The Goalie from Nowhere

by Alan MacDonald

Published 1 January 1998

Joss and his friends are having their last practice session before the Cup Final against Valley Kings. But who is this strange lad who begs to be given a chance and why is he hanging around their goal? This is part of the "Treetops" series and is aimed at ages eight and above.


This work contains six more classic novels sensitively adapted for year 6 pupils. It is retold by significant authors. Two dramatic Shakespeare plays retold as exciting modern stories. It includes new features to help make the books accessible such as: illustrated character lists; notes on history; on page explanations of difficult words; and new teaching notes covering all 12 Classics.

Climbing in the Dark

by Nick Warburton

Published 1 July 1997

A trade edition of the book also available in a school edition as part of the Oxford Reading Tree Treetops series. This is an historical novel which recounts a housemaid's attempt to rescue Will, the chimney-sweep, from his unhealthy life.


Macbeth is a noble and courageous man who is happy to serve his master, King Duncan. Then, after a chance meeting, the seed of ambition is planted in his mind. Gripped with the same ambition, Lady Macbeth pushes her husband to gain even more power, with terrible consequences. New features to help make the books accessible include: illustrated character lists; notes on history; on page explanations of difficult words; and new teaching notes.

When Prospero, the Duke of Milan, and his daughter, Miranda, are banished from their kingdom by the evil Antonio, they are cast adrift to die at sea in a rickety old boat. However, their frail boat carries them to a magical island, where they land and make a new life for themselves. Many years later, a ship is wrecked in a terrible storm and some strange events unfold...The book includes: illustrated character lists; notes on history; on page explanations of difficult words; and new teaching notes.

Oxford Reading Tree

by Alan MacDonald

Published 1 May 1999
Joss and his friends are having their last practice session before the Cup Final against Valley Kings. But who is this strange lad who begs to be given a chance? And why is he hanging around their goal? This story is part of the "Oxford Reading Tree: Treetops" series of fiction with built-in progression for pupils aged seven to 11. Specially written for children who need the support of carefully monitored language levels, the stories aim to be accessible, motivating, and humorous. The series is organized into "Oxford Reading Tree" stages (from Stage 10 to Stage 14), with each stage introducing more complex narrative forms, including flashbacks and changes in viewpoint; descriptive writing; extended reading vocabulary; and more pages, more text, and fewer illustrations. Each stage is supported by a teacher's guide, which offers guidance on using "Treetops" to assess children's reading ability, and includes a variety of activities, many on photocopiable sheets.

When Silas Marner is wrongly accused of theft, he leaves his home town to start a new life in Raveloe. Here, he lives a solitary existence, weaving linen on his loom, and disturbing no one. Then one dark wintery night an unknown visitor arrives and changes his life forever. To help make this book accessible there are new features: illustrated character lists; notes on history; on page explanations of difficult words; and new teaching notes.

Personality Potion

by Alan MacDonald

Published 1 July 1997

A trade edition of the book also available in a school edition as part of the Oxford Reading Tree Treetops series. The story follows the adventures of Danny, who's personality is changed when he drinks some of his Uncle's magic potion.


Mr Utterson, the lawyer, is concerned when he receives a will from his friend, Dr Jekyll. In it, the doctor asks for all his possessions to be passed to the sinister Edward Hyde. Utterson suspects that something is very wrong. He tries to find out the truth and discovers that things are far worse than he could ever have imagined. New features included in the book: illustrated character lists; notes on history; on page explanations of difficult words; and new teaching notes.