Galaxy Chase: This amusing spoof on intergalactic adventures has two robots (the good guys) and a slug (the bad guy). The baddie is on the run – pursued by the robots. There are explosions and all sorts of silly business before the surprise ending. (543 words) Themes: Courage, Persistence (Zip Stage 4) (Flesch grade 1.7) (Lexile 220)
	Good Dog: Paddy the dog has appeared, and the children love him. But their father won’t let him stay. They hide him. Then the real adventure starts. There is an island in the river, a flash flood and the river rises. Can Paddy save the day? (1088 words) Themes: Ingenuity, Forgiveness, Kindness (Zip Stage 4) (Flesch grade 2.8) (Lexile 320)
	Finders Keepers: Jake finds a silver coin on the seashore. It accidentally releases Captain Sirhoy (a crazy pirate) from a three hundred year old curse. Now however Jake’s stuck with him. Jake has to be creative to solve the problem of his strange new friend. (990 words) Themes: Problem solving, Helping others, Unselfish acts (Zip Stage 5) (Flesch grade 3.4) (Lexile 640)
	Old Minty: Billy’s playing with his best friend Minty, the cattle dog, when he’s bitten by a snake. What next? Will Minty take the news back to Billy’s father in time? Will Billy survive? Don’t worry – there’s a happy ending. (766 words) Themes: Friendship, Keeping cool in emergency situations, Problem solving (Zip Stage 6) (Flesch grade 4.8) (Lexile770)
	The Pirates’ Cave: When Bruce and Ginger find a cave full of what appears to be pirate treasure they are secretly delighted. But is it really contraband treasure, or something more ordinary? And since the tide is coming in, will they be endangered? Another surprise ending. (650 words) Themes: Courage, Initiative (Zip Stage 6) (Flesch grade 4.7) (Lexile 590)
	Dr Wow: Billy’s Uncle Harry is a crazy inventor. His latest gadget is a time machine. Billy reluctantly allows himself to go into the past, with frightening results, and then into the future, with equally surprising sights and challenges. How will it all end? (1068 words) Themes: The power of science, problem solving (Zip Stage 5) (Flesch grade 3.1) (Lexile 350)
	Dr Wow in Atlantis: Billy accepts Uncle Harry’s invitation to go with him to find the legendary city of Atlantis. Harry has built a submarine which teleports to a chosen location. All very well, but things don’t go as smoothly as Harry expects – there are frightening surprises all along the way. (1224 words) Themes: The power of science, problem solving (Zip Stage 5) (Flesch grade 3.4) (Lexile 400)
	Live Dinosaur Tour: Billy and Lydia, while on a museum tour, sneak away through a mysterious door, and find their way into a live dinosaur park. A tour is running. There they meet up with all sorts of dinosaurs, including a frightening T-Rex. Exciting, educational and full of startling adventures. (805 words) Themes: Courage, Ingenuity, Lots of detail about dinosaurs (Zip Stage 6) (Flesch grade 5.5) (Lexile 560)
	Lost in the Rainforest: Matthew and Jade are on a plane that makes a crash landing in the rainforest. There they encounter snakes, ants, strange and threatening creatures of all kinds, but also kindly natives who help them after their frightening adventure. It all ends well, of course. (894 words) Themes: Courage, Endurance, Tolerance (Zip Stage 6) (Flesch grade 6.1) (Lexile 650)
	The Eye of the Idol: Luke is amazed to find a map detailing the whereabouts of the fabulous temple with a golden idol. Off he goes to find the idol. There are clues, Indiana Jones style adventures (waterfalls, crocodiles, caves) and a bad guy who wants the treasure for himself. (1071 words) Themes: Courage, Ingenuity (Zip Stage 5) (Flesch grade 2.5) (Lexile 210) This story is more complex than the readability measure suggests.
	The Forgotten Pharaoh: Luke is in the Valley of the Kings when he chances on a clue leading to the lost tomb of a forgotten pharaoh. Again there are clues, and lots of hair-raising adventures (underwater rivers, scorpions, booby traps) and a surprise ending. (1083 words) Themes: Courage, Ingenuity (Zip Stage 5) (Flesch grade 2.6) (Lexile 270) This story is more complex than the readability measure suggests.
	Lucky Luke and the Pirate’s Prize: Luke is on the trail of Blackbeard’s treasure in this rollicking yarn (which forms a trilogy with “The Eye of the Idol” and “The Forgotten Pharaoh”). Luke has to brave an underground lair, skeletons, fire, water, sharks and more if he is to find the elusive loot. (1645 words) Themes: Courage, Ingenuity (Zip Stage 8) (Flesch grade 5.9) (Lexile 590)