Chinese Stories for Kids with Pinyin: 8 Read-Along Tales (Ages 7–10)

By the end you can

• Read eight short stories with pinyin. Each story runs over two picture pages, with pinyin above every line, about Bao the panda and his friends Lele and Duoduo at school, at home and in the snow.
  我要迟到了！ · Wǒ yào chídào le! · I'm going to be late!
• Say sorry, thank you and don't cry. Story 1 has Bao late for school with an empty schoolbag, and Story 2 finds Duoduo's lost puppy, with 对不起, 谢谢你们 and 别哭 along the way.
  别哭，我们一起找。 · Bié kū, wǒmen yìqǐ zhǎo. · Don't cry, let's look together.
• Ask where something is with 呢. Thing + 呢？ asks where it has gone. The Think page turns it into a game: hide a schoolbag and ask a grown-up where it is.
  我的小狗呢？ · Wǒ de xiǎogǒu ne? · Where's my puppy?
• Ask a price and offer to help. At the fruit market Grandma asks what a watermelon costs, and Bao offers to carry it home with 我来 + a verb.
  西瓜多少钱？ · Xīguā duōshao qián? · How much is the watermelon?
• Make a friendly suggestion with 吧. On a rainy day Duoduo suggests drawing, and in the snow Bao suggests a snowman, both with 吧 at the end.
  我们画画吧！ · Wǒmen huà huà ba! · Let's draw!
• Talk about birthdays, pets and feeling sick. Duoduo paints flowers for her mum's birthday, Lele finds Grandpa Wang's lost cat, and Bao sees a doctor and gets better with his friends' help.
  我生病了。 · Wǒ shēngbìng le. · I'm sick.
• Say what the weather is like. Rain, sun, snow and cold come up across the stories, with 下雨了, 下雪了 and 很冷.
  外面很冷！ · Wàimiàn hěn lěng! · It's cold outside!
• Answer who and what questions about each story. Each Think page asks three questions to answer with words from the story, a drawing task and a line to act out. The Who Said It? quiz brings all eight stories together.

What’s inside

• Story 1: Read: Bao Is Late for School · Read: An Empty Schoolbag · Think: Think About Bao's Monday
• Story 2: Read: Where's My Puppy? · Read: A Puppy at Bao's House · Think: Think About the Lost Puppy
• Story 3: Read: At the Fruit Market · Read: Too Big for Lele · Think: Think About the Watermelon
• Story 4: Read: A Rainy Day · Read: Come Out, Sun! · Think: Think About the Rainy Day
• Story 5: Read: A Gift for Mom · Read: The Best Gift · Think: Think About the Birthday Gift
• Story 6: Read: A Little White Cat · Read: Whose Cat Is It? · Think: Think About the Little Cat
• Story 7: Read: Bao Is Sick · Read: Friends Come to Visit · Think: Think About Bao's Sick Day
• Story 8: Read: The First Snow · Read: A Snowman Like Bao · Think: Think About the Snow Day
• Story quiz: Who Said It?

How to use this book

A story takes about three sittings of 10 minutes. Look at the picture and guess what happens, play the free audio once while your child follows the pinyin with a finger, then read it together and do the Think page.

1. Week 1: Stories 1 and 2. Bao late for school and the lost puppy. Act out saying sorry to a teacher, then hide a schoolbag and ask 我的书包呢？
2. Week 2: Stories 3 and 4. The fruit market and the rainy day. Play shop at home with 多少钱？ and suggest a game with 吧.
3. Week 3: Stories 5 and 6. The birthday gift and the little white cat. Make a birthday picture with 生日快乐 for someone in the family.
4. Week 4: Stories 7 and 8. Bao's sick day and the first snow. Play doctor, then look outside and say what the weather is like.
5. At the end: Who Said It?. Play the quiz on page 27, then take turns saying a line from any story and guessing who said it. The answers are at the back.

Who it’s for

Children aged 7 to 10 who know some Mandarin words and are ready for short stories, reading with a parent at home or a teacher in class. The words come from YCT 1 to 3.

Before you start: Some first words and sentences, such as 我喜欢 and 这是. Children who are just starting can begin with Chinese Sight-Word Readers 1. Grown-ups don't need to speak Chinese: every line has pinyin, and the audio reads every story.

Frequently asked questions

How hard are the stories?

Each story page has four to seven short lines with pinyin above them, using words from YCT 1 to 3. New words appear as small cards beside the story, and many come back in later stories.

Is there audio for the stories?

Yes, free on the book's page on saymei.app, and the QR code in the book opens it. Each story is read straight through on its own track, so your child can follow along with a finger.

What does my child do after reading?

Each story ends with a Think page: three questions to answer with words from the story, a drawing of their favourite part, and a short line to act out with you, such as playing shop or playing doctor.

Is this workbook free?

Yes. The whole 30-page PDF is free, and you can look through its pages here before you download. There's no card and nothing to pay.

Do I need a SayMei account?

Yes, to download the PDF, and the account is free: sign up with Google, Apple or your email address. With it we email you a copy of the workbook, keep every workbook you download on your account on all your devices, save your place in the free online practice, and you can practise speaking with Mei Lin, SayMei's AI tutor.

How do I print it?

The PDF is US Letter size. On A4 paper, choose "Fit to page" (or "Scale to fit") in the print dialog so nothing is cut off. Print the whole workbook or only the pages you need; colour looks best, and black and white works too.

Can I print copies for my class or my children?

Yes. Print as many copies as you like for your own class or family. To share it, send this page: everyone can download their own copy.

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