Sam the elephant and Tim the hippopotamus think that they are more powerful than Tim the tortoise. When Tim thinks of a clever plan involving a game of tug of war, will they both be proved wrong? This retelling of a fable is written and illustrated by the award-winning author-illustrator Matt Buckingham.




Collins Big Cat Phonics Progress books are specifically designed for struggling readers, giving them age-appropriate texts that they can read, building their confidence and fostering positive attitudes towards reading. This title has a text level of Band 1B / Pink B, which offers emergent readers simple, predictable text, and an interest level of Band 8 / Purple.
Text type: A retelling of a traditional story
Children can recap the main events of the story on pages 14 to 15.
Curriculum links: Citizenship

Series edited by: Kay Hiatt
Prepared for publication by: