Will two tribes in Ethiopia make peace by throwing their most precious possessions in the river? Can a poor Palestinian shepherd show a rich sultan the value of true kindness? Or will an angel in Afghanistan find a way to turn the selfish Emir into a caring ruler? Buried treasure and an act of forgiveness reunite a father and daughter in Sudan while a camel is the key to choosing a kind and fair ruler for the kingdom of Yemen. Hear the Syrian story of the woodcutter and the lion to discover the meaning of friendship, and then follow nine courageous Uighur princesses of Kashgar, as they bring peace to their kingdom – without any fighting. The importance of peace and kindness in our lives shines through these timeless, inspirational stories from seven countries, beautifully told and illustrated with empathy and humour.

A House Without Walls is a powerful story of family, hope and redemption amidst the refugee crisis in Syria from the award-winning Elizabeth Laird, illustrated by Lucy Eldridge. Thirteen-year-old Safiya and her family have been driven out of Syria by civil war. Safiya knows how lucky she is - lucky not to be living in a refugee camp, lucky to be alive. But it's hard to feel grateful when she's forced to look after her father and brother rather than go back to school, and now that she's lost her home, she's lonelier than ever. As they struggle to rebuild their lives, Safiya realizes that her family has always been incomplete and with her own future in the balance, it's time to uncover the secrets that war has kept buried.

Inspired by an Ethiopian folk tale, Gloria's Porridge shows young children how one act can cause a chain reaction and affect other people's lives. When Cat wanted some of Gloria's porridge, he ignored her saying no and ate it all. Gloria then scares Cat who tickles the donkey, who interrupts the bees who then frighten the hen. It is up to the fox then to show the others the importance of not letting this setback slow them down. This re-imagined folk tale tackles difficult ideas like having to take responsibility and overcoming setbacks in a fun and simple manner, ideal for young readers. Toby Newsome's colourful illustrations are inspired by his South African surroundings.

A fun, exciting story about two cheeky, adventurous ants exploring the human world. Two little ants are excited to explore their surroundings. What can they see, taste and smell? When they end up in the little girl’s house, they are fascinated by everything she does: the movement of her pencil and the colours drawn on her paper. These two ants are tired after their big day out, but soon realise they have made the little girl’s day.

TWO BOYS. TWO FAITHS. ONE UNHOLY WAR ...When Adam's mother dies unconfessed, he pledges to save her soul with dust from the Holy Land. Employed as a dog-boy for the local knight, Adam grabs the chance to join the Crusade to reclaim Jerusalem. He burns with determination to strike down the infidel enemy ...Salim, a merchant's son, is leading an uneventful life in the port of Acre -- until news arrives that a Crusader attack is imminent. To keep Salim safe, his father buys him an apprenticeship with an esteemed, travelling doctor. But Salim's employment leads him to the heart of Sultan Saladin's camp -- and into battle against the barbaric and unholy invaders ...

Jenny wants to take her new puppy, Toto, to the circus but Toto isn't willing to sit still and watch the show. Suddenly there's a whooosh and the circus cannon goes off... Where's Toto now?! Find out in this exciting story - in French and English. Includes parallel text, speech bubbles, guidance for readers and a quiz to check understanding.

Jenny wants to take her new puppy, Toto, to the circus but Toto isn't willing to sit still and watch the show. Suddenly there's a whooosh and the circus cannon goes off... Where's Toto now?! Find out in this exciting story - in Spanish and English. Includes parallel text, speech bubbles, guidance for readers and a quiz to check understanding.

In Elizabeth Laird's A Little Piece of Ground, twelve-year-old Karim Aboudi and his family are trapped in their Ramallah home by a strict curfew. Israeli tanks control the city in response to a Palestinian suicide bombing. Karim longs to play football with his mates – being stuck inside with his teenage brother and fearful parents is driving him crazy.

When the curfew ends, he and his friend discover an unused patch of ground that's the perfect site for a football pitch. Nearby, an old car hidden intact under bulldozed buildings makes a brilliant den. But in this city there's constant danger, even for schoolboys. And when Israeli soldiers find Karim outside during the next curfew, it seems impossible that he will survive . . .

The little girl is so bored at home. There's NO-ONE to play with! That is until she decides to play the name game with the nature and animals around her, inventing fantastic names and personalities for all of them! Soon she is describing a fun imaginary world that she can play in by herself.

Eleven-year-old Solomon loves to run! The great athletes of the Ethiopian national team are his heroes and he dreams that one day he will be a gold-medal-winning athlete like them, in spite of his ragged shorts and bare feet. When his grandfather announces that he's going to take Solomon to Addis Ababa, Solomon cannot believe his ears. A trip to the capital? It's unfathomable. Solomon's joy is increased when he realizes that the Ethiopian running team will be doing a victory parade through the city that day. Maybe he'll get a glimpse of Haile Gebrselassie or Derartu Tulu?! But Solomon's grandfather has other plans. As Solomon follows him through the big, overwhelming streets, he learns something he cannot believe. The strict old man is a war hero who once risked his life to save a friend and has been in hiding ever since. When grandfather collapses, Solomon knows that getting help from his village is up to him. It's a twenty-mile run from the city to home, and grandfather's life hangs in the balance. Can the small bare-footed runner with the big heart do it? Shortlisted for the CILIP Carnegie Medal, The Fastest Boy in the World by Elizabeth Laird is the inspiring story of a small Ethiopian runner with a very big heart.

Amir's worried about the monster under the bed! What if it has huge teeth and growls like a lion? What if it tries to eat him up? And what if the monster has a mum and dad too? But Dad reassures Amir that if the monster family comes to play, then Amir might just make a friend instead. A timeless tale of monsters under the bed, Grobblechops is based on a story by the thirteenth-century poet, philosopher and Sufi mystic Rumi.

Pearson English Readers bring language learning to life through the joy of reading. Well-written stories entertain us, make us think, and keep our interest page after page. Pearson English Readers offer teenage and adult learners a huge range of titles, all featuring carefully graded language to make them accessible to learners of all abilities. Through the imagination of some of the world's greatest authors, the English language comes to life in pages of our Readers. Students have the pleasure and satisfaction of reading these stories in English, and at the same time develop a broader vocabulary, greater comprehension and reading fluency, improved grammar, and greater confidence and ability to express themselves. Find out more at english.com/readers

Inspired by the true story of an African childhood lived on the edge of destitution, award-winning Elizabeth Laird's The Garbage King takes readers on an unforgettable emotional journey. When Mamo's mother dies, he is abandoned in the shanties of Addis Ababa. Stolen by a child-trafficker and sold to a farmer, he is cruelly treated. Escaping back to the city, he meets another, very different runaway. Dani is rich, educated - and fleeing his tyrannical father. Together they join a gang of homeless street boys who survive only by mutual bonds of trust and total dependence on each other.

Oranges in No Man's Land brings Elizabeth Laird's emotional and gripping adventure to her next generation of fans. Since her father left Lebanon to find work and her mother tragically died in a shell attack, ten-year-old Ayesha has been living in the bomb-ravaged city of Beirut with her granny and her two younger brothers. The city has been torn in half by civil war and a desolate, dangerous no man's land divides the two sides. Only militiamen and tanks dare enter this deadly zone, but when Granny falls desperately ill, Ayesha sets off on a terrifying journey to reach a doctor living in enemy territory.

Welcome to Nowhere is a powerful and beautifully written story about the life of one family caught up in civil war by the award-winning author Elizabeth Laird. Twelve-year-old Omar and his brothers and sisters were born and raised in the beautiful and bustling city of Bosra, Syria. Omar doesn't care about politics - all he wants is to grow up to become a successful businessman who will take the world by storm. But when his clever older brother, Musa, gets mixed up with some young political activists, everything changes . . . Before long, bombs are falling, people are dying, and Omar and his family have no choice but to flee their home with only what they can carry. Yet no matter how far they run, the shadow of war follows them - until they have no other choice than to attempt the dangerous journey to escape their homeland altogether. But where do you go when you can't go home?

Inspired by award-winning author Elizabeth Laird's own childhood growing up in post-war London, The Misunderstandings of Charity Brown is a classic coming-of-age story, perfect for fans of The Skylarks' War and I Capture the Castle. Charity Brown’s life is about to change – her family have been left a huge, rambling house by a mysterious benefactor, and her parents want to move in and throw open its doors to the needy. Only recently back from hospital after months of isolation with polio, Charity is over-protected and lonely as the only child still at home. Her family are very religious – her sisters are called Faith and Hope, and her brother Ted is studying to be a preacher – so she's both excited and nervous at the thought of sharing her family and new home with strangers. It’s a recipe for confusion, joy and endless misunderstandings, including with the new neighbours, an Austrian family with a daughter just Charity’s age . . .

Three monkey stories with a real sense of fun, perfect for children learing to read. It's Jani's first day at school and she's nervous. Will the other monkeys be friendly? Will they all stare at her? Jani is in a wheelchair, and this makes her different. But, thanks to her sense of cheekiness, she makes friends and has a very nice first day at school indeed. The Reading Ladder series helps children to enjoy learning to read. It features well-loved authors, classic characters and favourite topics, so that children will find something to excite and engage them in every title they pick up. It's the first step towards a lasting love of reading. Level 1 Reading Ladder titles are perfect for new readers who are beginning to read simple stories with help. " Short, simple sentences " Familiar, repeated words " Big, clear type " 1 5 lines per page " Bright, fun pictures to help talk about the story All Reading Ladder titles are developed with a leading literacy consultant, making them perfect for use in schools and for parents keen to support their children's reading. Book band: Green

Inspired by award-winning author's Elizabeth Laird's own childhood growing up in post-war London, The Misunderstandings of Charity Brown is a classic coming-of-age story, perfect for fans of The Skylarks' War and I Capture the Castle. Charity Brown's life is about to change - her family have been left a huge, rambling house by a mysterious benefactor, and her parents want to move in and throw open its doors to the needy. Only recently back from hospital after months of isolation with polio, Charity is over-protected and lonely as the only child still at home. Her family are very religious - her sisters are called Faith and Hope, and her brother Ted is studying to be a preacher - so she's both excited and nervous at the thought of sharing her family and new home with strangers. It's a recipe for confusion, joy and endless misunderstandings, including with the new neighbours, an Austrian family with a daughter just Charity's age . . .

Kiss the Dust by Elizabeth Laird is an unforgettable, award-winning novel of conflict, persecution and the hardships faced by refugees. Tara is an ordinary teenager. Although her country, Kurdistan, is caught up in a war, the fighting seems far away. It hasn't really touched her. Until now. The secret police are closing in. Tara and her family must flee to the mountains with only the few things they can carry. It is a hard and dangerous journey - but their struggles have only just begun. Will anywhere feel like home again?

This book is part of Wordsmith, the complete programme for all your Primary English teaching needs.

"Quite simply, a wonderfully moving story about the power of love." --"Times Educational Supplement"

"A wry first-person narrative. . . . Discussion of handicaps, death and bereavement, and religious belief are carefully integrated into the story."--"School Library Journal"

Twelve-year-old Anna is looking forward to the birth of her baby brother. Ben arrives, but is disabled. Anna loves him immensely but she finds herself unable to admit the truth about Ben to her friends. Eventually the truth gets out and leads not to the ridicule Anna expected, but sympathy and understanding.

Elizabeth Laird's award-winning young adult novels include "A Little Piece of Ground "and "Crusade."

A Little Piece Of Ground will help young readers understand more about one of the worst conflicts afflicting our world today. Written by Elizabeth Laird, one of Great Britain's best-known young adult authors, A Little Piece Of Ground explores the human cost of the occupation of Palestinian lands through the eyes of a young boy. Twelve-year-old Karim Aboudi and his family are trapped in their Ramallah home by a strict curfew. In response to a Palestinian suicide bombing, the Israeli military subjects the West Bank town to a virtual siege. Meanwhile, Karim, trapped at home with his teenage brother and fearful parents, longs to play football with his friends. When the curfew ends, he and his friend discover an unused patch of ground that's the perfect site for a football pitch. Nearby, an old car hidden intact under bulldozed building makes a brilliant den. But in this city there's constant danger, even for schoolboys. And when Israeli soldiers find Karim outside during the next curfew, it seems impossible that he will survive. This powerful book fills a substantial gap in existing young adult literature on the Middle East. With 23,000 copies already sold in the United Kingdom and Canada, this book is sure to find a wide audience among young adult readers in the United States.

Twelve-year-old Anna is looking forward to the birth of her baby brother. Ben arrives, but is disabled and will never be like other children. Anna loves him with her whole heart, but she finds herself unable to admit the truth of Ben's condition to her school friends. Eventually the truth gets out and leads not to the ridicule Anna expected, but to sympathy and understanding. An emotional and wonderfully written story by Elizabeth Laird, Red Sky in the Morning was Highly Commended for the Carnegie Medal.

Captivating versions of some of the best myths and legends from around the world. TreeTops Myths and Legends are fascinating and action-packed stories that will motivate and inspire readers. These are some of the oldest and most enduring stories in the world, retold by leading contemporary children's authors to bring out all of the action, drama, humour and depth of the original stories in a way that makes them as exciting and meaningful today as ever. The stories are beautifully illustrated in a range of styles to bring each tale to life. Books contain inside cover notes to support children in their reading. Help with children's reading development also available at www.oxfordowl.co.uk. The books are finely levelled, making it easy to match every child to the right book. This pack contains 6 books, one of each of: Mythical Beasts and Fabulous Monsters, Why Dogs Have Black Noses, The Journey of Odysseus, Tales of the Underworld, Shapeshifters, The Legend of Gilgamesh.