Steve Roud was Local Studies Librarian for the London Borough of Croydon and served as Honorary Librarian of the Folklore Society for over fifteen years. He has been researching British folklore for over thirty years and is the joint author of the Oxford Dictionary of English Folklore, plus other books on traditional drama and folk song, and the Penguin Guide to the Superstitions of Britain and Ireland, which won the Katharine Briggs Folklore Award in 2004. His publications include London Lore (2008) and The Lore of the Playground (2010). He also compiles the Folk Song Index and the Broadside Index, two internationally acclaimed computer databases of traditional folk and popular song. He lives in Sussex.

Steve Roud

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Craig Barr-Green

With carefully adapted text, new illustrations, language practise activities and additional online resources, the Penguin Readers series introduces language learners to bestselling authors and compelling content. Titles include popular classics, exciting contemporary fiction, and thought-provoking non-fiction. 
 
The Extraordinary Life of Steve Jobs, a Level 2 Reader, is A1+ in the CEFR framework. Sentences contain a maximum of two clauses, introducing the future tenses will and going to, present continuous for future meaning, and comparatives and superlatives. It is well supported by illustrations, which appear on most pages. 
 
Steve Jobs was a brilliant inventor and businessman. His computers, tablets and iPods have changed our lives and work. Steve was sometimes very difficult to work with, but he was also special. He thought about the world in a different way, and he had many brilliant ideas.

Penguin Readers Level 2: The Extraordinary Life of Steve Jobs (ELT Graded Reader)

Abridged Edition

G. Richard Shell

'Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life' -Steve Jobs 
 
Everyone knows that you are supposed to 'follow your dream'. But where is the map to help you discover that dream? 
 
In Success, Your Way, award-winning author and Wharton School professor G. Richard Shell challenges you to set aside ideas of success as defined by society, family, and the media. Instead he asks you to honestly answer two questions: What, for me, is success? How will I achieve it? 
 
Drawing on decades of research, Shell helps you probe your past, imagine your future, and measure your strengths. By identifying your unique passions and capabilities you will focus more on what gives meaning and excitement to your life. 
 
Get ready for the journey of a lifetime - one that will help you re-evaluate your future and achieve success on your own terms. Students and executives say that G. Richard Shell's courses have changed their lives. Let this book change yours.

Success, Your Way

Do What You're Meant to Do

Roald Dahl

Quentin Blake

This story is about sweet shops, school days and summer holidays! It is the story of the famous writer Roald Dahl when he was a boy. These tales are exciting, funny and sometimes frightening. All of them are true. 
 
Our Penguin Readers books include: 
• Simple text (CEFR-levelled) 
• Pictures to help you understand the story 
• Fun exercises to help you learn and practise English 
 
With the print book, you can get even more help online: 
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Note: online resources not available with the eBook.

Penguin Readers Level 2: Boy (ELT Graded Reader)

We all have our moments of brilliance and glory, and this was mine. 
 
This beautiful edition of Boy, part of The Roald Dahl Classic Collection, features official archive material from the Roald Dahl Museum and is perfect for Dahl fans old and new. 
 
So, enter a world where invention and mischief can be found on every page and where magic might be at the very tips of your fingers . . . 
 
The Roald Dahl Classic Collection reinstates the versions of Dahl’s books that were published before the 2022 Puffin editions, aimed at newly independent young readers.

Tales of Childhood

Gervase Phinn

'Miss, who's that funny man at the back of the classroom? 
 
So begins school-inspector Gervase Phinn's second year among the frankly spoken pupils and teachers of North Yorkshire - the sight of Gervase with his notebook and pen provokes unexpected reactions from the children and adults alike. 
 
But Gervase if far from daunted - he is ready to brave the steely glare of the officious Mrs Savage, and even feels up to helping Dr Gore organize a gathering of the Feofees - just as soon as someone tells him what they are! He is still in pursuit of the lovely headteacher Christine Bentley, but will she feel the same? 
 
This is a delectable second helping of hilarious tales from the man who has been dubbed 'the James Herriot of schools'. It will have you laughing out loud.

Over Hill and Dale

'Could you tell me how to spell "sex" please?' 
 
Gervase Phinn thinks he's heard just about everything in his two years as a school inspector, but a surprising enquiry from an angelic six-year-old reminds him never to take children for granted. 
 
This year Gervase has lots of important things on his mind - his impending marriage to Christine Bentley (the prettiest headteacher for miles around), finding somewhere idyllic to live in the Yorkshire Dales, and the chance of a promotion. All of which generate their fair share of excitement, aided and abetted as usual by his colleagues in the office. 
 
Join Gervase in the classroom where he faces his greatest challenge, keeping a straight face as teachers and children alike conspire to have him laughing out loud.

Head Over Heels in the Dales

With carefully adapted text, new illustrations, language practise activities and additional online resources, the Penguin Readers series introduces language learners to bestselling authors and compelling content. Titles include popular classics, exciting contemporary fiction, and thought-provoking non-fiction. 
 
Going Solo, a Level 4 Reader, is A2+ in the CEFR framework. The text is made up of sentences with up to three clauses, introducing more complex uses of present perfect simple, passives, phrasal verbs and simple relative clauses. It is well supported by illustrations, which appear regularly. 
 
Roald Dahl flew planes in the Second World War (1939- 1945) when Germany, Italy and Japan fought against Britain and other countries. Going Solo is Dahl's time with the RAF (Royal Air Force). He writes, "I did not need to leave out anything here because every moment was, to me, totally interesting".

Penguin Readers Level 4: Going Solo (ELT Graded Reader)

Richard Coles

Charles Spencer

Cat Jarman

Join the trio behind the hit history podcast, The Rabbit Hole Detectives, Richard Coles, Charles Spencer and Cat Jarman in their first trivia book as they investigate weird and wonderful facts and stories rescued from obscurity. From the earliest recorded examples of practical jokes to a whistle-stop tour of the world's ghost towns to a history of red heads, The Rabbit Hole Book is a fascinating and entertaining dive into all the things you didn't know you wanted to know.

The Rabbit Hole Book

99 adventures into the history of stuff

Lucy Clayton

Steven Haines

How to Go to Work is a practical guide to equip you with everything you need to know to choose and achieve the career you want. 
 
The world of work is changing faster than ever before and it can feel overwhelmingly competitive out there. 
 
That's why Lucy Clayton, a founding CEO, and Steve Haines, an education policy advisor, have compiled and distilled the most valuable advice you can get on how to jumpstart your career and shortcut the competition. 
 
They have interviewed successful people from across all industries to help you: 
 
-Find the right work experience and internships to get you through the door 
-Present your best self online and in person 
-Ace applications and interviews 
-Gain confidence, authority and resilience 
-Navigate the ups and downs of starting your first job 
 
How to go to Work will equip you with the skills you need to thrive in whatever job or career you choose.

How to Go to Work

The Honest Advice No One Ever Tells You at the Start of Your Career

Malorie Blackman

In this story, Cameron Kelsey is 13 years old. He is not well and needs a new heart. Doctors want to give him a pig's heart. Cameron cannot decide if he wants the pig's heart, and some groups are very angry about doctors using animals in this way. 
 
Our Penguin Readers books include: 
• Simple text (CEFR-levelled) 
• Pictures to help you understand the story 
• Fun exercises to help you learn and practise English 
 
With the print book, you can get even more help online: 
• Read the book online 
• Listen to the book being read out loud 
• Get lesson plans for teachers 
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Note: online resources not available with the eBook.

Penguin Readers Level 4: Pig-Heart Boy (ELT Graded Reader)

Greg Mortenson

In this dramatic first-person narrative, Greg Mortenson picks up where Three Cups of Tea left off in 2003, recounting his relentless, ongoing efforts to establish schools for girls in Afghanistan; his extensive work in Azad Kashmir and Pakistan after a massive earthquake hit the region in 2005; and the unique ways he has built relationships with Islamic clerics, militia commanders, and tribal leaders even as he was dodging shootouts with feuding Afghan warlords and surviving an eight-day armed abduction by the Taliban. He shares for the first time his broader vision to promote peace through education and literacy, as well as touching on military matters, Islam, and women - all woven together with the many rich personal stories of the people who have been involved in this remarkable two-decade humanitarian effort.

Stones into Schools

Fred Metcalf

Looking for a good joke? Searching for an ice-breaker for that after-dinner speech? Or are you just in need of a few laughs? 
 
Then stop! Your search is over. This book is the finest, funniest collection of gags, rib-ticklers and plain silly one-liners ever to find themselves squeezed inside the covers of a book. Organised by subject matter (from Absence - via Insults - to Writers) and containing side-splitters stolen from such wits as Groucho Marx, Orson Welles, Mark Twain and P. J. O'Rourke, among many, many others, this book will ensure that people will feel compelled to laugh at you wherever you go. 
 
A treasure trove of wit covering all walks of life, The Penguin Dictionary of Jokes is the perfect joke book for all occasions.

The Penguin Dictionary of Jokes

Andrew Martin

'A fool and his words are soon parted' wrote William Shenstone in 1764; one might add that 'A wit and his words are rarely collected'. Here is the antidote: a dazzling survey of the funniest remarks, quips and observations from Ancient Rome, the Bible and Chaucer right up to The Simpsons and Little Britain. Over 5,000 of the very funniest remarks to have appeared on paper since, well, paper was invented. The quotations are arranged thematically and cover all aspects of life: from the world we inhabit to the things we eat, smoke and drink; from the way we move around to what and how we learn - oh, and the pointlessness of football. There is a short biography of all of the authors in the book, a brief contextual note for each quotation and an index of keywords to help you find you chosen witticism quickly. But do not be over-hasty when you use this book: it is a browser's delight, and should be enjoyed at leisure.

Funny You Should Say That

A Compendium of Jokes, Quips and Quotations from Cicero to the Simpsons

In this story, seventeen-year-old Dante is waiting for his exam results. If they are good, he'll go to university. But Dante's plans have to change when he hears that he is the father of a baby girl. With the help of his father and brother, Dante must learn how to be a single father. 
 
Our Penguin Readers books include: 
• Simple text (CEFR-levelled) 
• Pictures to help you understand the story 
• Fun exercises to help you learn and practise English 
 
With the print book, you can get even more help online: 
 
• Read the book online 
• Listen to the book being read out loud 
• Get lesson plans for teachers 
• Find answers to check your understanding 
 
Note: online resources not available with the eBook.

Penguin Readers Level 5: Boys Don't Cry (ELT Graded Reader)

Scott Hershovitz

'Witty and learned ... Hershovitz intertwines parenting and philosophy, recounting his spirited arguments with his kids about infinity, morality, and the existence of God' Jordan Ellenberg, author of Shape 
 
A funny, wise guide to the art of thinking, and why the smallest people have the answers to the biggest questions 
 
'Anyone can do philosophy, every kid does...' 
 
Some of the best philosophers in the world can be found in the most unlikely places: in preschools and playgrounds. They gather to debate questions about metaphysics and morality, even though they've never heard the words, and can't tie their shoelaces. As Scott Hershovitz shows in this delightful book, kids are astoundingly good philosophers. And, if we let ourselves pause to think along with them, we might discover that we are, too. 
 
Nasty, Brutish, and Short is a unique guide to the art of thinking, led by a celebrated philosophy professor and his two young sons. Together, Scott, Rex, and Hank take us on a romp through classic and contemporary philosophy, steered by questions like, does Hank have the right to drink Fanta? When is it okay to swear? And, does the number six exist? They explore weighty issues, like punishment and authority; sex, gender, and race; the nature of truth and knowledge; and the existence of God. And they call on a host of professional philosophers, famous and obscure, to help them along the way. Ultimately, they demonstrate that we shouldn't just support kids in their philosophical adventures: we should join them, so that we can rekindle our own innate, childlike wonder at the world. We'd all be better, more discerning thinkers for it.

Nasty, Brutish, and Short

Adventures in Philosophy with Kids

Ben Platts-Mills

In Tell Me the Planets, Ben Platts-Mills shares stories about his remarkable work with survivors of brain injury, offering a rare glimpse into the world as seen through their eyes. We meet charismatic Danny, whose criminal past has left him paralysed down one side, but who now helps others worse off than himself; Sid, whose memory for the present lasts only moments; and Liah, who is caught in a battle with the care system threatening to make her homeless. But above all this is the story of the extraordinary friendship between Ben and Matthew, who suffered neurological damage during an operation to remove a cerebral cyst. It is a journey that takes them to the frontiers of science and to the limits of human resilience: when they discover that the cyst is growing again, Matthew is left with an impossible decision to make.

Tell Me the Planets

Stories of Brain Injury and What It Means to Survive

Bob A. N. Grypants

Feel exhausted by 2016? Wondering how it could have unfolded in such a bonkers way? Both a cathartic momento of an annus shitabulus and an optimistic look to the future, F*ck You, 2016 is the hilarious guide we all need as this ridiculous year draws to a close. 
 
Chapters include... 
- Politics (Brexit! Trump! Clinton! Farage! Corbyn!) 
- Oh bloody hell, they haven't died too, have they? (Bowie! Muhammad Ali! Prince! FUCKING PRINCE!) 
- miscellaneous nonsense (man buns, the Bake Off fiasco, 'Hiddleswift', Pokemon Go, Hygge, the Euros!) 
- Shit years through history (Okay, it's been bad, but things have been worse...) 
- Surely something good happened? (It did! Just remember that Andy Murray exists.) 
 
 Featuring some really badly drawn illustrations, this comic compendium will soothe your soul - before you throw it away on 31st December (or set fire to it?) and move into 2017. Which will be better, right?

Fuck You, 2016

Karyn Parsons

With carefully adapted text, new illustrations, language practise activities and additional online resources, the Penguin Readers series introduces language learners to bestselling authors and compelling content. Titles include popular classics, exciting contemporary fiction, and thought-provoking non-fiction. 
 
Clouds Over California, a Level 4 Reader, is A2+ in the CEFR framework. The text is made up of sentences with up to three clauses, introducing more complex uses of present perfect simple, passives, phrasal verbs and simple relative clauses. It is well supported by illustrations, which appear regularly. 
 
Clouds over California is a story about an eleven-year-old girl called Stevie, and the changes that happen in her life when her older cousin comes to stay. It is also about life in the 1970s and important events that changed things in the United States of America for women and Black people.

Penguin Readers Level 4: Clouds Over California (ELT Graded Reader)

Scott Belsky

Silicon Valley is full of start-up success stories; every day stories emerge of a new company with the potential for a billion-dollar valuation and plans for global domination. 
 
But what can we really learn from these stories? How many of these start-ups are genuinely successful in the long term? When nine out of ten start-ups end in spectacular burnout, how can we ensure our own success story? 
 
While most books and press focus on the more sensational moments of creation and conclusion, The Messy Middle argues that the real key to success is how you navigate the ups-and-downs after initial investment is secured. It will give you all the insights you need to build and optimize your team, improve your product and develop your own capacity to lead. Building on seven years' of meticulous research with entrepreneurs, small agencies, start-ups and billion-dollar companies, Scott Belsky offers indispensable lessons on how to endure and thrive in the long term.

The Messy Middle

Finding Your Way Through the Hardest and Most Crucial Part of Any Bold Venture

Jane Austen

With carefully adapted text, new illustrations, language practise activities and additional online resources, the Penguin Readers series introduces language learners to bestselling authors and compelling content. Titles include popular classics, exciting contemporary fiction, and thought-provoking non-fiction. 
 
Sense and Sensibility, a Level 5 Reader, is B1 in the CEFR framework. The text is made up of sentences with up to four clauses, introducing present perfect continuous, past perfect, reported speech and second conditional. It is well supported by illustrations, which appear regularly. 
 
Elinor and Marianne Dashwood are sisters. After the death of their father and losing their home and money, they have to move to a small cottage across the country. There, both their lives completely change.

Penguin Readers Level 5: Sense and Sensibility (ELT Graded Reader)

Ed Cooke

Kings and queens, British prime ministers, American presidents, countries of Europe... 
 
We should all know these things - but like me, you're probably resigned to being the kind of person that just never will. Now Grandmaster of Memory Ed Cooke offers up his memory secrets with a fun, quick and completely unforgettable way to remember the things you thought you never could. 
 
But this is no boring Willy, Willy, Harry, Ste. With Ed leading the way on unlikely adventures through people and places, Abraham Lincoln may become a circle of bra-wearing hams linking arms in your mind, and you may well encounter a fridge wearing Calvin Klein underpants. You could also soon find yourself rattling off the prime ministers to a rapt audience and adding, in a knowing tone, 'ah yes, Marquess of Rockingham, Whig I believe?'. What is for sure is that you&rsquo;ll be bursting with knowledge that will stick in your mind and impress your friends for ever.

Remember, Remember

Learn the Stuff You Thought You Never Could

Samantha Downing

Teddy Crutcher has won Teacher of the Year at the prestigious Belmont Academy. Everyone thinks he's brilliant. Only you know the truth. 
 
They all smile when he tells us his wife couldn't be more proud - though actually, no-one has seen her in a while. They're impressed when he doesn't let anything distract him - even the tragic death of a school parent. Even when the whispers start, saying it was murder. 
 
You're sure Teddy is hiding something. You're sure you can prove it. 
 
It's just that when it comes to catching a killer, there's no place more dangerous than just one step behind . . .

For Your Own Good

The most addictive psychological thriller you’ll read this year

Paula Hawkins

This is an ABRIDGED edition. 
 
Rachel catches the same commuter train every morning. She knows it will wait at the same signal each time, overlooking a row of back gardens. She’s even started to feel like she knows the people who live in one of the houses. ‘Jess and Jason’, she calls them. Their life – as she sees it – is perfect. If only Rachel could be that happy. 
 
And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. 
 
Our Penguin Readers books include: 
 
• Simple text (CEFR-levelled) 
• Pictures to help you understand the story 
• Fun exercises to help you learn and practise English 
 
With the print book, you can get even more help online: 
• Read the book online 
• Listen to the book being read out loud 
• Get lesson plans for teachers 
• Find answers to check your understanding 
 
Note: online resources not available with the eBook.

Penguin Readers Level 6: The Girl on the Train (ELT Graded Reader)

With carefully adapted text, illustrations, language practise activities and additional online resources, the Penguin Readers series introduces language learners to bestselling authors and compelling content. Titles include popular classics, exciting contemporary fiction, and thought-provoking non-fiction. 
 
The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me, a Level 1 Reader, is A1 in the CEFR framework. Short sentences contain a maximum of two clauses, introducing the past simple tense and some simple modals, adverbs and gerunds. Illustrations support the text throughout. 
 
Billy loves the old sweet shop. But who is living there now? It's the Giraffe, the Pelican and the Monkey! The animals are window cleaners. But then, they see a burglar in a window. How can they stop him?

Penguin Readers Level 1: Roald Dahl The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me (ELT Graded Reader)

Karen M. McManus

A geek, a jock, a criminal, a princess. A murder. 
 
In this story, everyone has secrets. How far would you go to protect yours? In this sotry, five students at Bayview High must stay late at school ... but only four of them leave alive. Bronwyn, Cooper, Nate and Addy all become suspects in a murder. Who do you believe? 
Our Penguin Readers books include:• Simple text (CEFR-levelled)• Pictures to help you understand the story• Fun exercises to help you learn and practise English 
 
With the print book, you can get even more help online:• Read the book online• Listen to the book being read out loud• Get lesson plans for teachers• Find answers to check your understandingNote: online resources not available with the eBook.

Penguin Readers Level 6: One Of Us Is Lying (ELT Graded Reader)

Jack Sheffield

The year is 1976 and Jack Sheffield never wants to leave his job. 
 
Jack has been the deputy head teacher at Newbridge Primary School for six years now, and he's happy exactly where he is - even if it sometimes feels like there are a few things missing from his life. After all, the kids keep him busy and there's always a game of rugby to play. 
 
But it's a time of change, and Jack's world is no exception. New and old faces appear in his life and a romance blossoms, bringing with it a buried secret and hidden threat. Soon, Jack must make a decision as to where his future is heading, and prepare to face whatever change is yet to come . . . 
 
A classic Jack Sheffield tale, ready to transport you back to a simpler time.

School Days

Sola Mahfouz

Malaina Kapoor

'I began to grow up the day my mother warned me to stop laughing' 
 
At age eleven, Sola Mahfouz was told she could no longer attend school. The Taliban threatened that any girl who dared to continue their education would have acid thrown in their face, be kidnapped, or worse. Confined to the walls of her home, Sola watched as the few freedoms of childhood were stripped away. She was forbidden to play, to sing, even to laugh. Her early teenage years were consumed by restrictions. 
 
Realising that she would have to either succumb to this life or find a way out, she decided on the latter. At age sixteen, without even a basic ability to add or subtract, she began secretly learning maths and English. By reading dictionaries and taking free online courses, she taught herself theoretical physics and philosophy, all from a home she could only leave five times a year. In the space of nine years she achieved the level of education that a westerner might take 25 years to do and against all odds moved to America to study quantum computing. 
 
It is a radical act to tell the story of an Afghan woman. Too often, they are portrayed only as victims, their identities erased by thick veils and blanket reporting. Defiant Dreams will change the narrative. It's the story of an Afghan girl who dared to ask for more.

Defiant Dreams

The Journey of an Afghan Girl Who Risked Everything for Education

John Boyne

This ELT Graded Reader is made for people learning English as an additional language. The short, simple text is also perfect for anyone looking for an easier read. It is an adapted version of the original story. 
 
In this story, Bruno's father gets a new job, and the family have to move from Berlin, Germany, to a new place. There is a strange camp at the end of the garden. Bruno is very unhappy and bored until he meets Shmuel. The two boys become very good friends. But why is Shmuel in the camp? And why is he wearing striped pyjamas? 
 
Our Penguin Readers books include: 
<ul><li>Simple text (CEFR-levelled)</li><li>Pictures to help you understand the story</li><li>Fun exercises to help you learn and practise English</li></ul> 
With the print book, you can get even more help online: 
<ul><li>Read the book online</li><li>Listen to the book being read out loud</li><li>Get lesson plans for teachers</li><li>Find answers to check your understanding</li></ul> 
Note: online resources not available with the eBook.

Penguin Readers Level 4: The Boy in Striped Pyjamas (ELT Graded Reader)

Jeannette Nelson

How the world’s best actors communicate with gravitas – and how you can, too. 
 
‘The theatre stars’ voice guru’ Daily Mail 
 
Acting is all about charisma. Whether you’re an A-list star or an extra, when you’re on stage you need to perform in a way that makes your audience listen. 
 
That stage presence is something we can all learn from. Every time you speak up in a meeting, recount an anecdote, or tell a joke, it’s essential to communicate with gravitas. 
 
Jeannette Nelson knows a thing or two about gravitas. As Head of Voice at the National Theatre, she has spent three decades working with the world’s leading actors – from Al Pacino to Benedict Cumberbatch to Juliette Binoche – teaching them to speak clearly and move confidently. 
 
Now, Nelson pulls back the curtain on the tricks that professional performers use to own the room. Starting with clear speech and good posture, before moving on to the art of rhetoric and overcoming stage fright, she outlines a holistic three-stage method to communicating with authority, authenticity and eloquence. Throughout, she peppers the book with stories of how world-renowned actors learnt to make themselves heard – and how you can, too. 
 
The result is a fascinating and eminently practical guide to the art of performance. If all the world’s a stage, then this book will turn you into its lead actor.

Centre Stage

Lessons from Actors on the Art of Charisma

Charles Dickens

In this story, Ebenezer Scrooge hates Christmas. He is angry that people are not working. Then, he meets the ghost of his old partner, Jacob Marley. Can Scrooge be a good person before it is too late? 
 
Our Penguin Readers books include: 
• Simple text (CEFR-levelled) 
• Pictures to help you understand the story 
• Fun exercises to help you learn and practise English 
 
With the print book, you can get even more help online: 
• Read the book online 
• Listen to the book being read out loud 
• Get lesson plans for teachers 
• Find answers to check your understanding 
 
Note: online resources not available with the eBook.

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