The Literacy Classroom
Improving, inspiring and supporting
English teaching and learning
CONTEMPORARY FICTION
Dinosaur Cove Cretaceous 1: Attack of the Lizard King
by Rex Stone
Welcome to the Cretaceous!
It's a pretty awesome place, as Jamie and Tom discover when they find the fossilized footprints which lead them to the world of dinosaurs. There are all kinds of amazing creatures here, including a friendly wannanosaurus to join them on their travels. But as the boys begin to explore the strange prehistoric world, little do they know that they're being watched. A gigantic T-Rex has spotted the boys, and he's heading their way . . .
This the first book in the hugely popular Dinosaur Cove series which has now sold over a million copies. This new edition includes a set of Cretaceous collector cards.
The Great Cheese Robbery: Book 1 (Pocket Pirates)
by Chris Mould
In the junk shop at the end of the street is a dusty old ship in a bottle. And when the world isn't watching, a tiny pirate crew come out of the ship to explore. They aren't much bigger than a matchstick, but they have a HUGE appetite for adventure...
When the skirting-board mice kidnap Jones, the ship's cat, and ransom him for cheese, the Pocket Pirates spring into action. But to get the cheese, they must venture to the freezing cold place where it's always winter ... The place called Fridge. Can the Pocket Pirates survive their perilous journey and get their ship's cat back ...?
The first in an unmissable series about tiny pirates who have BIG adventures, with gorgeous illustrations throughout, from the illustrator of A Boy Called Christmas.
The Sheep-Pig
by Dick King-Smith
The Sheep-pig is one of Dick King-Smith's most famous tales. It shot to further fame when the film adaptation, Babe, was released in 1995.
'Why can't I learn to be a Sheep-Pig?'
When Babe, the little orphaned piglet, is won at a fair by Farmer Hogget, he is adopted by Fly, the kind-hearted sheep-dog. Babe is determined to learn everything he can from Fly. He knows he can't be a sheep-dog. But maybe, just maybe, he might be a sheep-pig.
'An unexpectedly thrilling, funny charmer of a book' - Guardian
'Dick King-Smith is a huge favourite with children' - Observer
***Winner of the Guardian Fiction Award***
The Hodgeheg
by Dick King-Smith
Max is a hedgehog who lives with his family in a nice little home, but it's on the wrong side of the road from the Park where there's a beautiful lily pond and plenty of juicy slugs, worms and snails!
The busy road is dangerous but Max is determined to make his way across. If humans can do it, why can't hedgehogs?
His first attempt ends in a nasty bump on the head and, when Max tries to speak, he realises his words are all mixed up. He is no longer a hedgehog but a hodge-heg!
Still determined to fulfil his mission, Max discovers the best way to cross the road - with the help of the lollipop lady and some careful detective work . . .
From the number-one author for animal magic comes this wonderful new edition of The Hodgeheg.
Arabel's Raven
by Joan Aiken
The first story about Arabel and her pet raven Mortimer. In Arabel's Raven, Mr Jones, while driving his taxi, notices something bedraggled in the road. He stops and discovers an injured raven. He takes it home and his four-year-old daughter Arabel falls in love at first sight. 'His name is Mortimer,' she announces and Mortimer has found a home. A series of thefts and a robber quarrel are only two of the dramas in this delightful tale in which Mortimer and Arabel find their ways straight to the reader's heart.
Dragons at Crumbling Castle
by Terry Pratchet
Dragons have invaded Crumbling Castle, and all of King Arthur’s knights are either on holiday or visiting their grannies. It’s a disaster!
Luckily, there’s a spare suit of armour and a very small boy called Ralph who’s willing to fill it. Together with Fortnight the Friday knight and Fossfiddle the wizard, Ralph sets out to defeat the fearsome fire-breathers.
But there's a teeny weeny surprise in store . . .
Fourteen fantastically funny stories from master storyteller Sir Terry Pratchett, full of time travel and tortoises, monsters and mayhem!
‘So funny I dropped my spoon laughing!’ – King Arthur
The Akimbo Adventures
by Alexander McCall Smith
Three classic adventure tales from the bestselling author of The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, now together in paperback for the first time.
Imagine living in the heart of Africa. Imagine living in a place where the sun rises every morning over blue mountains.
Akimbo and his parents live on the edge of an African game reserve. It's his father's task to protect the thousands of amazing animals who make it their home, and wildlife-loving Akimbo dreams of helping him. In these three adventures, Akimbo protects elephants from poachers, saves a lion cub from a trap, and rescues a man from a crocodile!
This 3-in-1 collection contains Akimbo and the Elephants, Akimbo and the Lions and Akimbo and the Crocodile Man.
Fans of The Jungle Book and the Just So Stories will love these stories of wild animals and thrilling adventures.
Pugs of the Frozen North
by Philip Reeve, illustrated by Sarah McIntyre
The Race to the Top of the World! It comes around once in a lifetime, and the prize? Your heart's desire. Shen and Sika can't resist the chance to win, but competition is fierce. The path to victory is littered with snow trolls, sea monsters, and a gang of particularly hungry yetis. But Shen and Sika have something the other contestants don't have. Actually, they have 66 other things; pugs to be exact. That's a 264 paw-powered sled!
Bursting with stunning illustration throughout, this is a book not to be missed!
The Last Polar Bears
by Harry Horse
Grandfather is off on an expedition to the North Pole to find the Last Polar Bears and with him goes Roo - a dog of character and strong views. The intrepid explorers set sail on the good ship Unsinkable and embark on the adventure of a lifetime. Eccentric, moving and very funny, their story is told through a series of extraordinary letters.
Violet and the Pearl of the Orient
by Harriet Whitehorn, illustrated by Becka Moor
Meet Violet Remy-Robinson, an amateur Sherlock Holmes in the making...
When a new family move in next door, Violet is sure there's something strange about them. Then her eccentric, but lovely neighbour, Dee Dee Derota, has a precious jewel stolen. Could the new family be to blame? Violet is on the case to uncover the truth…
With a beautiful hardback package complete with two colour illustrations throughout by emerging talent, Becka Moore, everyone is bound to fall in love with Violet and the colourful characters that make up her world. Perfect for fans of Dixie O'Day, Ottoline, Goth Girl and Darcy Burdock.
The 13-Storey Treehouse
by Andy Griffiths
Andy and Terry live in the WORLD'S BEST treehouse! It's got a giant catapult, a secret underground laboratory, a tank of man-eating sharks and a marshmallow machine that follows you around and shoots marshmallows into your mouth whenever you're hungry! Just watch out for the sea monkeys, and the monkeys pretending to be sea monkeys, and the giant mutant mermaid sea monster . . . Oh, and, whatever you do, don't get trapped in a burp-gas-filled bubble . . . !
Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton's fantastically funny The 13-Storey Treehouse is told through a combination of text and cartoon-style illustrations.
There's A Dragon in My Backpack
by Tom Nicoll
Book two in a hilarious new series featuring one boy and a little dragon with an oversized appetite for adventure. Eric finally succumbs to Pan’s demands and agrees to take the Mini-Dragon to school with him. But Eric gets more trouble than he bargained for when nightmare neighbour Toby switches his backpack with Eric’s and dragon-naps Pan! Now Eric must dash across town to Toby’s posh school and swap them back before his snappy secret is out! Perfect for fans of Jeremy Strong and Compton Valance.
Mrs Armitage and the Big Wave
by Quentin Blake
Ars Armitage arrives on the beach with her surfboard and her faithful dog Breakspear, and paddles out to sea to wait for the Big Wave. But, of course, Mrs Armitage can't be satisfied with just an ordinary surfboard and she is soon adding a hilarious variety of gadgets and contraptions. And when the Big Wave finally arrives, Mrs Armitage certainly surfs with style!
Tom's Sausage Lion
by Michael Morpurgo
But it's true,' Tom shouted. 'It was a real lion, I know it was.'
No-one believes Tom when he says he has seen a lion - padding around the orchard with a string of sausages in its mouth! No-one, that is, except for Clare, the cleverest girl in the class. Together, she and Tom plan to prove his story is true - by catching the lion!
Ottoline and the Yellow Cat
by Chris Riddell
Introducing Miss Ottoline Brown, an exceptionally inquisitive Mistress of Disguise, and her partner in crime, Mr. Munroe. No puzzle is ever too tricky for the two of them to solve . . .
Ottoline lives in a stylish apartment in Big City with a small hairy creature called Mr. Munroe. Together they look after the Brown family's eclectic collections - and dabble in a spot of detective work. So they are the first to the scene of the crime when a string of high-society dog-nappings and jewel thefts hits Big City. Ottoline (who luckily has a diploma from the Who-R-U Academy of Disguise) and Mr. Munroe go undercover - and expose an ingenious scam masterminded by furry feline crook, the Yellow Cat.
Ottoline and the Yellow Cat is a quirky mystery-adventure from star author/illustrator, Chris Riddell. Winner of the Nestle Prize, and crammed with black and white illustrations, Ottoline and the Yellow Cat is perfectly packaged and highly collectable.
The Moonshine Dragon
by Cornelia Funke
When a tiny silver dragon is chased out of Patrick's storybook by an equally tiny knight, all sorts of mayhem breaks loose! Soon moonshine magic has shrunk Patrick too, and he is forced to hole up inside his toy castle as the knight attacks the 'fire worm'. Can Patrick defeat the knight and make it to morning? High quality cream paper and a special easy to read font ensure a smooth read for all.
Superdad's Day Off
by Phil Earle
Stanley is a normal little boy, whose dad just happens to be the greatest superhero on the planet. Six days a week, Dad saves the world from disasters, aliens, and bad guys. Friday is his day off and he always spends it with Stan. But one Friday, Dad and Stan meet a series of people desperately in need of Dad's help. Soon Stan finds himself saving a lion stuck up a tree, rescuing a monster truck from a ditch and taking on shark-infested floodwaters. That's right: Stan is a chip off the old (superhero) block! High quality cream paper and a special easy to read font ensure a smooth read for all.
The Story of the Dancing Frog
by Quentin Blake
The heartbroken widow of a captain drowned at sea discovers a friendly amphibian at her lowest point. But he is no ordinary frog - he's a dancing frog set on saving her! Soon the duo are touring the world with their routine, spreading light and laughter - and carrying out the occasional rescue - wherever they go. High quality cream paper and a special easy to read font ensure a smooth read for all.
The First Third Wish
by Ian Beck
A charming fairytale. When a newly - qualified fairy loses the third wish of three she must deliver to a woodcutter, young Dickon finds it. There is no limit to the number of times a lost wish may be used, and soon there are sparkly cats and magic lemonade bottles all over the place! Can fairy Cobweb find the wish and put a stop to Dickon's magic? A joyous and whimsical read by a much - loved author and illustrator. High quality cream paper and a special easy to read font ensure a smooth read for all.
Mr Birdsnest and the House Next Door
by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Hannah Shaw
A tiger in the back garden! A bird-eating spider in the cupboard! Elmo and his sister love playing in the jungle house next door. That is, until mean old Mr Birdsnest moves in. But when it appears that Mr Birdsnest has kidnapped the children's grandma they must sneak back in to rescue her. High quality cream paper and a special easy to read font ensure a smooth read for all.
Cheesemares
by Ross Collins
Hal is determined to get to the bottom of his terrifying cheesemares in this hilarious comedy for younger readers from author/illustrator Ross Collins Hal is convinced there is a connection between his well-loved cheesy snacks and the horrible nightmares he keeps having. Hal sets off on a mission to solve his cheesemares once and for all, but will he ever escape from the horror he faces in The Evil House of Cheese? Here Ross Collins' two talents for writing and illustrating combine in this fun romp where evil cows meet Frankenstein. Quality cream paper and a special easy to read font ensure a smooth read for all.
Cakes in Space
by Philip Reeve, illustrated by Sarah McIntyre
Astra's family are all snoring in their sleeping pods, but Astra is WIDE AWAKE. With her friend, Pilbeam, she goes off exploring and soon finds out the ship is in deep trouble. It's been knocked off course and invaded by a gang of Poglites, an alien salvage crew searching for spoons.
But even the Poglites need Astra's help when they discover something far more sinister lurking in the canteen... Sure, they're cakes; but no one would describe them as sweet!
Another splendiferous adventure from dynamic duo, Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre.
Claude in the Country
by Alex T Smith
A quiet walk in the country turns into a busy day on the farm when Claude ends up mucking out the pigs, feeding the chickens, and lassoing a fearsome bull!
An hilarious series for new readers and also great for sharing.
Praise for Claude:
'...illustrated with humour and elegance...' - The Times
'With quirky illustrations and plenty of humour...' - Metro
The Dragonsitter
by Josh Lacey, illustrated by Garry Parsons
A quiet walk in the country turns into a busy day on the farm when Claude ends up mucking out the pigs, feeding the chickens, and lassoing a fearsome bull!
An hilarious series for new readers and also great for sharing.
Praise for Claude:
'...illustrated with humour and elegance...' - The Times
'With quirky illustrations and plenty of humour...' - Metro
The Tin Forest
by Helen Ward, illustrated by Wayne Anderson
"There was once a wide, windswept place, near nowhere and close to forgotten that was filled with all the things that no one wanted." So begins Helen Ward's tale of the Tin Forest where an old man lives who tidies the rubbish and dreams of a better place. With faith, ingenuity and hard work, he transforms a junkyard into a wonderland in this poetic modern fable.
CLASSICS
Clever Polly and the Stupid Wolf
by Catherine Storr
welve stories written for the author's daughter, who was scared of the wolf under the bed! Drawing occasionally on well-known fairy tales, and skillfully blending fantasy and reality, these stories are bursting with humour, originality and charm. And Polly, not scared at all, outwits the wolf on each and every occasion!
With the original illustrations by Marjorie-Ann Watts.
A Bear Called Paddington
by Michael Bond
Unabridged and illustrated in glorious full-colour throughout, this exquisite gift edition of the original story of Paddington, the classic bear from Darkest Peru, is truly to be treasured!
“A bear? On Paddington station?” Mrs Brown looked at her husband in amazement. “Don’t be silly, Henry. There can’t be!”
Winnie-the-Pooh
by A A Milne
Once upon a time, a very long time ago now, about last Friday, Winnie-the-Pooh lived in a forest all by himself under the name of Sanders.'
A. A. Milne's stories about Pooh and his friends have been loved by generations of children and their parents since Winnie-the-Pooh was first published in 1926. This magnificent slipcase features the four classic Winnie-the-Pooh titles: Winnie-the-Pooh, The House at Pooh Corner, When We Were Very Young, Now We Are Six. Each volume features the original E. H. Shepard illustrations in full colour. This delightful collection is the perfect gift for Pooh fans aged 5 or 55.
Stuart Little
by E. B. White
Stuart Little is the enchanting tale of the mouse who is small in size but enormous in spirit by E. B. White, author of CHARLOTTE'S WEB.