Level: J

DRA: 18
Genre:

The Mountain
Fantasy
Strategy:
Visualize
Skill:
Compare and Contrast
Word Count: 348

1.4.17

HOUGHTON MIFFLIN
Online Leveled Books

ISBN-13:978-0-547-02713-5
ISBN-10:0-547-02713-3

by Emily de Laurelia • illustrated by Nicole Rutton

1032755
H O UG H T O N M IF F L IN

1_027135_AL_LRSE_CVR_L17_MOUNT.indd 1 5/17/10 5:53:26 PM

 The
Mountain

by Emily de Laurelia
illustrated by Nicole Rutton

Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or
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for permission to make copies of any part of the work should be addressed to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt School Publishers,
Attn: Permissions, 6277 Sea Harbor Drive, Orlando, Florida 32887-6777.
Printed in China
ISBN-13: 978-0-547-02713-5
ISBN-10: 0-547-02713-3
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 0940 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11

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Possession of this publication in print format does not entitle users to convert this publication, or any portion of it, into
electronic format.
 Mole and Rabbit were best
friends. They lived beside a
mountain.
One day, Rabbit felt bored.
He didn’t want to look for rocks.
He didn’t want to tell jokes.
He wanted to do something new.
2
 “Let’s go to the other side of
the mountain!” Rabbit said.
“That’s far away,” said Mole.
“Would we go by car or train
or bike?”
“There are no roads for cars
and no tracks for trains. There are
no trails for bikes,” Rabbit said.
3
 “We could make a tunnel
through the mountain!” Mole said.
“A tunnel will be cozy. It’s the
fastest way to the other side.”
“We could ride a hot air
balloon over the mountain!”
Rabbit said. “A balloon ride will
be exciting. It’s the finest way
to the other side.”
4
 Mole and Rabbit thought and
thought. Finally, Mole spoke.
“Maybe you could go over the
mountain,” she said.
“Yes,” said Rabbit. “And
maybe you could go through it.”
5
 So Rabbit took off in the hot air
balloon. “Don’t worry. I’ll see you
soon!” he called.
Mole began to dig. “See you
on the other side!” she called back.
6
 Mole was right. The tunnel
was cozy. She liked to dig quickly.
It was a fast way to travel.
But she wanted to show Rabbit
the busy earthworms. She wanted
to tell Rabbit a joke.
Mole missed Rabbit.
7
 Rabbit was right. The balloon
ride was exciting. He liked to feel
the wind in his fur.
But he wanted to show Mole
the clouds. He wanted to tell Mole
a joke about the farmer in the dell.
Rabbit missed Mole.
8
 Mole got to the other side of
the mountain. Rabbit was not
there yet. She waited and waited.
Then… above the trees… there
was the hot air balloon!
“Hello, Rabbit!” called Mole.
“Hello, Mole!” Rabbit called back.
9
 “Next time, let’s go on a trip
together,” said Mole.
“I’m sure that will be better!”
said Rabbit.
“Well, we have to get back
home,” said Mole. “Will you try
my tunnel?”
“Um…” said Rabbit. “Wouldn’t
you like to ride in my balloon?”
10
 Responding
Compare and
TARGET SKILL

Contrast How are Rabbit and

Mole the same? How are they
different? Make a diagram.

Write About It
Text to Self Draw a picture of
a place you visited. Write two
sentences about that place.

11
 WORDS TO KNOW

about could sure

by don’t there
car maybe
LEARN MORE WORDS

mountain tunnel

TARGET SKILLCompare and

Contrast Tell how two things are
alike or not.

TARGET STRATEGYVisualize Picture

what is happening as you read.
GENRE A fantasy is a story that
could not happen in real life.

12
 Level: J
DRA: 18
Genre:

The Mountain
Fantasy
Strategy:
Visualize
Skill:
Compare and Contrast
Word Count: 348

1.4.17

HOUGHTON MIFFLIN
Online Leveled Books

ISBN-13:978-0-547-02713-5
ISBN-10:0-547-02713-3

by Emily de Laurelia • illustrated by Nicole Rutton

1032755
H O UG H T O N M IF F L IN

1_027135_AL_LRSE_CVR_L17_MOUNT.indd 1 5/17/10 5:53:26 PM