Paul Holmes -
University
English Professor

Free Materials For ESL Teachers and Learners

Short Stories for Kids

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The Queen of Cats

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

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In a magical land far away, there lived a tricky cat named Whiskers. Whiskers was not just any cat; she thought she was better than everyone and was known as the Queen of Cats. She had shiny white fur and bright green eyes that made other cats jealous. Whiskers had her special spot on a big cat tree where she liked to lie in the sun and be in charge of her cat friends. But something was about to change her life.

One day, while Whiskers was taking a nap on her fancy pillow, a bunch of mice decided to run away from the kingdom. Wanting to keep her title as Queen, Whiskers quickly caught each mouse with her quick moves and smart thinking. However, instead of punishing them, Whiskers did something surprising – she let the mice go. This kind act made the other animals start calling her “The Queen with a Heart.”

News of what Whiskers did spread across the kingdom, and it touched the hearts of other animals. They saw that Whiskers’ place was different, kind, and fair. Feeling inspired, the animals stopped fighting and being mean to each other. Cats and dogs, rabbits and birds all started getting along, creating a peaceful place where everyone was happy under Whiskers’ leadership.

As Queen, Whiskers watched her kingdom become a perfect place, showing that being nice to each other is powerful. The animals no longer saw themselves as enemies but as friends. Whiskers showed them that being kind has no limits and that choosing love and understanding over hate is always the best choice. With her smarts, kindness, and good leadership, Whiskers will always be remembered as the wise and loving Queen of Cats.

So, Whiskers’ story reminds us that one act of kindness can change everything. It can bring together those who were once apart and create a world where everyone is treated with love and respect. Whiskers proved that no matter how small, we could all make a big difference.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1magicalSomething that is full of mystery and seems to have special powers
2trickyClever and good at using your brain to solve problems or trick people
3jealousFeeling unhappy because someone has something that you wish you had
4fancyVery nice or expensive
5kingdomA place or area that is ruled by a king or queen
6surprisingSomething that is unexpected or not what you thought would happen
7leadershipThe ability to guide or direct others
8inspiredFeeling motivated or encouraged to do something
9peacefulCalm and without any fighting or violence
10enemiesPeople or things that are against each other
11limitsThe maximum point beyond which something cannot go
12understandingThe ability to know and share the feelings of others
13smartsIntelligence or cleverness
14respectShowing high regard for someone else’s feelings or traditions
15differenceThe way in which one thing is not the same as another thing

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Who was Whiskers and what made her special?
2. What did Whiskers do when she caught the mice?
3. How did the other animals react when they heard about Whiskers’ kind act?
4. What changed in the kingdom after Whiskers let the mice go?
5. How did Whiskers show that being kind is powerful?
6. How did the animals start treating each other after Whiskers’ act of kindness?
7. What did Whiskers teach the animals about choosing love and understanding over hate?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In a (1)______ land far away, there lived a tricky cat (2)______ Whiskers. Whiskers was not just any cat; she thought she was better than everyone and was known as the Queen of Cats. She had shiny white fur and bright green eyes that made other cats jealous. Whiskers had her (3)______ spot on a big cat tree where she liked to lie in the sun and be in (4)______ of her cat friends. But something was about to change her life.

One day, while Whiskers was taking a nap on her fancy pillow, a bunch of mice decided to run away from the kingdom. Wanting to keep her title as (5)______, Whiskers quickly (6)______ each mouse with her quick moves and smart thinking. However, instead of punishing them, Whiskers did something surprising – she let the mice go. This kind act made the (7)______ animals start calling her “The Queen with a Heart.”

News of what Whiskers did spread across the kingdom, and it (8)______ the hearts of other animals. They saw that Whiskers’ place was different, kind, and fair. Feeling (9)______, the animals stopped fighting and being mean to each other. Cats and dogs, rabbits and birds all started getting along, creating a peaceful (10)______ where everyone was happy under (11)______’ leadership.

As Queen, Whiskers watched her kingdom become a (12)______ place, showing that being nice to each other is powerful. The animals no longer saw themselves as enemies but as friends. Whiskers showed them that being kind has no limits and that choosing love and understanding over hate is always the best choice. With her smarts, kindness, and good leadership, Whiskers will always be remembered as the wise and loving Queen of Cats.

So, Whiskers’ story reminds us that one act of kindness can change everything. It can (13)______ together those who were once apart and create a (14)______ where everyone is treated with love and (15)______. Whiskers proved that no matter how (16)______, we could all make a big difference.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a “Queen of Cats” and why do you think Whiskers thought she was better than everyone else?
2. How would you feel if you were one of the mice that Whiskers let go? Why?
3. Do you think it was fair for Whiskers to catch the mice but not punish them? Why or why not?
4. What do you think made the other animals start calling Whiskers “The Queen with a Heart”?
5. How do you think Whiskers’ act of kindness changed the animals’ behavior towards each other?
6. Do you think it’s important for leaders to be kind and fair? Why or why not?
7. Why do you think Whiskers’ story spread across the kingdom and touched the hearts of other animals?
8. How do you think the animals felt when they saw their kingdom become a peaceful place?
9. Do you think it’s possible for small acts of kindness to make a big difference? Why or why not?
10. How can we apply Whiskers’ story in our own lives to create a world where everyone is treated with love and respect?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. magical
2. tricky
3. jealous
4. fancy
5. kingdom
6. surprising
7. leadership
8. inspired
9. peaceful
10. enemies
11. limits
12. understanding
13. smarts
14. respect
15. difference

Meanings:
(A) Something that is full of mystery and seems to have special powers
(B) Intelligence or cleverness
(C) The maximum point beyond which something cannot go
(D) The way in which one thing is not the same as another thing
(E) The ability to guide or direct others
(F) Calm and without any fighting or violence
(G) Clever and good at using your brain to solve problems or trick people
(H) Feeling unhappy because someone has something that you wish you had
(I) Very nice or expensive
(J) Something that is unexpected or not what you thought would happen
(K) The ability to know and share the feelings of others
(L) Showing high regard for someone else’s feelings or traditions
(M) Feeling motivated or encouraged to do something
(N) People or things that are against each other
(O) A place or area that is ruled by a king or queen
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the name of the tricky cat in the story?
(a) Whiskers
(b) Fluffy
(c) Mittens
(d) Paws

2. What color is Whiskers’ fur?
(a) Bright green
(b) Jet black
(c) Shiny white
(d) Calico

3. What did Whiskers do when she caught the mice?
(a) She punished them
(b) She ate them
(c) She played with them
(d) She let them go

4. How did the other animals react to Whiskers’ kind act?
(a) They were jealous
(b) They were inspired
(c) They were angry
(d) They were scared

5. What did the animals start doing after Whiskers’ act of kindness?
(a) Fighting more
(b) Getting along
(c) Ignoring each other
(d) Hiding from each other

6. What did Whiskers show the animals with her leadership?
(a) Cats are better than dogs
(b) Rabbits should be in charge
(c) Birds are the smartest animals
(d) Kindness has no limits

7. How did the animals see themselves after Whiskers’ act of kindness?
(a) As friends
(b) As enemies
(c) As rivals
(d) As strangers

8. What did Whiskers prove with her actions?
(a) Being mean is always the best choice
(b) Love and understanding are not important
(c) One act of kindness can change everything
(d) Small differences don’t matter

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Surprisingly, instead of punishing the mice, Whiskers chose to set them free.
2. Whiskers is a cat who believes she is superior to others and is known as the Queen of Dogs.
3. Under Whiskers’ leadership, the animals learned to live harmoniously, creating a peaceful and happy kingdom.
4. Whiskers’ selfish act earned her the nickname “The Queen with a Heart.”
5. Whiskers has shiny white fur and bright green eyes that make other cats envious.
6. Whiskers has a special spot on a big cat tree where she likes to relax and be in charge of her cat friends.
7. The news of Whiskers’ cruel deed spread throughout the kingdom, discouraging other animals from showing kindness to one another.
8. A group of mice decided to escape from the kingdom, and Whiskers didn’t bother to catch them.
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 Whiskers and what made her special?
Whiskers was a tricky cat who thought she was better than everyone and was known as the Queen of Cats. She had shiny white fur and bright green eyes that made other cats jealous.

2. What did Whiskers do when she caught the mice?
Instead of punishing them, Whiskers let the mice go.

3. How did the other animals react when they heard about Whiskers’ kind act?
The other animals were touched by Whiskers’ kind act and started calling her “The Queen with a Heart.”

4. What changed in the kingdom after Whiskers let the mice go?
The animals stopped fighting and being mean to each other. Cats and dogs, rabbits and birds all started getting along, creating a peaceful place where everyone was happy.

5. How did Whiskers show that being kind is powerful?
Whiskers showed that being kind has no limits and that choosing love and understanding over hate is always the best choice. Her act of kindness brought the animals together and created a better kingdom.

6. How did the animals start treating each other after Whiskers’ act of kindness?
The animals started treating each other with love and respect. They saw themselves as friends instead of enemies.

7. What did Whiskers teach the animals about choosing love and understanding over hate?
Whiskers taught the animals that choosing love and understanding over hate can bring people together and create a world where everyone is treated with love and respect. She showed them that one act of kindness can make a big difference.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) magical
(2) named
(3) special
(4) charge
(5) Queen
(6) caught
(7) other
(8) touched
(9) inspired
(10) place
(11) Whiskers
(12) perfect
(13) bring
(14) world
(15) respect
(16) small
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. magical
Answer: (A) Something that is full of mystery and seems to have special powers

2. tricky
Answer: (G) Clever and good at using your brain to solve problems or trick people

3. jealous
Answer: (H) Feeling unhappy because someone has something that you wish you had

4. fancy
Answer: (I) Very nice or expensive

5. kingdom
Answer: (O) A place or area that is ruled by a king or queen

6. surprising
Answer: (J) Something that is unexpected or not what you thought would happen

7. leadership
Answer: (E) The ability to guide or direct others

8. inspired
Answer: (M) Feeling motivated or encouraged to do something

9. peaceful
Answer: (F) Calm and without any fighting or violence

10. enemies
Answer: (N) People or things that are against each other

11. limits
Answer: (C) The maximum point beyond which something cannot go

12. understanding
Answer: (K) The ability to know and share the feelings of others

13. smarts
Answer: (B) Intelligence or cleverness

14. respect
Answer: (L) Showing high regard for someone else’s feelings or traditions

15. difference
Answer: (D) The way in which one thing is not the same as another thing
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the name of the tricky cat in the story?
Answer: (a) Whiskers

2. What color is Whiskers’ fur?
Answer: (c) Shiny white

3. What did Whiskers do when she caught the mice?
Answer: (d) She let them go

4. How did the other animals react to Whiskers’ kind act?
Answer: (b) They were inspired

5. What did the animals start doing after Whiskers’ act of kindness?
Answer: (b) Getting along

6. What did Whiskers show the animals with her leadership?
Answer: (d) Kindness has no limits

7. How did the animals see themselves after Whiskers’ act of kindness?
Answer: (a) As friends

8. What did Whiskers prove with her actions?
Answer: (c) One act of kindness can change everything
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Surprisingly, instead of punishing the mice, Whiskers chose to set them free. (Answer: True)
2. Whiskers is a cat who believes she is superior to others and is known as the Queen of Dogs. (Answer: False)
3. Under Whiskers’ leadership, the animals learned to live harmoniously, creating a peaceful and happy kingdom. (Answer: True)
4. Whiskers’ selfish act earned her the nickname “The Queen with a Heart.” (Answer: False)
5. Whiskers has shiny white fur and bright green eyes that make other cats envious. (Answer: True)
6. Whiskers has a special spot on a big cat tree where she likes to relax and be in charge of her cat friends. (Answer: True)
7. The news of Whiskers’ cruel deed spread throughout the kingdom, discouraging other animals from showing kindness to one another. (Answer: False)
8. A group of mice decided to escape from the kingdom, and Whiskers didn’t bother to catch them. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 3 stories?

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.

A snail named Sam learns that true happiness comes from following your own path.

How the Snail Found His Shell

Sam, a shell-less snail, embarks on a quest to find the perfect shell but discovers that true happiness comes from being yourself.

Freddie the squirrel learns a valuable lesson about the true meaning of happiness and unity.

The Peacock Parade

Freddie the squirrel learns that the best things in life are experiences shared with friends.

Jack and Emma's lives are forever changed when they discover a tiny dinosaur in an enormous egg.

The Dinosaur Egg

Jack, Emma, and Biscuit the tiny dinosaur prove that size doesn’t matter when it comes to friendship.

Three friends stumble upon a magical peach palace filled with talking animals and enchanted treasures, unlocking their own creativity and joy.

The Peculiar Peach Palace

Max, Sam, and Mia discover a magical castle filled with talking animals, fairies, and enchanted fruits that make them laugh and hug, but the biggest surprise is a locked room that holds the key to their own creativity and happiness.

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