Penelope was not just a baker; she was also a detective. Her tea shop, ‘The Crumbly Clue’, was famous for its scones and its owner’s sharp mind.

One Tuesday morning, an old woman named Mrs. Higgins ran into the shop. Her face was red, and her hat was crooked. “Penelope! My golden teapot is gone!” she cried. “The one with the tiny gold dragon on the lid! It was a gift from my grandmother!”

The golden teapot was a famous object in the small town of Little Crumb. It was not worth much money, but it was important to everyone.

Penelope put down her flour sack. “Tell me everything,” she said.

Mrs. Higgins explained that she had shown the teapot to two people the day before: Mr. Grumbles, who owned the rival bakery across the street, and Lily, the new young librarian.

Penelope went to Mrs. Higgins’s house. She looked around the living room. Everything was in its place. The front door was locked, and the window was closed. There was only one small clue: a tiny, purple crumb on the floor. It sparkled under the light.

Penelope had an idea. She knew Mr. Grumbles only used brown sugar in his cakes. She also knew that Lily, the librarian, had a book club meeting at the library last night. They had a special dessert.

Penelope walked to the library. The book club was just finishing. On a small table, she saw a plate with a few small cupcakes. They were purple. And they were covered in shiny, edible glitter.

Penelope walked to Lily. “Lily,” she said, holding up the tiny crumb. “Did your book club have purple cupcakes last night?”

Lily looked at the crumb, then at Penelope. Her face turned bright red. “Yes,” she whispered.

“Did you, perhaps, take a little trip to Mrs. Higgins’s house yesterday? Maybe you had a cupcake in your pocket?” Penelope asked kindly.

Lily started to cry. “I am so sorry! I didn’t steal it! I just wanted to borrow it! The teapot looks exactly like the one in the book we are reading this month. I wanted to surprise the book club!”

Penelope smiled. “Where is it now?”

Lily led Penelope to a quiet corner of the library. Behind a shelf of old books, the golden teapot sat, safe and sound.

The town of Little Crumb was happy. Mrs. Higgins got her teapot back. Lily joined Penelope’s book club, and Mr. Grumbles baked some fresh bread. All was well.

The case of the golden teapot was closed, thanks to a small purple crumb and a baker with a very good eye.

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Vocabulary Notes

Crooked: Something that is not straight.
Example: “Her hat was crooked.” This means her hat was not sitting straight on her head.
Another example The picture on the wall was slightly crooked.
Similar words: Tilted, lopsided.

Rival: A person or company that competes with another.
Example: “Mr. Grumbles, who owned the rival bakery across the street.” This means Mr. Grumbles’s bakery was in competition with Penelope’s tea shop.
Another example The two football teams were big rivals.
Similar words: Competitor, opponent.

Clue: A piece of evidence that helps to solve a mystery or a crime.
Example: “There was only one small clue: a tiny, purple crumb on the floor.” This crumb was the key to solving the mystery.
Another example The detective found a footprint in the mud, which was an important clue.
Similar words: Hint, lead.

Sparkled: To shine brightly with flashes of light.
Example: “It sparkled under the light.” This describes the glitter on the purple crumb.
Another example The snow on the mountain sparkled in the sun.
Similar words: Glistened, shimmered.

Kindly: In a gentle, friendly, or polite way.
Example: “Penelope asked kindly.” This shows that Penelope’s question was not mean or aggressive.
Another example The teacher spoke kindly to the new student to make them feel welcome.
Similar words: Gently, politely.

Conclusive: Providing or having a definite ending; not open to question.
Example: The story has a conclusive ending, meaning the mystery is solved and the story is finished.
Another example The evidence was conclusive, proving the man was innocent.
Similar words: Final, decisive.

Story written by Gemini Pro AI

Image created by Gemini Pro AI

CC Music: Drifting at 432 Hz – Unicorn Heads

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