Books in Collins Big Cat series

Chocolate comes in many forms – from chocolate bars to hot chocolate – but how was it first discovered, and how is it made? Trace the journey chocolate makes, from the cocoa bean on the tree to the chocolate bar in the shop in this fascinating report.• Copper/Band 12 books provide more complex plots and longer chapters that develop reading stamina.• Text type: A non-fiction report• Curriculum links: Geography; History

A history of Dubai, told through stunning aerial photos.• Purple/ Band 8 books offer developing readers literary language, with some challenging vocabulary.• Text type—A non-chronological report.• Curriculum links—Geography: "Interpret a range of sources of geographical information, including. . . aerial photographs."• Check comprehension and embed learning with a reader response spread on pages 22–23.

Tec the detective turns up again for another mystery. This time, Tec sets out to discover that he is the culprit as the litter came out of a hole in his pocket!• Red B/Band 2B books offer simple but varied text with familiar objects and actions, combined with simple story development and a satisfying conclusion.• Text types - A story with predictable structure and patterned language.• A story map on pages 14 and 15 offers children the chance to recap and discuss the story.• Look out for the other Tec stories in this series – Tec and the Hole, and Tec and the Cake.• This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery.

Read the fantasy story by Julia Donaldson about a mermaid and a greedy octopus, filled with colourful illustrations.• Blue/ Band 4 books offer longer, repeated patterns with sequential events and integrated literary and natural language.• Text type - A fantasy story.• The illustrations on pages 14 and 15 allow children to retell the story in their own words.• Curriculum links - Art: Mother nature, designer; Citizenship: Choices

The Masai have a reputation for courage, independence and a way of life that fits with the grasslands of the East African plains. Find out all about the people, their history and how they live, in this stunning non-fiction book by top BBC wildlife filmmakers and photographers Jonathan and Angela Scott.• Emerald/Band 15 books provide a widening range of genres including science fiction and biography, prompting more ways to respond to texts.• Text type - A non-chronological report.• There is a useful glossary and index on pages 44 and 45 and a diary of the day in the life f a Masai child on pages 46 and 47.• Curriculum links - Geography: knowledge and understanding of places; Citizenship: developing good relationships and respecting the differences between people.

Daisy longs to marry the king, but he wants her to prove herself first. Daisy asks for help from an unlikely friend, but finds herself making promises she can’t keep.• Gold/Band 9 fiction books offer developing readers literary language and stories with distinctive characters.• Text type—a traditional story.• A story map on pages 22 and 23 tracks the key events of the plot.

Ned the hedgehog is looking for a home in the cold, dark forest. He needs somewhere warm and cosy to sleep, but all he keeps finding are other creatures' homes: rabbits', foxes', owls', bats'. Will he ever find a snug safe bed of his own? This beautiful book is written and illustrated by award-winning author and illustrator Tim Hopgood.• Yellow/Band 3 books offer varied sentence structure and natural language• Text type: A story with predictable structure and patterned language.• A map of the forest on pages 14-15 shows Ned's journey and all the animals he encounters along the way.• Curriculum links: Knowledge and understanding of the World

Molly ran. The giant ran. And at last they came to the Bridge of One Hair. Molly ran over the bridge but the giant couldn't. Can Molly outsmart the hungry giant once again? Well, she just might, or her name is not Molly Whuppie!• Topaz/ Band 13 books offer longer and more demanding reads for children to investigate and evaluate.• Text type - A play based on a traditional Scottish folktale.• Curriculum links - Citizenship: Choices, Respect for Poverty.