Spider McDrew gets the chance to play for the Parkfield school football team, in the end-of-season cup draw. As usual though, things are not plain sailing for Spider who lets his side down by giving away a crucial penalty kick. Poor Spider is a pitiful sight as he stands on the touchline all alone. Then, he is asked to take one last corner kick.

The lives of a donkey, a dog, a cat and a rooster are turned upside-down when they are abandoned by their owners. Do not fear, however, as these remarkable animals use their wit and sheer determination to get themselves out of their ominous situation. Discover how they use music to save themselves. * Topaz/ Band 13 books offer longer and more demanding reads for children to investigate and evaluate. * Text type — A play based on a traditional German folktale. * Curriculum links — Music: Animal magic — Exploring descriptive sounds; Art and Design: Portraying relationships; Citizenship: Animals and us. * This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.

A strange sound came from the darkness outside and the old woman wished she had never gone into the nearby forest. She made it back home safely to bed, but that's when the spooky stuff really started to happen. Read on to find out what — if you're brave enough! * Topaz/ Band 13 books offer longer and more demanding reads for children to investigate and evaluate. * Text type — A play based on a traditional American tale. * Curriculum links — Music: Painting with sound — Exploring sound colours; Art and design: Viewpoints. * This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.

What's it like to compete in the world's largest sporting event? Find out all about the Olympic Games, when they began and how they have changed over time. Read about the different events and some of the amazing stories of how athletes have won their medals in this fascinating information book. * Topaz/ Band 13 books offer longer and more demanding reads for children to investigate and evaluate. * Text type: An infomation book. * A useful chart on pages 46-47 compares Olympic events from the ancient games, the first modern games and the most recent games to help children discuss what they've read and think about the way the sporting event has changed and developed over time. * Additional information retrieval devices such as a glossary and index can be evaluated for their usefulness as children develop critical reading skills. * Curriculum links: Geography: Connecting ourselves to the world; Citizenship: Living in a diverse world. * This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.

The Three Princes are all desperate to win the love of Princess Halima, and a challenge is set by her father to find the most beautiful, magical gift they can find. But when disaster strikes, will they be magical enough? Full of rich, bold illustrations, this traditional Arabian tale is humorously retold by double-Carnegie-winner Berlie Doherty.

In these two animal stories from the Caribbean, find out in the first why Tiger wanted to get rid of all the other animals and keep the jungle for himself and what clever Anansi did about it, and in the second how shy Owl nearly lost everything because he didn't have the courage to show his face. * Topaz/Band 13 books offer longer and more demanding reads for children to investigate and evaluate. * Text type: Tweo stories from another culture. * The feelings roller coaster for Owl on pages 30-31 help children to discuss the different emotions addressed in the story. * Curriculum links: Geography: Passport to the world; Citizenship: Living in a diverse world; ICT: Combining text and graphics. * This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.

'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.

Flash Harriet , the famous girl detective, is on the trail of a crime...and it has led her to the shores of Loch Ness. Find out what happens in this comic detective story. * Topaz/ Band 13 books offer longer and more demanding reads for children to investigate and evaluate. * Text type — A humorous story. * There are chapters, which give the book an adult feel. * There is a reader response page, which gives important clues to the 'Mystery at Swag Hall'. These help young readers review the plot and know the importance of clues in their own adventure writing. * Curriculum links — Citizenship: Respect for property; DT: Moving monsters. * This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.

Do you know what it takes to be a top footballer? Can you pick out the best moves? Find out in this guide to football skills. It will help children to understand how to study a football game and how to look for the skills of different types of players: goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders and strikers. * Topaz/ Band 13 books offer longer and more demanding reads for children to investigate and evaluate. * Text type — An information book. * A reader response page provides lots of opportunities for speaking, listening, and writing. * Curriculum links — PE: Invasion games. * This title is paired with a story at the same level: Spider's Big Match by Alan Durant. * This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.

So you want to be an Anglo-Saxon? Find out how to do it in just a few stages. From fighting the Vikings and praying to gods, to making books from animal skin — all is revealed in this fun non-fiction guide by Scoular Anderson. * Topaz/Band 13 books offer longer and more demanding reads for children to investigate and evaluate. * An information book. * Curriculum Links; History: Why have people invaded and settled in Britain in the past: An Anglo Saxon Case Study * This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.

Jack's mum is furious when he returns from the market with a can of baked beans rather than money, in return for their beloved cow. But their luck is about to change, as the beans are magic! Find out what mayhem ensues is a comic retelling of a traditional tale. * Topaz/ Band 13 books offer longer and more demanding reads for children to investigate and evaluate. * Text type — A modern play based on a fairytale. * Curriculum links — Citizenship: Choices; Respect for property. * This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.

Ruby and Tom love playing in the caves; that's before the Gang arrive. But they're not about to give them up without a fight. When a simple plan goes wrong, it looks like they might need the gang after all. Find out what happens in this exciting adventure story by Carnegie winner, Gillian Cross, and illustrated by Marilee Harrald-Pilz. * Topaz/Band 13 books offer longer and more demanding reads for children to investigate and evaluate. * Text type: An adventure story. * This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.

Bored of spending all your holidays on Mars? Now you can travel further off the beaten astral plane with this fact-packed guide. • Sapphire/Band 16 books offer longer reads to develop children's sustained engagement with texts and are more complex syntactically. • A travel guide to all the planets in the solar system on pages 54 and 55 makes it easy for children to recap what the key facts they’ve learnt. • Text type: A non-chronological report. • Curriculum links: Science; Geography; Citizenship. • This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.

Where can you see rockets blast into space? Which is the driest place on Earth? Which is the world’s highest mountain? Find out the answers and many more facts in this amazing book about the planet we live on. • Sapphire/Band 16 books offer longer reads to develop children's sustained engagement with texts and are more complex syntactically. • A world map with all the places mentioned in the text highlighted on pages 54 and 55 helps children to recap the different places they’ve learnt about and where they all are in the world. • Text type: An information book. • The book is paired with The Golden Turlte and Other Tales, a selection of short stories from other cultures. • Curriculum links: Geography: Passport to the world.

Trixie's hilarious diary, written by acclaimed children's writer, Ros Asquith, tells of her plans to be a world famous trumpet player, horse rider and first child president of the world. She is also determined to teach animals to read! But when her beloved puppy is sick, everything changes. Sapphire/Band 16 books offer longer reads to develop children's sustained engagement with texts and are more complex syntactically. Text type: A humorous recount.

Bungleman is Pickleton's very own local superhero. Dennis is his long-suffering son. When disaster strikes in Pickleton, it is Bungleman who everyone calls upon to save the day. Unfortunately, Bungleman is a rather useless superhero. When things go wrong, Dennis secretly always comes to his dad's rescue. * Topaz/ Band 13 books offer longer and more demanding reads for children to investigate and evaluate. *Text type — A story with a familiar setting. * A reader response page provides lots of opportunities for speaking and listening and to scaffold writing. * Curriculum links — Art and design: People in action; Citizenship: People who help us — the local police; ICT: Writing stories: communicating information using text. * This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.

There’s something different about Mark, the new boy. It’s not just that he only speaks through a monkey glove puppet. Soon Daniel finds out that his new friend is in trouble – but can he help him in time? • Sapphire/Band 16 books offer longer reads to develop children's sustained engagement with texts and are more complex syntactically. •Storycards of the key events on pages 54 and 55 help children to recap what has happened. • Text type: A mystery story. • Curriculum links: Citizenship: Taking part — developing skills of communication and participation, Moving on. • This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.

What's it like to be a writer, radio presenter and performer? Read all about Michael Rosen's life and find out what he was like as a boy, what he got up to at school and how he became a famous poet in this fascinating autobiography. * Sapphire/Band 16 books books offer longer reads to develop children's sustained engagement with texts and are more complex syntactically. * Text type: An autobiography. * The timeline on pages 54-55 track the major events of Michael Rosen's life that led to him becoming a successful writer. * Additional information retrieval devices such as a glossary and index can be evaluated for their usefulness as children develop critical reading skills * Curriculum links: History: What we can learn about recent history from studying the life of a famous person. * This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.

What was the Big Bang? What was the Universe like just after the Big Bang? Who discovered the Big Bang? Stunning photographs and detailed information help to explain the answers to these and many other questions in this fascinating non-fiction information book about the Big Bang theory written by award-winning author, Andrew Solway. * Sapphire/Band 16 books offer longer reads to develop children's sustained engagement with texts and are more complex syntactically. * Text type: A non-fiction book. * This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.

Three folk tales from around the world retold by the wonderful storyteller Gervase Phinn. In the first, a golden turtle offers a kindly fisherman riches beyond his wildest dreams. In the secod, Amparo’s daughter looks sweet, but when she’s determined to do something nothing gets in her way. In the third, a naughty leprechaun gets a big shock! • Sapphire/Band 16 books offer longer reads to develop children's sustained engagement with texts and are more complex syntactically. • A ‘wanted’ poster on pages 54 and 55 for the leprechaun in the last story helps children to recap all the naughty things he did. • Text type: Three stories from other cultures. • This book is paired with The Ultimate World Quiz, a non-fiction information book full of facts about our planet. • Curriculum links: Geography: Passport to the world; Citizenship: Choices, Living in a diverse world. • This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.