Summary

A summary of a story recounts it in a succinct way and includes only the most important information, ideas, or details. It may include supporting details to the main idea as well as the sequence of the story (e.g. beginning, middle, end or chronological order).

The Catastrophe

Louisa May Alcott wrote Jack and Jill: A Village Story in 1880. It’s the story of Jack and his good friend Janey. Everyone calls  Janey “Jill” because of the nursery rhyme “Jack and Jill.” In this passage from the start of the story, Jack and Jill are sledding down hills…

Mrs. Rachel Lynde Is Properly Horrified

Anne Shirley is a young Canadian orphan girl who has come to live with Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert. Anne is usually a sweet and happy person, but that changes when the Cuthberts’ nosy neighbor Mrs. Lynde comes to visit. As this passage begins, Mrs. Lynde has said some rude things…

Trash or Treasure?

If you’re hiking and you spot a rusty old can, you may be tempted to pick it up for proper disposal. While that sentiment is worthy of admiration, it might not always be proper, or even legal. Laws protect archaeological resources on public lands and even in rivers, lakes, and…

The Landing

The Hunting of the Snark is a nonsense poem by Lewis Carroll. It was published in 1876. In the poem various characters go hunting an animal called a Snark. Below is the start of the poem. ————————————- “Just the place for a Snark!” the Bellman cried, As he landed his…

Eyewitness: Jack London and the San Francisco Earthquake

On April 18, 1906, a massive earthquake shook Northern California, including San Francisco, the fourth largest city in the U.S. at that time. Novelist and journalist Jack London was hired by Collier’s, the National Weekly magazine to report on the event. The beginning of his report is below. ——————————— THE…

Trick or Treat and the Purple Ghost

“I don’t know what to be for Halloween tonight,” said Marcus to his family sitting around the table. It was lunchtime already, and Marcus had spent days trying to pick a costume. He didn’t want to be the same things his friends had chosen. So he was left empty-handed with…

Artistic Attempts

The four March sisters in Little Women are growing up during the Civil War. Meg is the oldest, followed by Jo, Beth, and then Amy. Amy is the sister who loves art in all forms. In this passage, Amy tries different types of art in order to find the best…

For a Bit of Ribbon

This passage is based on a true story of a collie dog named Lad. Lad lives with his Master and Mistress on a farm called “The Place.” He is well-loved by the Master and Mistress. Master and Mistress have taken Lad to a dog show. They have never been to…

The Story of Fidgety Philip

Let me see if Philip can Be a little gentleman Let me see, if he is able To sit still for once at table: Thus Papa bade Phil behave; And Mamma look’d very grave. But fidgety Phil, He won’t sit still; He wriggles and giggles, And then, I declare Swings…

Robby Robin

Robby Robin was a very happy bird. He had brown feathers everywhere except his belly, which was bright orange. Most robins were interested in keeping their pretty feathers clean and in finding fat worms to eat. Robby didn’t care much about his feathers. He only wanted to sing. From the…