The Picnic of Tiny Surprises
On a sunny Saturday in Korea, six friends met outside Yoonchea’s apartment building. They were going to have a picnic in the neighborhood park, and each had dressed for the occasion.
Yoonchea wore a yellow cardigan with little white daisies. Megan had a pink skirt and a bunny-shaped hair clip. Manon’s blue overalls had a strawberry patch on one pocket, and Lara wore a lavender dress with striped socks. Sopia had tied two red ribbons in her hair, and Daniela’s green sweater had tiny embroidered frogs along the sleeves.
“We look like a walking garden,” Lara said.
“A garden with frogs,” Daniela added, wiggling her sleeves.
The friends had planned every detail. Yoonchea brought a picnic blanket, while Megan carried a container of sliced fruit. Manon had packed rice balls, and Lara had made paper pinwheels. Sopia carried a small speaker for music, and Daniela brought cups and a jug of barley tea.
But when they reached the park, their favorite picnic spot was already taken. A family had spread a blanket beneath the big shade tree, and two toddlers were chasing bubbles nearby.
“We could sit by the flower beds,” Megan suggested.
- embroidered:
- Decorated with designs stitched onto fabric.
- damp:
- Slightly wet.
- gust:
- A sudden, strong burst of wind.
- hedge:
- A row of bushes growing close together.
- courtyard:
- An open space surrounded or partly surrounded by buildings or other features.
- wobbled:
- Moved unsteadily from side to side.
- scraps:
- Small leftover pieces.
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Main Idea
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Context Clues
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Summarize
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Purpose
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Structure
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Language & Tone
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1Why did the friends need to look for another picnic spot?
- 2How did Lara’s pinwheel lead the friends to the courtyard?
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About this fiction passage for 4th Grade
“The Picnic of Tiny Surprises” is a fiction reading passage about Friendship, written for 4th Grade. It takes about 4 minutes to read (534 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.