A Hat Full of Rainbows

At just five years old, Sophie was already known for her boundless energy and ever-present smile. She carried a wide-brimmed straw hat everywhere she went, the kind with colorful ribbons that danced in the wind. But it wasn’t the hat itself that made Sophie special—it was what she kept inside it.

The first time Sophie’s hat caught attention was on a gloomy Monday at the park. Mr. Lewis, who ran the ice cream stand, was having a rough morning. His freezer had broken, and all the popsicles melted. As he stood there sighing, Sophie walked up to him, her hat tilted slightly on her head.

“Hi, Mr. Lewis!” Sophie chirped, her brown curls bouncing as she spoke. “Why do you look like a sad cloud?”

Mr. Lewis forced a smile. “Oh, it’s nothing, Sophie. Just one of those days.”

Sophie took off her hat and held it out to him. “Here, take a rainbow!”

Mr. Lewis blinked, staring at the small pile of colorful candies at the bottom of her hat. “Rainbows?”

She nodded earnestly. “They’re hiding in the candy. But when you eat one, the rainbow will come out and make things better.”

Mr. Lewis chuckled. “But it’s just candy, Sophie.”

“No, it’s not just candy,” she said, as if explaining something very obvious. “The rainbow is inside, silly. You’ll see.”

Amused, Mr. Lewis picked out a red candy and popped it into his mouth. “Well, Sophie, I don’t think my freezer’s magically going to fix itself,” he said. But as he looked at her beaming face, he couldn’t help but smile for real this time. “Still, I feel a little better. Thanks, kiddo.”

“You’re welcome!” Sophie sang as she skipped off to the playground.

Word of Sophie’s “rainbows” spread quickly. If someone was having a bad day, Sophie would offer them a candy from her hat, insisting it contained a hidden rainbow. At first, people accepted it to humor her. But something funny started happening—after talking to Sophie and eating one of her candies, people began to see their problems differently.

When Mrs. Patel dropped her groceries and spilled a carton of eggs on the sidewalk, Sophie was there in a flash. “Don’t cry, Mrs. Patel. Take a rainbow.”

Mrs. Patel sighed but let Sophie place a green candy in her hand. As she chewed it, she found herself laughing softly. “Well, I suppose I needed to clean this old bag anyway,” she said, picking up her groceries with a new sense of calm.

When Sophie’s older brother, Ethan, came home upset because he’d lost a soccer game, Sophie climbed onto a chair to look him in the eye. “Here,” she said, holding out her hat. “You need two rainbows.”

“Two?” Ethan asked, raising an eyebrow.

She nodded. “One for the game and one for your grumpy face.”

Ethan laughed despite himself and took the candies. “You’re something else, Soph.”

Phrasal Verbs & Example Sentences

Cheer up – To make someone feel happier.

  • Example: “Take a rainbow. It’ll cheer you up!”

Pick up – To lift or recover something.

  • Example: “Mrs. Patel began picking up her groceries with a new sense of calm.”

Pop into – To put something quickly into one’s mouth.

  • Example: “Mr. Lewis popped a candy into his mouth.”

Brighten up – To improve or become happier.

  • Example: “Sophie’s rainbows seemed to brighten up everyone’s day.”

Fix up – To repair or improve something.

  • Example: “Rainbows don’t fix things. They just help people feel better so they can fix things themselves.”

 

Phrasal Verb Quiz

Fill in the Blank with the Correct Phrasal Verb

  1. Sophie handed Mrs. Patel a candy and said, “Take a rainbow. It’ll ________ your day!”

  2. Mr. Lewis laughed as he ________ a candy into his mouth.

  3. Mrs. Patel began to ________ her spilled groceries with a calm smile.

  4. Sophie’s candies seemed to ________ everyone’s mood, no matter how bad their day was.

  5. Sophie told her brother Ethan, “Rainbows don’t fix things. They just help you feel better so you can ________ the problem yourself.”

Answers: Phrasal Verbs

  1. Cheer up

  2. Popped into

  3. Pick up

  4. Brighten up

  5. Fix up

Idioms & Example Sentences

A bad day – A difficult or challenging day.

  • Example: “Why do you look like a sad cloud? Are you having a bad day?”

Cloudiest days – The most challenging times.

  • Example: “A rainbow was always there, even on the cloudiest days.”

Feel better – To experience emotional improvement.

  • Example: “The rainbow will come out and make you feel better.”

A sense of calm – A feeling of peace.

  • Example: “She picked up her groceries with a new sense of calm.”

Something else – Someone unique or remarkable.

  • Example: “You’re something else, Soph.”

 

Idiom Quiz

Fill in the Blank with the Correct Idiom

  1. “Why do you look like a sad cloud? Are you having ________?” Sophie asked Mr. Lewis.

  2. Sophie believed rainbows could bring a little light, even on ________.

  3. Mrs. Patel smiled and said the rainbow candy helped her ________ after the grocery mishap.

  4. After talking to Sophie, people often felt ________ as if their troubles had lifted.

  5. Ethan told Sophie, “You’re ________, Soph. The world is lucky to have you.”

Answers: Idioms

  1. A bad day

  2. The cloudiest days

  3. Feel better

  4. A sense of calm

  5. Something else

 

Multiple-Choice Questions

Circle the correct answer.

  1. What made Sophie’s hat special?
    a. It had colorful ribbons.
    b. She carried candies inside it that she called "rainbows."
    c. It was made of expensive straw.
    d. It was a gift from her grandmother.

  2. Why was Mr. Lewis upset at the park?
    a. His ice cream freezer had broken, and the popsicles melted.
    b. He lost his favorite hat.
    c. He had no customers at the ice cream stand.
    d. The park was closed due to rain.

  3. What did Sophie say was hidden inside the candies she gave people?
    a. Love
    b. Rainbows
    c. Magic
    d. Happiness

  4. How did Mr. Lewis feel after eating Sophie’s candy?
    a. He immediately found a solution to his problem.
    b. He smiled and felt a little better.
    c. He felt no different than before.
    d. He became confused by Sophie’s words.

  5. Why did Sophie give Mrs. Patel a candy?
    a. Mrs. Patel dropped her groceries and spilled eggs.
    b. Mrs. Patel asked Sophie for help.
    c. Mrs. Patel looked tired from shopping.
    d. Mrs. Patel was upset about her broken bag.

  6. What did Sophie say the candy would do for Mrs. Patel?
    a. Make her laugh
    b. Fix her spilled groceries
    c. Contain a rainbow to make things better
    d. Help her carry her groceries

  7. How many candies did Sophie give Ethan when he was upset?
    a. One
    b. Two
    c. Three
    d. None

  8. Why did Sophie say Ethan needed two candies?
    a. One was for his lost soccer game, and the other was for his grumpy face.
    b. He had to share one with a friend.
    c. He needed extra energy for practice.
    d. One was for now, and the other was for later.

  9. How did people start feeling after eating Sophie’s candies and talking to her?
    a. They laughed at the idea but didn’t change their mood.
    b. They felt better and began to see their problems differently.
    c. They became more confused about their problems.
    d. They didn’t notice any difference in their day.

  10. What does Sophie’s habit of giving out candies symbolize in the story?
    a. Sharing tangible solutions to problems
    b. Spreading kindness and positivity to brighten people’s days
    c. Encouraging people to rely on her for help
    d. Teaching others the importance of candy

Answers: Multiple-Choice Questions

  1. b - She carried candies inside it that she called "rainbows."

  2. a - His ice cream freezer had broken, and the popsicles melted.

  3. b - Rainbows

  4. b - He smiled and felt a little better.

  5. a - Mrs. Patel dropped her groceries and spilled eggs.

  6. c - Contain a rainbow to make things better

  7. b - Two

  8. a - One was for his lost soccer game, and the other was for his grumpy face.

  9. b - They felt better and began to see their problems differently.

  10. b - Spreading kindness and positivity to brighten people’s days.

 

Thought Provoking Question

  • Do you think Sophie’s belief that “rainbows” help people see their problems differently is realistic, or is it just a childlike fantasy?

  • Why?