Build your child's reading confidence at home with books at the right level A wonderful retelling of this favourite fairy tale, in verse by CLPE-award winner, Rachel Rooney. Copper/Band 12 books provide more complex plots and longer chapters that develop reading stamina. Text type: A retelling of a traditional tale Curriculum links: English: fairy stories, myths and legends Ideas for reading at the back of the book provide practical support and stimulating activities. This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.

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. This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery. This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.

Artist Jon Stuart shows how he produces computer-generated images. The process starts with a simple block of cubes, which are added to, given texture, before being bent, stretched, twisted into the correct shape and size. He then adds background, lighting and colour to bring the whole scene to life. This is a Band 06/Orange book in the Collins Big Cat reading programme which offers varied text and characters, with action sustained over several pages. This is an information book with a flow chart on pages 22 and 23 that summarises the process of producing CGI. Contents are listed on page 1 while a glossary and index are detailed on pages 20 and 21. This book supports learning around art and design, and investigates different kinds of art, design and craft. It also supports ICT education, and is an introduction to modelling and creating pictures. This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery. For more guided reading books in this Collins Big Cat band, try Pompeii (9780007461875) written by Fiona Macdonald with imagery by Giorgio Bacchin

A simple text where a visit to an art show causes a girl to imagine what the world would be like if it was wholly yellow, red or blue. Realising that the world actually consists of all the colours of the rainbow, she paints lots of multicoloured pieces of art herself. Blue/Band 4 books offer longer, repeated patterns with sequential events and integrated literary and natural language. Text type - A simple non-fiction text. A gallery story map on pages 14 and 15 pictures the different stages of the girl's thought-processes for children to discuss. Curriculum links - Art and Design: Self-portrait.Science: How we see things. This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery. This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.

‘I want a pet! I want a pet! I hope I like the pet I get!’ When a boy goes to the Strange Pet Shop to find a pet, there’s no knowing what he’ll find there. He is very particular, and nothing at the Strange Pet Shop suits him until, at last the perfect pet comes bounding through the door! Green/ Band 5 books offer early readers patterned language and varied characters. Text type - A poem with predictable structure and patterned language. At the end of the story is a poster advertising the Strange Pet Shop, which is ideal for further discussion and supporting further work outside the reading session. Curriculum links - Citizenship: Animals and us. This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery.

This non-fiction counting book shows photographs of the following animals: one crocodile, two elephants, three lions, four birds, five frogs and six rabbits. Pictures of equal numbers of children add an element of fun to the book as they pretend to be the animals. Pink A/Band 1A books offer emergent readers very simple text supported by illustrations. Text type - A simple information book. The photographs of the animals and children are repeated in numerical order on pages 14 and 15 to encourage the children to count the animals again. This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery.

Once, coyotes only lived in the country. Now, they’ve moved into cities, where they go hunting at night. Green/Band 5 books offer early readers patterned language and varied characters Text type: An information book Curriculum links: Science: ‘Pupils should be taught to … identify that most living things live in habitats to which they are suited and describe how different habitats provide for the basic needs of different kinds of animals’. The book includes a reader response page on 22–23 to recap learning. This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.

Photos and illustrations combine to give a detailed picture of the fascinating life that goes on underground. We meet animals who live underground, see trains that travel underground and follow pipes, wires and cables from houses deep into the ground. Blue/ Band 4 non-fiction books use children's language patterns to give information which is supported by the illustrations and design. Text types - A non-chronological report. The cross-sectioned diagram on pages 14 and 15 allows children to recap and discuss the text. Curriculum links - Geography: the local area; Science: light and dark. This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery.

Build your child's reading confidence at home with books at the right level As host of the 2014 football World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games, Brazil is a country that has grabbed the world's attention and imagination. Find out all about the history, culture, remarkable landscape and, of course, the carnivals and the sporting prowess that make Brazil such an exciting, dynamic place to visit and to live. Topaz/Band 13 books offer longer and more demanding reads for children to investigate and evaluate.

This illustrated non-fiction book shows children how important it is to wash regularly. Follow the main character through his day from when he wakes up in the morning to having a bath before he goes to bed. This illustrated non-fiction book shows children how important it is to wash regularly. Follow the main character through his day from when he wakes up in the morning to having a bath before he goes to bed. Pink A/Band 1A books offer emergent readers very simple text supported by illustrations. Children can recap the stages in the book using the flow chart on pages 14-15. Text type: A simple non-fiction book Curriculum links: Personal, social and emotional development

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. This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.

Open the door and see who is there: a cat in a hat, a fox in socks, a dog and a frog; and they all want to play! But the final visitor is not so welcome - a dinosaur - ROAR! Yellow/Band 3 books offer varied sentence structure and natural language. Text type - A rhyming story with a predictable and repetitive pattern. A storyboard on pages 14 and 15 gives children the opportunity to recap and discuss the story. Curriculum links - Music: exploring sounds, including chants. This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery. This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.

Build your child's reading confidence at home with books at the right level Get to know one of literature's most famous couples, as they meet, fall in love, marry in secret and are then cruelly separated. A love story at its heart, this is also a tale of rivalry, revenge and bitter resentment. Get to know one of Shakespeare's most famous plays in this wonderful and engaging retelling. Pearl/Band 18 books offer fluent readers a complex, substantial text with challenging themes to facilitate sustained comprehension, bridging the gap between a reading programme and longer chapter books. Text type: Curriculum links:

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 book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.

Build your child's reading confidence at home with books at the right level School Book Character day is coming up and Tig is worried as his Mum has found him a frilly Little Boy Blue outfit. Can he get away with turning up as yet another footballer? A strange turn of events leads to a most unexpected outcome. Lime/Band 11 books have longer sentence structures and a greater use of literary language. Text type - A story with a familiar setting. Labelled pictures of Tig's different costumes on pages 30 and 31 provide lots of opportunities for speaking and listening. Curriculum links - Citizenship: Choices, Taking part. This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery. This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.

Rebecca went to the funfair with mum and dad. She didn't like the hall of mirrors, and the rollercoaster made her turn green - but when she won lots of prizes on a stall, she decided that she liked it after all! The funny illustrations show Rebecca's gradual change of opinion, and include lots of details for early readers to talk about. Yellow (Band 3) books offer varied sentence structure and natural langauge. This book is told in rhyme. Text type - A story with a familiar setting. A map of the fair is included on pages 14 and 15 which can be used to check comprehension. Curriculum links - Maths: Shape, space and measures. This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery

Red and yellow make orange, blue and yellow make green, but what do three polar bears, lots of fun, and three pots of paint make? A mess! This is a delightful book on colour, illustrated by Smarties Book Award winner Liz Pichon. Pink B/ Band 1B books offer emergent readers simple, predictable text with familiar objects and actions. Text type - A story with predictable structure and patterned language. Pages 14-15 provide a summary of the different colour mixes, to consolidate understanding of the book. This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery.

A simple non-fiction book that shows where people shop for shoes, food and other things. Photographs show children role-playing in different types of shops while illustrations show typical examples of such shops. 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 non-fiction report. Pages 14 and 15 show a story map of all the shops visited, to help children recount the shopping trip. This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery. This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.

Ros Asquith, cartoonist and author of many children's books such as Trixie Tempest and Pass the Parcel), gives a masterclass on illustrating your own cartoons - with help from Trixie Tempest and others. This is an instructional book in the same style as Ros Asquith's turquoise level Collins Big Cat title, How to Make Storybooks. Ros Asquith, cartoonist and author of many children's books such as Trixie Tempest and Pass the Parcel), gives a masterclass on illustrating your own cartoons - with help from Trixie Tempest and others. This is an instructional book in the same style as Ros Asquith's turquoise level Collins Big Cat title, How to Make Storybooks. Pages 14-15 provide a summary of the instructions, to consolidate understanding of the book, and as a useful reference for children drawing their own cartoons. Purple/Band 8 books offer developing readers literary language with some challenging vocabulary. Ideas for Guided Reading in the back of the book provide practical support and stimulating activities. This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery.

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 report Pages 14 and 15 give children the opportunting to recap the information and discuss the text. This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery.

Build your child's reading confidence at home with books at the right level 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. White/Band 10 books have more complex sentences and figurative language. Text type - A non-fiction recount of an event. A photography rally map on pages 30 and 31 encourages discussion and provides lots of opportunities for further activities. Curriculum links - DT: Vehicles; Geography: Where in the world is Barnaby Bear? This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery. This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.

Ebba the baby elephant doesn't like being the smallest elephant in her group. When she meets Tiny the mouse, though, Ebba realises that it's not how big you are on the outside that matters! A beautifully illustrated story by well-known children's book author Jane Simmons. Ebba the baby elephant doesn't like being the smallest elephant in her group. When she meets Tiny the mouse, though, Ebba realises that it's not how big you are on the outside that matters! A beautifully illustrated story by well-known children's book author Jane Simmons. Blue/Band 4 books offer longer, repeated patterns with sequential events and integrated literary and natural language. Children can recap things in the story that Ebba was scared of using the story map on pages 14-15. Text type: A story with a familiar setting Curriculum links: Citizenship: Personal, Social and Emotional Development

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 book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.

Build your child's reading confidence at home with books at the right level A fascinating insight into the history of one of our ancient civilisations - the Shang dynasty, their society, culture, belief system and way of life in China over 500 years ago. Who were they, how did they rule and what was life like under their power? Sapphire/Band 16 books offer longer reads to develop children's sustained engagement with texts and are more complex syntactically. This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.

Follow the butterfly on its journey from flower to flower through brightly coloured photographs. But look out! Butterfly almost lands on a yellow flower where a camouflaged crab spider waits to pounce! Lilac/Band 0 - wordless book that gives information through pictures and is designed to develop understanding about how information books work. Text type - Non-Fiction. A story map on pages 14 and 15 retells the story through repeated photograph to encourage speaking and listening. This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery