Peter and the Wolf

by Diane Redmond

Published 1 September 2007

This book presents Serge Prokofieff's famous musical story about young Peter and the Wolf in the style of a play with four scenes. The cast of characters on page 2 shows how Prokofieff used a different musical instrument to represent each character. With the help of a narrator, the story reveals, how Peter outwits the big bad wolf.

  • Gold/Band 9 fiction books offer developing readers literary language and stories with distinctive characters.
  • Text type – A playscript of a traditional tale.
  • A poster on pages 22 and 23 recaps on elements of Peter's character, around which children can discuss the story.
  • Curriculum links – Music: Exploring sounds.
  • This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery.
  • This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.

Hercules: Superhero

by Diane Redmond and Chris Mould

Published 1 September 2005
Build your child’s reading confidence at home with books at the right level

Young Hercules is challenged by the King to carry out seven labours – no problem, although the King is less impressed when he brings back the evidence and stinks out the palace.

  • Lime/Band 11 books have longer sentence structures and a greater use of literary language.
  • Text type – A playscript of a traditional tale.
  • Pages 30 and 31 feature a ‘wanted poster’ for a your man answering to Hercules description, providing a great starting point for lots of speaking, listening and writing activities.
  • Curriculum links – Citizenship: Taking part, Living in a diverse world, Animals and us.
  • This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery.
  • This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.

Great Greek Myths

by Diane Redmond

Published 1 September 2008
Build your child’s reading confidence at home with books at the right level

Heroes and monsters; gods and goddesses; adventure and excitement: all are to be found in this book, which contains four well-known myths and legends from Ancient Greece told in an accessible style. Find out how Theseus killed the minotaur, how Daedelus escaped from the maze and why Herakles longed for a rest!

  • Sapphire/Band 16 books offer longer reads to develop children's sustained engagement with texts and are more complex syntactically.
  • A humorous magazine interview with Herakles on pages 54 and 55 help children to recap the myth of The Labours of Herakles and examine how another text type might represent the material.
  • Text type: Three traditional tales
  • Curriculum links: History: Who were the Ancient Greeks? How do we use Ancient Greek ideas today?
  • This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.