Collins Arabic Big Cat is a guided reading series for ages 3 to 11. The series is structured with reference to the learning progression of Arabic at nursery and primary schools researched especially for Collins. This carefully graded approach allows children to build up their reading knowledge of Arabic step by step.

Level 5 books are for children who are ready to read stories with more challenging word patterns or non-verbal sentences with 2 or 3 words, and with total support through illustrations and extensive use of repetition. Double spacing is used between words to ensure children see where each new word in a sentence begins and ends to ensure the focus remains on reading core words.

What are they painting? Two little monsters are painting spots, stripes, squares, zigzags and triangles. But where are they painting? Finally the reader discovers that the little monsters have actually been painting the shapes on their sleeping mum!

Pages 14 and 15 show the fully painted mum-monster, so children can recap what the little monsters painted.

I'm 38 and live in South West London with my husband, James, 8 year old daughter, Mackey, and two cats Barnaby and Basil. As well as writing children's stories, I edit other people's and teach piano and flute to all sorts of individuals. Quite a long time ago I was in the British Sailing Team and windsurfed all over the world. When I was too tired to carry on, I worked editing feature films for 8 years until Mackey was born, when I realised that what I really wanted to do was write stories!