The Velveteen Rabbit: read-aloud with discussion questions
Read The Velveteen Rabbit aloud on the projector: 21 pages of big type with each word lit as it is said, 1913 words (about 14 minutes), level 10, grade 5, and 5 questions to talk about.
Page 1 of 21
There was once a velveteen rabbit, and in the beginning he was really splendid, with a round, plump body, brown and white spots, whiskers of real thread and ears lined with pink. On Christmas morning he sat wedged in the top of the Boy's stocking with a sprig of holly between his paws, and he was the finest thing among the nuts and oranges and the toy engine. For two whole hours the Boy loved him. Then the aunts and uncles came to dinner, the room filled with rustling paper and new presents, and the little Rabbit was forgotten.
Keys: ← → or Page Up and Page Down turn the page, Space starts and pauses the voice, Home and End jump, F fills the screen. Tapping the right side of a page goes on; the left side goes back.
How to use it
- Press Full screen (F) to put the book on the projector.
- Press Read to me (Space), or read it yourself and turn pages with the arrow keys or a tap. Pick the Pace that suits the class.
- After the last page the questions come up on the screen. The same questions are below, with what to listen for.
About this book
- Level 10, Grade 5
- 21 pages, 1913 words, about 14 minutes aloud
- A classic tale, gentle
Related
About The Velveteen Rabbit
A 1,913-word retelling of the story of a toy rabbit who longs to be Real. It is the longest book on this list, so plan two sittings; a good place to stop is where the Boy says "He is REAL!" and the Rabbit is glad all the way through.
A plush rabbit is forgotten on Christmas morning and left among the nursery toys. The old Skin Horse tells him what it means to be Real, and the little Rabbit longs for it to happen.
Before you read
Ask what makes a favorite toy different from other toys. Tell the class there is a toy rabbit who wants to be Real and an old horse who knows how it happens, and ask them to listen for what the Skin Horse says.
Words to preview
- velveteen (vel-vuh-TEEN)
- soft cloth
- splendid (SPLEN-did)
- very fine
- snubbed (SNUBD)
- treated coldly
- shabby (SHAB-ee)
- worn and faded
- bracken (BRAK-en)
- tall ferns
- fever (FEE-ver)
- very high temperature
Questions to talk about
- What does the Skin Horse say it means to be Real?Listen for: It has nothing to do with how you are made. It happens slowly, when a child loves you for a long time, not just to play with. It sometimes hurts, and by then your fur may be loved off, but a Real toy is never ugly except to people who do not understand.
- How does the Rabbit become the Boy's favorite?Listen for: Nana grabs him by one ear to put into the Boy's arms when the china dog is lost. After that he sleeps in the Boy's bed, the Boy makes burrows for him, and they play in the garden.
- What does the Boy say when Nana finds the Rabbit on the lawn, and how does the Rabbit feel?Listen for: He says "He is not a toy. He is REAL!" The Rabbit is glad all the way through, because what the Skin Horse said had come true.
- Why is the Rabbit put in a sack, and how does he feel there?Listen for: The Boy has been ill, and the doctor says his toys and books must go. The Rabbit is lonely, and he wonders what the use was of being loved if it ends like this.
- How does the story end for the Rabbit and for the Boy, and what does it say about being loved?Listen for: A tear grows a flower, and the Nursery Magic Fairy makes him a Real rabbit in the wood. In the spring the Boy sees a rabbit that looks like his old Bunny and never knows. Listen for ideas about love making someone real, with a line to back them.
Questions
How long does The Velveteen Rabbit take to read aloud?
It has 21 pages and 1913 words, so about 14 minutes at the Steady pace and a little less at Quick. If you stop to talk on the way, plan for more.
What reading level is The Velveteen Rabbit?
Level 10, Grade 5. The library numbers its levels from 0 to 18 and puts the level of a book on its cover; level 10 sits at grade 5. A level is a guide for choosing, so look at the pages yourself.
Whose voice is it?
Your browser's own. Read to me uses a speaking voice already on the computer, so it sounds like that computer and works without a sign-in. Voices differ: some light each word as it is spoken, and some do not, in which case the highlight follows a steady pace instead. Some browsers use an online voice; if yours does, the browser, not us, sends the words of the page to its speech service. If no voice is installed, turn the pages and read it aloud yourself.
Do students need an account?
No. Nothing is asked of anyone and nothing is sent to us. Project the page, or share the link and let students open it on their own screens.
Is this the original text?
No. It is a retelling in Peabody's own words at this reading level, so it may differ from the edition you know.
Nothing you do here is sent to us. The voice is your browser's own. No sign-in, no ads.