Collins Big Cat supports every primary child on their reading journey from phonics to fluency. Top authors and illustrators have created fiction and non-fiction books that children love to read. Book banded for guided and independent reading, there are reading notes in the back, comprehensive teaching and assessment support and ebooks available.


Alex lives in a big city in a high-rise flat, far, far away from his dad who is away working on a research trip on a remote island. The story is told in the form of letters, emails and postcards Alex and his Dad send each other while they are apart. We gradually piece together their thoughts and feelings about their lives in different parts of the world in this moving story by Helen Dineen.


Lime Plus/Band 11+ books provide challenging plots and vocabulary as well as opportunities to practise inference, prediction and reading stamina.


Pages 46 and 47 allow children to re-visit the content of the book, supporting comprehension skills, vocabulary development and recall.


Ideas for reading in the back of the book provide practical support and stimulating activities.

Illustrated by: Marina Pérez Luque
Prepared for publication by: