Do you look forward to the annual cheese-rolling? Or have you taken part in a dragonboat race? Perhaps you have danced in the street as part of a big street carnival. All around the world people take part in traditions that might seem unusual, but are great fun for everyone who joins in! Find out about all these and more in this information book. •Purple/ Band 8 books offer developing readers literary language, with some challenging vocabulary. • Text type — Non-chronological report. • An index is shown on page 21, and a labelled map of the world on pages 22 and 23 showing where the traditions featured in the book originate, an ideal cue for further discussion. • Curriculum links — Citizenship: Developing good relationships and respecting the differences between people; Geography: Where in the world is Barnaby bear?, Passport to the world. • This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery.

An information book about the celebrated historical and fictional characters Cleopatra, Boudica, King Arthur, Robin Hood, the Pied Piper, Pocahontas, Blackbeard, Dracula and Tarzan. The book investigates which of them really existed, and which are based on legend. • Purple/Band 8 books offer developing readers literary language, with some challenging vocabulary. • Text type — An information book. • An index and a glossary are included on pages 22 and 23 to aid comprehension. • Curriculum links — History: Why do we remember great people? How do we know about great events? • This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery.

This unique persuasive text takes the form of a fictional holiday to Mars, presenting factual information about the red planet. The text draws comparisons between Earth and Mars, and considers aspects of space travel such as weightlessness and the lack of oxygen. * Purple/ Band 8 books offer developing readers literary language, with some challenging vocabulary * Text type — A persuasive text. * A pictorial glossary is provided on pages 22 and 23 encouraging discussion and reinforcement of technical terms. * Curriculum links — Numeracy: Space, shape and measure; Science: Forces and movement; Geography: Contrast with the local area. * This book is paired with a story on the same theme: Star Boy's Surprise by Jana Hunter. * This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery.

This colourful and informative book is presented as a ‘scrapbook’ of mementoes from Amy’s visit to the Pacific island of Vanuatu. Packed with photos, it gives information on how the islands of the Pacific wre formed, how villagers live, and about the kinds of animals and plants that grow there. This colourful and informative book is presented as a ‘scrapbook’ of mementoes from Amy’s visit to the Pacific island of Vanuatu. Packed with photos, it gives information on how the islands of the Pacific wre formed, how villagers live, and about the kinds of animals and plants that grow there. With its account of towns, villages, food and activities, this book will inform and fascinate developing readers. A final double page spread provides a glossary of unusual terms and a map to show where Vanuatu is located. Purple level (Band 8) books offer developing readers structured language with some challenging vocabulary. Ideas for Guided Reading in the back of the book provide practical support and stimulating activities.

The Pet Detective faces a special challenge when Kara's pet tortoise, Rocket, goes missing. Has the tortoise been squashed on a motorway? Eaten by a hungry goat? Chewed up by a dog? The Pet Detective follows the clues to find out what's happened. * Purple/ Band 8 books offer developing readers literary language, with some challenging vocabulary. * Text type — A story by the same author. * A final double page spread shows all the things a Pet Detective needs on a case to support recapping the story. * Curriculum links — Science: Plants and animals in the local environment. * Tortoise Trouble is one of two stories by Jana Hunter about the Pet Detective. * This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery.

Hector the Hippo wants to play the cello more than anything else in the world. But who in the jungle will teach him? Most of the other animals laugh at the idea. Finally Hector meets a musician who can help him, a lyrebird. He practices everyday until he has a chance to play at a grand concert in front of all the other animals. * Purple/ Band 8 books offer developing readers literary language, with some challenging vocabulary. * Text type — A story by a significant author. * A storyboard on pages 22 and 23 summarises the story in eight illustrations providing an opportunity to recap the key events. * Curriculum links — Music: Exploring sounds, Classroom instruments, Combining sounds to make music; Science: Animals; ICT: Using text and tables to develop ideas. * This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery.

Walking through the forest one moonlit night, Buzz and his dog Bingo find a sign pointing to a Monster Party. It sounds like fun — but first they have to find their way through the Monster Maze, meeting Count Dracula, a werewolf, a troll and a mummy along the way. *Purple/ Band 8 books offer developing readers literary language, with some challenging vocabulary. * Text type — A humorous story. * The maze on pages 22 and 23 reminds readers of the mosters Buzz and Bingo have met on their way to the party. * Curriculum links — Citizenship: Choices. * Buzz and Bingo in the Monster Maze is one of two stories by Alan Durant about Buzz and Bingo in the Collins Big Cat reading programme. * This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery.

Everything about Mr Big is big. And ordinary pens just won't do; every time he tries to write, Mr Big's ordinary sized pens break. So Mr Big drives to the shop in his big car to buy a big pen. But size is not the only suprising thing about Mr Big's new pen. Blue/Band 4 books offer longer, repeated patterns with sequential events and integrated literary and natural language. Text type — A fantasy story. A storyboard on pages 22 and 23 provides a pictorial summary of the story in eight frames, an ideal cue for further discussion and activity. *Curriculum links — Numeracy: Shape, space and measure. This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery.

Collins Big Cat is a guided reading series for ages 4-7 edited by Cliff Moon. Children`s authors and illustrators have created fiction and non-fiction books that your children should love to read, banded to help you choose the right book for every child. Practical teaching notes are included at the back of each book.

This comical story is a patterned, counting text about a band of pirates searching for treasure. One-by-one, they get into trouble and make a hasty retreat back to the pirate ship. Helpful vignettes of the pirates at the top of each page help children count how many pirates are left. * Red B/ Band 2B books offer simple but varied text with familiar objects and actions, combined with simple story development and a satisfying conclusion. * Text type — A story with predictable structure and patterned language * The map on pages 14 and 15 shows the trail the pirates take from their ship to the treasure cave and back again, and can be used to help recap and retell the story. * Paul Shipton is also the author of Collins Big Cat titles See-saw, Get the Fruit! and The Robot. * This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery.

The fifth story in this popular series about Lily and her adorable toy, Blue Kangaroo Lily and Blue Kangaroo are best friends. But when Lily starts to show off, Blue Kangaroo wishes he wasn't around. Especially when Lily gets up to scary things, even though she has been told not to. Inevitably, the day comes when Lily goes too far, and poor Blue Kangaroo is left clinging on for dear life! Just what will it take for Lily to be good?

Join Splat the Cat in New York Times bestselling author-artist Rob Scotton's Splat the Cat: The Big Helper. When Splat's parents give him a list of chores to do, Splat worries that they will take forever! But when Splat puts his mind to it, helping out becomes more fun than a pirate adventure. Full of imaginative surprises and classic Splat humor, this 8x8 storybook is perfect for fans of the Splat the Cat picture book series.

An eleven-year-old boy discovers he has strange powers, and a future that holds mystery, adventure — and death! Bending his knees, Jimmy let go of the windowsill and slowly tipped backwards. Surely this is impossible, he thought, even as he could feel himself doing it. He pushed out with his legs and the thrust sent him flying backwards into the air! Then his fingers locked on to the cold wire of the fence, poised in a perfect handstand on the top. Who are the mysterious men chasing Jimmy across the city? Why are they after him? What are Jimmy's parents keeping from him and who can he trust? And how come he can suddenly do all this really cool stuff!? Find out in this electrifying debut novel from Joe Craig. Young, multitalented and brimming with ideas, this new HarperCollins author is destined to become a firm favourite with children everywhere.

The gorgeous, thought-provoking first YA novel from internationally bestselling author Cecelia Ahern. FLAWED is set in a powerfully realised society where perfection is valued above humanity, with an intense love story at its centre. Good-girl Celestine has always agreed with the system but following an act of kindness towards one of the Flawed is herself excluded and soon she is fighting for her own survival — and for love. Hugely accessible, emotionally resonant and with a character who will seize the hearts of anyone who meets her, this is the ideal book for anyone who has ever felt the pressure to be perfect.

'Keeps one reading long after the lights should have been out' ROBIN HOBB Read the explosive New York Times bestselling debut that's captivated readers worldwide. Set to be a major motion picture, An Ember in the Ashes is the book everyone is talking about. Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. When Laia's grandparents are brutally murdered and her brother arrested for treason by the empire, the only people she has left to turn to are the rebels. But in exchange for their help in saving her brother, they demand that Laia spy on the ruthless Commandant of Blackcliff, the Empire's greatest military academy. Should she fail it's more than her brother's freedom at risk... Laia's very life is at stake. There, she meets Elias, the academy's finest soldier. But Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he's being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined — and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.