Reading

Kerry is visiting her brother, Mike, for the first time in his new home. She sees a sign for a fortune teller. Mike doesn’t believe in fortune tellers, but he goes, too. What does Rosie say to him? And is she right?

Ebenezer Scrooge is rich but he is a mean old man with no friends. It is Christmas Eve but he’s still in his office counting money. He doesn’t like Christmas – it costs too much! Later that night, Scrooge is visited by three ghosts. They show him scenes from his life. They show him the present, Christmas Eve in Victorian England where both rich and poor are enjoying Christmas with family and friends. They show him a frightening, lonely future. In this famous story by Charles Dickens, Christmas brings a surprising change in Ebenezer Scrooge…

During their Christmas holidays in the “red heart” of Australia, Penny and Bob set out to look for a very special boomerang that is missing from an Aboriginal museum near Ayers Rock. The situation gets serious and they get lost in the unfriendly Australian bush. There they meet Sel, a young Aborigine, and his grandfather who give them clues about the location of the boomerang. From then on their cultural holiday turns into an exciting adventure!

From the earliest times, people have looked up at the stars, the moon and the planets, so now, we know more about them than we ever have. Today, people can train to be astronauts, work in space, or join a future mission to Mars. Did you know that the first astronauts were animals? That for astronauts working in space, the sun rises 15 times in 24 hours? Do you know how you might train to become an astronaut? Or where astronauts might explore next?

When they were young, Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth were in love. Though Wentworth wanted a life together with her, Anne was persuaded not to marry him. Many years later they meet again, but have their feelings changed?

There is going to be a big storm and Jenny’s son John loves storms. John counts the seconds between the thunder and the lightning. This tells him how far away the lightning is. Their dog, Patty, is scared because thunder is louder for dogs! Do you know how hailstones form? How to stay safe in a tornado? Why sandstorms are so dangerous? Or how big a hurricane can be? John does and now you can too!

Heidi lives with her grandfather high in the mountains of Switzerland. One day, Heidi moves to Frankfurt. Can she go back to the mountains and the people she loves?

This is a great love story set in the tragedy of war. It is 1941. The Italian officer, Captain Corelli, falls in love with Pelagia, a young Greek girl. But Pelegia’s fiancé is fighting the Italian army. Captain Corelli’s Mandolin has been made into a film, starring Nicolas Cage.

One winter’s morning in New York State, there is an accident on an icy mountain road. Thirteen-year-old Grace and her much-loved horse, Pilgrim, are very badly hurt. Grace’s mother believes her daughter will only recover if her horse can be saved. Can Pilgrim be nursed back to health? Can the Horse Whisperer work his magic?

One night, away from his family, Eric finds a golden seal. People want to shoot golden seals for their beautiful fur. Eric’s father is one of those men. A stranger arrives in a boat. What does he want? Eric loves the seal. He wants her to live. But what can he do?

In beautiful Sherwood Forest, the Doctor learns of the dangerous plan of robots from space. He doesn’t like Robin Hood, but has to work with him. Who is real and who is not? The Doctor wants to help the people of Nottingham, so he has to know.

Orphan Pollyanna Whittier goes to live with her cold, unhappy Aunt Polly. She plays the glad game, a game that helps her find things to be glad about. Before long, Pollyanna is helping people in the town play the glad game, and they feel happier. Then, one day, a terrible accident happens! Can it stop Pollyanna’s smile?

Lennie and George are poor ranch hands with a dream of having their own farm. One night when Lennie is alone, something tragic happens. John Steinbeck’s classic story of friendship, loneliness, loyalty, and sacrifice.

In an old Australian story, the Rainbow Serpent opened her eyes and looked at the young Earth. There were no animals or birds, no rivers or trees. Then a Man and a Woman came, and the Rainbow Serpent was their teacher. But what did she teach them? And did they listen?

Pete and Carla are students. One day they look at some very old coins and stamps in a shop. Later that day, some coins are missing and the shopkeeper wants to find Pete.

The Doctor and his companion, Clara, are on the most beautiful train in history, speeding past the stars of the future. But something terrible is killing the passengers. After you see the mummy, you only have 66 seconds. Then... You die!

Inventors are special people. They see everyday objects and imagine something better. They solve old problems with new ideas. Their inventions can help people or destroy them, but only the greatest ideas will change the world. This book has many of the most interesting and important inventions from 2,500 years ago to the present day.

Paul Sheldon is Annie Wilkes’s favorite writer. She loves all his books about Misery Chastain. When Annie finds Paul after a car accident, she takes him home to look after him. Then Annie discovers that Paul wants to kill Misery and write a different kind of book. She is determined to stop him, and Paul becomes her prisoner.

Bringing thrilling Super Hero action to the English classroom.

A man fell from a very tall building. Why didn’t he die? Why did a dead woman have a frozen chicken under her hat? What fell out of an old man’s ear, and why did everybody laugh? And how did a cow fly? Find the answers in these strange stories.

It’s a Saturday morning, and Charles is still asleep. He should be on his way to Angus and Laura’s wedding! Charles is always late, and he is worried that he will never find the right woman to marry. Then he meets Carrie…

Alone, without the Doctor, Clara discovers a new danger from another dimension. But how do you hide when even the walls give no protection? People need help and the Doctor can’t leave the TARDIS. And Clara has to fight an enemy that can’t be seen.

A witch takes Rapunzel from her parents and keeps her at the top of a tall tower. There are no doors in the tower. Rapunzel is a prisoner. The witch climbs up Rapunzel’s long hair to come inside. How can Rapunzel get out?

Tales from the Arabian Nights is a collection of stories from Persia, Arabia, India and Egypt which were brought together over hundreds of years. Stories include Aladdin and the Lamp, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, and more.