The Costume That Came in the Wrong Box
A free A2-level English story for language learners, readable online in English, with an option to listen via the free Storyteller app.
Ravi's wolf costume for Spirit Week turns out to be a giant hot dog instead, and he decides to wear it anyway.
Ravi orders an animal costume online for Spirit Week at school. He picks a wolf costume, gray with sharp teeth.
The box arrives the night before Spirit Week. Ravi opens it fast and pulls out the costume.
It isn't a wolf. It's a giant hot dog costume, bright yellow and round. A red mustard line runs across the top.
"This isn't what I ordered," Ravi says to his sister Delphine. He checks the box label twice.
"There's no time to send it back," Delphine says. "The store won't ship a new one before tomorrow."
Ravi sits on his bed and stares at the costume. "I can't wear a hot dog to school," he says.
Delphine picks up the costume and holds it against him. "Actually, this is funny," she says. "Everyone will remember it."
Ravi thinks about it for a minute. "Fine," he says. "I'll wear the hot dog."
The next morning, Ravi walks into school inside the big yellow costume. Students stop and stare, then start to laugh.
"Nice costume!" someone shouts. A group of students ask to take pictures with him.
By lunchtime, everyone at school knows about the hot dog costume. Ravi laughs about his wolf costume that never arrived.
