The New Kid at Lunch
Noticing how someone feels is the first step to helping them belong.
On his first day at the new school, Marcus held his lunch tray and looked around the busy cafeteria. Every table was full of kids who already seemed to know each other. His stomach felt tight, and he wished he could just disappear.
Then a girl named Dahlia waved him over. "You can sit with us," she said, sliding her backpack off the empty seat. Marcus felt his shoulders relax as he set down his tray.
By the end of lunch, Marcus was laughing at Dahlia's jokes and learning her friends' names. He realized the new school might feel like home sooner than he had thought.
Tap any word to hear it.
Retell it: who is in it, where are they, and how did the main character's feelings change?
Say it out loud first, then type a little. Retelling is the real reading skill — this gets saved to her report.
What is this story mostly about?
How did Marcus feel at the start of lunch?
How do you know Marcus started to feel better after Dahlia waved him over?
What lesson does this story teach?
Answer all 4 questions to finish. 3 of 4 right and it’s hers.