Cat and Dog in a Mess

by Shoo Rayner

Published 1 September 2006
When Cat and Dog play in the park, Dog gets into a mess. Cat tries to tidy him up, but ends up getting even messier! This funny story features the lively characters Cat and Dog and is written by Shoo Rayner, author of Red 2B Bot on the Moon.

This is a Red A/Band 2A book in the Collins Big Cat reading programme and is a simple story of fiction with a familiar setting for early readers. Character profiles on the final spread help children compare and contrast Cat and Dog. The focus phonemes in this book are e, s and c (ck). Other phonemes practised are a, t, i, n ,c, o, r, m, d, g, u, l, h ,f and b. Cat and Dog in a Mess is paired with the simple non-fiction recount about cats, Red 2A Pet Cat, Big Cat. This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader. More stories about Cat and Dog can be found in Collins Big Cat guided reading series.

Cat and Dog in a Mess is one of the top 10 books found to be ‘easiest’ to read – most accessible and appropriate for the reading level – in the 2019 What Kids are Reading report from Renaissance Learning. Other top 10 ‘easiest’ books to read from the report include Bad Bat (9780007412891), No, Sid, No! (9780007421923), Sam and the Nut (9780007334995), The Magic Egg (9780007329182), Best Bird (9780007412853), Get Fit (9780007421961) and Got It! (9780007421930).


Nip! Nip!

by Shoo Rayner

Published 5 January 2010

Collins Big Cat Phonics is a guided reading series for ages 4-6 edited by Kay Hiatt. Top children's authors and illustrators have created fiction and non-fiction books that your children will love to read, banded to help you choose the right book for every child. Practical ideas for guided reading are included at the back of each book.

It's a game of hide and seek and Dad the crab is looking for Tim, but he can't find him anywhere. As he hunts around the seabed he finds lots of other crabs in different hiding places, but will he ever find Tim?

Phonics Talking Books are read-along versions of the Collins Big Cat Phonics titles. Lively readings, sound effects and music all help to bring the books to life. Talking Books are designed to support reading comprehension and language acquisition for all children, and are ideal for working with less confident readers and children with English as an additional language.


Bot on the Moon

by Shoo Rayner

Published 1 September 2006

Bot , the golf-loving robot, is going for a trip in his rocket ship. Find out what happens when he lands on the moon, in this funny book by author/illustrator Shoo Rayner.

  • Red / Band 2B – A simple fantasy story
  • Text type – Fiction
  • The focus phonemes practised in this book are oo (moon), z and ar. Other phonemes practised are sh and ng.
  • A story map on the final spread lets children recap and discuss the story.
  • Shoo Rayner also wrote Red 2A Cat and Dog in a Mess.
  • This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery.
  • This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.