Once Upon Another Time...

Reading Age 6 - 7 | Interest Age 10 - 13 | Word Count 500 - 750

Features include:

★ Look and feel of a 'real' book

★ Dyslexia-friendly font and line spacing

★ Fantastic and imaginative illustrations in a variety of styles

★ Humorous and light-hearted storylines

★ Alternate pages of text and illustrations to hold reader's interest and encourage the sense of achievement created from turning the page

★ A page at the beginning to introduce the characters and highlight any difficult vocabulary

★ Facts and questions at the back to help the reader understand and contextualise the text

Blog Posts: 1–11 of 9
  1. Available now!

    Posted on: Jan 20, 2016
    Share:

    Once upon a time we all knew the old fairy tales, but this is another time, and they have taken a new form...

    Now available for 10-13 year olds with a reading age of 6-7, this enchanting and amusing new series of reluctant reader titles is based on old fairy tales, but with a modern twist! Our new series, Once Upon Another Time..., includes a princess who prefers frogs to princes, Goldilocks the vandal, an intergalactic Red Riding Hood, a ragtag band of characters forming a superhero league and more! Read more about individual titles in this series below!

    Written by a selection of authors with alternate pages of text and illustrations, these humorous and light-hearted stories will capture the imagination of the reader and keep them wanting to read more. All six titles have the look and feel of a real book and feature dyslexia-friendly font and line spacing. To aid with comprehension there are questions at the back and also facts about the story, author and illustrator.

  2. Elves at work?

    Elves at work?

    Posted on: Dec 23, 2015
    Share:

    Ed needs to make some money quickly!

    He has run out of t-shirt design ideas and needs to think up some new ones.

    Where on Earth is he going to come up with these new ideas?

    Ed has hit a brick wall with his t-shirt business. Luckily, he gets some help from some mysterious night time visitors. But who are they? And how can he repay them?

    Based on the fairy tale The Elves and the Shoemaker, this magical tale from Andy Seed contains all the elements needed to engage otherwise reluctant readers. The interest level is pitched at age 10-13, with an inclusive and encouraging reading age of 6-7.

    Other features to aid comprehension include story facts and questions, short sentences, line breaks and a vocabulary page. Also, perhaps most importantly, enhancing Andy's words are brilliant illustrations by Rachael Smith. Buy the book to see them all!

  3. Take me to your leader

    Take me to your leader

    Posted on: Dec 15, 2015
    Share:

    Josh loves to play practical jokes on people, but what happens when he takes his alien pranks too far?

    What could possibly go wrong?

    Author Danny Pearson took inspiration for this story from The Boy Who Cried Wolf, only he has replaced the wolf with aliens!

    This weird and wacky story is sure to entertain reluctant readers aged roughly 10-13, whilst aiding their comprehension and engagement in the reading process. The enjoyment will only be enhanced by Abby Ryder's fantastic illustrations, which are humorous, colourful and downright endearing.

    Features of the book include a vocabulary and character introduction page, interesting story facts and questions to ensure concentration and full understanding.

    The Boy Who Cried Aliens is a brilliant addition to this diverse series which would make a welcome addition to any school library.

  4. Robbed

    Robbed

    Posted on: Dec 01, 2015
    Share:

    A fantastic twist on Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Goldie Locked! successfully morphs into a clever and cunning detective plot. The Three Bears have been robbed, during the day too, which the DCI thinks is very unusual! The Bears have managed to give a good description to the police, who are on the case, but the very next day they are robbed again. Porridge is spilt on the table, chairs are broken and the bedrooms have been trashed. The Bears have had enough, they are going to take matters into their own paws!...

    This amusing instalment of Once Upon Another Time, has been specifically written to enthral reluctant and struggling readers with an interest age of 10-13. With a word count of 500-750, Ian MacDonald's Goldie Locked! will captivate its reader and encourage those with a low reading age of 6-7 years. The imaginative illustrations on alternate pages by Marc Ellerby will reward the reader, helping to give them a sense of achievement as they turn the page.

    With a humorous,

  5. Jack who?

    Jack who?

    Posted on: Nov 19, 2015
    Share:

    Featuring characters from multiple classic tales, The League of Enchanted Heroes follows Jack Miller as he's lured into a magical world on his way home from school. He is enticed through a door in the forest by Red Riding Hood, who hopes he will help her and her friends Rapunzel, Hansel, Gretel and Tom Thumb to defeat the giants that keep attacking them! Realising he has been mistaken for Jack the Giant Killer, he is ready to leave when they are attacked...

    This imaginative, captivating story written by Tim Collins transports its reader into another world. The humorous, light-hearted storylines and eye-catching, colourful illustrations by James Lawrence will capture the interest of even the most reluctant of readers.

    With a word count of 500-750, The League of Enchanted Heroes will hold the interest of a teenager with a reading age of 6-7. Written with dyslexia-friendly font and line spacing, this accessible, enticing read will attract both girls and boys.

    But, if

  6. Piece of cake

    Piece of cake

    Posted on: Nov 17, 2015
    Share:

    Little Red is on a mission to deliver supplies to the most advanced cake-research facility in the galaxy.

    After she lands it seems that everyone is acting strangely.

    Can she find out what is wrong before it is too late??

    This is a story for those who love space, but who are also partial to a slice of cake!

    Little Red is a story full of fun and silliness, designed to set reluctant readers aged 10-13 completely at ease. Written by Barry Hutchison with futuristic illustrations by Mark Pearce, Little Red has the perfect combination of engaging imagery and small amounts of text.

    Based on the fairy tale, Little Red Riding Hood, but with a science fiction twist, this story contains strange alien monsters, a fantastical plotline and surreal humour.

    By revitalising a classic tale, Barry Hutchinson has retained a sense of familiarity whilst producing a new tale that will grip and engage reluctant readers. We can't wait for them to read it!

  7. Sealed with a Kiss

    Sealed with a Kiss

    Posted on: Nov 03, 2015
    Share:

    The first tale from this brilliant new series centres on a precocious princess who just can't make up her mind! This is not your typical princess and amphibian story and a magnificent villain named Auntie Wartcream throws a spanner in the works just when you least expect it!

    Loosely based on two classic fairy tales, Princess Frog-Snogger, from veteran author, Tommy Donbavand, will keep you thoroughly entertained with his contemporary writing and witty imaginings while Mark Penman's fun, full-page illustrations lift the story off the page.

    The character introduction and vocabulary list at the beginning of each book will ease reluctant readers into the story and the low word count will help to reassure them of their reading ability. We are positive that both boys and girls will be enthralled by this title and the rest of the series!

  8. Titles and authors revealed!

    Posted on: Oct 16, 2015
    Share:

    We are excited to reveal our amazing list of authors and illustrators for this upcoming series!

    Princess Frog-Snogger by Tommy Donbavand
    Illustrated by Mark Penman

    Little Red by Barry Hutchison
    Illustrated by Mark Pearce

    The League of Enchanted Heroes by Tim Collins
    Illustrated by James Lawrence

    The Boy Who Cried Aliens! by Danny Pearson
    Illustrated by Abby Ryder

    Goldie Locked! by Ian MacDonald
    Illustrated by Marc Ellerby

    Ed and the Shirtmakers by Andy Seed
    Illustrated by Rachael Smith

    And here is an exclusive first look at some of the characters from The League of Enchanted Heroes, as well as some of the illustrator's early notes about them.

    R.R. Hood - I see her as being post-wolf-encounter here. She's an A-Grade monster hunter now, specialising in Big Bad Wolves.

    Rapunzel - Pushed her origin a little further east from central Europe to Russia. In contrast to Hood's earthy, tomboyish

  9. Once Upon Another Time

    Posted on: Oct 14, 2015
    Share:

    This intriguing new series is based around famous fairy tales, but not in the form the reader might expect. These tales have been turned on their head to enchant and amuse a modern audience, including a princess who prefers frogs to princes, an intergalactic Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks the vandal, a ragtag band of characters forming a superhero league and more!

    With the look and feel of a real book, inviting full page illustrations and a range of techniques employed to ensure that the stories are as accessible as possible, Once Upon Another Time is appropriate for those with a reading age as low as 6-7, but a higher interest age of 10-13.

    The balanced combination of low word count with imaginative plots ensures that reluctant readers are stimulated and drawn in to stories that they can realistically comprehend, providing much needed confidence going forwards.

    Just wait until you see what Goldilocks gets up to...

Blog Posts: 1–11 of 9