Monthly Archives: September 2014

Blog Posts: 1–11 of 10
  1. So funny it hurts...

    So funny it hurts...

    Posted on: Sep 19, 2014
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    A new joke shop has opened and everyone is bringing plastic snakes, wind-up teeth and exploding sweets into school. But Aaron doesn't find the pranks very funny. They seem to be genuinely hurting people. Quite badly.

    With Halloween approaching, he needs to find out what's going on before things take an even darker turn.

    This story by Tim Collins will capture your imagination – but not in a nice way! Nightmares are brought to life and chaos reigns in this demonic Teen Read, with little hope of holding back the tide. What's going to happen??? You'll have to read it to find out.

    Across this series, our authors have worked creatively to pack original and exciting stories with grown-up themes into short, inviting volumes that are accessible to struggling readers. This last title is no exception.

    With our Teen Reads, we hope to show your reluctant readers that reading doesn't have to be a flat, one-dimensional experience, and that they can be thrilled, frightened

  2. Ghost Bell

    Ghost Bell

    Posted on: Sep 17, 2014
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    The sleepy English village of Dewbank is the perfect place to spend a summer holiday – at least, that's what Tamsin, Paul and Chase think when they arrive.

    When Mr Brandy, the local bookshop owner, tells them of the village's violent history, the friends decide to investigate.

    Does the ancient village bell tower, which has no bell, hold a secret? Is Mr Brandy all that he seems? What unknown horrors await them?

    Ghost stories continue to thrill and entertain both children and adults alike and Mark Wright's teenage tale is no exception! With ancient witchcraft and tense twists, this book will undoubtedly produce chilling shivers throughout that are sure to make the reader's blood run cold.

    But, it's just a story...

  3. Seeing Double

    Seeing Double

    Posted on: Sep 15, 2014
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    Catherine 'Cat' Willows is the new girl in school, and her odd behaviour is attracting the wrong kind of attention. Stacey feels sorry for her, and takes Cat under her wing, trying to be a friend.

    Things seem fine until Cat begins to follow Stacey everywhere, starts dressing exactly like her and tries to drive a wedge between Stacey and everyone she cares about. Just where will this unhealthy obsession end?

    Tommy Donbavand's story sees an uncomfortable obsession grow more and more sinister before a heart-stopping climax in the final pages. The tension in this Teen Read builds in a way that is sure to keep reluctant readers absorbed throughout, whilst remaining accessible with a reading age of 8-9.

    Copy Cat creates an ominous feeling that will stay with our readers long after the book has been closed – like any good horror novel should!

  4. That fatal first kiss

    That fatal first kiss

    Posted on: Sep 12, 2014
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    Todd is being plagued by bad dreams. A hideous face, looming over him, startles him awake every night. He thinks the nightmares are because of a guilty conscience.

    Will the nightmares cease if Todd simply rights a wrong? Weirdo Elspeth claims they will, but can he trust her? Or are things about to get a whole lot worse?

    Peer pressure and teenage angst are rife in Ann Evans' first Teen Read for Badger Learning as desperate decisions lead to dramatic consequences for the main protagonists. Perfectly written to engage an adolescent audience who may struggle with reading, each short chapter just gets creepier and creepier!

    There is definitely a moral to be discovered within this tale but will Todd and his friends find it before it's too late?

  5. Misery loves company

    Misery loves company

    Posted on: Sep 10, 2014
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    Lovesick Liam Lewis is miserable. He's waiting alone at the funfair - his girlfriend Katie has stood him up. So when creepy stranger Mister Scratch takes an interest in Liam and offers him a deal to ensure Katie never leaves him, he's desperate enough to take it.

    But as the night continues, Liam realises that Mister Scratch hasn't been entirely honest, and the results of his omissions could be catastrophic.

    Tony Lee has written a story as terrifying as it is tragic. His unique tale promises a horrifying twist that is sure to keep readers gripped to the very end.

    Though written for a reading age of 8-9, the content of Mister Scratch is most certainly for teenagers. Tony's villain is the stuff of nightmares!

  6. Don't upset the green-eyed monster

    Don't upset the green-eyed monster

    Posted on: Sep 08, 2014
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    Jacqueline Rayner offers a teenage twist on a timeless fairy tale classic, bleeding fantasy into the fabric of everyday life. Expect some bloodstains!

    Best friends Carla and Natasha are cast in the school's pantomime version of Snow White, alongside newcomer Lucy. Carla is more than happy with her part as the Wicked Queen, Natasha will play a dwarf and Lucy has the lead of Snow White.

    To enhance the set, Ms Simmons, the drama teacher, purchases an old, ornate mirror she finds in an antique shop. But when Carla begins to rehearse with this new 'magic mirror', Natasha notices that Carla's attitude is beginning to change...

    A happy fairy story this Teen Read is not as jealousy, fear and obsession create a brilliantly tense atmosphere that will keep even the most reluctant of readers rooted to the spot!

  7. Nothing like a fairy tale

    Nothing like a fairy tale

    Posted on: Sep 05, 2014
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    Have you ever felt like you don't belong? That you're not the same as everyone else?

    Lisa has felt like that all her life but just can't put her finger on why.

    Then, at a family wedding, she discovers a devastating truth that shakes her understanding of her own existence - not to mention the whole world - as she knows it.

    Clap your hands three times. You should never say you don't believe in fairies.

    Cavan Scott conjures a tragic tale centered around one of the mysteries of magical folklore. Guaranteed to set imaginations alight, The Changeling promises the sinister content that teenage readers love, and< is at the same time tailor-made for those with a lower reading age of 8-9.

    It's lucky that this is one of our three longer Teen Reads - about 7,000 words in total - because your reluctant readers won't want it to end!

  8. Making the Transition - The National Curriculum for 2014

    Making the Transition - The National Curriculum for 2014

    Posted on: Sep 04, 2014
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    This September marks the switch in the national curriculum for our school children and with it comes a whole new approach and attitude towards teaching the youth of today. The national curriculum contains the overall targets and programmes of study for all subjects and at all stages; aside from key stage 4 sciences. This programme of study will follow after a public consultation on the initial draft agenda.

  9. Insectoids

    Insectoids

    Posted on: Sep 03, 2014
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    In the far future, the Earth is overrun by a race of mutant insects that have evolved into a monstrous but highly intelligent and ruthless master species.

    The remnants of humanity are on the run. However, all is not lost. Leading the fight back against the insectoids is a band of intrepid human warriors called the Shadow Rangers.

    Roger Hurn has written a whole bookshelf full of reluctant reader titles for Badger Learning but this is his first venture for our hugely popular Teen Reads series.

    Following a classic good vs evil theme, this fast-paced thriller, framed in the bleakest of landscapes, promises apocalyptic terrors galore! Utilising a dyslexia-friendly layout and line spacing, it has been expertly written for a teen audience with a reading age of 8-9 and an interest age of 12-15 years.

    A must read for avid science-fiction fans!

  10. Community Spirit

    Community Spirit

    Posted on: Sep 01, 2014
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    When Simone is sent to spend the summer with her Aunt in the remote village of Hobb's Green, she expects the locals to be weird. I mean, who prefers maypole dancing and ancient traditions to the bright lights of the big city?

    But she certainly wasn't expecting them to be like this...

    Why is the village parade so important? And who is the strange, leafy figure known as the Green Man? Will Simone find out before it's too late?

    Eerie to say the least, this Teen Read will intrigue our readers from start to finish. Using accessible vocabulary and short sentences geared for a simpler reading age of 8-9, Tim Collins creates a mysterious world that seems stuck in a time warp, and we're dying to know its secret.

Blog Posts: 1–11 of 10