by Alan Gibbons (Consultant Editor), Alan Gibbons (Consultant Editor), Iva Sasheva (Illustrator), Natalie Packer (Series Editor), Catherine MacPhail (Author)
Point Danger loomed above me. I tried not to think of all the stories: the ghostly sailors, the serial killer, the headless bodies. They didn't seem so funny now. I opened the door and went inside.
It was as cold as the grave. The wind from the sea roared through the broken window. I could hear the tide rushing in...
Mark is always in trouble. Now on a last warning, he's determined not to do anything wrong on the school trip (although, in his opinion, he is never the one at fault).
When two bullies dare another boy to go inside a crumbling lighthouse, Mark can't stop himself from following. But can he keep them both out of danger, and himself out of trouble, when he gets inside?
*Help Key Stage 3 students move from Level 3b to Level 3a in reading.
*Support comprehension with the expressive, age-appropriate illustrations.
*Encourage shared and guided reading using the ready-made tasks and discussion points on the activity pages at the back of the book.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 56
Publisher: Collins Educational
Published: 12 Nov 2012
ISBN 10: 0007464843
ISBN 13: 9780007464845
`This is the only book I have ever wanted to read.'
`I like reading stories about people like me.'
Two students at Southfields Academy on Point Danger by Catherine MacPhail
`Boys were very excited and I haven't seen boys of this ability as engaged in their reading. Students had no idea what a gladiator was and were impressed when they found out. All wanted to be gladiators by the end of it! Much better than the competition.'
Kristy Sheeran, Queensbury School, Bradford on Gladiator by Alan Gibbons and Robbie Gibbons
`At the end of the session, three boys asked if they could take Lone Wolf home. This has never happened before.'
Fiona Dyson, Southfields Academy, London on Lone Wolf by Alan Gibbons and Robbie Gibbons
`Students loved Lone Wolf. The pace was good and they enjoyed the illustrations. The amount of text per page was good and lent itself to listening to children reading aloud in a group. My dyslexic children found the pages easier to read because of the line spacing. Some great opportunities for extension work.'
Sarah Beach, Langham Primary School, Rutland on Lone Wolf by Alan Gibbons and Robbie Gibbons
`Liam by Benjamin Zephaniah was very enjoyable and funny for teenagers: high interest level and clearly written, accessible and engaging, with topics that young people can relate to. Would appeal to weak readers at KS4 as well as KS3 which is a major strength.'
Fiona Dyson, Southfields Academy on Liam by Benjamin Zephaniah
`I trialled this story with my Year 8 dyslexic group and a Year 9 bottom set. It was an excellent text with which to develop inference skills: students had lots of ideas about the twist as we picked up clues. Good chapter lengths and cliff-hangers at end of sections. Humour appealed. One reluctant reader asked to take it home to finish. Another said can I get a read? - unheard of! One of the best.'
Fiona Dyson, Southfields Academy on The Passenger by Dan Tunstall
Cathy MacPhail has written over forty books for children, as well as plays for radio and short stories. She has a reputation for 'gritty realism', but loves writing funny books as well as ghost stories. Her first book, Run Zan Run, was inspired by the bullying her daughter suffered in high school. Many of her books have won awards, and she loves visiting schools to talk to her readers. She still lives in Greenock, in Scotland, where she was born.