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Richard Watson grew up in a small village in North Lincolnshire. He studied illustration at
Lincoln University School of Art and Design, and began working as an illustrator soon after
leaving University in 2003. Richard uses a range of techniques to produce artwork mixing
traditional drawing and painting with collage and mixed media.
He also loves visiting galleries, watching films, and listening to music.
February 2020 Book of the Month | Interest Age 8+ Reading Age 8 | This little story sparkles with magic and fun. It starts on Hallowe’en when friends Jessie and Ali find something very unexpected in their treat bucket – a little kitten. What’s even more surprising, the kitten is magic and can talk. They take the perfectly named Magicat home and all sorts of adventures follow – sheds are turned into treehouses, pancakes are cooked (almost) and the bully next door is put in his place. It’s all made even more exciting because Magicat isn’t quite as expert at the magic thing as he’d have you believe and some of the spells go delightfully wrong. Purrfect for newly confident readers as well as for those who are reluctant or dyslexic. Let’s hope there are more adventures to come for Magicat and his friends. Particularly suitable for struggling, reluctant or dyslexic readers aged 8+
You'll never guess what, my person-pal... I'M GOING TO HOLLYWOOD! And, what's even better? All my best mutt-mates are coming with me! But my dreams of being talent-spotted while walking down streets paved with sausage meat don't quite come true... And when the vacation takes a VERY unexpected turn, I'll need to find a way to escape a LIVING NIGHTMARE and get us all home!
December 2018 Book of the Month | Irrepressible young dog Junior is back with a dog’s-eye view of Christmas, or as he knows it Crisp-Mouth.This will be his first Crisp-Mouth, but he’s heard all about it from one of the old dogs at the dog’s home, and now settled with the Khatchadorians is very excited at the prospect of filling his mouth with canine crispy crackers! His enthusiasm knows no bounds, and it proves a real struggle to be good, especially as Junior consistently gets things WRONG… Junior’s breathless narrative style and Richard Wilson’s illustrations make this super-readable, and newly confident readers will love this funny story and its bouncy, endlessly optimistic narrator.
June 2018 Book of the Month | | Narrated at breathless speed by super-excited puppy Junior, this new series is spot-on for newly confident readers. Junior’s honest, direct, puppy’s-eye-view account of his life with new owner Ruff Catch-a-bone (aka much-loved Patterson character Rafe Khatchadorian) is one of non-stop domestic drama. Junior’s enthusiasm for life is catching, and it’s impossible not to be completely caught up in his descriptions of his daily activities. Excitement comes in the form of puppy-obedience training, and reaches a climax at a local dog show. Junior’s future depends on him winning a prize, which he does, but in a typically funny and unexpected way. Great fun, and super-readable too, helped by well-spaced, large type and Richard Watson’s comic illustrations.
A Dyslexia Friendly Picture Book for Parent and Child It’s hard to know who will laugh more at this new picture book, children or their parents! Any adult who has undergone a long car journey with kids will be familiar with the phrase ‘I can’t drive properly if you two are going mad in the back’! Michael Rosen and Richard Watson describe just such a journey, and make it really funny. Mum’s frustration and irritation grows as the two in the back bicker, fight and make endless demands for drinks, until she eventually explodes! Sounds familiar? The pictures are hilarious and it’s brilliant for reading out loud too. Read and enjoy in the comfort of your home, not on the road. ~ Andrea Reece Publisher Barrington Stoke was inspired to create the Picture Squirrel Books titles after meeting a man with dyslexia at a book event. “We were approached by a gentleman who told us that it broke his heart that he couldn’t read to his child because of his dyslexia,” M.D. Mairi Kidd told The Bookseller. “So we talked to Michael Morpurgo, who we were already working with on low text books [textbooks that use a limited number of words]." The layout of picture books can be difficult for adults with dyslexia as the language and typeface are often very varied, the text can be cut into small chunks or is sometimes spun around a picture, which can make a book tricky if you don’t have good reading skills. Barrington Stoke worked with the authors and illustrators to ensure that the books are suitable for dyslexic readers and thereby helping more families grow a love of reading. On the Picture Squirrels...Michael Morpurgo says: “I was immediately taken with the idea of the Picture Squirrel books, a picture book list that dyslexic parents and less confident readers can read with theirchildren too.”
Big, Bad Owl is a fabulously funny, tongue-in-cheek picture book from bestselling author and master of comedy, Steve Smallman. Children will love the quirky illustrations of the various animals and birds who try to get owl out of a grump and it's coupled with a great storyline about learning to deal with moods and emotions. I wonder if his friends get him out of a grump? You'll have to read it to find out.
Big, Bad Owl is a fabulously funny, tongue-in-cheek picture book from bestselling author and master of comedy, Steve Smallman. Children will love the quirky illustrations of the various animals and birds who try to get owl out of a grump and it's coupled with a great storyline about learning to deal with moods and emotions. I wonder if his friends get him out of a grump? You'll have to read it to find out.
Meet Algy. He’s just moved house. Moving house is on the long list of things he doesn’t like, along with girls, snakes, crocodiles, mad tigers and having adventures. Algy meets Cherry (who just happens to be a girl) from next door and before he knows it he’s off traipsing through the jungle - on an adventure! Maybe, just maybe he’ll discover he’s braver than he thinks. In fact he might just be a hero. This is an exciting story about facing your fears and helping a friend in need. Red Early Reader books are the next step on your child's reading journey, encouraging independent reading with exciting stories and engaging illustrations. Short accessible chapters make them ideal for newly confident readers - we also think they're great for sharing too!
One of our Dyslexia Friendly Books of the Year 2013 - Interest Age 5-8 Reading Age 6+ Best-selling Eoin Colfer’s Mary knows better than most about a bad hair day. Her hair is bad every day! Determined to improve on her horrible curly mop Mary takes matters into her own hands. Literally! The results are disastrous and Mum says she is never to cut her hair again. But Mum didn’t say she couldn’t dye it or perm it! Mary’s battle with her hair and the crafty solutions to her problems are hilarious. About the Little Gems series: Little Gems are in a gorgeous new chunky format, with high-spec production including coloured endpapers and jacketed flaps with activities. Additional features include high quality cream paper, Barrington Stoke font and illustrations on every page. They are perfect for 5-8's and with a reading age of 6+, these quality stories promote good reading practice for all newly independent readers. They are also suited to children of 7-10, reading below this leve and to dyslexic or reluctant readers.
Interest Age 5-8 Best-selling Eoin Colfer’s Mary knows better than most about a bad hair day. Her hair is bad every day! Determined to improve on her horrible curly mop Mary takes matters into her own hands. Literally! The results are disastrous and Mum says she is never to cut her hair again. But Mum didn’t say she couldn’t dye it or perm it! Mary’s battle with her hair and the crafty solutions to her problems are hilarious. Now with full colour artwork. One of our Dyslexia Friendly Books of the Year 2015 About the Little Gems series: Little Gems are in a gorgeous new chunky format, with high-spec production including coloured endpapers and jacketed flaps with activities. Additional features include high quality cream paper, Barrington Stoke font and illustrations on every page. They are perfect for 5-8's. These quality stories promote good reading practice for all newly independent readers.
Pinocchio is a puppet who dreams of becoming a real boy. But to do that, first he'll have to learn to be kind and polite - and stop telling lies! Then his nose might stop growing too! Part of the beloved Fairytale Classics series.
Pinocchio is a puppet who dreams of becoming a real boy. But to do that, first he'll have to learn to be kind and polite - and stop telling lies! Then his nose might stop growing too! Part of the beloved Fairytale Classics series.
A red Early Reader full of humour, fun and a surprising friendship from Lauren Pearson, illustrated by Richard Watson. Perfect for children who are feeling a little nervous or anxious. Clark is desperate to have his very first sleepover. His sister Camilla has them ALL the time! But he's a little bit nervous about it, too ... until the night he meets his unlikely new friend, Johnny. Would you have a sleepover with a spider? Early Readers are stepping stones from picture books to reading books. A blue Early Reader is perfect for sharing and reading together. A red Early Reader is the next step on your reading journey.
Ethan learns that you have to be careful what you wish for in this very funny, colour-illustrated reader by Sam Hay. Perfect for children learning to read. Saturday morning shopping with Mum is SO BORING. That is, until Ethan finds a genie living in a jar of raspberry jam! Ethan can't believe it - he could have anything he wants! But his wishes don't quite turn out how he planned ... The Reading Ladder series helps children to enjoy learning to read. It features well-loved authors, classic characters and favourite topics, so that children will find something to excite and engage them in every book they pick up. It's the first step towards a lasting love of reading. Level 2 Reading Ladder titles are perfect for early readers who are growing in confidence and are beginning to enjoy longer stories. Clear type Up to 8 lines per page Bright, appealing pictures for added interest A variety of sentence structures A wider range of vocabulary Strong themes and characters to discuss Ideal for beginner readers aged 5-6 All Reading Ladder titles are developed with leading literacy consultant Nikki Gamble, making them perfect early years reading books for use in schools and for parents keen to support their children's reading throughout Key Stage 1. Book band: Purple For more information about the series and advice on supporting children's reading, see our reading ladder page www.egmont.co.uk/reading-ladder
Knights and dragons plays trick on each other... in space! A colour-illustrated early reader by Sheryl Webster. Perfect for children learning to read. Arthur and his Space Knights of the Round Planet are sick of the ice dragons playing tricks on them all the time. But when a baby ice dragon gets stranded on the Round Planet, Arthur makes a new friend... and has an idea that will solve the problem once and for all! The Reading Ladder series helps children to enjoy learning to read. It features well-loved authors, classic characters and favourite topics, so that children will find something to excite and engage them in every title they pick up. It's the first step towards a lasting love of reading. Level 2 Reading Ladder titles are perfect for readers who are growing in confidence and are beginning to enjoy longer stories. Clear type Up to 8 lines per page Bright, appealing pictures for added interest A variety of sentence structures A wider range of vocabulary Strong themes and characters to discuss All Reading Ladder titles are developed with a leading literacy consultant, making them perfect for use in schools and for parents keen to support their children's reading. Book band: Turquoise
Visit the museum at night with Zac and Jess they've found a bone, and need to work out which animal's skeleton it belongs to! This enjoyable book introduces children to different animals' skeletons, while keeping them intrigued with the mystery of the missing bone! Oxford Reading Tree inFact is a compelling non-fiction series that aims to engage children in reading for pleasure as powerfully as fiction does. The series includes 36 titles which are all phonically decodable, with some high-interest topic words to develop vocabulary and impart knowledge. The imaginative approach and variety of intriguing topics mean there are books to interest every child. The books are carefully levelled, making it easy to match every reader to the right book.
Lift the flaps and practise your maths skills on a jam-packed camping adventure holiday! Solve puzzles and answer fun questions about shapes, time, money, measurements, adding, subtracting, directions and much more! Join this exciting maths journey created by Kjartan Poskitt, author of the Murderous Maths series. This interactive, narrative approach to a core subject supplements what children aged 5+ learn at school. The familiar environment with lots of real-life examples makes maths fun and accessible, and there are over 50 flip-tastic flaps! Maths Adventure is the third title in the fantastic Flip-Flap Journeys series.
This new series lets toddlers enjoy the delights of learning to do things all by themselves. The first two titles are Dress Myself and Look After My Pet. By lifting the large flaps on each page, children can see before-and-after pictures of toddlers putting on different clothes, or taking care of their pets with pride. The very simple text allows toddlers to read along and lift the flaps themselves, reinforcing independence. Everyone will relate to Richard Watson's lively, cheeky characters, and their delight in their new achievements is so contagious that readers will be saying, I can do it too!
This new series lets toddlers enjoy the delights of learning to do things all by themselves. The first two titles are Dress Myself and Look After My Pet. By lifting the large flaps on each page, children can see before-and-after pictures of toddlers putting on different clothes, or taking care of their pets with pride. The very simple text allows toddlers to read along and lift the flaps themselves, reinforcing independence. Everyone will relate to Richard Watson's lively, cheeky characters, and their delight in their new achievements is so contagious that readers will be saying, I can do it too!
Mary loathes her big, curly, bushy hair and so she chops it all off...and she looks fantastic! Well, at least she thinks so. But her mammy is not convinced and forbids her from ever cutting her own hair again. But she didn't say anything about anyone else...A brilliant laugh-out-loud Little Gem about a not-so-brilliant hairdresser and one very unfortunate dog! High quality cream paper and a special easy to read font ensure a smooth read for all.
Sunita and Blue Rabbit love riding on Alisha's red bike. But one day Alisha's knees start to get in the way! Mum and Dad say the red bike is too small. Can Alisha learn to ride the new pink bicycle with no stabilisers?
No other course offers you the same benefits as Family and Friends. The exceptionally strong skills training programme includes a focus on real speaking and writing output. Plus - the integrated print and digital resources suit all teaching situations and learner types, supporting students, teachers, and parents. Use it with Little Friends and First Friends to make it an eight or nine-year course.
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