The magic only worked during the day
(d) The magic only worked on certain objects

6. What did Bubbles do with his last bit of magic?
(a) He made himself disappear
(b) He threw marmalade everywhere
(c) He turned into a bird
(d) He made the sun set early

7. What did the beautiful sunset smell like?
(a) Lavender
(b) Chocolate
(c) Roses
(d) Strawberries

8. What did Lily learn about real magic?
(a) It comes from being happy, having friends, and enjoying simple things
(b) It comes from using marmalade
(c) It comes from saying magic words
(d) It comes from finding hidden treasures

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Lily found an old jar of marmalade in her grandma’s dusty attic.
2. Lily and Bubbles realized that the magic would last even after sunset and didn’t try to fix the mess they had made.
3. When she opened the jar, a yellow butterfly named Bubbles appeared in a cloud of sparkling smoke.
4. Lily and Bubbles avoided the garden and didn’t use the marmalade to make a plain rosebush burst with colorful flowers.
5. Bubbles didn’t have the power to make things come to life by putting marmalade on them.
6. They continued to put marmalade on everything in the garden, causing statues to dance, trees to sing, and flowers to tell jokes.
7. They encountered a grumpy gnome named Grumblebore who wanted to stop the chaos in his quiet garden.
8. In the end, Lily learned that true magic comes from being happy, having friends, and enjoying simple things.
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 Lily.

2. What did Lily find in her grandma’s attic?
Lily found an old jar of marmalade covered in dust.

3. What happened when Bubbles put marmalade on the rosebush?
When Bubbles put marmalade on the rosebush, it became filled with beautiful, bright colors.

4. Why did Grumblebore want to stop Lily and Bubbles?
Grumblebore wanted to stop Lily and Bubbles because he didn’t like all the noise and chaos in his quiet garden.

5. What happened when Lily and Bubbles tried to fix the mess they made?
When Lily and Bubbles tried to fix the mess, they made it worse. The flowers grew bigger, the statues moved more, and Grumblebore ended up floating in the air.

6. What did Lily realize was more important than the magic?
Lily realized that being happy, having friends, and enjoying simple things were more important than the magic.

7. What happened at the end of the story?
At the end of the story, Bubbles used his last bit of magic to create the most beautiful sunset ever. Grumblebore decided to be happier and changed his name to Grumbly, the gnome who wasn’t so cranky anymore. Lily said goodbye to her garden friends and looked forward to her next magical journey.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) looking
(2) marmalade
(3) sparkling
(4) Bubbles
(5) colors
(6) garden
(7) jokes
(8) trouble
(9) bigger
(10) Grumblebore
(11) beautiful
(12) strawberries
(13) happier
(14) normal
(15) figured
(16) sparkle
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. adventures
Answer: (C) Exciting and sometimes risky experiences or activities

2. attic
Answer: (N) A space or room just below the roof of a house, often used for storage

3. marmalade
Answer: (H) A type of sweet spread or jelly made from citrus fruit, sugar, and water

4. sparkling
Answer: (F) Shining with flashes of light, like tiny stars

5. playful
Answer: (J) Full of fun and high spirits; lighthearted

6. chaos
Answer: (M) Complete disorder and confusion

7. cranky
Answer: (E) Bad-tempered or easily annoyed

8. gnome
Answer: (A) A mythical creature that is small and humanlike, often found in folklore

9. statues
Answer: (G) Sculptures representing people or animals, usually made of stone or metal

10. magic
Answer: (B) The use of special powers to make things happen that would normally be impossible

11. sunset
Answer: (L) The time in the evening when the sun goes down and the sky is filled with beautiful colors

12. strawberries
Answer: (O) A sweet, red fruit that is often eaten in the summer

13. realized
Answer: (I) Came to understand something clearly

14. faded
Answer: (K) Became less bright or disappeared slowly

15. journey
Answer: (D) An act of traveling from one place to another
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What did Lily find in her grandma’s attic?
Answer: (c) An old jar of marmalade

2. What happened when Bubbles sprinkled marmalade on the rosebush?
Answer: (b) It became filled with beautiful, bright colors

3. Who didn’t like all the noise and chaos in the garden?
Answer: (d) Grumblebore

4. What happened to Grumblebore when he got marmalade on him?
Answer: (c) He started floating in the air

5. What did Lily realize about the magic?
Answer: (a) It wasn’t the magic that made things fun, but the happiness it gave to everyone

6. What did Bubbles do with his last bit of magic?
Answer: (b) He threw marmalade everywhere

7. What did the beautiful sunset smell like?
Answer: (d) Strawberries

8. What did Lily learn about real magic?
Answer: (a) It comes from being happy, having friends, and enjoying simple things
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Lily found an old jar of marmalade in her grandma’s dusty attic. (Answer: True)
2. Lily and Bubbles realized that the magic would last even after sunset and didn’t try to fix the mess they had made. (Answer: False)
3. When she opened the jar, a yellow butterfly named Bubbles appeared in a cloud of sparkling smoke. (Answer: False)
4. Lily and Bubbles avoided the garden and didn’t use the marmalade to make a plain rosebush burst with colorful flowers. (Answer: False)
5. Bubbles didn’t have the power to make things come to life by putting marmalade on them. (Answer: False)
6. They continued to put marmalade on everything in the garden, causing statues to dance, trees to sing, and flowers to tell jokes. (Answer: True)
7. They encountered a grumpy gnome named Grumblebore who wanted to stop the chaos in his quiet garden. (Answer: True)
8. In the end, Lily learned that true magic comes from being happy, having friends, and enjoying simple things. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 3 stories?

The Chocolate Waterfall

Tommy discovers a magical chocolate waterfall, saves the village from a chocolate monster, and becomes a hero.

Oliver and Polly, renowned adventurers, spread laughter and kindness wherever they go.

Oliver’s Ocean Adventure

Oliver and Polly go on an exciting adventure to find treasure on Emerald Island, but encounter sneaky pirates along the way.

A dragon and a squirrel team up to find an enchanted treasure, but the squirrel has a secret plan.

The Dragon’s Dream

Dillon the dragon, with his special dreaming talent, embarks on a quest for a magical treasure with his new friend Daisy.

A little girl named Lily discovers a jar of magical marmalade that brings everything to life.

The Magical Marmalade

Lily and Bubbles discover that real magic comes from being happy, having friends, and enjoying simple things.

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