Stolen Party Reading Packet
Adapted Literature • Special Education
The Stolen Party
By Liliana Heker • Chunked Reading & Analysis Packet
Name:
Date: Period:
Characters in This Story
Rosaura
A 9-year-old girl who dreams of being rich and loved.
Herminia
Rosaura's mother. She works as a maid in a rich home.
Luciana
The rich birthday girl who invites Rosaura to her party.
Señora Ines
Luciana's mother and the wealthy owner of the big house.
Part 1
The Big Invitation and Mother's Warning
Read Carefully
Nine-year-old Rosaura was thrilled. She had been invited to Luciana's birthday party. Luciana lived in a huge, beautiful house. Rosaura told her mother that there would be a real magician at the party with a live monkey.
Her mother, Herminia, sneered. She worked as a maid in Luciana's house. "Monkeys at a birthday? Nonsense!" her mother said angrily. "I don't like you going. It is a rich people's party. Listen, Rosaura, that girl is not your friend. To them, you are just the maid's daughter."
Rosaura refused to cry. She shouted back, "Shut up! You know nothing about friendship!" Every afternoon, Rosaura and Luciana finished their homework together in the kitchen and shared secrets. Rosaura loved the big house. Still, her mother washed Rosaura's hair with apple vinegar to make it shine and starched her best white dress. Rosaura walked into the party feeling confident and pretty.
Word Helper: Sneered: spoke with a mocking, mean smile • Starched: made clothes crisp and neat.
1 Plot Check: Fill in the Blanks
Word Bank Included
[ maid ] [ monkey ] [ dress ]
a. Rosaura is excited to go to the party because a magician will bring a real .
b. Rosaura's mother warns her that Luciana only sees her as the 's daughter.
2 Inference: Why does Rosaura's mother not want her to attend the party?
A She knows rich people might treat Rosaura like an employee instead of an equal friend. B She is scared that the live monkey will bite Rosaura during the magic tricks. C She wants Rosaura to stay home and clean their own apartment.
The Stolen Party • Reading Packet Page 1 of 4
The Stolen Party • Adapted Reading Student:
Part 2
The Kitchen and The Girl with the Bow
Lines 16–34
At the party, Rosaura was allowed into the kitchen to see the monkey in its cage. Señora Ines told her, "You can go in, but not the others—they are too noisy and might break things." Señora Ines even asked Rosaura to carry a heavy jug of orange juice into the dining room. Rosaura did not spill a single drop and felt very capable.
Then, a blonde girl with a bow in her hair questioned Rosaura: "Who are you? I'm Luciana's cousin, and you are not her friend." Rosaura answered, "I am the daughter of the employee." The girl scoffed, "What employee? In a shop?" Before Rosaura could yell, Señora Ines asked Rosaura to help hand out hot dogs. Rosaura secretly kicked the cousin in the shin.
3 Plot: Complete the sentence
Señora Ines asked Rosaura to help carry a jug of and pass out the hot dogs.
(Clue: orange juice / milk / soda)
4 Inference: Why did Señora Ines ask Rosaura to help?
A She saw Rosaura as hired help, not an ordinary party guest. B Rosaura was the only child old enough to hold plates.
Part 3
Games, Cake, and the Magician's Monkey
Lines 35–53
During party games, Rosaura felt triumphant. She won the sack race and tag. When Señora Ines asked her to serve slices of birthday cake, Rosaura loved feeling powerful, like a queen. She gave big slices to Luciana and the boys, but gave the mean cousin a slice so thin you could see through it.
Then came the magician with his cape and the monkey. When a boy got scared and dropped the monkey, the magician pointed straight at Rosaura: "You with the Spanish eyes." Rosaura held the monkey bravely while it vanished and reappeared. Everyone cheered. The magician bowed and thanked her: "Thank you very much, my little countess." Rosaura felt so proud.
5 Plot: Complete the sentence
After Rosaura helped with the magic trick, the magician called her his "little ."
(Clue: princess / countess / sister)
6 Inference: How did Rosaura feel while serving cake?
A She felt important, like a queen with control over the crowd. B She felt angry and embarrassed that she had to do work.
The Stolen Party • Reading Packet Page 2 of 4
The Stolen Party • Climax & Turning Point Student:
Part 4
Leaving the Party and The Cold Truth
Story Climax
When Rosaura's mother arrived to take her home, Señora Ines smiled and said, "Wait here a second." Rosaura watched Señora Ines give party gifts to the other children. When a boy left, she gave him a shiny yo-yo from a blue bag. When a girl left, she gave her a bracelet from a pink bag. Rosaura secretly hoped she would receive both!
Señora Ines approached Rosaura and her mother. She said warmly, "What a marvelous daughter you have, Herminia." Rosaura stretched out her arm, expecting her toy gifts.
Instead, Señora Ines reached past the bags and reached into her purse. She held out two money bills. "You really and truly earned this," Señora Ines said. "Thank you for all your help, my pet."
Rosaura's arms stiffened. She pressed against her mother's side. Her joyful smile vanished, replaced by a cold, steady stare. Señora Ines froze with her hand held out, afraid that any small movement would break the painful silence.
7 Plot Check: Party Favors vs. Payment
Fill in the blanks
Guests received:
Boys received a .
Girls received a .
Rosaura received:
Señora Ines gave Rosaura two paper
as wages.
8 Inference: Why did Rosaura's body stiffen when Señora Ines offered her the money?
A She was hoping to get paid in silver coins instead of paper bills. B She suddenly realized her mother was right: she was treated as hired help, not a real friend. C She was surprised because she had never seen paper money before.
Contrast Organizer: How Did They View the Party?
What Rosaura Believed:
She was Luciana's true friend and a special guest who was trusted to help because she was smart and well-behaved.
What Señora Ines Actually Meant:
Rosaura was cheap hired labor brought in to serve juice, pass out hot dogs, and clean up after the rich children.
The Stolen Party • Reading Packet Page 3 of 4
Culminating Assessment
Understanding Theme & Big Ideas
The Stolen Party Analysis
9 Theme Analysis: What is the main theme (life message) of "The Stolen Party"?
A Magicians should never use monkeys in magic shows because animals get scared. B Social class and wealth differences can cause rich people to look down on and use others. C Children should always avoid eating birthday cake at large parties.
10 Symbolism: Why is the story titled "The Stolen Party"? What was truly "stolen" from Rosaura?
A Someone stole the gifts out of Señora Ines's pink and blue party bags. B Her innocent belief that she was an equal friend and guest was taken away. C The magician stole the monkey from the cage in the kitchen.
11 Story Summary: Fill in the Blanks
Word Bank
[ money ] [ maid ] [ equal ] [ helper ] [ party ]
Rosaura wanted to go to the birthday because she thought Luciana was her friend. However, her mother warned her that she was only seen as the 's daughter.
During the party, Señora Ines treated Rosaura like a by asking her to serve food and drinks. At the end, instead of giving Rosaura a toy like the other guests, Señora Ines gave her . This proved Rosaura was not seen as an friend.
12 Think & Connect (Sentence Starter)
Imagine you could give advice to Rosaura at the end of the story. Complete the sentence starters below:
I think Rosaura's mother was right because...
True friendship means that people should treat you like...
The Stolen Party • Reading Packet Page 4 of 4
Stolen Party Answer Key
Teacher Resource • Special Education Support
The Stolen Party — Answer Key
Adapted Literature Packet Solutions & Instructional Notes
Educator Copy
Recommended SPED Accommodations & Scaffolding Tips
Chunked Reading: Pause after each numbered section to verify student comprehension before tackling inference questions.
Visual Tracking: Encourage students to highlight or underline clue words in the text that match the questions.
Elimination Strategy: Model crossing out the obviously incorrect multiple choice option first to reduce cognitive load.
P1 Part 1: The Big Invitation & Mother's Warning (Page 1) Questions 1 & 2
Question 1 (Plot Fill-in-the-Blank):
a. Rosaura is excited to go to the party because a magician will bring a real monkey.
b. Rosaura's mother warns her that Luciana only sees her as the maid's daughter.
Note: "dress" is the distractor word in the word bank.
Question 2 (Inference Multiple Choice):
Correct Answer: Option A — "She knows rich people might treat Rosaura like an employee instead of an equal friend."
Teacher Rationale: The mother knows the social hierarchy. Even though Luciana and Rosaura do homework together, the mother understands how upper-class employers view the domestic staff's children.
Part 2: The Kitchen (Page 2) Q3 & Q4
Question 3 (Plot Fill-in):
Carried a jug of orange juice.
Question 4 (Inference MC):
Correct: Option A
Señora Ines used Rosaura as kitchen help rather than letting her simply play like a guest.
Part 3: Games & Magic (Page 2) Q5 & Q6
Question 5 (Plot Fill-in):
Called her his "little countess."
Question 6 (Inference MC):
Correct: Option A
Rosaura enjoyed the power of deciding who received big or thin slices, feeling like a queen.
The Stolen Party • Teacher Guide & Key Page 1 of 2
The Stolen Party • Climax & Theme Solutions Pages 3 & 4 Solutions
P4 Part 4: Leaving the Party & The Cold Truth (Page 3) Questions 7 & 8
Question 7 (Plot Comparison):
Boys received a yo-yo.
Girls received a bracelet.
Rosaura received two paper bills (money).
