In the big city of London, Anna works as a teacher. She loves books and puzzles. One day, she buys an old book from a small shop. Inside the book, she finds a strange paper with numbers and letters. It looks like a code.

Anna is curious. She takes the paper home and tries to understand it. The code says things like “42 red” and “blue 7 star.” She thinks it is a message from long ago. Maybe it is about hidden money or a lost secret.

That night, Anna cannot sleep. She uses her computer to search for clues. She learns that the code is from a spy game in the past. But why is it in her book?

The next day, Anna goes back to the shop. She asks the old man. “Where did this book come from?”.

The old man smiles. “It was from my grandfather. He was a spy in the war.”

Anna is surprised. “Can you help me read the code?”

Together, they sit and work on it. The code tells a story about a hidden box in the city park. The box has old letters and photos from the war.

Anna and the old man go to the park. They dig under a big tree and find the box. Inside are letters from the old man’s grandfather to his family. There is also a small gold ring.

The old man cries happy tears. “Thank you, Anna. This is my family’s treasure.”

Anna feels good. She gives the ring to the old man. Now, the secret is not hidden anymore.

From that day, Anna and the old man become friends. They share stories and solve more puzzles together.

---

Vocabulary Notes

Curious: Adjective
Meaning: Eager to know or learn something; interested in finding out more.
Example: “Anna is curious.” (This shows how Anna wants to learn more about the strange paper she found in the book.)
Similar words: Interested, inquisitive, eager.

Code: Noun
Meaning: A system of words, letters, or numbers used to represent a secret message or information.
Example: “It looks like a code.” (This refers to the strange paper with numbers and letters that Anna finds inside the old book.)
Similar words: Cipher, puzzle, encryption.

Spy: Noun
Meaning: A person who secretly collects information about enemies or others, often during a war.
Example: “He was a spy in the war.” (This describes the old man’s grandfather who worked secretly during the war.)
Similar words: Agent, detective, undercover.

Hidden: Adjective
Meaning: Kept out of sight; not easy to find or see.
Example: “The code tells a story about a hidden box in the city park.” (This means the box was buried or placed where no one could easily see it.)
Similar words: Concealed, secret, buried.

Treasure: Noun
Meaning: Valuable things like gold, jewels, or important items that are hidden or kept safe.
Example: “This is my family’s treasure.” (The old man says this about the letters, photos, and gold ring in the box.)
Similar words: Fortune, valuables, prize.

Story written by Grok 4 AI.

Image created by Grok 4 AI.

CC Music: Drifting at 432 Hz – Unicorn Heads.

short stories, English short stories with subtitles, short bedtime stories read aloud, English short story, short bedtime stories for toddlers, British English story, short story, short English story, English story British accent, short stories, English stories, English stories for kids, British, British studying, stories, British lifestyle, moral stories, moral stories in English, British English, British phrases, stories for teenagers, British English lesson, British English at home