Penguin Readers & Pearson English Readers (1200 headwords)

In 1891, the great detective, Sherlock Holmes, disappeared in Switzerland while working on a dangerous case. Everyone thought that he was dead. But three years later, he returned to England. Holmes and his friend, Dr Watson, had many more adventures together. Three of his most interesting cases are in this book. British English

‘It was the seventh day of the storm. We didn’t know where we were. Everyone on the ship believed that death was very near.’ The Robinson family do not die at sea; they find their way to a small island. But what can they do now? Where will they live? What will they eat? Luckily, the father and their mother have useful skills and they can teach their four young sons. But how long will they be there, on the island?

Are you brave enough to read four of Poe’s famous horror stories? Edgar Allan Poe wrote strange stories about terrible people and evil crimes. Don’t read this book late at night!

‘We’ll give a free dinner to the person who tells the best story. Now, put up your hands if you agree.’ The pilgrims all held up their hands. A group of pilgrims are travelling together for five days from London to Canterbury. On the way, each pilgrim has to tell a story to keep the others amused. Some stories are happy, and some are sad. But they all have a message, and we can learn from them.

David Copperfield’s happy life suddenly changes when his mother marries again. Her new husband is cruel to him and sends him away to school. When David’s mother dies, he is sent to work in London. He hates his job so he runs away. He has no money for food or for travelling. But it is the beginning of his life of adventure.

Quasimodo is gentle and kind, but his body is ugly and deformed. Lonely and sad, he hides from the world. But then he meets Esmeralda, a beautiful, innocent, young girl who is running for her life.

Why is the frightening Mr Hyde a friend of the nice Dr Jekyll? Who is the evil little man? And why does he seem to have power over the doctor? After a terrible murder, everyone is looking for Mr Hyde. But he has disappeared. Or has he?

Edward Prendick is travelling in the South Pacific when his ship goes down. He is saved after many days at sea by another ship, and a passenger, Montgomery, nurses him back to health. Prendick becomes interested in the mystery of Montgomery's life. Why does he live on an unknown Pacific island? Why is he taking animals there? And should Prendick fear the dark secrets of Montgomery's master the even more mysterious Doctor Moreau?

Classic / British English

In the early 1970s, a young Scottish doctor goes to work in Uganda. Then he meets President Idi Amin, a dangerous, crazy man. His new boss is a killer - frihgtening but, to the young doctor, also in a strange way wonderful. Nicholas should leave, bu he can´t. So how will his story end?