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Henny-Penny

A folk tale retold from English Fairy Tales, collected by Joseph Jacobs

This folk tale was collected by Joseph Jacobs in English Fairy Tales (1890). It is a cumulative story that has been told for generations, teaching children to think carefully before believing everything they hear. Henny-penny's mistake sets off a chain of events that nearly costs her everything—but quick thinking saves her in the end. The story's repeating pattern and rhythm make it a favourite for early readers. This text reflects its era.

Band
Yellow · Emerging readersTypical starting range: ages 6–8
Length
medium · about 487 words in 6 sections · 4 pictures
Source
English Fairy Tales, Joseph Jacobs
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 (8 questions) with answer key
  • · Read-aloud script
  • · Colouring page
  • · Teacher’s Edition (members)

Lesson at a glance

Reading
about 9 minutes at this band
Pause questions
2
Words to Know
6
Quick Check
8 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

Henny-Penny at other bands

Purple band

Henny-Penny

Joseph Jacobs

short · 307 words · also in Yellow

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