A spooktacular collection of scary stories by thirteen of the most exciting and diverse authors in children’s books today! Perfect for readers aged 9-12A spooktacular collection of horror stories that will chill, thrill and delight middle-great readers, keeping them on the edge of (or hiding behind) their sofas! Do you dare to turn the pages and see what’s lurking inside…?Read, Scream, Repeat brings together thirteen bestselling, award-winning authors: Kirsty Applebaum, Jasbinder Bilan, Aisha Bushby, Joseph Coelho, Rachel Delahaye, Kat Ellis, Phil Hickes, Polly Ho-Yen, Sharna Jackson, Jennifer Killick, Elle McNicoll, Dan Smith andJ.T.Williams. The collection is curated by Farshore’s queen of middle-grade comedy-horror, Jennifer Killick!Read, Scream, Repeat is a truly diverse anthology that taps into everything young readers are looking for this spooky season.

Big Cat for Little Wandle Fluency has been developed in collaboration with Wandle Learning Trust and Little Sutton Primary School. It consists of a range of chapter books with increasing word counts across 10 fluency levels aimed at children in Year 2 and 3. Each book builds reading confidence, stamina and speed and nurtures a love for reading.Fluency 2 books have a word count of 3360 words with an expected reading rate of 70 words per minute.When Ash's grandpa dies, the garden he loved dies with him. Ash and his grandma decide to bring it back to life. Together they learn about gardening, grafting and pond-building. But with a huge storm and money to raise, it's a big task!

Big Cat for Little Wandle Fluency has been developed in collaboration with Wandle Learning Trust and Little Sutton Primary School. It consists of a range of chapter books with increasing word counts across 10 fluency levels aimed at children in Year 2 and 3. Each book builds reading confidence, stamina and speed and nurtures a love for reading.Fluency 1 books have a word count of 2880 words with an expected reading rate of 60 words per minute.July and her dad love to cycle together in the summer. But when July hits a problem, the ride turns into a lesson. Little does she know her new skills will soon be put to the test!

Collins Big Cat supports every primary child on their reading journey from phonics to fluency. Top authors and illustrators have created fiction and non-fiction books that children love to read. Book banded for guided and independent reading, there are reading notes in the back, comprehensive teaching and assessment support and ebooks available.Join Michaela as she finds herself propelled into an alternate universe and on a race against time to save her friend Norris. This exciting adventure story in verse was written by Children’s Laureate (2022-2024) and multi-award-winning poet Joseph Coelho.Sapphire/Band 16 books offer longer reads to develop children's sustained engagement with texts and are more complex syntactically.Ideas for reading in the back of the book provide practical support for exploring poetry, and stimulating activities.Text type: A story in verse

'Twas the night before Christmasand all through the house,Not a creature was stirring, save . . .CHRISTMAS TREE MOUSE!And she's on an important mission. A mission to help Santa! Every Christmas Eve, this tiny mouse brushes away Santa's snowy footprints, nibbles up the mince pie crumbs, and - most importantly - checks on her Santa HQ tablet that all the correct presents are under the tree.But when Christmas Tree Mouse discovers that baby Ola has received the wrong present, it's a CATASTROPHE! Can she use all her special training and determination to save the day? And might Santa himself make a special appearance?This charming and heartwarming picture book from Waterstones Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho and debut illustrator Farah Shah offers a brilliantly funny sneak peek behind the scenes on the most magical night of the year. The perfect gift for any child this Christmas!Longlisted for the Klaus Flugge Prize 2025

'Twas the night before Christmasand all through the house,Not a creature was stirring, save . . .CHRISTMAS TREE MOUSE!And she's on an important mission. A mission to help Santa! Every Christmas Eve, this tiny mouse brushes away Santa's snowy footprints, nibbles up the mince pie crumbs, and - most importantly - checks on her Santa HQ tablet that all the correct presents are under the tree.But when Christmas Tree Mouse discovers that baby Ola has received the wrong present, it's a CATASTROPHE! Can she use all her special training and determination to save the day? And might Santa himself make a special appearance?This charming and heartwarming picture book from Waterstones Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho and debut illustrator Farah Shah offers a brilliantly funny sneak peek behind the scenes on the most magical night of the year. The perfect gift for any child this Christmas!Longlisted for the Klaus Flugge Prize 2025

With a swish of his brush, Carl paints magnificent scenes using postcards from his family as inspiration. Using bright colours and wild brush strokes - Carl’s paintings are so realistic that they suddenly come to life! Carl is thrown right into each scene he paints, where danger is lurking around every corner …

Highly engaging, illustrated picture book to be read out loud to children aged 5–6

Ideal for reading aloud at home with your child

Helps expose your child to rich language and curriculum-linked vocabulary 

Includes key terms from Art and the topic area of landscapes

Part of the Bug Club reading series used in over 3500 schools

‘These books are a great start to addressing the wider curriculum and the vocabulary issues that schools are identifying.’ - Assistant Head, Primary Academy

The Bug Club Shared books are highly engaging, beautifully illustrated stories designed to be read out loud to children. The programme exposes children to rich, curriculum-linked vocabulary, helping to build an understanding across school subjects and cultivate a love for reading.

Snuggle up and ease your child off to sleep reading Joseph Coelho’s lullaby-like poems. Lyrical, calming and beautifully illustrated, these peaceful poems are a magical way to end the day. Written by award-winning performance poet Joseph Coelho, Goodnight, Starry Night is a collection of 14 poems that takes readers on a gentle journey into dreamland. Each poem is inspired by a calming work of art, reproduced in the book alongside the heart-warming illustrations of Allison Colpoys. The book takes its title from Van Gogh’s painting The Starry Night, which inspired Coelho’s evocative poem River Sky: I gaze upon the starry nightIt twists into a river-skymy every breath, a swirling lightI gaze upon the starry night. It features poems inspired by David Hockney’s Sleeping Dogs, Vivian Maier’s Woman with Baby and Faith Ringgold’s quilted artwork of Cassie Lightfoot flying against a night sky. Joseph Coelho’s lyrical poems calm the mind, relax the body and are soothing to the soul, and are guaranteed to inspire the sweetest of dreams.

In this fantastic collection, Waterstones Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho shows us that poems are made to read OUT LOUD!In this wittily illustrated anthology of poems, designed to be read aloud, twenty poems arm children with techniques for lifting poetry off the page and performing with confidence.Perfect for confident children and shy readers alike, this book teaches all sorts of clever ways to performing poetry. Children will learn 20 techniques for reading aloud by trying out 20 funny and thoughtful original poems by the much-loved and award-winning performance poet, Joseph Coelho.There are tongue twisters, poems to project, poems to whisper, poems to make you laugh. There are poems to perform to a whole class and others to whisper in somebody's ear. Richly textured, warm and stylish illustration by Daniel Gray-Barnett bring each page to life."Poetry for children is dead. Really? Not when there are young poets like Joseph Coelho" —Books for Keeps

A moving, lyrical picture book about a shy child unlocking the power of their own voice through poetry, with the helping hand of an extra special teacher, written by multi-award winning poet and Waterstones Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho.From the creators of If All The World Were, winner of the 2019 Independent Book Shop Picture Book Award which has been translated into 13 languages, this beautifully illustrated, powerful and heartwarming text shows children that everyone's voice can be powerful and beautiful, however small.  Allison Colpoys’ gorgeous artwork spills from every page as she shows this most heartwarming of tales. Follow a child who is so shy she doesn't speak.With the encouragement on an enchanting and magical teacher, she writes a poem. But a poem is meant to be read aloud! She musters all her courage, stands at the front of the class and shows her classmates that she does have a voice. And her voice is BEAUTIFUL!  The perfect way to encourage empathy in young children and show shy children how to feel brave, this beautiful story will delight readers time and time again.

A moving, lyrical picture book about a shy child unlocking the power of their own voice through poetry, with the helping hand of an extra special teacher, written by multi-award winning poet and Waterstones Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho.From the creators of If All The World Were, winner of the 2019 Independent Book Shop Picture Book Award which has been translated into 13 languages, this beautifully illustrated, powerful and heartwarming text shows children that everyone's voice can be powerful and beautiful, however small.  Allison Colpoys’ gorgeous artwork spills from every page as she shows this most heartwarming of tales. Follow a child who is so shy she doesn't speak.With the encouragement on an enchanting and magical teacher, she writes a poem. But a poem is meant to be read aloud! She musters all her courage, stands at the front of the class and shows her classmates that she does have a voice. And her voice is BEAUTIFUL!  The perfect way to encourage empathy in young children and show shy children how to feel brave, this beautiful story will delight readers time and time again.

From Waterstones Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho comes a beautiful anthology of monthly nature poems which encourage a love for the natural world and the importance of looking after it. See how animals behave through the seasons, and the cycle of trees and plants, from the first blossoms of spring through to the stark winter wonderland in December. Twelve inspiring poems from Joseph Coelho, one for each month of the year, paired with folk art from Kelly Louise Judd give this book year-round appeal. A beautiful book for your bookshelf, to spark an idea for your own poem, or to teach a love for nature and to help children foster a love for the natural world. 'Heart-flutteringly lovely and powerful' - Book Trust'In the classroom, this book could be used as a reference for writers to create their own season poems; play with the language of the original poems or pair their own personal memories with the weather or changing seasons.' - North Somerset Teachers Book Award'This will appeal to all ages and never date...' - LoveReading4KidsWith stunning illustrations, this true celebration of the world we live in is a treasure for you and your child to share.

In this fantastic collection, Waterstones Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho shows us that poems are made to read OUT LOUD!In this wittily illustrated anthology of poems, designed to be read aloud, twenty poems arm children with techniques for lifting poetry off the page and performing with confidence.Perfect for confident children and shy readers alike, this book teaches all sorts of clever ways to performing poetry. Children will learn 20 techniques for reading aloud by trying out 20 funny and thoughtful original poems by the much-loved and award-winning performance poet, Joseph Coelho.There are tongue twisters, poems to project, poems to whisper, poems to make you laugh. There are poems to perform to a whole class and others to whisper in somebody's ear. Richly textured, warm and stylish illustration by Daniel Gray-Barnett bring each page to life."Poetry for children is dead. Really? Not when there are young poets like Joseph Coelho" —Books for Keeps

This touching children's book is a heartfelt and heartwarming tribute to the people who worked hard to keep us safe and keep society going during the global pandemic, from Waterstones Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho. Tatenda says thank you every day, wherever he can. Thank you to Mum and Dad for making breakfast, thank you to the post lady for delivering his favourite comic, thank you to his teacher for marking his work and thank you to the shop assistant stacking shelves. But lately, it seems no one can hear his thank yous: their heads are too foggy with worry. So Tatenda decides to say his biggest 'Thank you' ever. He stands on tiptoe, brings his arms down like a huge rainbow… and this time, his thank you helps the whole community feel better! This beautiful story from an award-winning author and illustrator team was inspired by the coronavirus pandemic and the NHS Thursday clap and helps to show children how they can celebrate the key workers in their lives. By buying a copy of this book you are making a donation of 3% of the retail price to Groundwork, a charity that helps some of the UK's most disadvantaged communities deal with the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. 

This touching children's book is a heartfelt and heartwarming tribute to the people who worked hard to keep us safe and keep society going during the global pandemic, from Waterstones Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho.Tatenda says thank you every day, wherever he can. Thank you to Mum and Dad for making breakfast, thank you to the post lady for delivering his favourite comic, thank you to his teacher for marking his work and thank you to the shop assistant stacking shelves.But lately, it seems no one can hear his thank yous: their heads are too foggy with worry. So Tatenda decides to say his biggest 'Thank you' ever. He stands on tiptoe, brings his arms down like a huge rainbow… and this time, his thank you helps the whole community feel better!This beautiful story from an award-winning author and illustrator team was inspired by the coronavirus pandemic and the NHS Thursday clap and helps to show children how they can celebrate the key workers in their lives.By buying a copy of this book you are making a donation of 3% of the retail price to Groundwork, a charity that helps some of the UK's most disadvantaged communities deal with the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

In this fantastic collection, Waterstones Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho shows us that poems are made to read OUT LOUD!In this wittily illustrated anthology of poems, designed to be read aloud, twenty poems arm children with techniques for lifting poetry off the page and performing with confidence.Perfect for confident children and shy readers alike, this book teaches all sorts of clever ways to performing poetry. Children will learn 20 techniques for reading aloud by trying out 20 funny and thoughtful original poems by the much-loved and award-winning performance poet, Joseph Coelho.There are tongue twisters, poems to project, poems to whisper, poems to make you laugh. There are poems to perform to a whole class and others to whisper in somebody's ear. Richly textured, warm and stylish illustration by Daniel Gray-Barnett bring each page to life."Poetry for children is dead. Really? Not when there are young poets like Joseph Coelho" —Books for Keeps

*Featured in BookTrust’s Great Books Guide 2023*From award-winning children’s poet Joseph Coelho comes this enchanting story of three kids looking for adventure in their tower block.Drawn from Coelho’s own experience growing up in a tower block, this is a celebration and reclaiming of them as places full of power and magic.A power that residesin the smiles of our neighbours.A magic that seeps outwhen we swap our home-baked flavours.A deeply personal story written by the award-winning poet Joseph Coelho, drawn from his own experience growing up in a tower block and looking for adventure.Three children living in the tower block travel to a strange, magical world inside a tree and meet an old man with supernatural powers… only to realise that the magic they’d been looking for had been in the tower block all that time, in the form of community and connection.Beautiful illustrations complement the poetic narrative, creating an enchanting story that children and adults alike will fall in love with. This powerful story shows us the true beauty of home and community. It’s a modern-day fable about how society separates ‘urban’ spaces from the countryside, when the reality is that nature is everywhere, and everyone should have access to it.

*Featured in BookTrust’s Great Books Guide 2023*From award-winning children’s poet Joseph Coelho comes this enchanting story of three kids looking for adventure in their tower block.Drawn from Coelho’s own experience growing up in a tower block, this is a celebration and reclaiming of them as places full of power and magic.A power that residesin the smiles of our neighbours.A magic that seeps outwhen we swap our home-baked flavours.A deeply personal story written by the award-winning poet Joseph Coelho, drawn from his own experience growing up in a tower block and looking for adventure.Three children living in the tower block travel to a strange, magical world inside a tree and meet an old man with supernatural powers… only to realise that the magic they’d been looking for had been in the tower block all that time, in the form of community and connection.Beautiful illustrations complement the poetic narrative, creating an enchanting story that children and adults alike will fall in love with. This powerful story shows us the true beauty of home and community. It’s a modern-day fable about how society separates ‘urban’ spaces from the countryside, when the reality is that nature is everywhere, and everyone should have access to it.

*Featured in BookTrust’s Great Books Guide 2023*From award-winning children’s poet Joseph Coelho comes this enchanting story of three kids looking for adventure in their tower block.Drawn from Coelho’s own experience growing up in a tower block, this is a celebration and reclaiming of them as places full of power and magic.A power that residesin the smiles of our neighbours.A magic that seeps outwhen we swap our home-baked flavours.A deeply personal story written by the award-winning poet Joseph Coelho, drawn from his own experience growing up in a tower block and looking for adventure.Three children living in the tower block travel to a strange, magical world inside a tree and meet an old man with supernatural powers… only to realise that the magic they’d been looking for had been in the tower block all that time, in the form of community and connection.Beautiful illustrations complement the poetic narrative, creating an enchanting story that children and adults alike will fall in love with. This powerful story shows us the true beauty of home and community. It’s a modern-day fable about how society separates ‘urban’ spaces from the countryside, when the reality is that nature is everywhere, and everyone should have access to it.

Waterstones Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho presents another brilliant compendium of poetry to read out loud and make you smile!From the fantastic duo behind Poems Aloud comes twenty five original poems designed to be read aloud to project confidence, conjure happiness, make you laugh or cheer others up. Some are odes, some can be said as personal mantras or just poems full of words that you can't help but smile when you hear them.This is a book for any child who wants to build confidence reading aloud, or wants a way to channel their speech and drama confidence. It is a book to foster a love of words and the power that comes with the spoken word. It will show children how speaking a poem aloud has a certain magic, almost like reading a spell.  Poems can be read aloud to an audience, muttered quietly to oneself or whispered in the ear of someone who needs to hear some cheerful words.

*Sunday Times: One to Watch*This beautiful and moving picture book from Waterstones Children's Laureate, Joseph Coelho, tells the story of how a big, hairy argument gets in between two best friends. "The argument came from nowhere.It sat huge and bloatedin the middle of the playgroundbetween me and my best friend."This big hairy monster appears out of the blue one day, splitting up the best friends and growing bigger and bigger, until it starts to ruin all the children in the playground's fun.Together, they learn how to shrink the monster until it vanishes completely, to the point where they can't even remember what it looks like!Coelho's gentle and lyrical verse pair perfectly with Allison Colpoys' beautiful illustrations to create a book which will be treasured by young readers.This is an ode to the power of an apology and the importance of saying sorry, and to treasuring a special bond that runs deeper than even the friends realised.

Waterstones Children's Laureate, Joseph Coelho, tells the story of a hairy monster that rips two best friends apart. And there’s only one little word that can make it go away!This big hairy monster slowly balloons in size, ruining everyone’s fun.But this isn’t any old monster. This is a hairy argument that just won’t go away. They try calling it names, yelling at it, and even ignoring it. Nothing works."The argument came from nowhere.It sat huge and bloatedin the middle of the playgroundbetween me and my best friend."Until… the best friends say that one little word that makes everything better. They learn how to shrink the monster until it vanishes completely. And soon, they can't even remember what it looks like!We all know how an argument can balloon into something we never expected. What starts as a simple tiff has the power to really hurt our feelings. This book describes those intense feelings perfectly and provides a comforting solution in the form of an apology, which serves to cool down and reunite the friends.The perfect metaphor for difficult discussions that can get in the way of daily life, and a gentle way to introduce your child to the concept of compromise. Coelho's gentle and lyrical verse pairs perfectly with Allison Colpoys' classic illustrations to create a book which will be treasured by young readers. This is an ode to the power of an apology, and to treasuring a special bond that runs deeper than even the friends realized.

*Sunday Times: One to Watch*This beautiful and moving picture book from Waterstones Children's Laureate, Joseph Coelho, tells the story of how a big, hairy argument gets in between two best friends. "The argument came from nowhere.It sat huge and bloatedin the middle of the playgroundbetween me and my best friend."This big hairy monster appears out of the blue one day, splitting up the best friends and growing bigger and bigger, until it starts to ruin all the children in the playground's fun.Together, they learn how to shrink the monster until it vanishes completely, to the point where they can't even remember what it looks like!Coelho's gentle and lyrical verse pair perfectly with Allison Colpoys' beautiful illustrations to create a book which will be treasured by young readers.This is an ode to the power of an apology and the importance of saying sorry, and to treasuring a special bond that runs deeper than even the friends realised.

From Waterstones Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho come 25 more bold and brave poems for children. These waltzing verses for reading aloud were written to comfort and inspire!With his third read-aloud poetry book, Coelho focuses on building kids’ courage! It follows Poems Aloud and Smile Out Loud, books that have inspired thousands of little readers to harness the power of their own voice.This new collection contains mantras to be true to yourself, to help you feel brave, project happiness, conjure a smile, make you laugh and cheer others up. Some are odes, some can be said as personal mantras and some are just poems that instil confidence and help children realize the power of their voices. Reading these poems aloud will teach children the power of poetry, encouraging them to explore the magic of language and foster a love of verse. These rhymes perfectly complement school literature curriculums. Introduce your budding wordsmith to new verse and spark their imaginations with poems about boundaries, handling emotions and treasuring friendships.This sparky anthology is peppered with  witty and charming  illustrations by Daniel Gray-Barnett to bring these powerful words to life in a way that’s appealing to children.A sweet way to empower your little one and have them harness their inner power. From a few lines to a couple of pages, there’s a mix of long and short poems, making this book versatile and suitable for every situation.

From Waterstones Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho come 25 more bold and brave poems for children. These waltzing verses for reading aloud were written to comfort and inspire!With his third read-aloud poetry book, Coelho focuses on building kids’ courage! It follows Poems Aloud and Smile Out Loud, books that have inspired thousands of little readers to harness the power of their own voice.This new collection contains mantras to be true to yourself, to help you feel brave, project happiness, conjure a smile, make you laugh and cheer others up. Some are odes, some can be said as personal mantras and some are just poems that instil confidence and help children realize the power of their voices. Reading these poems aloud will teach children the power of poetry, encouraging them to explore the magic of language and foster a love of verse. These rhymes perfectly complement school literature curriculums. Introduce your budding wordsmith to new verse and spark their imaginations with poems about boundaries, handling emotions and treasuring friendships.This sparky anthology is peppered with  witty and charming  illustrations by Daniel Gray-Barnett to bring these powerful words to life in a way that’s appealing to children.A sweet way to empower your little one and have them harness their inner power. From a few lines to a couple of pages, there’s a mix of long and short poems, making this book versatile and suitable for every situation.

Waterstones Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho presents another brilliant compendium of poetry to read out loud and make you smile!From the fantastic duo behind Poems Aloud comes twenty five original poems designed to be read aloud to project confidence, conjure happiness, make you laugh or cheer others up. Some are odes, some can be said as personal mantras or just poems full of words that you can't help but smile when you hear them.This is a book for any child who wants to build confidence reading aloud, or wants a way to channel their speech and drama confidence. It is a book to foster a love of words and the power that comes with the spoken word. It will show children how speaking a poem aloud has a certain magic, almost like reading a spell. Poems can be read aloud to an audience, muttered quietly to oneself or whispered in the ear of someone who needs to hear some cheerful words.

From Waterstones Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho come 25 more bold and brave poems for children. These waltzing verses for reading aloud were written to comfort and inspire!With his third read-aloud poetry book, Coelho focuses on building kids’ courage! It follows Poems Aloud and Smile Out Loud, books that have inspired thousands of little readers to harness the power of their own voice.This new collection contains mantras to be true to yourself, to help you feel brave, project happiness, conjure a smile, make you laugh and cheer others up. Some are odes, some can be said as personal mantras and some are just poems that instil confidence and help children realize the power of their voices. Reading these poems aloud will teach children the power of poetry, encouraging them to explore the magic of language and foster a love of verse. These rhymes perfectly complement school literature curriculums. Introduce your budding wordsmith to new verse and spark their imaginations with poems about boundaries, handling emotions and treasuring friendships.This sparky anthology is peppered with  witty and charming  illustrations by Daniel Gray-Barnett to bring these powerful words to life in a way that’s appealing to children.A sweet way to empower your little one and have them harness their inner power. From a few lines to a couple of pages, there’s a mix of long and short poems, making this book versatile and suitable for every situation.

*Indie Book of the Month*A compendium of poetry prompts from Joseph Coelho (Children's Laureate 2022-2024).Each fun and engaging prompt for writing a poem helps children discover how to write poems and then read them out loud. This is a book to build confidence and literacy skills through channeling children's imaginations. This is a book for the whole family to enjoy, bright, cheerful but cool illustrations will appeal to children of all primary ages.

A spooktacular collection of scary stories by thirteen of the most exciting and diverse authors in children’s books today! Perfect for readers aged 9-12A spooktacular collection of horror stories that will chill, thrill and delight middle-great readers, keeping them on the edge of (or hiding behind) their sofas! Do you dare to turn the pages and see what’s lurking inside…?Read, Scream, Repeat brings together thirteen bestselling, award-winning authors: Kirsty Applebaum, Jasbinder Bilan, Aisha Bushby, Joseph Coelho, Rachel Delahaye, Kat Ellis, Phil Hickes, Polly Ho-Yen, Sharna Jackson, Jennifer Killick, Elle McNicoll, Dan Smith andJ.T.Williams. The collection is curated by Farshore’s queen of middle-grade comedy-horror, Jennifer Killick!Read, Scream, Repeat is a truly diverse anthology that taps into everything young readers are looking for this spooky season.

Big Cat for Little Wandle Fluency has been developed in collaboration with Wandle Learning Trust and Little Sutton Primary School. It consists of a range of chapter books with increasing word counts across 10 fluency levels aimed at children in Year 2 and 3. Each book builds reading confidence, stamina and speed and nurtures a love for reading.Fluency 2 books have a word count of 3360 words with an expected reading rate of 70 words per minute.When Ash's grandpa dies, the garden he loved dies with him. Ash and his grandma decide to bring it back to life. Together they learn about gardening, grafting and pond-building. But with a huge storm and money to raise, it's a big task!

Big Cat for Little Wandle Fluency has been developed in collaboration with Wandle Learning Trust and Little Sutton Primary School. It consists of a range of chapter books with increasing word counts across 10 fluency levels aimed at children in Year 2 and 3. Each book builds reading confidence, stamina and speed and nurtures a love for reading.Fluency 1 books have a word count of 2880 words with an expected reading rate of 60 words per minute.July and her dad love to cycle together in the summer. But when July hits a problem, the ride turns into a lesson. Little does she know her new skills will soon be put to the test!

Collins Big Cat supports every primary child on their reading journey from phonics to fluency. Top authors and illustrators have created fiction and non-fiction books that children love to read. Book banded for guided and independent reading, there are reading notes in the back, comprehensive teaching and assessment support and ebooks available.Join Michaela as she finds herself propelled into an alternate universe and on a race against time to save her friend Norris. This exciting adventure story in verse was written by Children’s Laureate (2022-2024) and multi-award-winning poet Joseph Coelho.Sapphire/Band 16 books offer longer reads to develop children's sustained engagement with texts and are more complex syntactically.Ideas for reading in the back of the book provide practical support for exploring poetry, and stimulating activities.Text type: A story in verse

'Twas the night before Christmasand all through the house,Not a creature was stirring, save . . .CHRISTMAS TREE MOUSE!And she's on an important mission. A mission to help Santa! Every Christmas Eve, this tiny mouse brushes away Santa's snowy footprints, nibbles up the mince pie crumbs, and - most importantly - checks on her Santa HQ tablet that all the correct presents are under the tree.But when Christmas Tree Mouse discovers that baby Ola has received the wrong present, it's a CATASTROPHE! Can she use all her special training and determination to save the day? And might Santa himself make a special appearance?This charming and heartwarming picture book from Waterstones Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho and debut illustrator Farah Shah offers a brilliantly funny sneak peek behind the scenes on the most magical night of the year. The perfect gift for any child this Christmas!Longlisted for the Klaus Flugge Prize 2025

'Twas the night before Christmasand all through the house,Not a creature was stirring, save . . .CHRISTMAS TREE MOUSE!And she's on an important mission. A mission to help Santa! Every Christmas Eve, this tiny mouse brushes away Santa's snowy footprints, nibbles up the mince pie crumbs, and - most importantly - checks on her Santa HQ tablet that all the correct presents are under the tree.But when Christmas Tree Mouse discovers that baby Ola has received the wrong present, it's a CATASTROPHE! Can she use all her special training and determination to save the day? And might Santa himself make a special appearance?This charming and heartwarming picture book from Waterstones Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho and debut illustrator Farah Shah offers a brilliantly funny sneak peek behind the scenes on the most magical night of the year. The perfect gift for any child this Christmas!Longlisted for the Klaus Flugge Prize 2025

With a swish of his brush, Carl paints magnificent scenes using postcards from his family as inspiration. Using bright colours and wild brush strokes - Carl’s paintings are so realistic that they suddenly come to life! Carl is thrown right into each scene he paints, where danger is lurking around every corner …

Highly engaging, illustrated picture book to be read out loud to children aged 5–6

Ideal for reading aloud at home with your child

Helps expose your child to rich language and curriculum-linked vocabulary 

Includes key terms from Art and the topic area of landscapes

Part of the Bug Club reading series used in over 3500 schools

‘These books are a great start to addressing the wider curriculum and the vocabulary issues that schools are identifying.’ - Assistant Head, Primary Academy

The Bug Club Shared books are highly engaging, beautifully illustrated stories designed to be read out loud to children. The programme exposes children to rich, curriculum-linked vocabulary, helping to build an understanding across school subjects and cultivate a love for reading.

Snuggle up and ease your child off to sleep reading Joseph Coelho’s lullaby-like poems. Lyrical, calming and beautifully illustrated, these peaceful poems are a magical way to end the day. Written by award-winning performance poet Joseph Coelho, Goodnight, Starry Night is a collection of 14 poems that takes readers on a gentle journey into dreamland. Each poem is inspired by a calming work of art, reproduced in the book alongside the heart-warming illustrations of Allison Colpoys. The book takes its title from Van Gogh’s painting The Starry Night, which inspired Coelho’s evocative poem River Sky: I gaze upon the starry nightIt twists into a river-skymy every breath, a swirling lightI gaze upon the starry night. It features poems inspired by David Hockney’s Sleeping Dogs, Vivian Maier’s Woman with Baby and Faith Ringgold’s quilted artwork of Cassie Lightfoot flying against a night sky. Joseph Coelho’s lyrical poems calm the mind, relax the body and are soothing to the soul, and are guaranteed to inspire the sweetest of dreams.

In this fantastic collection, Waterstones Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho shows us that poems are made to read OUT LOUD!In this wittily illustrated anthology of poems, designed to be read aloud, twenty poems arm children with techniques for lifting poetry off the page and performing with confidence.Perfect for confident children and shy readers alike, this book teaches all sorts of clever ways to performing poetry. Children will learn 20 techniques for reading aloud by trying out 20 funny and thoughtful original poems by the much-loved and award-winning performance poet, Joseph Coelho.There are tongue twisters, poems to project, poems to whisper, poems to make you laugh. There are poems to perform to a whole class and others to whisper in somebody's ear. Richly textured, warm and stylish illustration by Daniel Gray-Barnett bring each page to life."Poetry for children is dead. Really? Not when there are young poets like Joseph Coelho" —Books for Keeps

A moving, lyrical picture book about a shy child unlocking the power of their own voice through poetry, with the helping hand of an extra special teacher, written by multi-award winning poet and Waterstones Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho.From the creators of If All The World Were, winner of the 2019 Independent Book Shop Picture Book Award which has been translated into 13 languages, this beautifully illustrated, powerful and heartwarming text shows children that everyone's voice can be powerful and beautiful, however small.  Allison Colpoys’ gorgeous artwork spills from every page as she shows this most heartwarming of tales. Follow a child who is so shy she doesn't speak.With the encouragement on an enchanting and magical teacher, she writes a poem. But a poem is meant to be read aloud! She musters all her courage, stands at the front of the class and shows her classmates that she does have a voice. And her voice is BEAUTIFUL!  The perfect way to encourage empathy in young children and show shy children how to feel brave, this beautiful story will delight readers time and time again.

A moving, lyrical picture book about a shy child unlocking the power of their own voice through poetry, with the helping hand of an extra special teacher, written by multi-award winning poet and Waterstones Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho.From the creators of If All The World Were, winner of the 2019 Independent Book Shop Picture Book Award which has been translated into 13 languages, this beautifully illustrated, powerful and heartwarming text shows children that everyone's voice can be powerful and beautiful, however small.  Allison Colpoys’ gorgeous artwork spills from every page as she shows this most heartwarming of tales. Follow a child who is so shy she doesn't speak.With the encouragement on an enchanting and magical teacher, she writes a poem. But a poem is meant to be read aloud! She musters all her courage, stands at the front of the class and shows her classmates that she does have a voice. And her voice is BEAUTIFUL!  The perfect way to encourage empathy in young children and show shy children how to feel brave, this beautiful story will delight readers time and time again.

From Waterstones Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho comes a beautiful anthology of monthly nature poems which encourage a love for the natural world and the importance of looking after it. See how animals behave through the seasons, and the cycle of trees and plants, from the first blossoms of spring through to the stark winter wonderland in December. Twelve inspiring poems from Joseph Coelho, one for each month of the year, paired with folk art from Kelly Louise Judd give this book year-round appeal. A beautiful book for your bookshelf, to spark an idea for your own poem, or to teach a love for nature and to help children foster a love for the natural world. 'Heart-flutteringly lovely and powerful' - Book Trust'In the classroom, this book could be used as a reference for writers to create their own season poems; play with the language of the original poems or pair their own personal memories with the weather or changing seasons.' - North Somerset Teachers Book Award'This will appeal to all ages and never date...' - LoveReading4KidsWith stunning illustrations, this true celebration of the world we live in is a treasure for you and your child to share.

In this fantastic collection, Waterstones Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho shows us that poems are made to read OUT LOUD!In this wittily illustrated anthology of poems, designed to be read aloud, twenty poems arm children with techniques for lifting poetry off the page and performing with confidence.Perfect for confident children and shy readers alike, this book teaches all sorts of clever ways to performing poetry. Children will learn 20 techniques for reading aloud by trying out 20 funny and thoughtful original poems by the much-loved and award-winning performance poet, Joseph Coelho.There are tongue twisters, poems to project, poems to whisper, poems to make you laugh. There are poems to perform to a whole class and others to whisper in somebody's ear. Richly textured, warm and stylish illustration by Daniel Gray-Barnett bring each page to life."Poetry for children is dead. Really? Not when there are young poets like Joseph Coelho" —Books for Keeps

This touching children's book is a heartfelt and heartwarming tribute to the people who worked hard to keep us safe and keep society going during the global pandemic, from Waterstones Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho. Tatenda says thank you every day, wherever he can. Thank you to Mum and Dad for making breakfast, thank you to the post lady for delivering his favourite comic, thank you to his teacher for marking his work and thank you to the shop assistant stacking shelves. But lately, it seems no one can hear his thank yous: their heads are too foggy with worry. So Tatenda decides to say his biggest 'Thank you' ever. He stands on tiptoe, brings his arms down like a huge rainbow… and this time, his thank you helps the whole community feel better! This beautiful story from an award-winning author and illustrator team was inspired by the coronavirus pandemic and the NHS Thursday clap and helps to show children how they can celebrate the key workers in their lives. By buying a copy of this book you are making a donation of 3% of the retail price to Groundwork, a charity that helps some of the UK's most disadvantaged communities deal with the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. 

This touching children's book is a heartfelt and heartwarming tribute to the people who worked hard to keep us safe and keep society going during the global pandemic, from Waterstones Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho.Tatenda says thank you every day, wherever he can. Thank you to Mum and Dad for making breakfast, thank you to the post lady for delivering his favourite comic, thank you to his teacher for marking his work and thank you to the shop assistant stacking shelves.But lately, it seems no one can hear his thank yous: their heads are too foggy with worry. So Tatenda decides to say his biggest 'Thank you' ever. He stands on tiptoe, brings his arms down like a huge rainbow… and this time, his thank you helps the whole community feel better!This beautiful story from an award-winning author and illustrator team was inspired by the coronavirus pandemic and the NHS Thursday clap and helps to show children how they can celebrate the key workers in their lives.By buying a copy of this book you are making a donation of 3% of the retail price to Groundwork, a charity that helps some of the UK's most disadvantaged communities deal with the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

In this fantastic collection, Waterstones Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho shows us that poems are made to read OUT LOUD!In this wittily illustrated anthology of poems, designed to be read aloud, twenty poems arm children with techniques for lifting poetry off the page and performing with confidence.Perfect for confident children and shy readers alike, this book teaches all sorts of clever ways to performing poetry. Children will learn 20 techniques for reading aloud by trying out 20 funny and thoughtful original poems by the much-loved and award-winning performance poet, Joseph Coelho.There are tongue twisters, poems to project, poems to whisper, poems to make you laugh. There are poems to perform to a whole class and others to whisper in somebody's ear. Richly textured, warm and stylish illustration by Daniel Gray-Barnett bring each page to life."Poetry for children is dead. Really? Not when there are young poets like Joseph Coelho" —Books for Keeps

*Featured in BookTrust’s Great Books Guide 2023*From award-winning children’s poet Joseph Coelho comes this enchanting story of three kids looking for adventure in their tower block.Drawn from Coelho’s own experience growing up in a tower block, this is a celebration and reclaiming of them as places full of power and magic.A power that residesin the smiles of our neighbours.A magic that seeps outwhen we swap our home-baked flavours.A deeply personal story written by the award-winning poet Joseph Coelho, drawn from his own experience growing up in a tower block and looking for adventure.Three children living in the tower block travel to a strange, magical world inside a tree and meet an old man with supernatural powers… only to realise that the magic they’d been looking for had been in the tower block all that time, in the form of community and connection.Beautiful illustrations complement the poetic narrative, creating an enchanting story that children and adults alike will fall in love with. This powerful story shows us the true beauty of home and community. It’s a modern-day fable about how society separates ‘urban’ spaces from the countryside, when the reality is that nature is everywhere, and everyone should have access to it.

*Featured in BookTrust’s Great Books Guide 2023*From award-winning children’s poet Joseph Coelho comes this enchanting story of three kids looking for adventure in their tower block.Drawn from Coelho’s own experience growing up in a tower block, this is a celebration and reclaiming of them as places full of power and magic.A power that residesin the smiles of our neighbours.A magic that seeps outwhen we swap our home-baked flavours.A deeply personal story written by the award-winning poet Joseph Coelho, drawn from his own experience growing up in a tower block and looking for adventure.Three children living in the tower block travel to a strange, magical world inside a tree and meet an old man with supernatural powers… only to realise that the magic they’d been looking for had been in the tower block all that time, in the form of community and connection.Beautiful illustrations complement the poetic narrative, creating an enchanting story that children and adults alike will fall in love with. This powerful story shows us the true beauty of home and community. It’s a modern-day fable about how society separates ‘urban’ spaces from the countryside, when the reality is that nature is everywhere, and everyone should have access to it.

*Featured in BookTrust’s Great Books Guide 2023*From award-winning children’s poet Joseph Coelho comes this enchanting story of three kids looking for adventure in their tower block.Drawn from Coelho’s own experience growing up in a tower block, this is a celebration and reclaiming of them as places full of power and magic.A power that residesin the smiles of our neighbours.A magic that seeps outwhen we swap our home-baked flavours.A deeply personal story written by the award-winning poet Joseph Coelho, drawn from his own experience growing up in a tower block and looking for adventure.Three children living in the tower block travel to a strange, magical world inside a tree and meet an old man with supernatural powers… only to realise that the magic they’d been looking for had been in the tower block all that time, in the form of community and connection.Beautiful illustrations complement the poetic narrative, creating an enchanting story that children and adults alike will fall in love with. This powerful story shows us the true beauty of home and community. It’s a modern-day fable about how society separates ‘urban’ spaces from the countryside, when the reality is that nature is everywhere, and everyone should have access to it.

Waterstones Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho presents another brilliant compendium of poetry to read out loud and make you smile!From the fantastic duo behind Poems Aloud comes twenty five original poems designed to be read aloud to project confidence, conjure happiness, make you laugh or cheer others up. Some are odes, some can be said as personal mantras or just poems full of words that you can't help but smile when you hear them.This is a book for any child who wants to build confidence reading aloud, or wants a way to channel their speech and drama confidence. It is a book to foster a love of words and the power that comes with the spoken word. It will show children how speaking a poem aloud has a certain magic, almost like reading a spell.  Poems can be read aloud to an audience, muttered quietly to oneself or whispered in the ear of someone who needs to hear some cheerful words.

*Sunday Times: One to Watch*This beautiful and moving picture book from Waterstones Children's Laureate, Joseph Coelho, tells the story of how a big, hairy argument gets in between two best friends. "The argument came from nowhere.It sat huge and bloatedin the middle of the playgroundbetween me and my best friend."This big hairy monster appears out of the blue one day, splitting up the best friends and growing bigger and bigger, until it starts to ruin all the children in the playground's fun.Together, they learn how to shrink the monster until it vanishes completely, to the point where they can't even remember what it looks like!Coelho's gentle and lyrical verse pair perfectly with Allison Colpoys' beautiful illustrations to create a book which will be treasured by young readers.This is an ode to the power of an apology and the importance of saying sorry, and to treasuring a special bond that runs deeper than even the friends realised.

Waterstones Children's Laureate, Joseph Coelho, tells the story of a hairy monster that rips two best friends apart. And there’s only one little word that can make it go away!This big hairy monster slowly balloons in size, ruining everyone’s fun.But this isn’t any old monster. This is a hairy argument that just won’t go away. They try calling it names, yelling at it, and even ignoring it. Nothing works."The argument came from nowhere.It sat huge and bloatedin the middle of the playgroundbetween me and my best friend."Until… the best friends say that one little word that makes everything better. They learn how to shrink the monster until it vanishes completely. And soon, they can't even remember what it looks like!We all know how an argument can balloon into something we never expected. What starts as a simple tiff has the power to really hurt our feelings. This book describes those intense feelings perfectly and provides a comforting solution in the form of an apology, which serves to cool down and reunite the friends.The perfect metaphor for difficult discussions that can get in the way of daily life, and a gentle way to introduce your child to the concept of compromise. Coelho's gentle and lyrical verse pairs perfectly with Allison Colpoys' classic illustrations to create a book which will be treasured by young readers. This is an ode to the power of an apology, and to treasuring a special bond that runs deeper than even the friends realized.

*Sunday Times: One to Watch*This beautiful and moving picture book from Waterstones Children's Laureate, Joseph Coelho, tells the story of how a big, hairy argument gets in between two best friends. "The argument came from nowhere.It sat huge and bloatedin the middle of the playgroundbetween me and my best friend."This big hairy monster appears out of the blue one day, splitting up the best friends and growing bigger and bigger, until it starts to ruin all the children in the playground's fun.Together, they learn how to shrink the monster until it vanishes completely, to the point where they can't even remember what it looks like!Coelho's gentle and lyrical verse pair perfectly with Allison Colpoys' beautiful illustrations to create a book which will be treasured by young readers.This is an ode to the power of an apology and the importance of saying sorry, and to treasuring a special bond that runs deeper than even the friends realised.

From Waterstones Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho come 25 more bold and brave poems for children. These waltzing verses for reading aloud were written to comfort and inspire!With his third read-aloud poetry book, Coelho focuses on building kids’ courage! It follows Poems Aloud and Smile Out Loud, books that have inspired thousands of little readers to harness the power of their own voice.This new collection contains mantras to be true to yourself, to help you feel brave, project happiness, conjure a smile, make you laugh and cheer others up. Some are odes, some can be said as personal mantras and some are just poems that instil confidence and help children realize the power of their voices. Reading these poems aloud will teach children the power of poetry, encouraging them to explore the magic of language and foster a love of verse. These rhymes perfectly complement school literature curriculums. Introduce your budding wordsmith to new verse and spark their imaginations with poems about boundaries, handling emotions and treasuring friendships.This sparky anthology is peppered with  witty and charming  illustrations by Daniel Gray-Barnett to bring these powerful words to life in a way that’s appealing to children.A sweet way to empower your little one and have them harness their inner power. From a few lines to a couple of pages, there’s a mix of long and short poems, making this book versatile and suitable for every situation.

From Waterstones Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho come 25 more bold and brave poems for children. These waltzing verses for reading aloud were written to comfort and inspire!With his third read-aloud poetry book, Coelho focuses on building kids’ courage! It follows Poems Aloud and Smile Out Loud, books that have inspired thousands of little readers to harness the power of their own voice.This new collection contains mantras to be true to yourself, to help you feel brave, project happiness, conjure a smile, make you laugh and cheer others up. Some are odes, some can be said as personal mantras and some are just poems that instil confidence and help children realize the power of their voices. Reading these poems aloud will teach children the power of poetry, encouraging them to explore the magic of language and foster a love of verse. These rhymes perfectly complement school literature curriculums. Introduce your budding wordsmith to new verse and spark their imaginations with poems about boundaries, handling emotions and treasuring friendships.This sparky anthology is peppered with  witty and charming  illustrations by Daniel Gray-Barnett to bring these powerful words to life in a way that’s appealing to children.A sweet way to empower your little one and have them harness their inner power. From a few lines to a couple of pages, there’s a mix of long and short poems, making this book versatile and suitable for every situation.

Waterstones Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho presents another brilliant compendium of poetry to read out loud and make you smile!From the fantastic duo behind Poems Aloud comes twenty five original poems designed to be read aloud to project confidence, conjure happiness, make you laugh or cheer others up. Some are odes, some can be said as personal mantras or just poems full of words that you can't help but smile when you hear them.This is a book for any child who wants to build confidence reading aloud, or wants a way to channel their speech and drama confidence. It is a book to foster a love of words and the power that comes with the spoken word. It will show children how speaking a poem aloud has a certain magic, almost like reading a spell. Poems can be read aloud to an audience, muttered quietly to oneself or whispered in the ear of someone who needs to hear some cheerful words.

From Waterstones Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho come 25 more bold and brave poems for children. These waltzing verses for reading aloud were written to comfort and inspire!With his third read-aloud poetry book, Coelho focuses on building kids’ courage! It follows Poems Aloud and Smile Out Loud, books that have inspired thousands of little readers to harness the power of their own voice.This new collection contains mantras to be true to yourself, to help you feel brave, project happiness, conjure a smile, make you laugh and cheer others up. Some are odes, some can be said as personal mantras and some are just poems that instil confidence and help children realize the power of their voices. Reading these poems aloud will teach children the power of poetry, encouraging them to explore the magic of language and foster a love of verse. These rhymes perfectly complement school literature curriculums. Introduce your budding wordsmith to new verse and spark their imaginations with poems about boundaries, handling emotions and treasuring friendships.This sparky anthology is peppered with  witty and charming  illustrations by Daniel Gray-Barnett to bring these powerful words to life in a way that’s appealing to children.A sweet way to empower your little one and have them harness their inner power. From a few lines to a couple of pages, there’s a mix of long and short poems, making this book versatile and suitable for every situation.

*Indie Book of the Month*A compendium of poetry prompts from Joseph Coelho (Children's Laureate 2022-2024).Each fun and engaging prompt for writing a poem helps children discover how to write poems and then read them out loud. This is a book to build confidence and literacy skills through channeling children's imaginations. This is a book for the whole family to enjoy, bright, cheerful but cool illustrations will appeal to children of all primary ages.