This book helps children identify different types of car by colour using simple, repetitive text which reinforces common colour words. Cars are shown both in close-up and in action in its surroundings, driving in the city, off the road or tearing around a Grand Prix circuit.Pink A/Band 1A books offer emergent readers very simple text supported by illustrations.Text type – A non-fiction reportPages 14 and 15 give children the opportunting to recap the information and discuss the text.This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery. Read more

What were the dinosaurs really like? There were many different types; scary, tall, small, fast and strong. This book contains many fascinating facts about all sorts of dinosaurs with a pronunciation guide to their names and details on their size and abilities.Blue/ Band 4 books offer longer repeated patterns with sequential events and integrated literary and natural language.Text type – An information book.A final spread gives mini fact files on each dinosaur, summarising the information in the text, accompanied by an illustration to aid reinforcement and comprehension.Curriculum links – Numeracy: Shapes, space and measure.This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery.This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader. Read more

Need a fun stocking filler or secret santa gift? This must-have silly guide to creative lateness is perfect for that kid, friend, colleague, or even boss who's never on time (we all have one).“This brilliant book is just absolutely fantastic, even nicer than coca cola.” ★★★★★“Hahahahaha!!! :D this book made my day!! I was late for school so my teacher asked me “Why are you late?” I said one of these and my whole class laughed and I did too and my teacher did and I bet I would have gotten into trouble if I did not find this book!” ★★★★★Overslept? Yesterday (and the day before that, and also today)Can’t think of anything to say when asked the question ‘why are you late’? Oh yeah, every time!Do you want to make your parents, teachers, and friends laugh instead of getting angry at you? Well, that would be perfect.If you answered yes to any of these questions, then this book is for you!In this book, you’ll discover 49 excuses for being really late that are so outrageous and funny that no one will be able to stay mad at you. Each wacky excuse comes with a cartoon illustration that will make you laugh even more.You’ll learn how to use excuses like:The Good Morning Excuse - I stopped and said good morning to everything, even that lamppost, and that one, and all of themThe Thinking Excuse - I know I was late, but I promise I was thinking of school/work the whole time!The Little Miss Late Excuse - I got this ‘Little Miss Late’ costume for a friends party and I have to get into characterThe Snooze Button Excuse - my alarm clock is so annoying, I had to teach it a valuable lesson about mannersThe Short-Cut Excuse - the shortcut through wet cement turned out to be a very bad ideaAnd many more!This book is the seventh in the Excuse Encyclopedia Series, a collection of books that will teach you how to have fun and avoid chores with hilarious excuses. It’s perfect for kids aged 6 to 9 who enjoy reading ebooks and have a silly sense of humour. It’s also a great gift for parents, teachers, friends and colleagues who have really poor timekeeping, but can also have a laugh at themselves.So what are you waiting for? Download your copy of 49 Excuses for Being Really Late today and start having fun and being really late with outrageous excuses! Read more

Some wheels are big and some wheels are small. This exciting book is full of photos of all kinds of wheels: big and small, fat and thin, fast and slow, from skateboards to tractors, that children are sure to be curious about.Pink B/ Band 1B books offer simple, predictable texts with familiar objects and actions.Text type – A simple non-fiction text.A simple pictoral summary with captions on pages 14 and 15 provides an oppportunity to recap and discuss the information in the book.This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery Read more

This sequel to The School Without a Name continues the story of Miss Angel’s school, with new girls of varying ages, and a request from the local community that Ven, and more surprisingly, Barbara, feel they cannot refuse. Read more

Collins Big Cat supports every primary child on their reading journey from phonics to fluency. Top authors and illustrators have created fiction and non-fiction books that children love to read. Book banded for guided and independent reading, there are reading notes in the back, comprehensive teaching and assessment support and ebooks available.Some animals eat plants, but did you know that some plants eat animals? All plants need food to survive, and if they don’t get enough nutrients from the soil they feed on small animals. Find out more about these amazing plants and the different ways they find their food in this non-fiction book.Copper/Band 12 books provide more complex plots and longer chapters that develop reading stamina.Ideas for reading in the back of the book provide practical support and stimulating activities. Read more

What is blood? How does it help us? How does it travel around the body? Find answers to all these questions, learn what the heart and lungs do and see what the difference is between veins, arteries and capillaries in this fun non-fiction information book. Useful diagrams and fun cartoons make these difficult concepts accessible and interesting.Lime/Band 11 books have longer sentence structures and a greater use of literary language.Text type: An information book.A diagram of what blood is and how it travels around the body on pages 30 and 31 help children to recap what they've read.Additional retrieval devices such as a glossary and index can be evaluated for their usefulness as children develop critical reading skills.Curriculum links: Science: Ourselves; Keeping healthy.This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader. Read more

Everyone can play football, anywhere in the world! Find out what you need to play the game and where in the world it is played in this action-packed non-fiction report by Daniel Nunn.This is a Band 02A/Red A book in the Collins Big Cat reading programme which offers predictable text with familiar objects and actions, combined with simple story development. This is an information book and children can recap the stages of the book on pages 14-15. This book supports physical education as well as learning about striking and fielding games. For another story in this Collins Big Cat book band for guided reading, try The Magic Egg (9780007329182) written by Vivian French and illustrated by Karen Donnelly. Read more

Build your child’s reading confidence at home with books at the right level'What Happened to the Dinosaurs' investigates why these huge creatures disappeared. The important question, 'How do we know they existed?' is answered with a clear timeline of images. Various theories are suggested, which support knowledge and understanding of climate change, volcanoes, asteroids and evolution of the animals which did survive.Topaz/Band 13 books offer longer and more demanding reads for children to investigate and evaluate.Text type – An information book.The response page summarises the main theories and could support a presented talk.Curriculum links – Science: Living things in their environment.This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader. Read more

Build your child’s reading confidence at home with books at the right levelThe brightly coloured photographs in this picture book show common minibeasts that most children will be familiar with. Photographs alongside the minibeasts show children grouped and made up to resemble the insect featured.This is a Band 01A/Pink A book in the Collins Big Cat reading programme which offers emergent readers very simple text supported by illustrations. This is a simple information book with smaller versions of all the photographs repeated on pages 14 and 15 so children can retell the information in their own words. This non-fiction book is paired with a story on the same theme: The Picnic (9780007185399) written by Monica Hughes and Gustavo Mazili. This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery. Read more

BBC’s Big Cat Diary presenter and photographer Jonathan Scott has written and photographed this beautiful and informative book all about Africa’s big cats and their babies.The stunning photographs show baby lions, leopards and cheetahs in their natural habitat, giving lots of discussion points.Green level/ Band 5 books offer early readers patterned, natural language and varied characters.Text type – Non-chronological report.There is a fact file on pages 22 and 23 for children to discuss.Jonathan and Angela Scott are well-known for their wildlife books and television programmes about big cats and other wildlife.Curriculum links- Geography: Passport to the world.This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery.This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader. Read more

The first book in the hilarious bestselling WHO LET THE GODS OUT series, shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2018! 'I totally fell in love with Elliot and the gods, and I think you're all going to love them too.' ROBIN STEVENS 'One of the funniest new voices in children's literature. The laughs come thick and fast' DAVID SOLOMONS When Elliot wishes upon a star, he doesn't expect a constellation to crash into a dungheap on his family farm. The star is Virgo. She thinks she's perfect. Elliot doesn't. And together they release Thanatos, evil Daemon of Death ... epic fail. They need the King of the Gods and his noble steed. Instead, they get a chubby Zeus and his high horse Pegasus. Are the Gods really ready to save the world? And is the world really ready for the Gods? An exciting, laugh-out-loud hilarious and highly-acclaimed Percy Jackson-esque adventure. Shortlisted for both the Waterstones Children's Book Prize and the Books Are My Bag Readers' Award. Hilarious and heartfelt, Who Let the Gods Out? is the first in a series centred on the Olympian gods - perfect for fans of Greek mythology! Loved Who Let the Gods Out? Make sure to check out the other books in the series, starting with book 2, Simply the Quest! Read more

This photographic non-fiction book tracks the life of a turtle. Initially meeting the mother, we stay with her eggs and follow a hatched baby turtle along the dangerous sands to the sea. A story of survival, the turtle returns to the beach to lay its own eggs.This is a Band 03/Yellow book in the Collins Big Cat reading programme which offers varied sentence structure and natural language. This is a non-fiction recount with a flow-chart on pages 14 and 15 that provides an opportunity to recap and discuss the story. This book supports learning about science, life processes and living things, and humans and other animals. This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery and quizzed for Accelerated Reader. For another story in this Collins Big Cat book band for guided reading, try Around the World (9780007186587) by James Carter. Read more

How did we first try to get to the Moon? What were the first creatures in space? And why do footprints never disappear on the Moon? Find out all about space travel and Moon landings in this simple non-fiction report accompanied by amazing photographs.Blue/Band 4 books offer longer, repeated patterns with sequential events and integrated literary and natural language.Text type: A simple non-fiction report.A diagram of some of the different attempts to get to the moon on pages 14-15 help children recap and provide a wealth of speaking and listening opportunities.Curriculum links: ICT: the information around us.This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader. Read more

Over 25,000 years ago, people left handprints on the wall of a cave. Discover the clues Stone-Age people left behind, and find out what life was like thousands of years ago.Over 25,000 years ago, people left handprints on the wall of a cave. Discover the clues Stone-Age people left behind, and find out what life was like thousands of years ago.Copper/Band 12 books provide more complex plots and longer chapters that develop reading stamina.Text type: An information book.Curriculum links: History – changes in Britain from Stone Age to the Iron Age. Read more

A twisty-turny shadowy mystery from highly-acclaimed and Waterstones Prize-shortlisted author Lucy Strange.  Abandoned at a boarding school on a bleak and remote Scottish island, Faye discovers that she and the other pupils have been sent there for doing something wicked. But what is it that Faye has done? She might be bold enough to explore the prison-like island but has she the courage to face a secret deep within herself? A stunning new tale from the Queen of Gothic, Lucy Strange – author of The Secret of Nightingale Wood, Sisters of the Lost Marsh, The Ghost of Gosswater and the Waterstones Prize-shortlisted Our Castle by the Sea A masterful blend of thrilling Gothic mystery, a touch of magical realism and stunning writing, all wrapped up in a twisty-turny plot Perfect for fans of Frances Hardinge and Emma Carroll Longlisted for The Highland Book Prize 2024   PRAISE FOR THE ISLAND AT THE EDGE OF NIGHT: ‘A gripping tale, as gritty and gothic as it is otherworldly and luminous. Nobody does it like Strange.’ NICHOLAS BOWLING ‘Dazzling, endearing, unputdownable, green-magical. A gorgeous book.’ HILARY MCKAY ‘Absolutely superb! Unputdownable. From its gripping drama to its breathtaking beauty, I loved every word.’ ELOISE WILLIAMS       Read more

A photographic non-fiction book that explains the many different types of robots and their uses. The report tells how robots help us in industry, security, and in exploring uninhabitable environments such as other planets, volcanoes, and the depths pf the ocean.Blue/Band 4 books offer longer, repeated patterns withsequential events and integrated literary and natural language.Text type – A non-chronological report.A labelled diagram on pages 14 and 15 shows the inner workings of a robot, providing the opportunity to further discuss the information.Curriculum link – Science: OurselvesThis book has been levelled for Reading Recovery. Read more

From dogs and cats to stick insects and sea monkeys, there are many types of pet. Which one is right for you?Purple/ Band 8 books offer developing readers literary language, with some challenging vocabulary.Text type – information book.This non-fiction report includes a glossary and index on page 21, as well as a summary on pages 22-23 that allows the reader to look back at all the pets’ needs.Curriculum links – Science: ‘Pupils should be taught to … identify and name a variety of common animals’. Read more

Phizzwhizzing new cover look and branding for the World's NUMBER ONE Storyteller!BOY, Roald Dahl's bestselling autobiography, is full of hilarious anecdotes about his childhood and school days, illustrated by Quentin Blake.As a boy, all sorts of unusual things happened to Roald Dahl. There was the time he and four school friends got their revenge on beastly Mrs Prachett in her sweet shop.There are stories of holidays in fishing boats, African adventures and the days of tasting chocolate for Cadbury's.You'll hear tales of horrible school bullies and the motor-car accident when Roald's nose was nearly sliced clean off . . .Roald Dahl vividly shares his memories; some are funny. Some are painful. Some are unpleasant. All are true.You can listen to all of Roald Dahl's stories on Puffin Audiobooks, read by some very famous voices, including Kate Winslet, David Walliams and Steven Fry - plus there are added squelchy sound effects from Pinewood Studios! Also look out for new Roald Dahl apps in the App store and Google Play- including the disgusting TWIT OR MISS! and HOUSE OF TWITS inspired by the revolting Twits. Read more

Essential Life Skills Every Tween Should Know to Become a Brilliant Teenager-> The perfect gift for tween boys & girls ages 8-13 years old. <-The tween years are an important time to learn and discover the world and shape who you will be in it.While these are exciting times, they can also be tricky. Pre-teens are dealing with big emotions and physical changes that they may not feel equipped to handle.They may feel unsure of how to behave or what to do in certain situations. They may be worried about making friends or dealing with increased responsibilities and stress.The great news is that they're not alone.Life Skills for Tweens, by Ferne Bowe (author of Life Skills for Young Adults), provides everything a tween needs to know to become a confident, happy and successful teenager.Packed with tips, illustrations, and real-life examples, the book covers the essential life skills every pre teen should know to become a brilliant teenager. From managing money and cooking a meal to staying happy and finding things you're good at, this book covers it all!In Life Skills for Tweens, you'll learn how to:Make friends and build relationshipsDeal with strong emotionsCook a delicious mealStay safe onlineDeal with emergenciesBudget & spend money responsiblyBuild dens & be an outdoor adventurerAnd 70+ more practical skillsLife Skills for Tweens is an essential guide to learning the skills to become a brilliant teenager.If you like simple, practical, and real-world advice, you'll love this book. Read more