Mia and the Two Rabbits
Mia has two rabbits. Their names are Pip and Pepper. They live in the back yard.
Rabbits need company. That is why Mia has two. Pip and Pepper rest side by side.
Their home is big. A rabbit must stand up tall inside. Its ears must not touch the roof.
A small hutch is not enough by itself. Pip and Pepper also have a run. They hop and play in it.
Rabbits get scared of foxes, cats and dogs. So the home has hiding places. Pip and Pepper feel safe and calm there.
The first job is hay. Mia and Grandpa pile up hay as big as Pip. A rabbit can nibble hay all day.
A rabbit's teeth never stop growing. Chewing hay wears them down. That keeps the teeth healthy.
Next, a handful of leafy greens. Mia washes them carefully. Grandpa knows which ones are safe.
Carrots are not the main food. They are a small treat. Mostly, rabbits eat hay.
Rabbits need fresh water all day. Mia and Grandpa change it twice a day.
Rabbits usually pick one corner for a toilet. Mia and Grandpa clean it every day. Then they wash their hands.
Mia sits down on the grass. Rabbits are less frightened when you stay low. Then nobody can fall.
Mia moves slowly and talks gently. She never lifts a rabbit by its ears. She never holds one on its back.
Grandpa shows her how to hold Pip. One hand holds his back and bottom. Little children never pick up a rabbit alone.
Pip does a wonderful happy jump. He twists in the air. People call it a binky.
Pepper rests and grinds her teeth softly. It sounds like a purr. She is happy.
Mia learns how Pip eats and plays every day. One day he does not want to eat.
Mia tells Grandpa right away. Then a vet will know what to do.
Rabbits can live for 8 to 12 years. A grown-up decides if a family can keep them. Some rescue centers have rabbits who need homes.
Rabbits can live for 8 to 12 years. A grown-up decides if a family can keep them. Some rescue centers have rabbits who need homes.
Hay, water and a clean toilet fill Mia's day. Ask a grown-up to see Peabody Pets with you. Find it at pet.peabody.kids.
Questions
- Carrots
- Hay
- Seeds
- They are too small
- Rabbits need a friend
- One rabbit is loud
- She is tired
- Rabbits like grass
- Staying low scares a rabbit less
- A rabbit house
- A rabbit toy
- A rabbit snack
- She tells Grandpa
- She gives him a carrot
- She waits a week
Words to know
- hutch: rabbit house
- binky: happy jump
- hay: dried grass
- vet: animal doctor
- rescue: animal shelter
Answer key: Mia and the Two Rabbits
- B. Hay
- B. Rabbits need a friend
- C. Staying low scares a rabbit less
- A. A rabbit house
- A. She tells Grandpa
The story in pictures
- Part One · Pip and Pepper
- Part Two · The jobs
- Part Three · Gentle hands
For the teacher: how this passage is levelled
“Mia and the Two Rabbits” is a reading level 7 story. Every Peabody story at this level is written and checked to keep sentences to 10 words or fewer, to aim at an average of 6 words a sentence, and to show 12 to 30 words on a screen. At most 8% of its words may be off the familiar-word list. Children in 3rd grade start at this level.
| This passage | 390 words, 21 screens, 5 multiple-choice questions with an answer key, and 5 vocabulary words with kid-sized meanings |
|---|---|
| Longest sentence at this level | 10 words |
| Words on a screen | 12 to 30 |
| Skills practised at this level | phonics (sounding words out), sight words, spelling |
Reading level 7: the limits, a real sample and the free games. Peabody is a learning app, not an assessment: use the questions to talk about the story, not to grade a child.