English Fiction

(1)

English

Fiction

(2)

The Adventures of Captain Underpants

Hung Hom Government Primary School Kwok Ting Yan

The story is about two naughty boys who often played pranks on others. They also liked creating their own comics, of which Captain Underpants was a main character. Their principal hated them very much. He really wanted to catch them red-handed. Once, unluckily, their silly pranks were discovered by the principal, who kept a videotape as evidence and blackmailed them into working for him as slaves. So the boys decided to buy a 3-D Hypno-Ring to hypnotize the principal so as to get back the tape. However, they accidentally changed him into the Captain Underpants in their comics!

There is a whole series of “Captain Underpants”. These books may not teach you morals, but they can certainly make you laugh!

Dav Pilkey Dav Pilkey New York Scholastic

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Baptist Rainbow Primary School Lee Wing Lam

Later Tom and Huck saw Injun Joe with a treasure in a haunted house. What were they going to do? Read on to find out.

The story is full of adventures and very interesting. Besides, there are exercises and games such as word squares and word scramble after each chapter to help me improve my English. I hope everyone would like this book.

Mark Twain Alfredo Belli Hong Kong Commercial Press

Apart from Batman, Spiderman and Superman, have you ever heard of a superhero called Captain Underpants? If you haven’t, you should read “The Adventures of Captain Underpants”. Dav Pilkey is a popular artist and writer of children’s books. He knows our thoughts very well and will definitely give you a new experience in reading. He can write something that you would totally agree or want to do but dare not do it in reality.

The story is about Tom Sawyer and his friend, Huck. One night, the two mischievous boys took a dead cat to a graveyard. There they witnessed a murder. They saw Injun Joe killing Dr Robinson, but Joe made the police believe that Muff did it, so the police caught Muff. Tom bravely told the police who the real murderer was and saved Muff. However, Injun Joe ran away.

Year of Publication Series Theme

1997

Captain Underpants Adventures

2006

Black Cat English Readers Adventures

Author/ Editor Illustrator

Place of Publication Publisher

(3)

Andrew Lost in Time

S.K.H. Tak Tin Lee Shiu Keung Primary School Wong Ka Ming

The story is exciting. My favourite character is Thudd because it is very smart. I’ve also learnt to be smart after reading the book.

J.C. Greenburg Jan Gerardi New York Random House

The Berenstain Bears and the Missing Honey

Tsing Ti Trade Association Primary School Mohammad Abas Stan & Jan Berenstain

New York Random House

This story is about the extraordinary adventures of Andrew, Judy and a little silver robot, Thudd. Their Uncle Al, a top-secret scientist, has been kidnapped by another scientist and brought on board a time machine. That means the children need to travel in time to find their uncle. The good news is that they also have a time machine, which is Uncle Al’s latest invention. The bad news is that they don’t really know how it works! So off they go, back to one million years ago, two million years ago…

The “Berenstain Bears” series contains many interesting stories. I love reading these story books with their exciting stories and funny pictures. The Berenstain Bears are lovely characters. In this title, Papa’s blackberry honey is not in the jar. Someone must have stolen it, but the question is: Who did it? All the members of the family—brother, sister, cousin and even the pet dog—have to play detectives and try to find out the truth. The ending of the story comes as a big surprise. There are no thieves at all!

Why? Read the story to find out.

2004 Andrew Lost Science Fiction

1987

First Time Readers Detectives Author/ Editor

Illustrator

Author/ Editor Place of Publication Publisher

(4)

Blast from the Past

Lam Tin Methodist Primary School Ms. Chan Man Yi Helen N.B. Grace

New York Disney Press

Boy : Tales of Childhood

S.K.H. Tak Tin Lee Shiu Keung Primary School Wu Ho Man

Although the story is long and the words are difficult, I enjoy reading the book because the content is very interesting.

Roald Dahl Quentin Blake London

“Blast From the Past" is a hilarious story that deserves the attention of all boys, especially those who dare to travel in the past, present and future, and are ready to master ‘time’. Can you imagine waking up one day with a prehistoric caveman standing before you? That’s what the Diffys see one morning: a caveman named Curtis, who was stowed away in the Diffys’ time machine during their last trip to prehistoric times. Although the Diffys accept the intruder as part of their family, they know they must send Curtis back to where and when he belongs. As they set out on a journey to help Curtis return home, the Diffys find themselves in a very dangerous position. What happens? Try to find it out yourself. I recommend this book with two thumbs up.

This book was written by Roald Dahl, author of some of the most popular children’s books in the world, including “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”. This book tells the story of Dahl’s own childhood. He recounts his school life and some of the naughty things he did when he was a boy.

One of the chapters is called “Chocolates”. From this chapter, we can learn how the idea behind

“Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” first came to his mind during his teenage years.

2006

Phil of the Future Science Fiction

Publisher

Year of Publication Theme

Puﬃn Books 2008

Daily Life Stories Author/ Editor

Place of Publication

(5)

The Case of the Class Clown

Bonham Road Government Primary School Chan Yat Hin Leo James Preller

Jamie Smith New York Scholastic

Chilling with the Great Ones

Bonham Road Government Primary School Jasmine Jim Tze Nga

When I read the book, there were quite a number of difficult words which I needed to look up in the dictionary. However, I will still show the book to my friends and encourage them to read it. I 'm sure they will like it too.

Dan Greenburg Macky Pamintuan New York

Random House

I like reading this book very much because the story is exciting. Little detectives Jigsaw and Mila have got another thorny case to solve. This time they need to find out who the mysterious class clown is. The ending of the story makes me feel very surprised. There is nothing wrong at all with the class clown’s idea since all she wants is to make more friends. I think Jigsaw and Mila are great detectives.

They are very clever and never give up the case. There are also some funny jokes in the story. If you like this story, you will probably enjoy other titles in this series as well.

This book is about three little aliens, Klatu, Lek, and Ploo. They come to earth and have many funny experiences. I think the most interesting story is the fourth one, “Eat your Cookies and Milk—that’s an Order!”. Ploo meets a friend on earth called Lily, whose father asks Ploo to do something very funny.

There are many beautiful pictures in the book.

2001

Jigsaw Jones Mystery Mystery

2006 Weird Planet Fantasy Author/ Editor

Illustrator

(6)

A Christmas Carol

Baptist Lui Ming Choi Primary School Samuel Tam

I think it is a good and touching story. It teaches us that friends and family are more important than money because if we have no friends to care about us, we will be hopeless. Besides, I think this book is meaningful because it has touched the heart of lots of people since it was published.

Charles Dickens

Anna and Elena Balbusso Hong Kong

Commercial Press

The Curse of the Bologna Sandwich

Hong Kong International School Ms. Lisa Tam Greg Trine

Rhode Montijo New York Henry Holt

Ebenezer Scrooge didn't like Christmas, nor did he like people. He only loved money. But after he spent a weird Christmas Eve with three ghosts – the Ghost of Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas Present and the Ghost of the Future, Scrooge turned into a friendly man and treated everyone kindly.

Melvin Beederman graduated from a very special school – the Superhero Academy. He had a magic cape so that he could fly like a superman. He had the ability to stop automobiles and save people. He was very polite and humble. He met Candace Brinkwater when the cleaners mixed up his superhero cape with Candace’s cape by mistake. They agreed to work together to fight against crime and help people. However, Melvin had a weakness which he did not want his enemies to know. It could be very dangerous for Melvin if his enemies knew his secret! At the end of the story, the team had to think their way out of the dilemma when Melvin lost his magical power.

2003

Black Cat English Readers Classic Stories

2006

Melvin Beederman, Superhero Fantasy

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The Door to Time

Lam Tin Methodist Primary School Ms. Chan Man Yi Helen

The plot involves three children, Jason, Julia and Rick who are looking for a secret door, which hides mysteries, danger and surprises that are out of their expectation. They solve the clue to open the door. But wait…the mystery lies inside a hidden grotto. You really should try it out yourself if you dare to. Treasure and clues on the pages will help you look for the answer. I must remind you of one thing: suspense is stored everywhere. You will find yourself falling deeper and deeper into the mystery behind the secret door.

Pierdomenico Baccalario Iacopo Bruno

Leah Janeczko New York

Egyptian Adventure

Baptist Lui Ming Choi Primary School Chu Shun Wang

I like this book because the language is easy to understand and the pictures are beautiful. From the story, which is written with a vivid imagination, I have learnt more about Egypt.

Roderick Hunt Alex Brychta United Kingdom Oxford University Press

If you’re by chance a fan of Geronimo Stilton and love his style, I recommend this marvelous book to you. All boys love breaking codes and solving riddles. If you are such a boy, you must read this book at once.

This story is very exciting and creative. It is about four children and a dog, Floppy. They had a magic key and the key brought them to Ancient Egypt. A lot of people were building the pyramids there, and the children had to help build the pyramids. The guide took Floppy to the palace and the pharaoh liked it very much. They built a sphinx in the shape of Floppy, which was very interesting.

Publisher

Scholastic 2006

Ulysses Moore Adventures

2008

Oxford Reading Tree Adventures

Author/ Editor Illustrator Translator

(8)

The Elevator Family

Hong Kong International School Ms. Lisa Tam Douglas Evans

New York Yearling

The Enormous Potato

Baptist Rainbow Primary School Ken Lo

The story is very interesting and easy to read. It also has funny and colourful pictures. Therefore, this book is highly recommended.

Aubrey Davis Dusan Petricic New York

Do you remember the hotel rooms you stayed on vacations in different places? I dare say that you have never stayed in the room the Wilson family did. When the Wilsons were told that all the rooms in the hotel were booked, they discovered a ‘first-rate room and it appears to be vacant’. It was the elevator! The mobile room went up and down. They had different visitors such as a rock star and a wealthy lady who was busy all the time. They also managed to save a kidnapped girl without leaving their small but beautiful room! Are you curious about their unusual accommodation and experience?

Let’s open the book and go for a visit!

The story is about a farmer who grew a special potato. It was the biggest potato in the world. He tried to pull out the potato from the ground, but it wouldn’t come out. So he called his wife, and then his daughter and his pets for help. Finally they pulled it out of the ground with the help of an unlikely participant. Then they washed it, chopped it and cooked it. The delicious smell brought the people of the town to taste the potato, which was so enormous that everyone could get a share. It was yummy.

2000 Humour

Publisher

Scholastic 1997 Fantasy Author/ Editor

(9)

The Escape of the Deadly Dinosaur

Bonham Road Government Primary School Chong Kin Lok Elizabeth Singer Hunt

Brian Williamson New York Weinstein Books

Flat Stanley

Hong Kong International School Ms. Lisa Tam Jeﬀ Brown

Scott Nash London

The main character of the story is Jack Stalwart, a 9-year-old secret agent of the Global Protection Force (GPF). His duty is to solve mysteries and international crimes. In this story, Jack comes face to face with a dog which has been turned into a dangerous, gigantic dinosaur. The dinosaur is making big troubles in New York City. Jack is charged with the impossible mission of stopping the monster.

Luckily, he is equipped with some super high-tech gadgets and a magical map that can transport him anywhere. When I read this book, I kept on reading faster and faster because I couldn’t wait to find out what would happen next.

A bulletin board fell on Stanley during the night. When he woke up the next morning, he found that he had become four feet tall, a foot wide and half-an-inch thick! It was a totally new experience for Stanley and it had unexpected advantages. He could be mailed to California in a large envelope;

he could be flown like a kite; he could hide in a painting in the art museum and when he saw some thieves he knew what he could do with them! Stanley shows you that being flat can be fun and adventurous! When changes happen to you, think of the advantages and make the best of them!

Year of Publication Series

Theme

2007

Secret Agent Jack Stalwart Fantasy

Publisher

Egmont 2006 Fantasy Author/ Editor

Illustrator

(10)

Garfield World-wide

見多識廣的加菲貓

S.K.H. Tak Tin Lee Shiu Keung Primary School Lin Cheuk Hei

Garfield is a wonderful character. He is lazy and fat, but he is also very cute. He always sleeps, eats and never does any sports. I could not help laughing when reading the book. I have also learnt lots of everyday oral English that we cannot learn in the classroom, such as ‘pep talk’, ‘head start’ and

‘couch potato’.

Jim Davis 吉姆‧戴維斯張定綺台北

加菲貓雜誌社

The Giggler Treatment

Hong Kong International School Ms. Lisa Tam Roddy Doyle

Brian Ajhar London

Garfield the Cat is one of the best-loved cartoon characters in the world. This book presents the story of Garfield and his master, Jon, in comic strips. This is a bilingual version, which means you can read the original English text as well as the translated Chinese text.

It is not that unfair to say that almost every child had thought at least once that adults were mean to them! The problem is - what can they do about it? They are only kids! Maybe they really need the help of the gigglers. These colour-changing, elf-like creatures would punish the adults in such an unexpected way! They paid dogs for their droppings and left the stuff around so that the mean adults might step on them! This time, they made Mr. Mack their brand new target. However, when it turned out that Mr. Mack wasn’t a mean adult who deserved to be punished, it was an unlikely character that saved the day.

1998加菲貓雙語系列 Humour

Publisher

Scholastic 2007 Fantasy Author/ Editor

Translator

(11)

The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me

Baptist Lui Ming Choi Primary School Isaac Kan

This book is full of creativity. For example, the giraffe's neck was used as a ladder; the pelican's bucket-sized beak was used to carry water. It is very interesting with the use of the tune “My Bonnie”, which was rewritten in a poem-like song. Besides, it is very touching because in the end everyone was satisfied.

Roald Dahl Quentin Blake London

Horrid Henry and the Secret Club

Lam Tin Methodist Primary School Ms. Chan Man Yi Helen Francesca Simon

Tony Ross London

Orion Children's Books

This story is about a boy, a giraffe, a pelican and a monkey. Billy met the animals at an old wooden house. They had a plan to polish windows for people. In return, they could earn a living. Luckily, they met the chauffeur of the Duke of Hampshire who brought them to his estate. They helped a lot in picking fruit, catching thieves and, of course, window-cleaning. At the end, they were rewarded with lots of fine food and jobs and Billy's dream came true.

This book is especially suitable for boys who enjoy reading hilarious and horrid stories. This book is all about the daily experiences of an awful child, Horrid Henry and his incapable brother, Perfect Peter. There are four stories in this book, and they are all great fun to read. The first story features Horrid Henry putting his courage to the test when confronted with Nurse Needle and a nasty injection. In the second story, the rivalry between Henry's and Moody Margaret's secret clubs is exposed unexpectedly. The third story has Perfect Peter following his brother’s example and deciding to be 'horrid' for a day to check others’ responses. In the last story, Horrid Henry tries his best to lighten up his boring birthday party. For boys who are active and brave enough, this boyish book is a must-read.

Publisher

Puﬃn Books 1998 Fantasy

Theme

2000 Horrid Henry Daily Life Stories Author/ Editor

Illustrator

(12)

I'll Always Love You

Baptist Lui Ming Choi Primary School Janet Chao Hans Wilhelm

New York Crown Publishers

Jack and the Beanstalk

Baptist Rainbow Primary School Ko Chun Wai

The story is really interesting. Even if you have already heard the story, it is still a pleasure to read it.

Gaby Goldsack Kim Blundell London

The little boy in this book thinks his dog, Elfie, is the best dog in the world. One day, Elfie died. But the boy’s love for Elfie remains unchanged. This book tells us that our pets will leave us one day, so we should treasure them while they are still with us. I have an old dog at my grandmother's home, so I have the same feelings as the young boy in the book. I think the boy is lonely after Elfie died. I pity him because he has nobody to play with after losing his good friend. The story is very touching and the pictures in the book are also beautiful.

Jack and his mother were very poor. They only had an old cow. One day Jack took the cow to the market. On the way, he met an old man. The old man gave him five magic beans in exchange for the cow. When Jack’s mother learnt what had happened, she was very angry and threw the beans out of the window. The next day, the beans grew into a giant beanstalk. Jack climbed the beanstalk and came to a giant castle at the top. When he went into the castle, he saw something wonderful and something horrible…

1985

Dragonfly Books Daily Life Stories

Publisher

Parragon Books 2007

Fairy Tales Author/ Editor

(13)

Jeri Telstar and the Biggest Secret in the World

Hong Kong International School Ms. Lisa Tam Nury Vittachi

Eamonn O’Boyle Hong Kong

The Kidnapped King

Hong Kong International School Ms. Lisa Tam Ron Roy

John Steven Gurney New York

Random House

Jeri’s grandmother was an old lady who spent most of her time knitting. However, her real identity was a scientist who got a top secret job! She had the power to turn her nerdy, homework-obsessed grandson into a superhero! After Jeri was transformed into a hero with special powers, he set his sights on getting good grades in school and saving the world at the same time. Despite his special powers, he learnt that the most powerful weapon was his brain and the most powerful force was the secrets in the books! That was the reason why he could defeat a dangerous supervillain and help the people in the town!

Ron Roy’s “A to Z Mysteries” is a very popular series among readers who enjoy mysteries and detective stories. The first title in the series is The Absent Author, and the second one is The Bald Bandit.

The Kidnapped King is the eleventh book and there are 26 titles in the series! The Kidnapped King is a story about a prince of an island country who was hiding from the enemies. These bad people kidnapped his parents and they might also want to get him next. He came to Dink’s school as an exchange student. Dink and his friends tried to protect the prince from the kidnappers. They also worked together to save the kidnapped king.

Publisher

PPP Company Limited 2008

Fantasy

2000

A to Z Mysteries Mystery Author/ Editor

Illustrator

(14)

The Legend of Spud Murphy

Hong Kong International School Ms. Lisa Tam Eoin Colfer

Glenn McCoy New York

Little Wolf's Book of Badness

Hong Kong International School Ms. Lisa Tam Ian Whybrow

Tony Ross Minneapolis Carolrhoda Books

Have you ever met a librarian like Mrs. ‘Spud’ Murphy? It was rumoured that she hid a gas-powered gun under her desk. If children made noise in the library she would shoot potatoes at them! Imagine how mortified Will and Marty were when their mother decided to drop them off at the library a few times a week during the summer! Mrs. Murphy was grumpy when she met the boys. She made them stay on the worn carpet in the children’s section. Marty challenged Spud but ended up with a very embarrassing stamp in permanent ink on his arm! How could the boys escape from Spud Murphy and the long and boring afternoons in the library? The answer is so obvious to smart readers!

Little Wolf’s parents were very disappointed by the fact that their son was too well behaved for his fierce wolf family. So they sent Little Wolf to Cunning College to take badness lessons from his Uncle Bigbad, the nastiest wolf of all. Little Wolf wrote a letter to his parents every day about his experiences in the college. He really hoped that he would learn the nine Rules of Badness and earned a BAD Badge so he could convince his family that he wasn’t a ‘goody-4-paws’. Before he mastered the Rules of Badness, however, he discovered the fun of going to college!

Publisher

Miramax 2004

School Stories

Theme

2000

Little Wolf Adventures Animal Stories Author/ Editor

Illustrator

(15)

Macbeth: A Shakespeare Story

Lam Tin Methodist Primary School Ms. Chan Man Yi Helen

Andrew Matthews has made Shakespeare's “Macbeth” accessible for primary school children. The story is written in simple English, which makes it child-friendly and very enjoyable for the primary school age group. Tony Ross has incorporated dramatic illustrations throughout the book, which allow young readers better understanding of this timeless masterpiece.

Andrew Mathews Tony Ross London Orchard Books

The Making of Monkey King

Hong Kong International School Ms. Lisa Tam Robert Kraus

Wenhai Ma Union City, CA Pan Asian Publications

Have you ever dreamt of being a king? In Shakespeare’s tragedy “Macbeth”, the king is always trapped in the most dangerous position. The story starts with three witches telling Macbeth that he will eventually become king. When he learns that the King decides to pass the throne to his son rather than to him, he finds it hard to accept the decision. Urged on by his wife and his evil ambition, Macbeth kills the king, condemns the king’s sons as murderers, and takes the throne. However, he discovers that being King does not automatically bring him the honour and loyalty he expects. To him, the truth is ‘To be thus is nothing, but to be safely thus’.

The book tells the story of the magical birth of the Monkey King and his quest to become an immortal who could also do magical transformation and martial arts. Monkey King was mischievous, resourceful and courageous. He defeated the Monster of Chaos and set his friends free! Stories about the Monkey King are still deeply loved by readers of today. Children from Japan, Korea and the U.S. can also read the stories in their own languages! These excellent fantasy and adventure stories are timeless and universal. The Making of Monkey King is beautifully retold by the author. You can read this version first and try to tell the story to your English-speaking friends. You will instantly turn them into crazy fans of the Monkey King!

2003

Shakespeare Stories Classic Stories

1998

Adventures of Monkey King Classic Stories

(16)

Miss Small is Off the Wall

Lam Tin Methodist Primary School Ms. Chan Man Yi Helen Dan Gutman

Jim Paillot New York Harper Trophy

The Missing Mummy

Baptist Lui Ming Choi Primary School Kelvin Cheng

I think this book is very interesting because the plot is fascinating.

It teaches me to pay more attention to the things around us so that we can gain more knowledge which may be useful in our daily life. I would like to introduce this book to my classmates.

Ron Roy

John Steven Gurney New York

Random House

‘Miss Small is off the wall! “Are you okay?” We all asked as we gathered around her. I was afraid...’

Weird events occur everyday and everywhere but not as unexpected as those in the Ella Mentry School. A.J. Andrea hates everything about school except one thing—Fizz Ed (Physical Education).

Her gym teacher, Miss Small, is a real funny Fizz Ed teacher. Her classes are certainly full of creativity, laughter and dramatic body movements. She teaches her students to juggle scarves, balance feathers and what … DO THE CHICKEN DANCE! Moreover, her classes can make naughty boys and girls behave themselves. Let’s come to Miss Small’s classes and join the fun!

Dink, Josh and Ruth Rose went to the museum to see the new Egyptian exhibit. Not only did they see Egyptian mummies and treasures, but they also witnessed a mysterious crime. They saw someone snatch a child mummy, and then found it in the rest room! What was it all about?

Theme

2005

My Weird School School Stories

2001

A to Z Mysteries Mystery Author/ Editor

Illustrator

(17)

Monster Manners

Pui Kiu Primary School Lee Cheuk Hin

Prunella teaches Rosie how to make monster faces, but Rosie always makes happy and nice faces. Then, Prunella teaches Rosie how to eat very ‘well’, but Rosie uses her napkin and her fork and spoon to eat. Prunella also teaches Rosie how to damage houses, but of course, Rosie can’t do it very well. When they go home, the house is full of water. Rosie’s parents and Prunella call the plumber for help, but the plumber doesn’t want to come because they speak rudely. At last, Rosie calls the plumber politely, and the plumber comes to fix the problem. From then on, her parents learn to appreciate Rosie’s ‘strange’ manners. From this story, I’ve learnt the importance of having good manners.

Bethany Roberts Andrew Glass New York

Nate the Great and the Pillowcase

Bonham Road Government Primary School Ms. Lam Wing Hang

Marjorie, the author, has written 130 books for children of all ages. Many of her books have been chosen as Books of the Year by the Library of Congress or made into films.

Nate the Great is many children’s favourite detective and has been delighting beginning readers for years. The simple, clever storylines are a big hit with kids. Read this series, and you can learn how to solve a mystery, and have a great time with him!

Marjorie Weinman Sharmat, Rosalind Weinman

Marc Simont New York

This book is about a little monster called Rosie. She is a perfect little monster. She just has one problem. She always forgets her monster manners. Monsters are supposed to fight with their friends and break each other’s toys. But Rosie always plays nicely with everyone. This makes her parents very upset. So, they call her friend Prunella to teach her how to be a ‘good’ monster.

Nate the Great receives an urgent phone call. Rosamond tells him that her pillow case is missing.

The pillowcase is very important. Can Nate the Great find it for Rosamond? If you like detective stories, you will enjoy this book.

Publisher

Clarion Books 1996

Family

Publisher

Theme

Yearling 2006

Nate the Great Detectives Author/ Editor

Illustrator

(18)

Nick and the Canal Painter

Baptist Lui Ming Choi Primary School Paul Chan

From this book, I have learnt to appreciate people's inner qualities rather than their appearance.

At the beginning, Nick had no confidence in himself because he didn't like the way he looked, but later he gained confidence by making good use of his talents. This book also shows you how old Venice looked like. If I were given the chance, I would like to travel there too!

Mary Arrigan Debbie Boon London

The Nine Lives of Adventure Cat

Tsing Ti Trade Association Primary School Ng Yui Hong Susan Clymer

Stella Ormai New York

Nick hated wearing his big round glasses even though he could not see clearly without them. One day, he travelled to the past and met a famous painter in Venice. There he found out what his glasses could do for him.

If you love cats, you will enjoy this story. If you don’t, probably you will after reading it. Adventure Cat and the story of her nine lives, after she was kicked out by her MomCat, are very interesting. It is a simple and short story that would make you want to find out more about cats. It is about how a wild cat becomes a pet of a little boy and how it learns to protect itself. Though the pictures of the book are in black and white only, they are illustrative and help us understand the text. When you read this book, you will learn more idioms and proverbs too.

Publisher Series Theme

Egmont Books Ltd Go Bananas Fantasy

Publisher

Scholastic 1994

Animal Stories Author/ Editor

Illustrator

(19)

The One-Eyed Giant

Hong Kong International School Ms. Lisa Tam Mary Pope Osborne

Troy Howell New York

Hyperion Books for Children

Oops, I Lost My Best(est) Friends

Lam Tin Methodist Primary School Ms. Chan Man Yi Helen Karen McCombie

Lydia Monks New York Yearling

The author of the popular Magic Tree House series retold the Odyssey to young readers. The One-Eyed Giant is the first book in the series. The book introduces the Greek gods, covering the Trojan War in a few pages, then taking Odysseus and his crew past the land of the Lotus Eaters, Polyphemus the Cyclops and the squandered gift of Aeolus, god of the wind. Readers can hardly forget the part about how Odysseus outwitted the one-eyed giant and escaped from his cave. The brief chapters and concise sentences keep readers anxious to read more about Odysseus’s adventures. This book serves as a good introduction to Greek mythology for young readers.

‘ I am not your friend anymore!’ ‘Come to be my friend please!’ Do you always say these words?

Do you have any close friends? How do you keep up the relationship with your best friends?

Ten-year-old Indie Kidd always has her best friends, Soph and Fee, by her side. However, when she tries to find a best friend for her socially challenged stepbrother, Dylan, she totally neglects all her best friends. Oops…Soph and Fee feel they are being forgotten. What would you do if you were Indie Kidd? It is a fantastic story which gives you ideas about how to get on happily with your friends, and helps you get a deeper insight into your relationship with your best friends. After reading the story, you will find that helping each other is one of the best ways to win friends.

Theme

2003

Mary Pope Osborne’s Tales from the Odyssey

Classic Stories

2007 Indie Kidd

Interpersonal Relations Author/ Editor

Illustrator

(20)

Oranges in the Snow

Pui Kiu Primary School Li Chi Wai Calvin

This book is about two scientists, Mary and Joe, who discovered some rare and valuable flowers and wanted to grow them in another place. As they rejoiced at their idea, a thief sneaked into their house when they were out, and stole their papers about the idea. Could they find the thief and continue with their plan?

This book is interesting, easy to read, and has a good ending. It is a story of the triumph of goodness over evil.

Phillip Burrows, Mark Foster Phillip Burrows

Oxford

Oxford University Press

Pinocchio

Baptist Lui Ming Choi Primary School Leon Leung

I think this book is very interesting. It teaches us not to tell lies, and not to play all the time.

Elizabeth McLeod Maria Mantovani, Renzo Barsotti London

I want to share a book with you - “Oranges in the Snow”. When I first read the title of this book, I thought that was a book of caricature. But after I finished reading it, I knew that was a very good book about adventures.

First appeared in 1883 in Italy, Pinocchio has become one of the most famous fairy tales in the world. Pinocchio is a naughty puppet who does not like being told what to do. He likes to go out to explore the world, but it's not easy to survive on his own! His string of adventures includes being tricked by a fox and a cat, being turned into a donkey and sold to street performers, and being swallowed by a whale!

Theme

2001

Oxford Bookworms Starters Adventures

Publisher

Mercury Books 2005

Fairy Tales Author/ Editor

Illustrator

(21)

Practice Makes Perfect for Rotten Ralph

Hong Kong International School Ms. Lisa Tam Jack Gantos

Nicole Rubel New York

Farrar Straus Giroux

Rumpelstiltskin

Pui Kiu Primary School Lau Pok Yin Samson

Once upon a time, there was a miller who had a daughter. One day, the king passed by and saw the girl. He said she was beautiful. The miller lied that her daughter could turn straw into gold. The king didn’t believe it and told them to come to his castle the next day. It was too late for regrets for the miller. The next day, when the miller and his daughter reached the castle, the king took the girl to a room full of straw, and ordered her to spin all the straw into gold. Each day, a dwarf came to help her. On the first day, the dwarf asked for her necklace in return for his help. On the second day, he asked for her ring. On the third day, he wanted to get the girl’s first baby after she married the king…

I think the story is wonderful. I found it hard to put down the book once I started reading it.

Audrey McIlvain Tony Foulsham Harlow, UK

Pearson Education Limited

Ralph the red cat was irrepressible, irresponsible and rotten! He could be jealous, boastful and crooked sometimes. In the second entry of the Rotten Ralph series, Ralph went to a carnival with his owner Sarah and his cousin Percy. The perfect Percy almost won all the games in the carnival because he spent time to practise in advance. He also got Sarah’s attention and made Ralph very jealous! Ralph had not spent much time practising but he wanted badly to win the games. When the naughty and rotten Ralph tried to gather prizes through unethical means, he learnt a worthwhile little lesson that he and his readers will both appreciate.

This book is about a beautiful, kind girl and a tiny, ugly man named Rumpelstiltskin.

2002

Rotten Ralph Rotten Reader Animal Stories

2000

Penguin Young Readers Fairy Tales

(22)

Secret Identity

Hong Kong International School Ms. Lisa Tam Wendelin Van Draanen

Brian Biggs New York Yearling

The Secret of the Stones

Tsuen Wan Chiu Chow Public School Ng Tsz Wing

Uncle Stephen’s book is one of secret messages and codes. It also guards the secret of the mysterious Stonehenge. Some people are already plotting to get their hands on the book to discover the ancient secret. Max, Laura and Uncle Stephen are in trouble.

I think this story is full of suspense, just like a detective story. The language is simple enough for children. Exercises, games and background knowledge are provided to enhance understanding

Victoria Heward Alberto Stefani Hong Kong Commercial Press

Nolan, a puny but brainy fifth grader was tired of Bubba’s relentless bullying. When his teacher assigned the class a project to write a newspaper article on any topic students like, Nolan decided to build a website using the ‘secret identity’ of Shredderman to post further evidence of Bubba’s bullying. Nolan’s ingenious problem-solving abilities got positive reactions from his teacher and classmates. He became more confident when more students were involved in the project. Even though Bubba had not changed despite the exposure of his misbehaviour, more and more students had the courage to stand up to bullying. By the end of the project, everybody except Bubba had grown stronger and braver.

Max and Laura go on holiday with Aunty Barbara and Uncle Stephen. They spend the summer in a cottage in Stonecross, which is a village near Stonehenge. Stonecross is usually very quiet and there are not many tourists. This year, however, the little village is full of excitement and danger.

Everyone is interested in Uncle Stephen and his book.

Theme

2006

Shredderman School Stories

Theme

2006

Black Cat English Readers Mystery

(23)

The Shooting Star

Bonham Road Government Primary School Ms. Lam Wing Hang

Children like Tintin adventures, especially the Chinese editions. From their favourite Tintin adventures, they can get action, suspense, humour, and a colourful final sequence. Sometimes, the books can even bring them a nice surprise.

Hergé

Leslie Lonsdale-Cooper, Michael Turner

London

Something Else

Baptist Lui Ming Choi Primary School Ms. Esther Chow

One night, a creature came to his house. It was not like anyone Something Else had seen -- that was not his sort of something else! The creature was unhappy to be turned away. Suddenly, Something Else realized that he could make friends with this other 'Something Else'. This story reminds us that we should be more accommodating to the others and accept and respect their differences from us.

Kathryn Cave Chris Riddle London

“The Shooting Star” is a standard Tintin science-fiction adventure. It features a huge meteorite flying past the earth. The meteorite broke into pieces, one of which lands near the North Pole. Tintin joins a team of scientists in search of the meteorite fragment, which is claimed to contain a new metal. The search is a race against time, as they are not the only people who want to be the first to find it. The journey is full of excitement and difficulty...

Something Else lived by himself. He was not at all happy. He had no friend because people thought that he was not like them. They said he did not belong to their group and he was something else.

Publisher

Egmont 2002

The Adventures of Tin Tin Adventures

Publisher

Puﬃn Books 1995

Interpersonal Relations Author/ Editor

Translator

(24)

Star Wars: A Queen’s Diary

Hong Kong International School Ms. Lisa Tam Simon Beecroft

London

Dorling Kindersley

Stink and the World's Worst Super-Stinky Sneakers

Hong Kong International School Ms. Lisa Tam Megan McDonald

Peter H. Reynolds Somerville, MA Candlewick Press

Are you interested in science fiction? Do you feel that most science fiction is too complicated for children to understand? Do you like science movies such as Star Wars? This is just the right book for you if your answers are ‘Yes’ ! The book is written in simple English. The coloured illustrations of the characters and scenes from the movie make the book understandable and enjoyable. You will learn some fun facts about Queen Amidala of Naboo’s planet, how she met a slave boy called Anakin, her efforts to protect her people from enemies and some amazing machines they used. Let’s open the book and enter the world of Jedi fighters, Naboo natives, Droid soldiers and more!

Stink discovered that he had a very sensitive nose after a field trip to a museum. He could tell the smell of almost everything. He got inspirations to invent his own smelly perfume. He was also very eager to be the winner of the world’s worst super-stinky sneaker contest! However, something happened accidentally to Stink’s smelly sneakers and a judge for the contest caught a cold, so Stink could not join the contest and he was disappointed! Guess what happened? Stink became the judge of the contest because of his sensitive nose. He also met the other judge for the contest – the Master Sniffer who worked for NASA! You could get a wonderful job if you had a strong sense of smell!

The book also has illustrations to show you some cool facts about smelling!

2007 DK Readers Science Fiction

2007 Stink Moody Humour Author/ Editor

(25)

Storm Castle

Baptist Rainbow Primary School Ms. Chan Lai Ying

The children had a magic key that transported them to different times and places every time it glowed. This time, the magic key took them to a desert in front of Storm Castle. Some giant robots chased after them. They ran into the castle before the castle gate closed. But there was a maze in the castle. They met a green monster and it showed them a map of the maze. The children had to find the direction to the doorway. Could they do so? Could they go home safely? With the exciting story and attractive pictures, you will surely enjoy reading the book.

Roderick Hunt Alex Brychta London

Oxford University Press

The Talent Show from the Black Lagoon

Bonham Road Government Primary School Leung Ching Kirsten

When it comes to Hubie's turn to perform, the audience goes wild. It is truly an extraordinary performance.

I like this book because the content is very interesting and exciting with many crazy ideas.

Mike Thaler Jared Lee New York Scholastic

Nadim’s mum and dad went traveling so he came to stay at Biff and Chip’s house. The children played a new computer game, Storm Castle, which was full of adventures and dangers.

Although the cover of “The Talent Show from the Black Lagoon” is a bit scary, the content is very funny. The main character, Hubie, is preparing for a talent show. He thinks he is going to play the piano, but his classmates have some crazy ideas. For example, Eric is going to tell jokes, Freddy is going to recite his recipe for apple turnovers, Penny is excited to lip-sync Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony... Hubie doesn’t like practising the piano. He likes playing baseball instead.

Theme

2008

Oxford Reading Tree Adventures

2004

Black Lagoon Adventures School Stories

(26)

Talent Show Scaredy-Pants

Hong Kong International School Ms. Lisa Tam Abby Klein

John Mckinley New York Scholastic

Why Pick on Me?

Bonham Road Government Primary School Yau Ho Fung Ernie

Marvin doesn’t know what he can do to clear his name. Nor does he have any idea of what to ask in the class survey, since no one wants to talk to him. Suddenly, his family gives him a wonderful idea…

Louis Sachar Barbara Sullivan New York Random House

We may all have these experiences in our school life – we are nervous about a presentation or bugged by a mean person in our class. Freddy was also facing the same situations. He had no idea about what to do for the first-grade talent show. He did not think that he had any talent at all. He was teased by a bully called Max, who made him feel even more uncomfortable about what he could do for the show. How could Freddy discover his special talent and how could he change the bully’s unfriendly attitude? Freddy was ready to do it with his dad’s help and his own inspirations. You will learn that everybody has his/her own talent! Everyone can be your friend if you do not hesitate to offer help and support.

Marvin feels like the most disgusting kid in the world. One of his classmates started the rumour that he is the biggest nose picker in the world. Now everybody makes fun of him. His good friends laugh at him and stop playing with him. Even his teacher misunderstands him and thinks the rumour is true!

In short, everybody picks on him.

2005

Ready, Freddy!

School Stories

1993

Marvin Redpost School Stories Author/ Editor

Illustrator

(27)

Woolly Jumpers

Tsing Ti Trade Association Primary School Kaur Tejpal

If you were Mabel, would you feel scared, excited or puzzled?

What would you do if your house was crammed with strange woolly creatures? Read on to find out what happens to Mabel.

Peta Blackwell Peta Blackwell London Puﬃn Books

Do you think knitting is boring and mechanical work? If you do, think again.

Mabel loves knitting, which is her favourite pastime. She buys a new pair of knitting needles, but they are no ordinary knitting needles! Instead of producing sweaters and scarves, they cause her a lot of trouble. They keep on ‘clickety clack’ and strange things happen by themselves. Now her house is full of giant woolly elephants, tigers, hippos and other animals.

1998

First Young Puﬃn Fantasy