Books in the Collins Big Cat series

Collins Big Cat is a guided reading series for ages 4-11 edited by Cliff Moon. Top children's authors and illustrators have created fiction and non-fiction books that your children will love to read, banded to help you choose the right book for every child. Practical ideas for guided reading are included at the back of each book.

A shepherd boy decides to play a trick on the people in his village by telling them that there is a wolf nearby. But will the villagers believe him when a wolf really does turn up? This witty retelling of the traditional story was written by Saffy Jenkins.

A beautiful poetry book by June Crebbin exploring the themes of wildlife, the seasons and life's simple pleasures.

Turtle wanted to go to the party in the clouds, but how would she get there without wings? She had an idea, but, unfortunately, things didn't go quite according to plan.

A humorous poem with one couplet on every monarch from William the Conqueror to Elizabeth the Second.

Written by Collins Big Cat Writing Competition 2013 winner Grace Webster, this original and funny story follows a baby elephant as he tries to tame his gigantic floppy ears.

Charlie Monkey is worried. The forest is getting smaller and a big yellow monster is coming. What can he do to save his home? And how will he get the other animals to believe him?

Jack's mum sends Jack to sell their cow so that they have food to eat. But instead of coming home with money, Jack comes home with magic beans that grown into a giant beanstalk. What does Jack find at the top? This retelling of the traditional tale is written by award-winning author Caryl Hart.

Ebba the baby elephant doesn't like being the smallest elephant in her group. When she meets Tiny the mouse, though, Ebba realises that it's not how big you are on the outside that matters! A beautifully illustrated story by well-known children's book author Jane Simmons.

Inspired by the tale of the Princess and the Pea, well-known children's author Vivian French tells the story of Princess Sue who seeks a prince using a royal parsnip test!

Milo the dog is very proud of his moustache, but one day a bird comes and steals it from him. Join Milo as he searches for his missing moustache, and finally solves the problem, in this hilarious and quirky story by nine-year-old Collins Big Cat Competition winner Katie McDougall, with wonderful illustrations by Simona Meisser.

The Dancing Dog can do lots of dances - but can he do all of them? Follow the Dancing Dog as he dances his way through a selection of dance styles, and shows that he doesn't always get the moves right. Beautifully illustrated by Pat Murray, this poem was written by ten-year-old Collins Big Cat Competition winner Jasmin Glynne.

Sam is an ordinary dog who likes to sit around and sleep in his basket - but Sam has a secret. When his owners leave the house, he becomes Super Sam! Find out what heroic deeds he performs in this entertaining story by ten-year-old Collins Big Cat 2011 Writing Competition winner Kaitlin Broadfoot, with illustrations by Kimberley Scott.

Mr Cat's carrying a big bag. His friends, Mrs Bear, Mr Fox, Mrs Duck and Mr Mouse are all very interested to find out what he has inside, but Mr Cat will only give them one answer: "Wait and see!" This sweet story is written by ten-year-old Collins Big Cat 2011 Writing Competition winner Louisa Kelly, with quirky illustrations by Julian Mosedale.

Baby Dragon is excited about the Animal Olympics, but while his friends already have parts to play in the event, he has nothing to do. Will he find an event that suits him? This lovely story was written by Wimbledon Bookfest Writing Competition winner Eliza Jones and has been brought to life with illustrations by Mark Chambers.

Joe is waiting for his friend Harry, but each time there is a knock at the door he finds an unexpected visitor waiting for him - each with an unusual problem for him to solve. This humorous story was written by nine-year-old Collins Big Cat Writing Competition winner Dominic Butters and has been wonderfully illustrated by Fabio Santomauro.

A big owl and a small owl sit up in a tree. In trying to show each other how big they are, the small owl is accidentally knocked out of the tree. Can the big owl save him? This quirkily illustrated story is written by Michelle Robinson.

Three young rabbits have built their homes from straw, wood and bricks. But will their houses be strong enough to stop the Big Bad Wolf from destroying them? This beautiful retelling of the traditional tale is written and illustrated by award-winning illustrator Mandy Stanley.

Meg and her mum go to the market with their donkey, but find that listening to everyone else's advice along the way doesn't always make for a smooth journey. This humorous fiction story is based on Aesop's fable The Farmer, His Son and the Donkey and is written by Simon Puttock.

In this delightful retelling of Aesop's well-known fable, children's-book-award winner Melanie Williamson captures the story of the slow and steady tortoise and the overly-confident hare.

When Sam and his family took a trip to the beach, they weren't expecting him to make a snappy new friend... This sweet story of friendship was written by nine-year-old Collins Big Cat Writing Competition winner Kipp Whysall and beautifully illustrated by Anni Axworthy.

One potato is not at all happy about being eaten! He leads the farmer's wife on a wild potato chase through the garden, hoping she'll choose another vegetable for her dinner. Will she catch him?

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.