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 Mystery of the Missing Moon

A young boy named Milo solves the mystery of the missing moon with the help of woodland creatures.

Try this story at a different level?

 

In a little place called Sunfield, one clear night, the moon just vanished from the sky. This freaked everyone out because they needed the moon’s light at night. They wondered where it could have gone. There was a curious boy in the village named Milo who really liked figuring things out. He decided he was going to find the moon and figure out what had happened to it.

Milo started to ask people in the village what they knew. Someone said they heard a loud noise from the Dark Forest. Milo was brave and went into the forest looking for clues. In the forest, he met a group of wild animals and an old, smart owl named Oliver. Oliver told Milo they were playing a game with the moon and hid it too well by mistake.

Milo and Oliver came up with a plan to get the moon back. They got all the animals together and looked all over the forest for it. After a long search, a little squirrel named Sammy found the moon behind a big tree. Everyone in the forest was super happy when Milo put the moon back in the sky.

The people in Sunfield were really happy to see the moon again and Milo felt great for solving the mystery. He learned about looking in surprising places for answers and how important it is to work with others. He told this to the villagers, and they all remembered how good it is when people come together and solve problems as a team.

After this, Sunfield became a very joyful place. What Milo did had a big effect on the people there. They started appreciating things more and enjoyed the natural beauty around them. Every night, when they saw the moon, they were reminded of how friends and working together can help overcome challenges.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1vanishedDisappeared suddenly and completely
2curiousHaving a strong desire to learn or know more about something
3freakedBecame very scared or anxious
4cluesPieces of evidence or information that help solve a problem
5braveHaving courage and not being afraid of danger
6mysteriousSomething that is difficult to understand or explain
7villagersPeople who live in a small town or village
8joyfulFeeling or expressing great happiness
9appreciatingRecognizing the full worth of something and being thankful for it
10challengesDifficult tasks or problems that need to be dealt with
11solvingFinding an answer or explanation for something
12remindingCausing someone to remember something
13naturalRelating to the physical world and everything in it that is not made by people
14overcomeSucceeding in dealing with or controlling a problem
15effectA change that is a result or consequence of an action or other cause

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Who was the curious boy in the village?
2. Why did everyone in Sunfield get scared when the moon disappeared?
3. Where did Milo go to look for clues about the missing moon?
4. Who did Milo meet in the forest?
5. How did Milo and Oliver find the moon?
6. How did Milo feel after solving the mystery?
7. What effect did Milo’s actions have on the people in Sunfield?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In a (1)______ place (2)______ Sunfield, one (3)______ night, the moon just vanished from the sky. This freaked everyone out because they needed the moon’s light at night. They wondered where it could have gone. There was a curious boy in the village named Milo who really liked figuring things out. He decided he was going to find the moon and figure out what had (4)______ to it.

Milo started to ask people in the village what they knew. Someone said they heard a loud (5)______ from the Dark Forest. Milo was brave and went into the forest (6)______ for (7)______. In the forest, he met a group of wild animals and an old, smart owl named (8)______. Oliver told Milo they were playing a game with the moon and hid it too well by mistake.

Milo and Oliver came up with a plan to get the moon back. They got all the animals together and looked all over the (9)______ for it. After a long search, a little squirrel named Sammy found the moon behind a big tree. Everyone in the forest was super happy when Milo put the moon back in the sky.

The people in Sunfield were really happy to see the moon again and Milo felt great for solving the mystery. He (10)______ about looking in (11)______ places for answers and how important it is to work with (12)______. He told this to the villagers, and they all (13)______ how good it is when (14)______ come together and solve problems as a team.

After this, Sunfield became a very joyful place. What Milo did had a big effect on the people there. They started appreciating things more and enjoyed the natural (15)______ around them. Every night, when they saw the moon, they were reminded of how friends and (16)______ together can help overcome challenges.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is the moon and why do we need its light at night?
2. How would you feel if the moon suddenly disappeared from the sky?
3. Do you like solving mysteries and puzzles like Milo? Why or why not?
4. What do you think about Milo’s decision to go into the Dark Forest to find the moon? Would you have done the same? Why or why not?
5. How do you think Milo felt when he found out that the animals had hidden the moon by mistake?
6. Do you think it’s important to work together with others to solve problems? Why or why not?
7. Have you ever had to work with others to overcome a challenge? Can you tell us about it?
8. How do you think the people in Sunfield felt when they saw the moon back in the sky?
9. What is something in nature that you appreciate and enjoy? Why?
10. How do you think the villagers in Sunfield felt when they saw the moon every night? Why?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. vanished
2. curious
3. freaked
4. clues
5. brave
6. mysterious
7. villagers
8. joyful
9. appreciating
10. challenges
11. solving
12. reminding
13. natural
14. overcome
15. effect

Meanings:
(A) Feeling or expressing great happiness
(B) Having a strong desire to learn or know more about something
(C) Succeeding in dealing with or controlling a problem
(D) Relating to the physical world and everything in it that is not made by people
(E) Became very scared or anxious
(F) Having courage and not being afraid of danger
(G) People who live in a small town or village
(H) Recognizing the full worth of something and being thankful for it
(I) Finding an answer or explanation for something
(J) A change that is a result or consequence of an action or other cause
(K) Pieces of evidence or information that help solve a problem
(L) Disappeared suddenly and completely
(M) Difficult tasks or problems that need to be dealt with
(N) Something that is difficult to understand or explain
(O) Causing someone to remember something
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What did Milo set out to find?
(a) The moon
(b) The sun
(c) A treasure
(d) A lost pet

2. Where did Milo go to search for clues?
(a) The Bright Meadow
(b) The Dark Forest
(c) The Rocky Mountains
(d) The Sandy Beach

3. Who did Milo meet in the forest?
(a) Oliver the owl
(b) Sammy the squirrel
(c) A group of wild animals
(d) All of the above

4. Why did the animals hide the moon?
(a) They wanted to keep it for themselves
(b) They were scared of the moon
(c) They were playing a game
(d) They didn’t like the moon

5. Who found the moon in the end?
(a) Milo
(b) Sammy the squirrel
(c) Oliver the owl
(d) The villagers

6. How did Milo feel after solving the mystery?
(a) Sad
(b) Angry
(c) Confused
(d) Great

7. What did the people in Sunfield start appreciating more?
(a) Technology
(b) Money
(c) The natural beauty around them
(d) Sports

8. What did the moon remind the villagers of?
(a) The beauty of the night sky
(b) The need for more mysteries to solve
(c) The dangers of the Dark Forest
(d) The importance of working together

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Milo, a curious boy, decided to find the moon and figure out what happened to it.
2. After a short search, a squirrel named Sammy found the sun behind a small tree.
3. Milo’s actions had a negative impact on the village, as they learned the importance of individualism and ignoring the beauty around them.
4. Milo went into the Dark Forest to search for clues and met a group of wild animals and an old owl named Oliver.
5. Oliver explained that they accidentally hid the moon too well while playing a game with it.
6. The moon suddenly appeared in the sky in a big village called Moonfield.
7. Milo and Oliver formed a plan to hide the moon and avoided the help of the animals in the forest.
8. The villagers were worried because they needed the moon’s light at night.
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 was the curious boy in the village?
The curious boy in the village was Milo.

2. Why did everyone in Sunfield get scared when the moon disappeared?
Everyone in Sunfield got scared when the moon disappeared because they needed its light at night.

3. Where did Milo go to look for clues about the missing moon?
Milo went into the Dark Forest to look for clues about the missing moon.

4. Who did Milo meet in the forest?
Milo met a group of wild animals and an old, smart owl named Oliver in the forest.

5. How did Milo and Oliver find the moon?
Milo and Oliver found the moon when a little squirrel named Sammy discovered it behind a big tree.

6. How did Milo feel after solving the mystery?
Milo felt great after solving the mystery.

7. What effect did Milo’s actions have on the people in Sunfield?
Milo’s actions had a big effect on the people in Sunfield. They started appreciating things more and enjoyed the natural beauty around them. They also learned the importance of working together and solving problems as a team.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) little
(2) called
(3) clear
(4) happened
(5) noise
(6) looking
(7) clues
(8) Oliver
(9) forest
(10) learned
(11) surprising
(12) others
(13) remembered
(14) people
(15) beauty
(16) working
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. vanished
Answer: (L) Disappeared suddenly and completely

2. curious
Answer: (B) Having a strong desire to learn or know more about something

3. freaked
Answer: (E) Became very scared or anxious

4. clues
Answer: (K) Pieces of evidence or information that help solve a problem

5. brave
Answer: (F) Having courage and not being afraid of danger

6. mysterious
Answer: (N) Something that is difficult to understand or explain

7. villagers
Answer: (G) People who live in a small town or village

8. joyful
Answer: (A) Feeling or expressing great happiness

9. appreciating
Answer: (H) Recognizing the full worth of something and being thankful for it

10. challenges
Answer: (M) Difficult tasks or problems that need to be dealt with

11. solving
Answer: (I) Finding an answer or explanation for something

12. reminding
Answer: (O) Causing someone to remember something

13. natural
Answer: (D) Relating to the physical world and everything in it that is not made by people

14. overcome
Answer: (C) Succeeding in dealing with or controlling a problem

15. effect
Answer: (J) A change that is a result or consequence of an action or other cause
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What did Milo set out to find?
Answer: (a) The moon

2. Where did Milo go to search for clues?
Answer: (b) The Dark Forest

3. Who did Milo meet in the forest?
Answer: (a) Oliver the owl

4. Why did the animals hide the moon?
Answer: (c) They were playing a game

5. Who found the moon in the end?
Answer: (b) Sammy the squirrel

6. How did Milo feel after solving the mystery?
Answer: (d) Great

7. What did the people in Sunfield start appreciating more?
Answer: (c) The natural beauty around them

8. What did the moon remind the villagers of?
Answer: (d) The importance of working together
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Milo, a curious boy, decided to find the moon and figure out what happened to it. (Answer: True)
2. After a short search, a squirrel named Sammy found the sun behind a small tree. (Answer: False)
3. Milo’s actions had a negative impact on the village, as they learned the importance of individualism and ignoring the beauty around them. (Answer: False)
4. Milo went into the Dark Forest to search for clues and met a group of wild animals and an old owl named Oliver. (Answer: True)
5. Oliver explained that they accidentally hid the moon too well while playing a game with it. (Answer: True)
6. The moon suddenly appeared in the sky in a big village called Moonfield. (Answer: False)
7. Milo and Oliver formed a plan to hide the moon and avoided the help of the animals in the forest. (Answer: False)
8. The villagers were worried because they needed the moon’s light at night. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 3 stories?

A small village is transformed by a baker's magical pies, teaching the importance of sharing.

The Peculiar Purple Pie

Mr. Higgins accidentally makes a magical pie that turns people into floating, singing, rhyming, and funny beings, bringing joy to the village, but greed threatens their happiness until they learn the importance of sharing.

Whiskers, the Queen of Cats, unites animals of all kinds and teaches them the power of compassion.

The Queen of Cats

Whiskers the cat becomes the Queen of Cats by showing kindness and bringing animals together.

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