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 Big Ghost

Once upon a time, in a small village, there lived a big ghost named Ghoulie. Ghoulie was a friendly ghost, but he was very big and sometimes scared people by accident. He had long, flowing white hair, a big round head, and a pair of glowing green eyes.

Despite his size, Ghoulie was a kind and gentle soul. He loved to float around the village, visiting all the different shops and talking to the villagers. He was always happy and smiling, and everyone who met him couldn’t help but feel cheerful too.

One day, Ghoulie decided to visit the village fair. He floated above the crowds, enjoying all the sights and sounds. There were stalls selling all sorts of goodies, like candies, cookies, and toys. There were also carnival games, where you could win prizes by trying to knock over bottles or pop balloons.

As Ghoulie was flying over the cotton candy stand, he accidentally bumped into a little girl. She was about five years old, with long brown hair and big blue eyes. She was wearing a pink dress and carrying a stuffed animal.

The little girl screamed and ran away, and soon everyone in the village was talking about the big ghost that had scared her. Ghoulie was very sorry, and he knew he had to do something to make it right. He didn’t want to be known as a scary ghost, especially not to such a sweet and innocent little girl.

So he went to the little girl’s house and knocked on her door. When she answered, he apologized for scaring her and explained that he was just a friendly ghost who didn’t mean any harm. He told her that he loved visiting the village and meeting all the different people, and he never wanted to make anyone feel afraid.

The little girl was surprised, but she saw that Ghoulie was sincere and accepted his apology. She even invited him in for some cookies and milk. From then on, Ghoulie visited the little girl every day, and they became the best of friends. They played games, told stories, and had picnics in the park.

And so, the big ghost and the little girl lived happily ever after, spreading joy and friendship throughout the village. Whenever anyone saw Ghoulie floating by, they would wave and say hello, knowing that he was just a big, lovable ghost with a heart of gold.

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Vocabulary

  1. Village (noun): a small community of people living together in a rural area.
  2. Fair (noun): an event where people come to buy and sell goods, and to have fun with games and activities.
  3. Cotton candy (noun): a type of sweet, fluffy food made from spun sugar.
  4. Stall (noun): a small, open-fronted shop or booth where goods are sold.
  5. Carnival (noun): a public entertainment that includes games, rides, and other activities, often held for a few days in the summer.
  6. Bottle (noun): a container, typically made of glass or plastic, with a narrow neck and a wide mouth, used for storing liquids.
  7. Balloon (noun): a thin, flexible bag made of rubber or other material, filled with gas or air, and used for decoration or entertainment.
  8. Apologize (verb): to say that you are sorry for doing something wrong or causing a problem.
  9. Sincerity (noun): the quality of being genuine and honest.
  10. Picnic (noun): an outdoor meal, typically a lunch, eaten in a park or other outdoor area.
  11. Wave (verb): to move one’s hand back and forth in the air as a greeting or farewell.
  12. Lovable (adjective): causing feelings of love and affection.

Comprehension Questions

Please answer the following questions with your teacher or partner.
The answers are at the bottom of the page!

  1. What is the name of the big ghost in the story?
  2. What is the name of the little girl in the story?
  3. What is the village fair?
  4. What did the big ghost accidentally bump into at the fair?
  5. Why did the little girl run away from the big ghost?
  6. What did the big ghost do to apologize to the little girl?
  7. What did the little girl and the big ghost do together after he apologized?
  8. How did the villagers feel about the big ghost after he apologized to the little girl?
  9. What did the little girl and the big ghost do on their picnics in the park?
  10. How did the villagers react when they saw the big ghost floating by?

Gap Fill Questions

Please fill in the gaps.
The answers are at the bottom of the page!

  1. The big ghost’s name was _____.
  2. The little girl was wearing a _____ dress.
  3. The big ghost bumped into the little girl at the _____ stand.
  4. The big ghost apologized to the little girl at her _____.
  5. The big ghost and the little girl became _____ after he apologized.
  6. The big ghost and the little girl had _____ in the park.
  7. The big ghost was a _____ ghost with a heart of gold.
  8. The villagers saw that the big ghost was _____ and accepted him.
  9. The big ghost loved visiting the village and _____ all the different people.
  10. The villagers would wave and say hello when they saw the big ghost _____ by.

Conversation Questions

With your teacher or partner, please ask and answer these questions:

1. What do you think the big ghost looked like?

2. Have you ever been to a village fair? What did you do there?

3. Do you like cotton candy? Why or why not?

4. Have you ever won a prize at a carnival game? What did you win?

5. What do you think the little girl was thinking when the big ghost scared her?

6. How do you think you would feel if you were the little girl and the big ghost apologized to you?

7. Do you think the big ghost and the little girl had fun together? Why or why not?

8. Have you ever had a picnic in the park? What did you do?

9. What do you think the villagers were saying to each other about the big ghost?

10. If you saw the big ghost floating by, what would you do?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

  1. What is the name of the big ghost in the story?
  • The name of the big ghost in the story is Boo.
  1. What is the name of the little girl in the story?
  • The name of the little girl in the story is not mentioned.
  1. What is the village fair?
  • The village fair is an event where people come to buy and sell goods, and to have fun with games and activities.
  1. What did the big ghost accidentally bump into at the fair?
  • The big ghost accidentally bumped into a little girl at the fair.
  1. Why did the little girl run away from the big ghost?
  • The little girl ran away from the big ghost because she was scared.
  1. What did the big ghost do to apologize to the little girl?
  • The big ghost went to the little girl’s house and apologized to her for scaring her.
  1. What did the little girl and the big ghost do together after he apologized?
  • After he apologized, the little girl and the big ghost became the best of friends and did things like play games, tell stories, and have picnics in the park.
  1. How did the villagers feel about the big ghost after he apologized to the little girl?
  • After the big ghost apologized to the little girl, the villagers saw that he was sincere and accepted him as a friendly ghost.
  1. What did the little girl and the big ghost do on their picnics in the park?
  • On their picnics in the park, the little girl and the big ghost played games, told stories, and had a good time together.
  1. How did the villagers react when they saw the big ghost floating by?
  • When the villagers saw the big ghost floating by, they would wave and say hello, knowing that he was just a big, lovable ghost with a heart of gold.

Gap Fill Question Answers:

  1. The big ghost’s name was Boo.
  2. The little girl was wearing a pink dress.
  3. The big ghost bumped into the little girl at the cotton candy stand.
  4. The big ghost apologized to the little girl at her house.
  5. The big ghost and the little girl became friends after he apologized.
  6. The big ghost and the little girl had picnics in the park.
  7. The big ghost was a lovable ghost with a heart of gold.
  8. The villagers saw that the big ghost was sincere and accepted him.
  9. The big ghost loved visiting the village and meeting all the different people.
  10. The villagers would wave and say hello when they saw the big ghost floating by.

📚 How about these other Level 2 stories?

Lily discovers a hidden door in the enchanted forest and befriends a sparkling fairy named Hazel.

The Fairy’s Secret

Lily loved fairy tales and one day she found a tiny door in the forest. She met a fairy named Hazel who invited her to a fairy dance. But a grumpy gnome named Grumpyboots wanted to cause trouble. Lily and the fairies joined their magic to stop him. Grumpyboots learned his lesson and became a happy gnome. Lily stayed kind and the fairies kept dancing in the moonlight.

A determined cat named Fluffy builds a flying contraption and learns the importance of seeking guidance.

Fluffy’s Fantastic Flight

Fluffy the cat wanted to fly, so he built a machine, but got scared when he went too high, luckily some seagulls helped him land safely and taught him an important lesson.

Bella, a butterfly with vibrant wings, embarks on a treacherous journey to restore her colors.

The Butterfly Who Lost Her Colors

Bella the butterfly lost her colorful wings, but with the help of a wise owl, she found a special flower that brought them back even brighter than before.

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

The Peculiar Purple Pie

Mr. Higgins made magical pies that made people do funny things, but when the villagers got greedy, he taught them about kindness and sharing.

A jolly jellyfish named Finley gets lost in the deep sea but finds new friends along the way.

The Jolly Jellyfish

Finley the jellyfish gets lost in a storm, but makes new friends and finds his way back home.

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