Level 1

‘Tripitaka, can you go to the west for me – and for Buddha?’ When the holy woman Guanyin asks the young Chinese monk Tripitaka to bring some holy writings back from India, he says ‘yes’. But how can he travel across rivers, and fight terrible monsters and demons, on his long journey? He needs three strong helpers – Monkey, Pigsy, and Sandy – to do that! But where do they come from? Do they always help? And can they bring the holy writings home again?

Read this old Chinese story, and find out.

‘Are you scared, Gordon?’ asks Heather. Four friends talk of ghosts in a hotel in Scotland. That night Gordon sees and hears something strange in his room. But is it really the ghost of Lord McCoy? These six stories tell of ghosts – friendly, sad, and bad – from Britain, Australia, New Zealand, America – and Egypt!

‘There’s going to be a storm,’ Father told Fritz. ‘Find your brothers and bring them to our room.’
A Swiss family are going to Australia when their ship sinks in a storm. After that, Mother, Father, Fritz, Hans, Ernst, and little Franz must make their home on a Pacific Island. Like Robinson Crusoe, they have many exciting times on the island, and they learn a lot about its animals and plants. But do they always want to stay there, or are they going to leave one day?