thumbelina

2008 Core Knowledge Foundation Thumbelina Preschool Read-Aloud Available only from coreknowledge.org

1

Stories

ThumbelinaONCE UPON A TIME, there was a woman who was sad because she

had no children. Seeing her unhappiness, a neighbor gave her

a magical seed and told her to plant the seed in a flower pot and

watch what happened.

The woman planted the seed that very evening. The next

morning, she noticed that a beautiful plant had grown in the pot

overnight. The plant had a lovely flower, like a tulip, but it was

closed up tight in a bud.

What a beautiful plant, said the woman, and she gently kissed

the flower. When she did, the petals opened wide. There, in the

middle of the flower, sat a tiny little girl, no bigger than my thumb.

The woman gasped with delight. What a sweet child you are,

she said. I will call you Thumbelina.

32 THUMBELINA

Stories

Thumbelina lived a comfortable,

contented life with the old woman.

At night, she slept in a cradle made of a

pretty polished walnut shell, with blue violet

leaves as her mattress and a rose petal for her

cover. During the day, she sailed about in a saucer

of water with a large tulip leaf as her boat.

Then, one night, everything changed. A fat mother toad

hopped through a broken window into the house and landed right

beside the sleeping Thumbelina.

What a beautiful wife she would make for my toad son!

exclaimed the mother. So she picked up the sleeping Thumbelina

and carried her away to the garden outside.

There she spoke to her son of her plans. Dont make a noise or

you will waken and frighten her, said the mother toad.

FingerplayPause when you readabout Thumbelinassize. Look together atyour thumbs and talktogether about a littlegirl that small. Have aconversation betweenthumbs!

What a beautiful plant, said the woman, and she gently kissed

the flower. When she did, the petals opened wide. There, in the

middle of the flower, sat a tiny little girl, no bigger than my thumb.

The woman gasped with delight. What a sweet child you are,

she said. I will call you Thumbelina.

32 THUMBELINA

Stories

Thumbelina lived a comfortable,

contented life with the old woman.

At night, she slept in a cradle made of a

pretty polished walnut shell, with blue violet

leaves as her mattress and a rose petal for her

cover. During the day, she sailed about in a saucer

of water with a large tulip leaf as her boat.

Then, one night, everything changed. A fat mother toad

hopped through a broken window into the house and landed right

beside the sleeping Thumbelina.

What a beautiful wife she would make for my toad son!

exclaimed the mother. So she picked up the sleeping Thumbelina

and carried her away to the garden outside.

There she spoke to her son of her plans. Dont make a noise or

you will waken and frighten her, said the mother toad.

FingerplayPause when you readabout Thumbelinassize. Look together atyour thumbs and talktogether about a littlegirl that small. Have aconversation betweenthumbs!

Stories

While we prepare for the wedding, we will place her on a water

lily leaf in the middle of the river so that she cannot escape. And

that is just what they did.

Poor Thumbelina awoke the next morning and found that she

was no longer in her cozy walnut shell bed. When she looked about

her and saw only water everywhere, she began to cry. Soon the

mother toad and her son appeared on

the river bank, which only made

Thumbelina cry harder and

harder. The mother toad and

son left her alone and

continued to make

wedding plans.

But Thumbelinas

cries had not gone

unheard. The little

fish in the river felt

sorry for the poor little

girl. They nibbled at the lily

pad stalk beneath the water until the leaf

broke free and floated down the river, carrying Thumbelina along

with the current.

Thumbelina floated down the river, far, far away from the

mother toad and her son. It was summertime, and she spent the

next several months drifting peacefully from place to place along

the river. She ate wild berries for food, listened to the birds chirping

in the trees above her, and made friends with the butterflies who

floated on the breeze nearby.

THUMBELINA 54

Talk It Over

Explain ItWater lilies root in thesoil at the bottom of alake or pond. A longstalk reaches from rootto the leaf, which floatson the waters surface.

WhatsHappening?Ask your child to recallwhat has happened sofar to poor Thumbelina. Why is she crying in this picture?

Stories

While we prepare for the wedding, we will place her on a water

lily leaf in the middle of the river so that she cannot escape. And

that is just what they did.

Poor Thumbelina awoke the next morning and found that she

was no longer in her cozy walnut shell bed. When she looked about

her and saw only water everywhere, she began to cry. Soon the

mother toad and her son appeared on

the river bank, which only made

Thumbelina cry harder and

harder. The mother toad and

son left her alone and

continued to make

wedding plans.

But Thumbelinas

cries had not gone

unheard. The little

fish in the river felt

sorry for the poor little

girl. They nibbled at the lily

pad stalk beneath the water until the leaf

broke free and floated down the river, carrying Thumbelina along

with the current.

Thumbelina floated down the river, far, far away from the

mother toad and her son. It was summertime, and she spent the

next several months drifting peacefully from place to place along

the river. She ate wild berries for food, listened to the birds chirping

in the trees above her, and made friends with the butterflies who

floated on the breeze nearby.

THUMBELINA 54

Talk It Over

Explain ItWater lilies root in thesoil at the bottom of alake or pond. A longstalk reaches from rootto the leaf, which floatson the waters surface.

WhatsHappening?Ask your child to recallwhat has happened sofar to poor Thumbelina. Why is she crying in this picture?

Stories

THUMBELINA 7

Thumbelina gratefully accepted the

kind field mouses invitation. She spent

the rest of the winter in the mouses

snug underground burrow. Every day

Thumbelina helped the field

mouse with her housework, and

then they would spend the rest

of the day enjoying a cup of tea

and chatting before the fire.

Thumbelina soon grew very

fond of the field mouse. She was happy to have found such a good

and kind friend.

Now it so happened that the field mouse had a wealthy neigh-

bor, Mr. Mole, who started spending quite a bit of time in the

evenings with the

field mouse and

Thumbelina. He and

the field mouse

enjoyed listening to

Thumbelina sing

to them.

One evening

Mr. Mole invited

Thumbelina and the

field mouse to come

his house. They fol-

lowed him down

a hole and into a

6

Before long, though, summer came to an end, and the cold chill

of winter filled the air. There were no more berries for food. All the

birds and butterflies had disappeared. Poor Thumbelina! She was

cold and hungry and all alone. And then it started to snow. She

wrapped herself up in a leaf, curled up under a mushroom, and

tried to keep herself dry. Still, she shivered with cold.

Not far away, a field mouse was gathering some last bits of

wood to burn in her fireplace during the winter. When she saw

Thumbelina, she said, My poor dear, you are nearly frozen with

cold. You must come home and spend the winter with me. I have

plenty to eat, and my home is warm and dry.

Pause at a New WordTake a moment to talk about the wordwealthy, whichmeans rich anddescribes someonewho has a lot ofmoney.

Talk It OverUse the words of thestory and the pictureto help your childanswer this question:Why was Thumbelinaso cold?

Stories

THUMBELINA 7

Thumbelina gratefully accepted the

kind field mouses invitation. She spent

the rest of the winter in the mouses

snug underground burrow. Every day

Thumbelina helped the field

mouse with her housework, and

then they would spend the rest

of the day enjoying a cup of tea

and chatting before the fire.

Thumbelina soon grew very

fond of the field mouse. She was happy to have found such a good

and kind friend.

Now it so happened that the field mouse had a wealthy neigh-

bor, Mr. Mole, who started spending quite a bit of time in the

evenings with the

field mouse and

Thumbelina. He and

the field mouse

enjoyed listening to

Thumbelina sing

to them.

One evening

Mr. Mole invited

Thumbelina and the

field mouse to come

his house. They fol-

lowed him down

a hole and into a

6

Before long, though, summer came to an end, and the cold chill

of winter filled the air. There were no more berries for food. All the

birds and butterflies had disappeared. Poor Thumbelina! She was

cold and hungry and all alone. And then it started to snow. She

wrapped herself up in a leaf, curled up under a mushroom, and

tried to keep herself dry. Still, she shivered with cold.

Not far away, a field mouse was gathering some last bits of

wood to burn in her fireplace during the winter. When she saw

Thumbelina, she said, My poor dear, you are nearly frozen with

cold. You must come home and spend the winter with me. I have

plenty to eat, and my home is warm and dry.

Pause at a New WordTake a moment to talk about the wordwealthy, whichmeans rich anddescribes someonewho has a lot ofmoney.

Talk It OverUse the words of thestory and the pictureto help your childanswer this question:Why was Thumbelinaso cold?

would return with food and blankets. And, for the rest of the winter,

she secretly visited the swallow each day, bringing him food and

nursing him back to health.

When spring and warm weather arrived, the swallow felt

well again, and he began to make plans to fly away. He asked

Thumbelina to come with him, but she said no because she felt that

she could not leave her kind friend, the field mouse.

The spring and summer months passed. Thumbelina enjoyed

being with her friend, the field mouse, but it soon became clear that

Mr. Mole wanted to marry Thumbelina. Thumbelina was horrified.

She did not care for Mr. Mole. In fact, she had always been a little

frightened of him, but out of respect for her friend, the field mouse,

she had always been polite to him.

But her friend, the field mouse, was in favor of the marriage.

She told Thumbelina that she should be happy, since Mr. Mole was

Stories

THUMBELINA 9

deep, dark underground passageway. As they made their way along,

they passed a bird lying in the middle of the passageway.

Pay no attention, said Mr. Mole. This swallow had a broken

wing and took shelter here this morning. But she has not stirred all

day, and she has surely died. The mole and field mouse hurried

on ahead, but Thumbelina lingered. She gently stroked the birds

feathers and laid her head against his side.

I wonder if you are one of the swallows that sang to me during

the summer, whispered Thumbelina.

Suddenly she felt the bird twitch. She realized he was just cold

and hurt, not dead at all. Thumbelina promised the bird that she

8

What Kind of a Girl is She?After you have readhow Thumbelina tookcare of the bird, askyour child what kind of a girl she must be.Help her find words to describe her: kind,thoughtful, loving, caring, friendly.

A New WordTake a moment to talk about the word horrified. It meanssurprised and upset.Thumbelina did not likethe idea of marryingMr. Mole! Has yourchild ever felt horrified?

would return with food and blankets. And, for the rest of the winter,

she secretly visited the swallow each day, bringing him food and

nursing him back to health.

When spring and warm weather arrived, the swallow felt

well again, and he began to make plans to fly away. He asked

Thumbelina to come with him, but she said no because she felt that

she could not leave her kind friend, the field mouse.

The spring and summer months passed. Thumbelina enjoyed

being with her friend, the field mouse, but it soon became clear that

Mr. Mole wanted to marry Thumbelina. Thumbelina was horrified.

She did not care for Mr. Mole. In fact, she had always been a little

frightened of him, but out of respect for her friend, the field mouse,

she had always been polite to him.

But her friend, the field mouse, was in favor of the marriage.

She told Thumbelina that she should be happy, since Mr. Mole was

Stories

THUMBELINA 9

deep, dark underground passageway. As they made their way along,

they passed a bird lying in the middle of the passageway.

Pay no attention, said Mr. Mole. This swallow had a broken

wing and took shelter here this morning. But she has not stirred all

day, and she has surely died. The mole and field mouse hurried

on ahead, but Thumbelina lingered. She gently stroked the birds

feathers and laid her head against his side.

I wonder if you are one of the swallows that sang to me during

the summer, whispered Thumbelina.

Suddenly she felt the bird twitch. She realized he was just cold

and hurt, not dead at all. Thumbelina promised the bird that she

8

What Kind of a Girl is She?After you have readhow Thumbelina tookcare of the bird, askyour child what kind of a girl she must be.Help her find words to describe her: kind,thoughtful, loving, caring, friendly.

A New WordTake a moment to talk about the word horrified. It meanssurprised and upset.Thumbelina did not likethe idea of marryingMr. Mole! Has yourchild ever felt horrified?

so rich. Together Mr. Mole and the field mouse made plans for his

wedding to Thumbelina.

Thumbelina became more and more unhappy. She didnt know

what to do. But she did know that she did not want to marry the

mole. She sat outside the field mouses door one autumn day, quiet-

ly weeping. Suddenly a dark shadow came over her. She looked up

and, much to her surprise, there she saw her friend, the swallow.

Thumbelina, said the swallow. I am flying south to warmer

countries for the winter. Wont you please come

with me now?

This time Thumbelina agreed.

She was sad to leave the field

mouse, but she knew that it

was the only way that she

could escape from

marrying the mole.

She climbed upon the

swallows back and off

into the air they went.

They flew for

many days. Finally, the

swallow landed in a place

that Thumbelina had never

seena lovely little spot, filled with flowers.

Thumbelina looked at the flower next to her. She watched the

petals slowly open. There, in the

middle of the flower, sat a little man with a golden crown.

He was the same tiny size as Thumbelina!

10 THUMBELINA 11

Stories

Talk It OverUse the words of thestory and the picture tohelp your child answerthis question: Why wasThumbelina so cold?

What Does That Mean?Stop to be sure yourchild knows whatweeping means. Ask her what shewould sound like if shewere weeping. Helpher know it meanscrying.

Make ConnectionsLook back together atthe picture on the pre-vious page to helpmake the link betweenThumbelinas flowerand the flowers onthese pages.

so rich. Together Mr. Mole and the field mouse made plans for his

wedding to Thumbelina.

Thumbelina became more and more unhappy. She didnt know

what to do. But she did know that she did not want to marry the

mole. She sat outside the field mouses door one autumn day, quiet-

ly weeping. Suddenly a dark shadow came over her. She looked up

and, much to her surprise, there she saw her friend, the swallow.

Thumbelina, said the swallow. I am flying south to warmer

countries for the winter. Wont you please come

with me now?

This time Thumbelina agreed.

She was sad to leave the field

mouse, but she knew that it

was the only way that she

could escape from

marrying the mole.

She climbed upon the

swallows back and off

into the air they went.

They flew for

many days. Finally, the

swallow landed in a place

that Thumbelina had never

seena lovely little spot, filled with flowers.

Thumbelina looked at the flower next to her. She watched the

petals slowly open. There, in the

middle of the flower, sat a little man with a golden crown.

He was the same tiny size as Thumbelina!

10 THUMBELINA 11

Stories

Talk It OverUse the words of thestory and the picture tohelp your child answerthis question: Why wasThumbelina so cold?

What Does That Mean?Stop to be sure yourchild knows whatweeping means. Ask her what shewould sound like if shewere weeping. Helpher know it meanscrying.

Make ConnectionsLook back together atthe picture on the pre-vious page to helpmake the link betweenThumbelinas flowerand the flowers onthese pages.

Thumbelina watched in amazement as all of the other

flowers opened, and each had its own tiny person inside.

The little man with the crown said, Welcome, Thumbelina.

You have found a new home at last. Here you shall be my queen.

He placed a tiny golden crown on Thumbelinas head and fastened

a pair of beautiful pale wings to her shoulders. They made a happy

and loving pair.

And so Thumbelina and the king lived happily ever after in the

land of the flowers and the fairies.

The End

12

Another WordAmazement isanother word for surprise. Help yourchild understand byshowing each other a facial expression ofamazement.

Happy EndingTalk with your childabout why Thumbelinahas finally found a newhome. How many different characterswanted to marry her?Why does the king seem the best for her?

thumbelina

Documents