Penguin Readers & Pearson English Readers (1200 headwords)

Mark Twain is one of America’s most famous and best-loved writers. He wrote about every important subject of his time. Twain’s stories are usually amusing but with a serious message too. You will read about people’s hopes and fears, happiness and terrible sadness—and wonderful practical jokes!

The year was 1963, and Beatlemania was only just beginning. Soon the Beatles had fans all around the world. For the rest of the 1960s their music led the way and they changed modern music forever. This book tells the story of the greatest band in the world from the early days in Liverpool to the Beatles’ music in the world today.

Miranda Hilliard does not live with her husband, Daniel. He wants to see the children more often, but they live with Miranda. One day Madame Doubtfire comes to work for Miranda and help with the children. But Madame Doubtfire seems strange, more like a man than a woman ...

It is 1839. The slave ship, Amistad, is carrying African slaves to America. There is a bloody fight on the ship, and the Africans are free. But soon they are in prison in the US. Must they return to their ‘owners’, or are they free people?

A young woman comes to a big house to teach two young children. It’s her first job and she wants to do it well. But she begins to see strange things – the ghosts of dead people. Do the ghosts want the children?

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.