Is There Anyone Out There? investigates whether there is life beyond planet Earth. The non-chronological report examines what we already know about the Solar System and the possibility of life on other planets. It also offers ideas of what aliens in certain sorts of environments might look like. *White/Band 10 books have more complex sentences and figurative language. * Text type — A non-chronological report. * Pages 30 and 31 contain a table of conditions needed to sustain life to encourage children to recap the information. * Curriculum links — Art and design: Mother Nature designer; Science: Forces and movement, Plants and animals, Variation. * Leading science and wildlife author and photographer Nic Bishop has contributed three other titles to Collins Big Cat — Look Out Butterfly!, Fantastic Flying Squirrel and The Cloud Forest. * This title is paired with a story on the same theme: Buzz and Bingo in the Starry Sky by Alan Durant. * This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery.

An exhilarating ride with one of New Zealand’s foremost adventure photographers, Andy Belcher as he takes on the New Zealand Targa Rally against a variety of cars – from 1960s Austin Healeys and Ford Cortinas to the latest Ferraris. Wonderful photography supports Andy’s recount of the trials and tribulations of this exciting event.

The survival of the white continent’s most famous inhabitants is the subject of this beautiful book. The beauty of Antarctic and the enchanting secrets of its penguin population is brought to life with a delightful series of photographs by the Big Cat Diaries team of Jonathan and Angela Scott.

In this comical adventure, Buzz and Bingo find themselves in Outer Space trying to help a lost alien, XY5, find his parents. Along the way they meet a number of glittering constellations in the starry sky and a whole family of aliens. But after assisting XY5 they find themselves with the problem of trying to get back to earth. * White/Band 10 books have more complex sentences and figurative language. * Text type — A humorous fantasy story. * Pages 30 and 31 show an illustration of the night sky and the star formations observed by Buzz and Bingo in space, providing lots of opportunities for speaking and listening. * Curriculum links — Citizenship: Living in a diverse world, Taking part. * This is the return of Buzz and Bingo for the third in their mini-series. * This book is paired with an informatio book on the same theme: Is There Anyone Out There? * This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery.

Hooray! Hooray! It's the horses' holiday! They come by coach, they come by car, They come from far away. This humorous rhyming story takes the reader on a riotous journey to Dobbin World, where the horses' holiday activities seem strikingly similar to our own * Orange/ Band 6 books offer varied text and characters, with action sustained over several pages. * Text type — A humorous rhyming story. * The postcard on pages 14 and 15 provides a new approach to revisiting and exploring the story. * Curriculum links — Geography: Going to the seaside. * This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery.

Ros Asquith, cartoonist and author of many children books, gives a masterclass on writing and illustrating your own storybook . This is an instructional book with a difference, which takes young readers step by step through the writing process from first ideas to editing to illustrating and finally compiling their very own picture book.

A poor stone cutter who wished he was a rich man has his wish granted. He then keeps changing his wish, and each wish is granted. Finally he wishes himself back as he was at the start of the story.

At Good Fun Farm, the animals are fed up. The sign says Good Fun Farm, but they never have any fun. Then the smallest duckling makes an interesting discovery. Soon everyone on the farm is having fun ...find out how. * Turquoise/ Band 7 books offer literay language and extended descriptions, with longer sentences and a wide range of unfamiliar terms. * Text type — A humorous story. * An illustration on pages 22 and 23 labels the animals at their game of football, allowing children to look back on the key characters and retell the story in their own words. * Curriculum links — PE: Games and activities. * This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery.

When a young girl adopts Harry the spider as her new pet, no one is very impressed — not Mum, not Dad, and certainly not her big brother (could it be that he's afraid of large, hairy spiders?)...But when Mum needs to go to the dentist and no one can find the car keys, Harry saves the day. * Turquoise/ Band 7 books offer literay language and extended descriptions, with longer sentences and a wide range of unfamiliar terms. * Text type — A story with a familiar setting. * The story is followed by a poster on pages 22 and 23 advertising Harry's skills as a helpful spider, which is a great way to recap and discuss the story with children and gives an opportunity to extend into further work outside the reading session. * This story is paired with an information book on the same theme: Fly Facts by Janice Marriott. * This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery.

Chewy Hughie chews anything and everything he can get his paws on, driving his owners to distraction! But what happens when Chewy Hughie discovers a packet of bubblegum...This is a lively rhyming story by Jane Clarke, illustrated with stunning artwork from Sarah McConnell. Chewy Hughie chews anything and everything he can get his paws on, driving his owners to distraction! But what happens when Chewy Hughie discovers a packet of bubblegum...This is a lively rhyming story by Jane Clarke, illustrated with stunning artwork from Sarah McConnell. Pages 14-15 provide a storymap of the house, which consolidates understanding, and provides a wealth of speaking and listening opportunities. Turquoise/Band 7 books offer literary language and extended descriptions, with longer sentences and a wide range of unfamiliar terms. This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery.

The renowned children’s writer Michael Morpurgo has written this vivid account of a child’s stay at a farm, told in the form of letters home and illustrated with photographs of animals and children on location at the farm. Humorous and engaging, it conveys the fun and excitement of working closely with animals.

When Buzz and Bingo went down to the woods one day, they got a big surprise! They met a charming prince, a big bad wolf, seven little men and an old woman. But where was the beautiful girl that every one was looking for? Children will enjoy spotting the familiar characters and plot changes as the traditional stories are skillfully woven together.

How does a yo-yo climb back up its string? Why does a boomerang come back to you? And how does a kaleidoscope work? These and other mind-bending questions are answered in this explanation text about how toys work.

Find out lots of fascinating, mouth-watering facts about ice cream, including what it is made from, how it is made, and when people first ate it.

It was Pirate Captain Codspawn's birthday. But what was his birthday surprise? It wasn't the beetles in the butter. It wasn't the spiders in the sugar. And it wasn't the special pirate pie that Cook had baked. But it was the best present a pirate could ever want!

Join a young girl on the adventure of a lifetime as she swims with dolphins. Written in the first person, in a captivatingly immediate style, readers will feel that they are there with the young swimmer as she fulfils her dream.

There was once a woman who baked the best cakes in the whole world. The fairies loved her cakes. But they didn't want to buy them and the woman was far too clever to let anyone steal them. So the fairies decide to steal the cake-maker instead! What follows is a hilarious account of how the woman manages to escape the greedy fairies' clutches.

A non-chronological report that describes scaffolding: what it is made from, how it has developed around the world from its earliest origins to the present day, and what it is used for. Maggie Freeman also meets a young scaffolder to discuss what the job entails.

This witty information book describes real and imaginary creatures, and answers the question — are they real? Some of the creatures are from myths and legends, while others are genuine. Included are the Loch Ness Monster, about which there is disagreement, the vampire bat, and the yeti.

Dunkan Dabble won't answer to his name as he believes he's Batbird, a superhero that he and his friends watch on TV. Dunkan's family and friends find him very difficult to live with as Batbird. He plays too roughly and insists on sleeping upside down. But Dunkan becomes a hero overnight by unwttingly saving his family from a prowling fox.