The House of the Seven Gables is the home of an important family: the Pyncheons. They have the house and a lot of land, but no money and many problems. Is there a curse on the family? This is a story about money, murder,...

Rip Van Winkle walks into the mountains one day and meets some strange old men. He comes home twenty years later. One dark night, Ichabod Crane is riding home and sees a man on a black horse behind him. The man has no he...

'Penguin Readers' are simplified texts designed to promote reading for pleasure, with activities for improving comprehension and writing skills. Level 1 books are for beginners, with 300 headwords....

Original / British EnglishA girl sees a quiet good-looking boy on the boat to Spain. She loves his shy smile and she wants to see him again. The boy wants to be with her too, but there are problems. Can the boy and the g...

British English Tommy Grant is a taxi driver. One morning his boss telephones him. 'Can you be at the Ritz hotel at 9 o'clock?' he asks. The 12-year-old son of a film star is in London. His name is Dino. 'Be very nice to...

Original / British English Sarah and Jessica arrive in New Zealand for a holiday. They find a mobile phone in the taxi from the airport. It is Michael's mobile, but they can't find him? He has messages from home -- are t...

Simon Simple is going on holiday and the police are looking for a spy. On the train, Simon meets a beautiful girl. He likes her and she likes him. But the spy is there too. Simon and the police can’t see the spy. Can you...

British English Hapu lives in Ancient Egypt. Hapu's father is ill, but they haven't got any money for a doctor. Hapu makes a beautiful necklace for Queen Cleopatra and takes it to her. But a guard says, 'Go home'. How ca...

Pam and Martin visit Cambridge. Pam takes a photo, but a man walks in front of her. Later Martin sees a picture of a man in a newspaper. The police want this man. Is he the same man? And where is he now? Does Pam’s photo...

Marcel is a French mouse, and a detective. One evening, at the Louvre museum, he sees a man steal a famous painting – the Mona Lisa. Marcel follows the thief to Venice and risks his life to get the painting back again....

Maisie King lives in the Bahamas. Her mother and father work at an Animal Hospital. Maisie has a new friend. His name is Ben and he’s a dolphin. Ben is very ill. Maisie helps him. Then Maisie has a big problem. Can Ben h...

Original / British English Joanna Jimbuku is a nurse in Australia. She works with a Flying Doctor. One day a baby is very ill. Joanna takes the baby to Sydney. It's her first visit to a big city, and she loves it. Does s...

Hannah loves her job on old Mr Duval's small boat. The boat takes people to the beautiful coral reef every day. Then a rich man arrives with a big new boat. Suddenly, there isn't any work for Hannah and Mr Duval. Then th...

American English (Available February 2008) O. Henry's stories are very famous. He writes about New York, Texas, Oklahoma ... Money and love are often problems. But how is a story going to finish? You never know. Readers ...

On the beach near Nick’s home there is a surfing competition with a big prize. Nick is a very good surfer. He wants to win the prize and go to Australia. But Nick’s father is not happy. Can Nick win the competition and g...