Storytime Readings by Shannon Tolomei https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories en-us 2021-01-27 17:43:38 UTC 2025-10-21 09:55:16 UTC hello@padlet.com shtolomei8 https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1132932829 2021-01-27 17:47:42 UTC https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1132932829 California Gold shtolomei8 https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1132936384
"I love playing trains!" shouted Gabriel, standing in the middle of the kitchen. His mother rushed past with a bowl of beans, not seeming to hear him. Gabriel turned to his sister instead. "Ana, when I was building a new railroad today, I found treasure in the old creek bed."
      "What an imagination you have," Ana answered, carefully chopping peppers and onions.
      "But I wasn't imagining it! I did find treasure!" wailed Gabriel, tears suddenly filling his eyes.
      Mama looked up from her bowl. She knew she couldn't finish cooking if Gabriel started crying.
"I'm sure you did, Gabriel," she said, smiling and nodding. "Tell us more about what the treasure looks like." Gabriel wiped his eyes and grinned at her.


]]> 2021-01-27 17:48:21 UTC https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1132936384 shtolomei8 https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1132977160     "It was yellow and so, so shiny!" exclaimed Gabriel. "My train conductor is going to use it to buy a fancy new train."
    Ana stepped around Gabriel, who kept talking about his trains. She grinned at her mother. 
    "That would be nice, wouldn't it?" Ana said to Mamá.
    "What would be nice?" said Mamá, slicing the beef. 
    "Finding treasure in the dirt. Think of how many cows Papá could buy for the rancho!" said Ana.
    "If we found treasure, we could use it to travel on a real train," said Mamá. "I want to see more of California. And the rest of the country!"
"You can ride on my train, Mamá!" shouted Gabriel as he held up his toy. Mamá and Ana both smiled at him.

]]> 2021-01-27 17:55:45 UTC https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1132977160 shtolomei8 https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1132990899 2021-01-27 17:58:11 UTC https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1132990899 shtolomei8 https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1133009079     Gabriel was going on and on about the treasure he said he had found in the creek bed. Suddenly, the door opened.
    "Papá!" shouted Gabriel. His father entered and swept him into a hug.
    "Sorry I'm late," said Papá, as they all sat down at the table. "You wouldn't believe the fuss at the general store."
     "A fuss over what?" asked Mamá, spooning beans onto a plate. 
     "There's a man starting a new building in town. And when he was digging, he found gold. Right in the dirt!" said Papá. 
      Ana and Mamá put their forks down.
     "Gold?" said Mamá quietly.
     "Yellow, shiny gold!" answered Papá. 
     "People say it's as real as can be. And there's likely a lot of it. Anyone's rancho could be sitting on treasure!"
     Mamá and Ana looked at each other, and then they both stared at Gabriel.
"What's wrong?" said Papá.

]]> 2021-01-27 18:01:33 UTC https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1133009079 shtolomei8 https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1133061215     Mamá, Papá, Ana, and Gabriel stood in the yard by the creek bed. The lantern shone down on the ground. Small piles of gold rocks sparkled around Gabriel's railroads.
    "I told you I found treasure!" shouted Gabriel. "Papá, do you think that's enough treasure for my train conductor to buy a new train?"
    Papá stared at the dirt glittering in the light of the lantern. His eyes were wide, and his mouth was open. He was too astounded to answer.
    "Papá?" asked Gabriel. "Did you hear me?"
    "Gabriel," said Ana, slowly turning to smile at her little brother. "I think you found enough treasure for each of us to buy a new train."

]]> 2021-01-27 18:10:59 UTC https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1133061215 shtolomei8 https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1133070492 2021-01-27 18:12:44 UTC https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1133070492 shtolomei8 https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1133080326 2021-01-27 18:14:32 UTC https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1133080326 Why does Mama ask Gabriel what the treasure looks like? shtolomei8 https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1133086419 1) She believes it's good for her children to pretend things.
2) She wants him to see how silly his story about treasure is.
3) She hopes he'll cheer up if he's being listened to.
4) She wants to know how to find the treasure on her own. ]]> 2021-01-27 18:15:37 UTC https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1133086419 What would Mama use the treasure to buy? shtolomei8 https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1133130004 1) cattle for the farm
2) gifts for her children
3) more food for her family
4) traveling on a train]]> 2021-01-27 18:23:34 UTC https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1133130004 What are Mama and Ana probably thinking after they hear Papa's news? shtolomei8 https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1133140898 1) They hope that the man who found the gold will share it with them.
2) They are wondering if Gabriel really found gold outside.
3) They are worried that Papa believes a story that is not true.
4) They are wondering if the man who found gold is someone they know.]]> 2021-01-27 18:25:34 UTC https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1133140898 Look at the text in bold. How does Papa feel when he sees Gabriel's treasure? Use context clues to help you figure out the meaning of the word astounded. shtolomei8 https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1133153696 1) amazed and surprised
2) very disappointed
3) worried and afraid
4) very tired]]> 2021-01-27 18:28:02 UTC https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1133153696 The Silver Seashell shtolomei8 https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1133254651      When he was younger, John loved going to the beach. It meant a whole week to play with his two older brothers, Harry and Trent. But then Harry went away to college, and now Trent had to stay behind for his summer job. John was going to be the only kid at his family's beach house. He pictured himself floating in the water all by himself and sighed.
     Before John and his parents left for the beach, Trent pulled John aside. He handed John a sparkly silver seashell. "Harry gave this to me the summer I was ten. Now that you're ten, it's your turn," Trent explained. "When you get to the beach, dip this seashell into the ocean."
     "What will happen?" John asked.
"You'll see," Trent said with a wink.]]> 2021-01-27 18:47:21 UTC https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1133254651 What does John think going to the beach will be like? shtolomei8 https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1133261379 1) He thinks it will be nice to have the beach to himself.
2) He thinks it will be lonely without his brothers.
3) He thinks he will have lots of fun with his brothers.
4) He thinks he will collect some beautiful seashells.]]> 2021-01-27 18:48:41 UTC https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1133261379 shtolomei8 https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1133321998 2021-01-27 19:00:05 UTC https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1133321998 shtolomei8 https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1133346394      As soon as John got to the beach, he raced over to the water. The waves lapped around his ankles. Then he pulled out the silver seashell and held it in the water.
     Suddenly a giant wave appeared!
     The wave pulled John inside a tunnel that led deep into the ocean. Somehow, he was able to see and breathe underwater. He swam through the tunnel as quickly as he could. Where would this tunnel go?
     The tunnel stopped at a strange underwater city. John saw buildings made of sand and seashells. Colorful fish darted through seaweed gardens, and mermaids and mermen were everywhere.
     A mermaid swam up to him and looked at the seashell in John's hand.
     "Ah!" she said. "You must be Harry and Trent's brother!"

]]> 2021-01-27 19:04:54 UTC https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1133346394 What is the most likely reason why the mermaid can guess that John is Harry and Trent's brother? shtolomei8 https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1133357767 1) Trent told the mermaid John was coming.
2) The mermaid can read John's mind.
3) The mermaid recognizes the brother's seashell.
4) The mermaid has seen John before.]]> 2021-01-27 19:07:05 UTC https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1133357767 shtolomei8 https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1133367360 2021-01-27 19:08:52 UTC https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1133367360 shtolomei8 https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1133374074      "I am their brother!" John said. "Have they been here, too?"
     "They have!" said the mermaid. "I can't wait to show you what I showed them."
     The mermaid introduced John to other young mermaids and mermen. They all swam around, exploring the underwater city. They played catch with seashells, had bubble-blowing contests, and played tag with dolphins. John had so much fun that he forgot to feel lonely for his brothers.
Everything was perfect, until it was time for dinner. John thought about his mom's cooking, and his stomach grumbled. He missed his family and knew it was time to go back to land.

]]> 2021-01-27 19:10:10 UTC https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1133374074 shtolomei8 https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1133381069 2021-01-27 19:11:34 UTC https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1133381069 Look at the picture. What is John eating for dinner. shtolomei8 https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1133386385 1) Seaweed
2) Soup
3) Crab
4) Pizza]]> 2021-01-27 19:12:37 UTC https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1133386385 shtolomei8 https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1133402922      John grabbed the silver seashell. The seashell must have magic in it. If it had brought him to this strange underwater land, John knew it could take him home.
     He held the seashell with both hands, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. Then he pictured his family's beach house.
     When John opened his eyes again, he was splashing in the water near the shore. His dad was still sleeping on the sand, and his mom was still calmly reading her book. It looked like no time had passed. He smiled. His parents didn't seem distressed that he had disappeared. 
     John looked down at the silver seashell in his hand. He grinned when he thought about how both of his brothers had gone on an adventure like his. Even though Harry and Trent were far away, John felt closer to them now than ever before.
]]> 2021-01-27 19:16:01 UTC https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1133402922 shtolomei8 https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1133414773 2021-01-27 19:18:25 UTC https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1133414773 Look at the word in bold.Why does John smile when he sees his parents? Use context clues in nearby text to help you figure out the meaning of the word distressed. shtolomei8 https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1133421383 1) His parents are excited that he has finally returned.
2) His parents don't look like they're upset at all.
3) His parents weren't bored while he was gone.
4) His parents aren't jealous that he had a magical adventure.]]> 2021-01-27 19:19:44 UTC https://padlet.com/shtolomei8/stories/wish/1133421383