IXL | Read historical fiction | 3rd grade language arts

Read the story.

The Skills Needed

Nathaniel ran a cloth over the books' rich covers. Dusting the family library was the job he liked best at the Brookes home.

Or maybe it made more sense to say that dusting the library was the job Nathaniel disliked least.

Back in 1604, Nathaniel had left his family's farm in search of adventure in London. Two years later, the only adventures he'd found were in these gold-lettered books.

Carefully, he pulled one down: Roanoke Colony. His heart pounded as he read about the English settlers who disappeared in Virginia. If only Nathaniel were rich! He'd use his money to sail to America and find the settlers' hidden messages. Maybe he'd even rescue them!

"Nathaniel!" William called. "You're needed in the kitchen!" Sighing, Nathaniel closed the book. No sailing for him. Just potatoes to peel.

Nathaniel found William at the work table, staring straight ahead. "King James is sending another group to America," William said. "Mr. Brookes signed on, and he wants me to join."

Nathaniel grabbed the back of a chair to steady himself.

William dropped his head into his hands. "They're not taking women, and I can't possibly leave Betsy."

"I'll go!" The words flew from Nathaniel's mouth. William could stay home with his wife, while Nathaniel set sail.

"Would you?" William looked up, but then he shook his head. "Ah, he'll never take you. You don't have the skills needed for such a long, important trip."

"What skills?" Nathaniel asked.

But William just stood up and sighed. It was time to return to work. "The men are meeting tonight to plan the expedition," he said, his voice weary. "Mr. Brookes wants you to take notes."

After dinner, Nathaniel returned to the library for the meeting. As the men talked, Nathaniel wrote what they listed: nails, hammers, needles, thread, salt, flour, rice...

Finally, Mr. Brookes announced, "I believe that's everything."

What? Were they planning to eat no vegetables or fruit in America? Swallowing, Nathaniel forced himself to speak. "Sir?"

"Yes?"

"Perhaps you'll need things for farming? Seeds, and—"

"Ah!" Mr. Brookes replied. "You're a farm boy, aren't you? Go ahead and list what we'll need." As Nathaniel wrote, he pretended he was joining the journey, and that he was in charge of the farming. His list grew and grew.

Later that night, Nathaniel was adding logs to the fireplace when William burst in, grinning. "What did you tell Mr. Brookes?"

Nathaniel looked up, startled. "Just—"

"He wants you to take my place on the expedition!" William exclaimed.

Nathaniel's mouth dropped open. "Me?"

"They need farmers! Will you still go?"

"Will I ever!"

William clapped Nathaniel on the back, then shook his hand. "I'll help you pack, settler."

Based on paragraphs 1 through

what is the most likely reason Nathaniel likes dusting the library?

The gold letters make him feel as though he is rich.

He likes to read the books and imagine going on adventures.

It is not as difficult as the other work in the house.

It reminds him of the farm life he left behind two years ago.

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Learn with an example

question

Read the story.

Bornstein's Buttons

The Hester Street market was as lively as ever. But as Jacob and Papa set up their pushcart, Jacob felt slow and...blocky, somehow. Like he took up too much space. Through the dressmaker's shop window, he could see Ruth and her father cutting cloth. Ruth didn't look up.

Ruth was usually kind. Sometimes she and Jacob even shared treats from the pushcarts lining the street: pickles, hot potatoes, peppermint.

But yesterday, as Ruth had squeezed past them, Jacob heard her whisper, "These pushcarts! People should press themselves like fish to get in our door?"

Jacob had felt terrible.

"Papa," he said now, "Maybe we should set up somewhere else."

"Somewhere else?" Papa repeated, straightening the button boxes. He always said a button seller's cart should be neat as a button. "Rosen's Dressmakers is probably the best spot for a button pushcart in all of New York City!"

"But we're...in people's way."

Papa laughed. "Look around! We're all in each other's way. Good for business!"

Jacob sighed. He wished Papa had a real shop. He pictured a sign with gold letters: "Bornstein's Buttons, Established 1900." No, "Bornstein's Buttons, Established 1898." After all, Papa had been selling buttons for two years now.

"Bornstein?" said a voice. Jacob looked up. A carriage pulled by two horses had stopped in the street. Behind the driver sat a lady in a fine dress and ribboned hat. "Bornstein, the button seller?" she asked.

Papa nodded. The woman jumped down and showed them her boot. It was well-made, but a button was missing.

"Can you match these buttons?" she asked. "I already checked the uptown shops."

Papa bent to study the boot. Jacob felt the other sellers staring. Fancy people rarely came to Hester Street.

"An interesting design," Papa said, straightening.

The woman nodded, looking at the pushcart. "I didn't expect your...cart to be so small."

"Pushcarts hold more than they seem to," Papa said. "Jacob, the shell buttons are in the back row. Look for a robin inside a flower."

Jacob started at one end, Papa at the other. They opened boxes and boxes of buttons. Finally, Jacob opened a small white box, and ten robins—each inside a flower—stared up at him. "Papa!"

Papa and the woman bent their heads over the box. "That's it!" she exclaimed.

"Thirty cents," Papa smiled.

"That's all? The uptown shops..."

"Running a pushcart costs less than running a shop."

"Then I'll start buying all my buttons from you." The lady looked around. "Ooh, I didn't know there was a dressmaker here!"

Turning, Jacob saw Ruth in the doorway. She looked at Jacob in surprise as the new customer approached her.

Jacob smiled. He and Papa didn't need a shop. Their neat-as-a-button pushcart held far more than Jacob had known.

Based on paragraphs 1 and

what was likely true about the Hester Street market at the time of the story?

Most of the pushcarts were neater than the stores.

The market was both indoors and outdoors.

The market had firm rules about where pushcarts could be.

Shoppers liked the pushcarts more than the stores.

key idea

Fiction stories are often sorted into different

genres,

or types. Knowing the genre of a story you're reading can help you understand what to expect from the story.

Historical fiction stories are set in the past. Many historical fiction stories have made-up characters and events but take place in a historical setting. Others show real people and events, with certain details coming from the author's imagination.

solution

Think about these details from the text:

Jacob's father sells buttons from a pushcart on Hester Street.
Ruth's family has a dressmaking shop near where Jacob and Papa park their pushcart.
Pushcarts selling other goods line the street.

So, you can guess that the Hester Street market was both indoors and outdoors at the time of the story.

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S.2Read historical fiction with illustrations

O.1Identify story elements

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