Fun reading comprehension activity for kids about a cookie mystery in the Baker family's kitchen.

Let’s solve “The Mystery of the Missing Cookies” step by step.

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🧩 The Clues:

1. Mrs. Baker baked chocolate chip cookies and told her three children:
> *“No cookies until after dinner!”*

2. When she returned from the garden, the plate was empty — all cookies were gone.

3. The children were in the living room with crumbs around their mouths — a clear sign they ate something.

4. Each child gave an alibi:
- Ben: “I was too busy reading a book.”
- Emily: “I was playing with my dolls.”
- Sam: “I was drawing a picture.”

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🔍 Analyze the Alibis:

We need to figure out which alibi is least believable — because someone is lying.

- Ben — reading a book: Possible. You can read while eating (though messy).
- Emily — playing with dolls: Also possible. Kids often play with dolls while snacking.
- Sam — drawing a picture: This is the key!

> Drawing a picture usually requires clean hands and focus. If Sam had just eaten cookies, especially chocolate chip ones, his hands would likely be sticky or have crumbs — making it very hard to draw neatly without smudging the paper. Plus, if he had crumbs around his mouth, that would be noticeable while drawing.

Also, drawing is a stationary, focused activity — unlike playing with dolls or reading, which might allow for sneaking bites more easily.

But here’s the real kicker: If Sam was drawing, why would he have crumbs around his mouth? That suggests he was eating while drawing — which is awkward and unlikely to be done cleanly.

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🕵️‍♀️ The Real Clue:

The story says:
> *“The children were playing in the living room, crumbs around their mouths.”*

This means all three had crumbs — so all three are guilty? Not necessarily — but at least one is lying.

However, the question is:
> *“Who do you think ate the cookies?”*

It’s asking for the most likely culprit, based on the weakest alibi.

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✔ Conclusion:

Sam is the most likely to have eaten the cookies — because his alibi (“I was drawing a picture”) is the least plausible if he had crumbs around his mouth. Drawing typically doesn’t involve eating, and crumbs + drawing = messy and unlikely.

While Ben and Emily could have eaten while reading or playing, Sam’s excuse doesn’t hold up under scrutiny.

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🎯 Final Answer:

> Sam ate the cookies.

His claim of “drawing a picture” doesn’t match the evidence of crumbs around his mouth — it’s the weakest alibi.

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💡 *Bonus Tip*: In mystery stories like this, look for contradictions between what someone says and what the physical evidence shows. Here, crumbs + drawing = inconsistency → Sam is lying!

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✔ Solved! Let me know if you want to explore alternate theories or write a follow-up story!