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Jack the Dullard

A fairy tale retold from Hans Christian Andersen

This story is from Hans Christian Andersen, the Danish writer who gave the world "The Little Mermaid" and "The Ugly Duckling." First published in the nineteenth century, it has been retold here for young listeners. Jack the Dullard shows that a quick, honest answer and a kind heart can matter more than knowing everything in a book. The story celebrates cheerfulness, resourcefulness, and being yourself. This text reflects its era.

Band
Purple · Pre-readers and first readersTypical starting range: ages 4–5
Length
short · about 349 words in 5 sections · 4 pictures
Source
Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen, H. C. Andersen
First published
see the About page in the reader
Regions
Canada · United States

Included formats

  • · Web reader and PDF
  • · EPUB for e-readers
  • · Home-print sheet
  • · Folded booklet
  • · Binder edition (8.5 × 11)
  • · Worksheet
  • · Quick Check (6 questions) with answer key
  • · Read-aloud script
  • · Colouring page
  • · Teacher’s Edition (members)

Lesson at a glance

Reading
about 8 minutes at this band
Pause questions
4
Words to Know
4
Quick Check
6 questions, with the answer key
Let’s Talk
3 questions for afterwards
Worksheet
questions, an activity and a drawing prompt

About 35 minutes with one story, all of it.

Readers are engineered from the original public-domain text with AI under HummingRead’s published canon and Content Philosophy, checked by automated audit and sampled by a person. Pictures are made with AI to HummingRead’s brief for each story. How a reader is made.

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The same story

Jack the Dullard at other bands

Yellow band

Jack the Dullard

H. C. Andersen

medium · 536 words · also in Purple

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