The Little Red House With No Windows and No Doors
But With a Star Inside

Flannel Board Story

Characters –
a boy; a girl; mother; father; wise grandma; apple tree; the wind

Boy:
Mom, I’m tired of playing with my toys and I can’t find anything to do.

Mother:
You know, one time I heard about a little red house with no windows and no doors, but with a star inside. Why don’t you go out and see if you can find it?

So the boy went over to his neighbor’s house and he asked the girl who lived there if she had ever heard of a little red house with no windows and no doors, but with a star inside.

Girl:
I’ve never heard of such a thing! But come along and ask my father. He knows about a lot of things.

Boy:
Mr. Henry, I’m looking for a little red house with no windows and no doors, but with a star inside. Can you tell me where I can find it?

Mr. Henry scratched his head.

Mr. Henry:
I’ve never heard of such a thing. But you know what you can do? Go over to Grandma’s. She’s very old and very wise and she might be able to help you.

So the boy trotted over to Grandma’s house. She was there sitting on the porch watching the world go by.

Boy:
Grandma Henry, I’m looking for a little red house with no doors and no windows, but with a star inside. Do you know where I can find it?

Grandma Henry:
Well, I don’t know that I’ve ever heard of such a thing. But I do know that the wind has been around a long time and has seen just about everything. Why don’t you go up the hill where the wind blows the best. Maybe it will tell you the answer to your riddle.

The boy trudged up the steep hill. It was a hot day, so he plopped himself down in the shade of the old tree that stood on the top of the hill and he struggled to hear an answer in the whoosh of the wind. And as he sat listening, an apple fell from the tree and bounced off his head. The boy picked up the apple.

Boy:
This looks like a little red house. There are no doors in it … and no windows! But where is the star?

The boy rushed down the hill and into his house.

Boy:
Mom! Mom! This apple looks like a little red house with no doors and no windows, but I can’t find a star.

Mother: Look! When I cut it in half, what do you see?

(Teacher takes out a real apple and cuts it in half horizontally to reveal the star inside.)