Collins Big Cat supports every primary child on their reading journey from phonics to fluency. Top authors and illustrators have created fiction and non-fiction books that children love to read. Book banded for guided and independent reading, there are reading notes in the back, comprehensive teaching and assessment support and ebooks available. When Simon Lancaster hears that his family are going to the local castle for the day, he's not very impressed. When he hears there's a dungeon, things start to look up. Little does he know, his trip to the castle is going to end with him never wanting to set foot in a dungeon again, when he wanders off and gets trapped in a hidden cell! How will he make it out? And how is he going to explain this one to his parents ...? This thrilling story was written by Ciaran Murtagh. Lime Plus/Band 11+ books provide challenging plots and vocabulary as well as opportunities to practise inference, prediction and reading stamina. Pages 46 and 47 allow children to re-visit the content of the book, supporting comprehension skills, vocabulary development and recall. Ideas for reading in the back of the book provide practical support and stimulating activities.

We've heard of Alexander the Great. We've heard of Ivan the Terrible. But what was so Great about Alexander? What was so Terrible about Ivan? Spanning centuries of history in a culturally diverse framework-from ancient India to nineteenth-century Hawaii, and with a balanced focus on notorious women rulers as well as male, The Great and the Terrible takes a humorous look at some of the most glorious and notorious figures in history through the lens of the nicknames they're remembered by. While some of the characters mentioned here are more prominent in world history (Cyrus the Great introduced the world's first human rights charter), others are well known only within their own cultures. The Great and the Terrible gives middle-grade readers an opportunity to dip into the breadth of world history, sampling its cultural diversity and its stranger-than-fiction historical exploits, with a mix of the sensational and the serious. It helps to correct the imbalance in many history books that currently only focus on Western Civilization, shining the spotlight on achievements (and foibles) in many different cultures. The Great and the Terrible sketches portraits of each of 25 figures and their worlds, focusing on the sensational and the superlative in each of their fascinating stories. The list of rulers included are: * Alexander the Great * Hatshepsut * Cyrus the Great * Ashoka the Great * Empress Suiko * Pacal the Great * Good King Wenceslas * Sejong the Great * Askia the Great * Lorenzo the Magnificent * Sulyman the Magnificent * Nur Jahan * Good Queen Bess (Elizabeth I) * Nanyehi * Kamehameha the Great * Attila the Hun * Bad King John * Vlad the Impaler * Bloody Mary Tudor * Ivan the Terrible * Catherine De Medici * Mad Ibrahim I * Sultan Ismail the Bloodthirsty * Queen Ranavalona the Cruel * Mad King Ludwig

A touching exploration of grief and the difficult emotions surrounding death, The Window is a beautiful reminder that those we love will always be with us. All the other windows in the hospital look out on dull, grey buildings, but Daria and her grandpa can see the beach from the window in his room. Whenever Daria visits, she and her grandpa sit and watch crashing waves, flying kites, and happy families. Daria hopes for the day she and Grandpa will be able to visit the beach and build sandcastles together. The surprise twist at the end of the book offers a light-handed yet emotional punch, showing how even in the darkest places, hope can be found. Accompanied by notes for parents and guardians written by Dr Sharie Coombes, child and family psychotherapist, on how to support children who are experiencing a bereavement.