Barnaby Finds a Friend
Barnaby was a big brown dog. He had a waggy tail and a wet nose.
Today was a sunny day. Barnaby went to the big park.
He wanted to find a new friend. He saw a little blue bird in a tree.
"Woof!" said Barnaby. He jumped up and down to say hello.
The bird flew away high in the sky. Barnaby was sad that the bird left.
Next, Barnaby saw an orange cat. The cat was sitting on a tall fence.
Barnaby walked over to the cat. He wanted to sniff the cat's soft fur.
The cat made a loud hiss sound. The cat ran away very fast.
Barnaby sat down on the green grass. He felt very lonely and quiet.
"Will I ever find a friend?" he thought. He put his head on his paws.
Just then, a small white dog ran up. The small dog had a bright red ball.
The small dog dropped the ball. It rolled right to Barnaby's feet.
Barnaby picked up the ball. He gave it back to the small dog.
The small dog wagged its tail. Barnaby wagged his big tail too.
"Woof!" they both said together. They ran across the park to play.
Barnaby was not lonely anymore. He had a brand new friend.
They played with the ball all day long. It was the best day ever at the park.
- Lonely:
- Feeling sad because you are alone and want a friend.
- Paws:
- The feet of an animal like a dog or a cat.
- Wagged:
- Moved a tail quickly from side to side to show happiness.
- Hiss:
- A sharp sound made by a cat when it is angry or scared.
- Sniff:
- To smell something using your nose.
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Reading-skill questions, word work and writing prompts — all built from this text.
Main Idea
Identify the central idea and explain how important details develop it.
Context Clues
Use clues in the passage to work out what words mean. A separate printable Vocabulary worksheet is also available.
Summarize
Select, organize, and restate the most important information without adding opinion.
Purpose
Analyze what the author aims to do and how choices serve audience and purpose.
Structure
Analyze how sections and organizational choices build the text's ideas or effects.
Vocabulary
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Writing Prompts
Use the passage as a springboard for short written responses, from personal reflection to evidence-based arguments.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1What color is Barnaby the dog?
- 2Where did Barnaby go to look for a friend?
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About this fiction passage for Lower Elementary
“Barnaby Finds a Friend” is a fiction reading passage about Friendship, written for Lower Elementary. It takes about 2 minutes to read (230 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.