Cambridge International Book Centre

When the children go with their mother to a Viking archaeological site Granny Fixit organises an interesting encounter for them with some Viking children. Together they find a baby whale on the beach. Will they be able to help the baby whale go back to its mother in the sea?

Judges' Comments: The story is simple and relatable. It is very engaging based on everyday life situations. Every child loves his granny so the idea to have granny as the main character is brilliant. This book incorporates values of open-mindedness, resourcefulness and friendship. The part when the kids save the dolphin is very touching. It will surely touch the heart of the young readers. Showing kindness to animals is a timely value that our young learners must possess. This kind of book is very useful for kids to learn not only the language but also values. Post reading activities use critical thinking. The repetitive lyrics of the song are useful for the retention of the language. Illustrations support the content.

It's hot today! Ben and Rosie are in the backyard. They want ice cream, but what does Clunk make?

Judges' Comments: The story is simple but it gives concrete examples of understanding the concept of hot and cold. Activities are suitable to very young learners. Some of the activities can be personalized. There are a lot of repetitions and exercises to learn the words. Illustrations are bright and catchy which also support the content.

Once upon a time, there was a little girl who lived in a village near the forest. Her name was Little Red Riding Hood. One day, Little Red Riding Hood visits her grandma in the woods where she meets a big bad wolf. Look out, Little Red Riding Hood! Does Little Red Riding Hood get to grandma’s house? Let’s read and see!

Judges' Comments: This classic story is very entertaining. The world is hardly in need of another retelling of this story. Still, the retelling is clear, and the book does a fair job of integrating a variety of engaging activities into the text. A lot of vocabulary is introduced with illustrations for familiarity. The activities are challenging, differentiated, and use critical thinking. This book exposes young learners to different reading skills. Incorporating songs is also an effective approach to learn new vocabulary and structures.

Enjoy the famous tale of Mulan, the girl who became a soldier.

Judges' Comments: The legendary historical tale of Hua Mulan, a young Chinese woman who took her father’s place in the army and became a war hero, comes alive in this reader. The story is well written with an interesting plot which will inspire young readers to continue reading to the end. It invites children to think about devotion to their parents, as well as making sacrifices for their fellow country people. The language is easy to understand, and the illustrations, text and design are appropriate for the age-group. Overall, it is a vivid and moving adaptation of a timeless classic to be enjoyed by all who read it!

Nyangoma is an Ugandan girl who tells her daily life to children of her age: what they eat, how their school is like, the toys they play with, her friends. It’s really touching listening to her words describing her Country and her life.

Judges' Comments: This reader combines non-fiction and fictional stylist elements to tell the everyday true story of a girl from Uganda called Nyangoma. Through photographs and illustrations, which are combined with simple but evocative text, we learn about her daily life including food, school, friends and toys. She even encounters a snake on her journey to school! Children can also compare the story to their own everyday lives and culture in their country. The book was created in association with Adelante Africa, an NGO which supports schools and communities in Uganda. In short, this fun hybrid non-fiction reader is both engaging and meaningful. Kids, as well as the parents or teachers they read it with, will all love it!

Max is in a new ice-hockey team, called The Tigers. But what happens when Grandpa and Clunk take the children to a snowy place to see a snow tiger?

Judges' Comments: This fantasy style fictional story tells the story of Max, who is in an ice-hockey team called the Tigers. He and his robot Clunk end up encountering real tigers on an adventure in the snow. The story will stimulate children’s critical thinking as they think about how they would solve the problems Max and Clunk experience. The book has a conversational style rather than being overly descriptive. It also has delightful illustrations which bring the characters alive. The size of the book and typeface are appropriate for the level. In summary, the book is an amusing and stimulating tale for young readers starting out on their English learning journey.

Judges' Comments: Cinderella is a tale that has been retold many times, but it does not lose it magic. There are no surprising ‘moments’ however there are special touches such as the musical spell ‘Wishes and dreams…’. The layout and production of the text is also of a high quality, so a learner won’t feel overwhelmed by the amount of text on the page. The illustrations are a plus and compliment the text. The story is clear, easy to understand, and pitched at the correct level for beginner ELL’s.

Two mice are friends. Alfred is a town mouse and Jack is a country mouse. One day Alfred visits Jack in the country. Alfred is very surprised. Jack hasn’t got a house. He hasn’t got a car. And he eats grass! Alfred wants to show Jack the town. There are shops, houses and restaurants with nice food. But Jack soon finds that the town is dangerous, too! What happens when Jack goes to town? Read and see!

Judges' Comments: Aesop’s fables are classics and this retelling of the tale is rich and clearly carries across the moral of the original tale. The language used for this tale is clear and easy to follow. The beautiful illustrations richly compliment the story. The book is well laid out with the use of margins and the spacing of the text.

It’s the summer holidays and Lizzie is excited about going to the beach with her friends. But her parents have other plans for her and she has to spend the summer in the countryside with a woman she doesn’t even know. Lizzie is very angry and sad but then she meets a strange boy called Jack. Who is this mysterious boy and how does he change Lizzie?

Judges' Comments: This is the story of Lizzie, a girl who has to spend the summer away from her friends, and is very unhappy about it until she meets the boy with the red balloon. Who is this lovely boy that make Lizzie forget phubbing* and the lack of wi-fi connection? The illustrations mix pictures and drawings, making faces look real and more relatable * phubbing = slang for ignoring people to pay attention to one's phone, from phone + snubbing

Jim Franklin travels from Vancouver to Guatemala. He is almost 18 years old and is supposed to live for three months with his uncle, Simon, in a small, remote village. English-speaking strangers come to the village and disappear again. Suddenly Simon has disappeared. Jim is scared because the locals are upset. He follows some villagers and comes to caves in the jungle. There he finds jewelry and human remains ...

Judges' Comments: It is a very good thriller about a teen called Jim who goes to Central America to visit and get to know his uncle. The story is very engaging with lots of adventure, mystery, travels, as well as environmental topics, and discovering cultures. The pictures are beautiful and help readers understand the story more easily.

Legends say that, in ancient times, a boy called Arthur pulled a sword from a stone and became the new king of Britain. With the help of the magician, Merlin and the famous Knights of the Round Table he protected his people and had many adventures. His castle of Camelot was a place full of magic but also danger and sadness.

Judges' Comments: The story of King Arthur, Merlin and the Knights of the Round Table is a very exciting one, that will take you to battlefields, balls and important meetings. Reading this book will help you understand an important part of European culture. The illustrations are also full of energy and beautifully done.

Grandpa has disappeared, and in a notebook he has written one word -HOPE. What does it mean? Why does Clunk bring Ben and Rosie to Turtle Island? Can they find Grandpa and stop a plan to turn off all the world's electricity?

Judges' Comments: Hope on Turtle Island, set in the future where a mad scientist plans to turn off all the world’s electricity, keeps the reader completely engaged to see if Ben and Rosie can stop him. The colorful pictures are useful in imagining the exciting action as robots attempt to prevent them from saving the world.

Muhammad Ali was an American Olympic and professional boxer widely regarded as the People’s Champion. Renowned for his physical and verbal prowess, this fascinating biography is about a talented sportsman who became an inspiring activist.

Judges' Comments: Being African-American did not stop Muhammad Ali from becoming the world’s greatest boxer. He jeopardized his boxing career when he refused to fight in the Vietnam War. Although he had lost the boxer’s golden period and had to crawl to reach the top, he was able to get his career back and stay on top. His struggles and strong desire are inspiring. The original pictures help the readers to visualize Ali’s life

When Lewis Morrow escapes from his captors and a sure death he makes a new life for himself as a taxi driver in Paris. He thinks he has left everything behind until one day he sees three young people he once helped in London. When Josh, Trish and Suzi get into trouble, Morrow needs to decide if he will help them or let the past stay in the past. Find out what he decides in this exciting sequel to The Right Thing.

Judges' Comments: A Single Shot is a page-turning action thriller that leaves you guessing till the very end about the protagonist, why he escaped from the police, who he is, and what the title refers to. The illustrations help explain the story and the action takes us across the channel where the teenage heroes find resolution and Morrow finds redemption.

Emma Woodhouse, beautiful, clever and rich, has no wish to marry, but she enjoys making matches for those around her. It was Emma who found the perfect husband for her governess Miss Taylor. So when her dear friend Mr Knightley tells her that she should let people choose their own husbands and wives, she will not listen. But does Emma really understand people as well as she thinks? And is she even right about her own feelings, when she says that she will never fall in love?

Judges' Comments: Like nearly all titles in the Bookworms series, Emma is an extremely well done effort. The writing is very literary in style and the characters are well drawn and distinct. The prose has a great flow to it and the vocabulary seems appropriate for the level. While undoubtedly an excellent read for all, we suspect the story will be particularly appealing to our students (young women).

Maggie is a curious girl. She asks many questions. And she wants some answers. What do people mean when they say she is too intelligent? When can she go to school like her brother? Why is a girl’s hair so important? As she gets older her questions change but her curiosity remains just as strong. Walk with Maggie and read her story to find out if she gets some answers to these questions.

Judges' Comments: A poetic and impressive retelling of an old classic. A well written and easy to follow text with a bounty of social, cultural and temporal information that L2 readers would find informative and fairly entertaining. The activities seem well proportioned to the overall text, and offer the learner some valuable opportunity to think deeply about the text as well as beyond the text itself. The color illustrations are simple, yet reasonably appealing for a 21st-century reader.

These stories from James Joyce’s Dubliners take you inside the tragedies and comedies of Irish life in the early twentieth century. Meet unforgettable characters, including a boy who died for love, determined mothers and romantic dreamers. Many of them are forced to see the truth about their lives. One of Ireland’s greatest writers gives you his view of his native city.

Judges' Comments: James Joyce has finally made it into the Language Learner Literature library and these versions of the Dubliners stories are excellent. Some of the text seems to be taken straight from the original and certainly the spirit of all the stories remains intact. New vocabulary and cultural references are explained at the bottom of the page and colorful artwork helps to set the scene. However, the abundance of activities placed between the chapters might contradict the nature of extensive reading practices. Yet, overall it is a well-written and a well-organized book.