Leo's Big Pumpkin


It was Halloween night. Leo put on his bright green frog suit.
He had big yellow eyes on top of his hood. He hopped around the kitchen.
"Are you ready to go, my little frog?" Dad asked with a smile.
Leo nodded and grabbed his orange bucket. Before they left, they had one more job.
They walked out to the front porch. A round pumpkin sat on the wooden steps.
Dad had cut a funny face into it earlier that day. It had three teeth and triangle eyes.
Dad put a small battery light inside the pumpkin. Then he placed the lid back on top.
The pumpkin began to glow in the dark. It looked happy and warm.
Suddenly, a cold wind blew down the street. Red and brown leaves danced across the yard.
Tap, tap, tap! Something hit the bottom of the porch steps.
Leo froze and held Dad's hand tight. Was it a spooky ghost?
They looked down at the walk. A fat gray squirrel sat by the steps.
It was rolling a little acorn across the wood. Tap, tap, tap went the nut.
Leo started to laugh. "Happy Halloween, squirrel!" he said.
The squirrel twitched its bushy tail and ran up an oak tree.
Leo swung his orange bucket. Now he was ready to get some treats with Dad.
- porch:
- A covered area with steps at the front entrance of a house.
- glow:
- To shine with a warm, steady light in the dark.
- spooky:
- Scary and strange in a way that might make you jump.
- acorn:
- A small, smooth nut that grows on an oak tree.
- bushy:
- Thick, fluffy, and full of fur.
One passage, many ways to practice
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.
Fix the Sentence
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1What costume does Leo wear on Halloween night?
- 2Where does Leo hop around at the beginning of the story?
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About this fiction passage for 1st Grade
“Leo's Big Pumpkin” is a fiction reading passage about Halloween, written for 1st Grade. It takes about 1 minute to read (222 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.


