Paul Holmes -
University
English Professor

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Short Stories for Kids

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The Peculiar Purple Pie

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

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In a small village, there was a baker named Mr. Higgins. He was famous for his tasty pastries, and his bakery was always busy with customers. One day, Mr. Higgins was making a new pie and by mistake, he put purple paint in it instead of purple food coloring. He didn’t notice his mistake, baked the pie, and put it out for people to buy.

The first customer who ate the purple pie had something amazing happen. His face turned purple, and he started floating in the air! People in the bakery were shocked and excited. Soon, everyone in the village heard about the magic purple pie, and lots of people came to Mr. Higgins’ bakery to try it.

Each person who ate the pie had a different funny thing happen to them. Some could sing really well, some talked in rhymes, and some even got long purple hair. The village became a happening place filled with joy because of the pie. Mr. Higgins liked seeing people happy, so he made a decision to keep making magical pies.

Mr. Higgins began to make more magic pies with different colors and tastes. He made pies that made you laugh a lot, pies that could turn things into jelly, and some that let you fly in the sky. The village was full of fun and adventures because of his pies.

But after a while, people in the village became greedy. They wanted all the magic pies for themselves and started acting mean to get more. The village wasn’t nice anymore, and Mr. Higgins knew he needed to fix things. He called everyone to a meeting and told them that the real magic was in sharing happiness with others, not just the pies. The villagers realized they were wrong.

From then on, everyone could have the magic pies for free. The villagers learned to share and be happy together. The magic purple pie became a sign of being good friends and working together. Mr. Higgins’ bakery did very well because the villagers now knew how important it is to be kind and willing to give to others.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1pastriesSweet baked goods like cakes and cookies
2customersPeople who buy things from a store
3mistakeAn action or judgment that is wrong or incorrect
4bakedCooked using dry heat, usually in an oven
5floatingBeing in the air without support from the ground
6shockedSurprised and upset by something unexpected
7excitedFeeling very happy and enthusiastic
8decisionA choice or resolution made after thinking
9adventuresExciting and risky experiences or activities
10greedyWanting more than one’s fair share in a selfish way
11meanNot nice, unkind, or harsh
12sharingGiving and using things with others
13realizedUnderstood something after thinking about it
14signA symbol or indication of something
15willingReady and prepared to do something

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Who was Mr. Higgins famous for being?
2. What happened when the first customer ate the purple pie?
3. How did the village change because of the magic purple pie?
4. What other types of magic pies did Mr. Higgins make?
5. Why did the people in the village become mean?
6. How did Mr. Higgins fix the problem in the village?
7. What did the magic purple pie become a symbol of in the end?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In a small village, there was a (1)______ named Mr. Higgins. He was famous for his tasty pastries, and his bakery was always busy with customers. One day, Mr. Higgins was (2)______ a new pie and by mistake, he put (3)______ paint in it instead of purple food coloring. He didn’t notice his mistake, baked the pie, and put it out for people to buy.

The first customer who ate the purple pie had something amazing happen. His face (4)______ purple, and he started floating in the air! People in the bakery were shocked and excited. Soon, everyone in the (5)______ heard about the (6)______ purple pie, and lots of people came to Mr. Higgins’ bakery to try it.

Each person who ate the pie had a different funny thing happen to them. Some could sing really well, some talked in rhymes, and some even got long purple hair. The village became a happening place filled with joy because of the pie. Mr. Higgins liked (7)______ people (8)______, so he made a decision to keep making magical pies.

Mr. Higgins began to make more magic pies with different (9)______ and (10)______. He made pies that made you laugh a lot, pies that could turn things into (11)______, and some that let you fly in the sky. The village was full of fun and adventures because of his pies.

But after a while, people in the village became (12)______. They wanted all the magic pies for themselves and started acting mean to get more. The village wasn’t nice anymore, and Mr. Higgins knew he needed to fix things. He called everyone to a meeting and told them that the real magic was in sharing happiness with (13)______, not just the pies. The (14)______ realized they were wrong.

From then on, everyone could have the magic pies for free. The villagers learned to share and be happy together. The magic purple pie (15)______ a sign of being good (16)______ and working together. Mr. Higgins’ bakery did very well because the villagers now knew how important it is to be kind and willing to give to others.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a baker? Why do you think Mr. Higgins became famous?
2. How would you feel if you ate a pie and something magical happened to you? Why?
3. Do you like trying new and different foods? Why or why not?
4. What do you think the villagers learned from the experience with the magic pies?
5. How would you feel if people in your village started acting mean because of something special? Why?
6. What do you think is more important, having special things for yourself or sharing happiness with others? Why?
7. Do you think it’s important to be kind and willing to give to others? Why or why not?
8. How would you feel if you were Mr. Higgins and your bakery became very successful because of the magic pies? Why?
9. Have you ever had a special food that made you feel happy or excited? What was it and why did it make you feel that way?
10. What do you think is the moral or lesson of the story? Why do you think it’s important to learn this lesson?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. pastries
2. customers
3. mistake
4. baked
5. floating
6. shocked
7. excited
8. decision
9. adventures
10. greedy
11. mean
12. sharing
13. realized
14. sign
15. willing

Meanings:
(A) A choice or resolution made after thinking
(B) An action or judgment that is wrong or incorrect
(C) Sweet baked goods like cakes and cookies
(D) Being in the air without support from the ground
(E) Understood something after thinking about it
(F) Giving and using things with others
(G) Ready and prepared to do something
(H) Not nice, unkind, or harsh
(I) People who buy things from a store
(J) Cooked using dry heat, usually in an oven
(K) Surprised and upset by something unexpected
(L) A symbol or indication of something
(M) Feeling very happy and enthusiastic
(N) Wanting more than one’s fair share in a selfish way
(O) Exciting and risky experiences or activities
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What was Mr. Higgins famous for?
(a) His colorful paintings
(b) His funny jokes
(c) His tasty pastries
(d) His magical potions

2. What happened to the first customer who ate the purple pie?
(a) His face turned purple and he started floating in the air
(b) He became invisible
(c) He grew wings and could fly
(d) He turned into a talking animal

3. How did the village react to the magic purple pie?
(a) They were scared and ran away
(b) They were angry and demanded refunds
(c) They were shocked and excited
(d) They were indifferent and didn’t care

4. What did Mr. Higgins decide to do after seeing people’s reactions to the magic purple pie?
(a) Close down his bakery
(b) Start a new business selling paint
(c) Move to a different village
(d) Keep making magical pies

5. What did Mr. Higgins make his magic pies do?
(a) Different funny things to different people
(b) Turn people into animals
(c) Give people superpowers
(d) Make people invisible

6. Why did the village become a happening place?
(a) Because of a new amusement park
(b) Because of the magic pies
(c) Because of a famous singer’s concert
(d) Because of a treasure hunt

7. What happened when the villagers became greedy?
(a) The villagers started sharing more
(b) Mr. Higgins closed his bakery
(c) The magic pies disappeared
(d) The village became mean and unpleasant

8. What did the villagers learn from Mr. Higgins’ meeting?
(a) The magic pies were actually poisonous
(b) The real magic was in sharing happiness with others
(c) Mr. Higgins was going to stop making pies
(d) The villagers should only eat the magic pies themselves

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Word spreads about the mundane effects of the purple pie, and few people come to Mr. Higgins’ bakery to try it.
2. Mr. Higgins calls a meeting and teaches the villagers the importance of sharing and being kind, leading to a positive change in the village.
3. Each person who eats the pie experiences a different funny and magical effect.
4. Mr. Higgins decides to stop making magical pies and only offers plain colors and tastes.
5. The first person who eats the purple pie turns purple and starts floating in the air.
6. The villagers become generous and start acting kind to share their magic pies with others.
7. Mr. Higgins is a chef in a large city known for his mediocre pastries.
8. By mistake, Mr. Higgins accidentally puts purple paint in a pie instead of purple food coloring.
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 Mr. Higgins famous for being?
Mr. Higgins was famous for being a baker.

2. What happened when the first customer ate the purple pie?
The first customer’s face turned purple, and he started floating in the air.

3. How did the village change because of the magic purple pie?
The village became a happening place filled with joy and fun because of the magic purple pie.

4. What other types of magic pies did Mr. Higgins make?
Mr. Higgins made pies that made you laugh a lot, pies that could turn things into jelly, and pies that let you fly in the sky.

5. Why did the people in the village become mean?
The people in the village became mean because they became greedy and wanted all the magic pies for themselves.

6. How did Mr. Higgins fix the problem in the village?
Mr. Higgins called everyone to a meeting and told them that the real magic was in sharing happiness with others, not just the pies.

7. What did the magic purple pie become a symbol of in the end?
The magic purple pie became a symbol of being good friends and working together.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) baker
(2) making
(3) purple
(4) turned
(5) village
(6) magic
(7) seeing
(8) happy
(9) colors
(10) tastes
(11) jelly
(12) greedy
(13) others
(14) villagers
(15) became
(16) friends
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. pastries
Answer: (C) Sweet baked goods like cakes and cookies

2. customers
Answer: (I) People who buy things from a store

3. mistake
Answer: (B) An action or judgment that is wrong or incorrect

4. baked
Answer: (J) Cooked using dry heat, usually in an oven

5. floating
Answer: (D) Being in the air without support from the ground

6. shocked
Answer: (K) Surprised and upset by something unexpected

7. excited
Answer: (M) Feeling very happy and enthusiastic

8. decision
Answer: (A) A choice or resolution made after thinking

9. adventures
Answer: (O) Exciting and risky experiences or activities

10. greedy
Answer: (N) Wanting more than one’s fair share in a selfish way

11. mean
Answer: (H) Not nice, unkind, or harsh

12. sharing
Answer: (F) Giving and using things with others

13. realized
Answer: (E) Understood something after thinking about it

14. sign
Answer: (L) A symbol or indication of something

15. willing
Answer: (G) Ready and prepared to do something
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What was Mr. Higgins famous for?
Answer: (c) His tasty pastries

2. What happened to the first customer who ate the purple pie?
Answer: (a) His face turned purple and he started floating in the air

3. How did the village react to the magic purple pie?
Answer: (c) They were shocked and excited

4. What did Mr. Higgins decide to do after seeing people’s reactions to the magic purple pie?
Answer: (d) Keep making magical pies

5. What did Mr. Higgins make his magic pies do?
Answer: (a) Different funny things to different people

6. Why did the village become a happening place?
Answer: (b) Because of the magic pies

7. What happened when the villagers became greedy?
Answer: (d) The village became mean and unpleasant

8. What did the villagers learn from Mr. Higgins’ meeting?
Answer: (b) The real magic was in sharing happiness with others
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Word spreads about the mundane effects of the purple pie, and few people come to Mr. Higgins’ bakery to try it. (Answer: False)
2. Mr. Higgins calls a meeting and teaches the villagers the importance of sharing and being kind, leading to a positive change in the village. (Answer: True)
3. Each person who eats the pie experiences a different funny and magical effect. (Answer: True)
4. Mr. Higgins decides to stop making magical pies and only offers plain colors and tastes. (Answer: False)
5. The first person who eats the purple pie turns purple and starts floating in the air. (Answer: True)
6. The villagers become generous and start acting kind to share their magic pies with others. (Answer: False)
7. Mr. Higgins is a chef in a large city known for his mediocre pastries. (Answer: False)
8. By mistake, Mr. Higgins accidentally puts purple paint in a pie instead of purple food coloring. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 3 stories?

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Sam’s Snowy Day

Sam had an awesome day in the snow, from flying off his sled to saving a squirrel.

A young girl named Emily discovers a tree that produces rainbow-colored raspberries, bringing joy to her village.

The Remarkable Raspberry Rain

Emily discovers a tree that rains colorful raspberries, but when they lose their color, she learns that children’s laughter can bring the magic back.

A llama farmer builds an obstacle course to keep his mischievous llamas entertained and happy.

The Llama Farmer

Mr. Thompson builds an obstacle course for his llamas, and Milo’s silly antics steal the show.

In a small village nestled deep in a magical forest, a little girl named Lily discovers a talking teapot with the power to grant wishes.

The Talking Teapot

A brave girl named Lily finds a talking teapot that grants good wishes, but a mean witch tries to steal it.

Humphrey the Hippogriff embarks on a quest to cure his hiccups and discovers the power of laughter.

The Hiccuping Hippogriff

Humphrey the Hippogriff couldn’t stop hiccupping, but with the help of a wise unicorn, he discovered that laughter was the key to curing his hiccups and spreading joy to others.

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.

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