Barnaby the Badger's Big Day


Barnaby the Badger's Big Day
Barnaby the Badger was shy. He lived in a cozy burrow under a big oak tree. Barnaby loved to read books and play with his toys, but he didn't like to talk to other animals. He would hide when he saw them coming.
One sunny day, Barnaby's mom asked him, "Barnaby, can you go to the store? We need berries for our pie."
Barnaby felt nervous. "But Mom," he said, "I don't want to go. I might see other animals."
"It will be okay," Mom said. "Just get the berries. I know you can do it!"
Barnaby took a deep breath and walked to the store. He saw Rosie Rabbit and Freddy Fox. He wanted to hide, but he remembered what his mom said. He waved a small wave. Rosie and Freddy waved back and smiled!
At the store, Mrs. Squirrel helped Barnaby find the berries. Barnaby said, "Thank you!" Mrs. Squirrel smiled.
Barnaby walked home feeling happy. He wasn't as shy anymore. He even said hello to a bluebird on the way. Maybe talking to others wasn't so scary after all!
- Burrow:
- A hole in the ground where an animal lives.
- Shy:
- Afraid to talk to people.
- Nervous:
- Feeling worried or scared.
- cozy:
- Warm, comfortable, and pleasant.
- scary:
- Causing fear or making you feel afraid.
One passage, many ways to practice
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Main Idea
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Purpose
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Structure
Analyze how sections and organizational choices build the text's ideas or effects.
Vocabulary
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Writing Prompts
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1Why was Barnaby the Badger shy?
- 2What did Barnaby's mom ask him to do?
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About this fiction passage for Lower Elementary
“Barnaby the Badger's Big Day” is a fiction reading passage about Overcoming Shyness, written for Lower Elementary. It takes about 1 minute to read (187 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.

