Monthly Archives: January 2015
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The practice of gender branding has been widespread for a long time. Indeed, most of us will have been familiar with it for most of our lives. Is it a useful and focused method of reaching a specific audience, or does it restrict the varied interests of the individual?
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Posted on: Jan 14, 2015
Liam woke. Someone was by his bed.
He opened one eye... "Woah!"
It looked like Aunty Joan who he was staying with.
But it wasn't.
In Straw Men, inanimate objects come to life in the style and setting of a classic sci-fi/horror story. Ann Evans uses a simple concept to full effect and creates a disturbing tale complete with an even darker twist at the end.
The plot is punchy and escalates rapidly, ensuring that this short story is jam-packed with as much content as possible, but remains paced at a reading age of 6-7.
The text is accompanied by striking full-page illustrations; eerie blocks of yellow and thick black lines combine to achieve a sinister graphic-style edge – perfect to grab and hold the interest of teenagers right to the end.
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I hated my new house. I hated my new school. And I hated that I had to move away from all my friends.
Then I made a new friend in the most unexpected place.
Inside my bedroom wall...
This mournful tale touches on classically teenage themes of loneliness and isolation, whilst throwing in a bit of gruesome horror for good measure; a tried and tested combination which should enthral any reluctant reader.
Author Tommy Donbavand took inspiration for this story by imagining "what you might find in a new home if not all the residents had left. At least, not completely..."
Despite being just 600 words, this ghostly tale successfully taps into our human capacity for irrational fear, and we bet you'll never look at your bedroom wall in the same way again...
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There's something very intriguing about the unknown and the unexplained and being scared by a spooky film or tale is an experience human beings have long enjoyed!
Megan pointed to the dusty mirror. 'That's where the ghost lives,' she said.
'She died falling down the stairs. They say she appears all white except for her piercing black eyes.'
Look in the mirror and blink three times...
Tim Collins' gripping ghost story plays on our emotions and desire for fear in order to lure in and ultimately hold the interest of a reluctant reader. Loosely based on the legend of a similar phantom, repeatedly chronicled at Cannock Chase in Staffordshire, this tale is not one for the light-hearted.
Condensed into 600 words and together with impressive graphic-style illustrations, The Black-Eyed Girl is perfectly paced to tempt teenagers with a reading age of 6-7 years... if they dare!
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Posted on: Jan 06, 2015
Edwina was the girl who always lost her seat in class, was picked last in games. She was the girl who had her lunch stolen, and who had never kissed a boy. But all of that was about to change...
Packing a story into 600 words might seem like a challenge for some, but certainly not for award-winning author Tony Lee! Tackling the ever prevalent subject of bullying in school, intertwined with elements of Robert Louis Stevenson's 1886 novella, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, this Dark Read is a real treat for teens.
By creating situations that teenagers can relate to and mixing them with a cool injection of fictional horror with unexpected twists, Tony has created the perfect recipe to keep reluctant readers interested right up until the last page has been turned. Powerful green, black and white illustrations also accompany the simple text to further entice readers with a low reading age.
We're confident that struggling readers will be touched and engaged by this