Pan Macmillan English Primary School Brochure by Macmillan Education South Africa

Reading for Enjoyment

English class readers for Primary Schools

English Home Language and First Additional Language readers to encourage reading in the classroom.

A Friend for all Seasons

ISBN: 9781776253302

Preschool and Foundation Phase

A new family has moved in next door. Vuyo can see them from his bedroom window. The mom is dancing, the dad is laughing, the dog keeps wagging its tail … Why does the little girl look sad?

A lyrical book about friendship and kindness that encourages young children to accept and support others.

Also available in Afrikaans (9781776253326), isiXhosa (9781776253364), isiZulu (9781776253340) and Sepedi (9781776253388).

As Long As It’s Not a Dog

ISBN: 9781776253265

Preschool and Foundation Phase

Tim’s birthday is around the corner and he knows exactly what he wants … a dog! Unfortunately, his parents have other ideas. They think dogs are noisy, messy and lots of work. What will Tim ask for, for his birthday? An electric guitar? A pet python? A motorbike? Or maybe he can come up with a plan to make his parents change their minds … Tim’s birthday wishes will have toddlers – and their parents – in stitches!

How Do You Feel?

ISBN: 9781838990251

Preschool and Foundation Phase

How Do You Feel? is a first book about emotions for young children. It is designed to introduce children to how they may feel in different situations and to help them recognise what these feelings are. Each spread follows four animal characters as they visit the doctor’s, go to the swimming pool, and experience other scenarios. As well as a simple story to read, this book also allows children to discuss with their parents how they might feel by placing the face cards into a die-cut on every spread. The face cards are contained in a clamshell on the cover so they can be used again and again as children grow. This book is also available in Afrikaans (9781776252503), isiXhosa (9781776252510) and isiZulu (9781776252527).

How to Stop a Train

ISBN: 9781776253708

Preschool and Foundation Phase

When Mohandas Gandhi is thrown off a train one day, it marks the beginning of a journey. A journey to put an end to the unfair treatment of Indian people in South Africa. A journey to teach everyone that you can change the world without using violence. A journey to make the world a better place. A long journey that begins with one small word: No.

In this book, young readers are introduced, in an engaging and accessible way, to one of South Africa’s – and the world’s – greatest and bravest heroes, the remarkable Mahatma Gandhi.

Let’s Play

ISBN: 9781776251780

Preschool and Foundation Phase

From the bestselling author of We are One and You are Loved comes a lyrical picture book about using your imagination, making the most of every day and above all embracing the urge to play! Let’s play encourages children to dream big, to discover their environment and to be creative through playing.

Filled with diverse characters in proudly South African settings, this book is sure to inspire children to make up their own stories, challenge themselves to try new games and have tons of fun with their friends.

This book is also available in isiXhosa (9781776251827), isiZulu (9781776251841) and Sepedi (9781776251865).

Remarkable Me

ISBN: 9781776252879

Preschool and Foundation Phase

Remarkable me is an empowering book of positive affirmations for brown boys. This book teaches boys to embrace and celebrate their unique talents and interests, while encouraging them to dream big and to be creative.

Build confidence and resilience from a young age with easy-to-follow rhyming text and bright inclusive illustrations that reflect proudly South African children.

This book is also available in Afrikaans (9781776252893), isiXhosa (9781776252930), isiZulu (9781776252916) and Sesotho (9781776252954).

The Girl with 21 Questions

ISBN: 9781776250622

Preschool and Foundation Phase

Once upon a time there was a girl who loved asking questions. Why? Where? When? How? What? Who?

When everyone grew sick and tired of all her questions, the girl decided to search for the answers to all her questions elsewhere – in books! And before long she started telling her own stories …

An empowering story about the power of books and stories.

This book is also available in Setswana (9781776250646), isiZulu (9781776250684) and Afrikaans (9781776250660).

We are One

ISBN: 9781776250417

Preschool and Foundation Phase

We may look different you and I, sound different, act different, eat different food, and live in different places but when I look into your eyes, I see myself.

A comforting and lyrical book about friendship and Ubuntu that celebrates both our differences and similarities. Free worksheet activities are available.

This book is also available in Afrikaans (9781776250400) and isiZulu (9781776250424).

You Are a Wish

ISBN: 9781776251124

Preschool and Foundation Phase

This warm, lyrical picture book tells the story of different adoptive families. It’s the perfect starting point for parents who want to discuss the topic of adoption, and it helps children to understand that every family is special – even though we may not look the same. The author’s royalties from the sale of this book will be donated to Engo, a nonprofit non-governmental organisation that provides support to individuals and families, and is involved in facilitating adoptions and offering support to adoptive families.

This book is also available in Afrikaans (9781776251100).

Wonderfully Made

ISBN: 9781776251179

Preschool and Foundation Phase

Empowering and inspiring, Wonderfully Made is a book of positive affirmations for brown girls of all shades, sizes and shapes. This book teaches girls to not only embrace, but to truly celebrate their unique appearance and talents, while encouraging them to dream big and to be creative. Build confidence and resilience from a young age with easy-to-follow rhyming text and bright inclusive illustrations that reflect proudly South African children.

Also available in Setswana (9781776251230), isiXhosa (9781776251216) and isiZulu (9781776251391)

You are Loved

ISBN: 9781776250523

Preschool and Foundation Phase

Athandwa’s heart is different. For as long as she can remember, her heart sings. At first it scares her. Why is she different from her family and friends? But when she tries to silence her heart, she discovers a secret … and a special song. A song that Mama, Gogo and Koko also know.

You are loved is a lyrical story about accepting the things that make us unique and celebrating the intergenerational love that lifts and protects us.

This book is also available in isiZulu, Sepedi and Afrikaans.

Zandi’s Song

ISBN: 9781776252657

Preschool and Foundation Phase

Zandi dreams of the big blue ocean and bright colourful fish even though she lives far away from the sea and hasn’t learnt to swim. One day the sea gives her a gift that changes everything. Zandi goes on an adventure full of amazing discoveries but something is threatening this magical world … is the key to protecting it buried in stories from the past?

An empowering and inspiring story about our connection to the natural world, following your dreams, and caring for the environment.

This book is also available in Afrikaans (9781776252671), isiXhosa (9781776252718), isiZulu (9781776252695) and Sesotho (9781776252732).

Croc & Pickle

Foundation Phase

Reading is fun with Croc and Pickle!

This fun-filled series is the perfect starting point to nurture a life-long love of reading.

Learning to read is one of the biggest adventures any child can embark upon and Croc and Pickle are the perfect friends to accompany them on this journey!

Level 1–2 of this popular reading series by Jaco Jacobs uses simple words and short sentences to give young readers the confidence to read stories on their own.

The series is bright and beautifully illustrated in a cartoon style by Nadia du Plessis. The two unlikely friends, a grumpy crocodile and an optimistic cucumber will charm and delight young beginner readers immediately.

ISBN Title

LEVEL 1

9781776252268 Pickle in a jam (Level 1 Book 1)

9781776252282 Croc ate my sock! (Level 1 Book 2)

9781776252305 Ice surprice (Level 1 Book 3)

9781776252329 Run, Croc, run! (Level 1 Book 4)

9781776252343 Let’s make a mess! (Level 1 Book 5)

9781776252367 Not that kind of book (Level 1 Book 6)

9781776252381 Jelly beans (Level 1 Book 7)

9781776252404 I want to fly (Level 1 Book 8)

9781776252428 That’s not funny! (Level 1 Book 9)

9781776252442 Lots of spots (Level 1 Book 10)

ISBN Title

LEVEL 2

9781776253425 Wait a minute! (Level 2 Book 1)

9781776253449 Treasure hunt (Level 2 Book 2)

9781776253463 Marshmallows on toast (Level 2 Book 3)

9781776253487 I want to be a bee (Level 2 Book 4)

9781776253500 This is not a box (Level 2 Book 5)

9781776253524 Pickle the rapper (Level 2 Book 6)

9781776253548 I don’t like cake (Level 2 Book 7)

9781776253562 The hurly-burly bird (Level 2 Book 8)

9781776253586 I don’t believe in elephants (Level 2 Book 9)

9781776253609 Please don’t sneeze! (Level 2 Book 10)

InvestiGators

ISBN: 9781529054378

Grade 2–4 (Home Language)

Grade 3–5 (First Additional Language)

Mango and Brash are the InvestiGators: sewer-loving agents of S.U.I.T. and scourge of supervillains everywhere! With their Very Exciting Spy Technology and their tried-and-true, toilet-based travel techniques, the InvestiGators are undercover and on the case! And on their first mission together, they have not one but two mysteries to solve! Can Mango and Brash uncover the clues, crack their cases, and corral the crooks? Or will the criminals wriggle out of their grasp?

InvestiGators: Off the Hook

ISBN: 9781529066098

Grade 2–4 (Home Language)

Grade 3–5 (First Additional Language)

Sewer-loving secret agents Mango and Brash fight for the GATOR good in this zany adventure that will have readers HOOKED! The InvestiGators are the best crime-fighting duo in the world. But not even their hi-tech training programmes can prepare them for the return of their greatest nemesis, Crackerdile, in a shocking new form! Even worse, he’s creating a team of super villains! Faced with the choice between saving themselves or catching the crooks, can Mango and Brash make sure the gator good prevails?

InvestiGators: Take the Plunge

ISBN: 9781529066067

Grade 2–4 (Home Language)

Grade 3–5 (First Additional Language)

Mango and Brash are the InvestiGators: sewer-loving agents of S.U.I.T. and scourge of supervillains everywhere! In their next big adventure, S.U.I.T. headquarters is under attack, and Mango and Brash are going undercover and underground disguised as city sewer workers to unclog a sticky situation. But when their search for the criminal Crackerdile backfires, the toilets they travel through get blocked and the InvestiGators take the blame for it! Can Mango and Brash restore their good name and put the real culprit behind bars before the whole city is in deep water?

Know my name

ISBN: 9781776250721

Grade 3–5 (Home Language)

Grade 4–6 (First Additional Language)

Rorisang and her twin brother Mo must start the school year at a new school after their mom decides that the family needs to get out of their comfort zone. The twins have attended the school across the road since they were toddlers. All their friends are there, and their dad is best friends with the headmaster. The new school is far from their house, the extramural activities that are on offer are unfamiliar and the ones that Rorisang used to excel at in her old school are dominated by kids far better than her. Luckily Rorisang makes new friends quickly, learns to play softball and performs a praise poem at the Eisteddfod. She even survives the long trips in the car with her pest of a brother!

A heartwarming story that celebrates family and friendship and finding your voice amidst change.

The book is also available in isiZulu (9781776250868) and Afrikaans (9781776250745).

Part of a Team

ISBN: 9781776251599

Grade 3–5 (Home Language)

Grade 4–6 (First Additional Language)

Morena loves his new school! There are so many fun extramural activities and games to play that he and his friends have set up their own championship. Before school starts and at break Morena and his friends plays marbles, cards, soccer and shoot hoops. After school they take the soccer online or jump into go-karts. Morena is determined to get all the points!

But it isn’t just sports that he excels at; he can come up with a rap song on the spot and has a hilarious idea for an assignment that involves bringing your favourite traditional food to school. He can’t wait to see the teacher’s reaction after the whole class experiences the effects of eating samp and beans!

If there’s one thing Morena takes seriously it is being the captain of his school’s softball team. He is good at pitching and his twin sister Rorisang is an excellent batter. But their team keeps losing! Morena isn’t scared of a challenge – he’ll try his best at any game to be a superstar. How can he help his team to do their best?

A heart-warming story that celebrates family, friendship and working together.

The book is also available in isiZulu (9781776251636), isiXhosa (9781776251650) and Afrikaans (9781776251612).

Long Walk to Freedom

ISBN: 9781529069297

Grade 3–5 (Home Language)

Grade 6–8 (First Additional Language)

Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela is the amazing story of a true hero of our times; his famous biography has been specially adapted for children in a beautiful illustrated picture book format.

Discover how a little boy whose father called him “troublemaker” grew up to fight apartheid, become South Africa’s first black president and campaign for freedom and justice throughout the world.

Adapted by poet Chris van Wyk and illustrated by South African artist Paddy Bouma, with an introduction from Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Long Walk to Freedom introduces children to the life of one of the world’s most beloved leaders.

The book is also available in Afrikaans (9781776252244), isiXhosa (9781776252473), isiZulu (9781776252466) and Sesotho (9781776252251).

Zack Attack!

ISBN: 9781776250004

Grade 3–6 (English Home Language)

Grade 5–7 (First Additional Language)

Zucchini Street is a street just like any other street.

Okay, maybe not quite. After all, it’s the street where Zack Berry lives. And whether he’s doing marvellous magic tricks, starting his own newspaper or making desperate plans to get out of the school play –wherever Zack is, there’s always loads of fun, adventure and mischief!

• Three fantastic, funny stories in one book!

• Translated from the extremely popular Zackie Mostert series, of which more than 80 000 copies have sold.

Zack is Back!

ISBN: 9781776250028

Grade 3–6 (English Home Language)

Grade 5–7 (First Additional Language)

Zucchini Street is a street just like any other street. Okay, maybe not quite. After all, it’s the street where Zack Berry lives. And whether he’s hunting ghosts, making plans to become the neighbourhood’s superhero or playing rugby – wherever Zack is, there’s always loads of fun, adventure and mischief!

• Three fantastic, funny stories in one book!

• Translated from the extremely popular Zackie Mostert series, of which more than 80 000 copies have sold.

Born a Crime: Edition for young readers

ISBN: 9781770106598

Grade 4–6 (English Home Language)

Grade 5–7 (First Additional Language)

Adapted for younger readers from Born a Crime: And Other Stories –the #1 South African and New York Times bestseller

‘If my mother had one goal, it was to free my mind. My mother spoke to me like an adult. She was always telling me stories, giving me lessons, Bible lessons especially. She was big into Psalms. I had to read Psalms every day. She would quiz me on it. “What does the passage mean? What does it mean to you? How do you apply it to your life?” That was every day of my life. My mom did what school didn’t. She taught me how to think.’

The Bookshop in the Clouds

ISBN: 9781776250806

Grade 4–6 (English Home Language)

Grade 5–7 (First Additional Language)

Welcome to Head In The Clouds. It’s Ella’s favourite shop on Earth. A place full of magic, where wonderful things can happen to you. A place where you can buy second-hand books smelling of mystery and adventure and daydreams (and a teeny, tiny bit of sweaty socks, to be completely honest). Between the shelves awaits an adventure that will change Ella’s life forever … if she’s brave enough. Someone is trying to make sure that the bookshop closes for good, but Ella and her friends are not going to allow that, not even if their lives are in danger. And who knows, perhaps they will receive help from an unexpected source – all bookshops are magical and so are the books they keep …

Grandpa Zombie

ISBN: 9781776250066

Grade 4–7 (English Home Language)

Grade 6–8 (First Additional Language)

Alex’s grandpa has grey hair and false teeth and he loves watching travel shows on television. But then he suddenly develops an interest in BRAIIINNNSSS!

Grandpa is turning into a zombie and if Alex wants to rescue him before the Zombie Squad shows up, he’ll need to come up with a plan (and heaps of broccoli). Their travels to find a cure take them across Africa – from Zambia to Egypt – and along the way they meet a range of interesting and wonderful characters.

Free Workbook/Teacher’s Guide with questions and activities are available.

Waldo and the Werewolf with the red Takkies

ISBN: 9781776252534

Grade 5–7 (English Home Language)

Grade 6–8 (First Additional Language)

Waldo and Connie live in the same block of flats – and they are puzzled because strange things keep happening in their neighbourhood. Lots of pets are going missing and Waldo is seeing things … things that don’t really exist!

A wet, slimy ball of hair leads to an unforgettable (and dangerous) adventure – one that will leave you howling …

Waldo and the Dragon with the green Tongue

ISBN: 9781776252558

Grade 5–7 (English Home Language)

Grade 6–8 (First Additional Language)

Waldo and Connie are hot on the trail of a burglar. A rare item has been stolen from an antique shop. Can Waldo use his mysterious new talent to get it back?

Soon the two friends are part of an adventure that leads to a secret that is centuries old and needs to be guarded at all costs.

Waldo and the Mermaid with the blue Hair

ISBN: 9781776252572

Grade 5–7 (English Home Language)

Grade 6–8 (First Additional Language)

Waldo and Connie decide to investigate a strange incident at the aquarium. The secret they uncover is even greater than they imagined possible … can they help the owners of the aquarium to keep it hidden safely?

And who is the mysterious person that is following them? Is it someone who wants to protect them or someone they should be afraid of?

Enjoy this collectable adventure series from bestselling author Jaco Jacobs – now with sprayed edges.

Waldo and the Vampire with the yellow Raincoat

ISBN: 9781776252596

Grade 5–7 (English Home Language)

Grade 6–8 (First Additional Language)

Waldo is convinced that Connie is in grave danger. What else could his vision mean? And who is the girl in the yellow rain coat that was following him around? Will she reappear, and what does she want?

The answers to these questions will change Waldo’s life forever …

The Highland Falcon Thief

ISBN: 9781529013061

Grade 6–7 (English Home Language)

Grade 7–8 (First Additional Language)

Adventures on Trains is a major mystery series from bestselling authors M.G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman. First stop, The Highland Falcon Thief, is a breathless train journey full of deceptions, puzzles and clues to solve.

Harrison Beck is reluctantly joining his travel-writer Uncle Nat for the last journey of the royal train, The Highland Falcon. But as the train makes its way to Scotland, a priceless brooch goes missing, and things are suddenly a lot more interesting. As suspicions and accusations run high among the passengers, Harrison begins to investigate and uncovers a few surprises along the way. Can he solve the mystery of the jewel thief and catch the culprit before they reach the end of the line?

Hear whispers in the dining car, find notes in the library, and unknown passengers among the luggage as you help Harrison to solve the mystery aboard one of the world’s grandest trains. Fast-paced and packed with illustrations and clues, Adventures on Trains is a stop you won’t want to miss!

Kidnap on the California Comet

ISBN: 9781529013085

Grade 6–7 (English Home Language)

Grade 7–8 (First Additional Language)

Board the California Comet and help Harrison Beck to solve another heart-stopping mystery in the second Adventures on Trains story, Kidnap on the California Comet, from bestselling authors M.G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman.

After the excitement of his adventures aboard the Highland Falcon, Harrison Beck can’t wait for the opportunity to go on another amazing train journey. So when his Uncle Nat invites him aboard the California Comet, the iconic three-day train journey from Chicago to San Francisco, he leaps at the chance to travel. But when the daughter of billionaire entrepreneur August Reza goes missing en route, Hal finds himself with another mystery to solve. Can he uncover the kidnapper before the journey’s end?

An adrenaline-fuelled journey across America in the second mystery adventure in the major Adventures on Trains series.

Murder on the Safari Star

ISBN: 9781529013108

Grade 6–7 (English Home Language)

Grade 7–8 (First Additional Language)

Join Hal and Uncle Nat as they plunge straight into an exciting mystery – this time while on Safari!

All-aboard for the third amazing journey in the bestselling Adventures on Trains series, Murder on the Safari Star, from M. G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman, illustrated throughout by Elisa Paganelli.

Harrison Beck and his Uncle Nat are on the journey of a lifetime aboard the Safari Star – a luxurious steam train that will take them from Pretoria to the stunning Victoria Falls. Close encounters with the amazing animals and landscape of Southern Africa are adventure enough, but things get mysterious when a passenger is found dead inside a locked compartment. Is it just a terrible accident or is something more suspicious afoot? It’s up to train detective Hal and his new friend Winston to find out.

Sabotage on the Solar Express

ISBN: 9781529072655

Grade 6–7 (English Home Language)

Grade 7–8 (First Additional Language)

Billionaire train enthusiast August Reza has invited Harrison Beck and Uncle Nat on the maiden voyage of the Solar Express – the winning design of his Reza’s Rocket competition. But during the journey, they discover the train has been sabotaged, hurtling passengers into a heartstopping, action-packed, thrill ride across the Australian Outback. Can Hal find the saboteur and stop the runaway train before disaster strikes?

Sabotage on the Solar Express can be read as a stand-alone novel, or enjoyed as part of the Adventures on Trains series. Join Hal and Uncle Nat on more stops in this thrilling series with: The Highland Falcon Thief, Kidnap on the California Comet, Murder on the Safari Star, and Danger at Dead Man’s Pass

Danger at Dead Man’s Pass

ISBN: 9781529013122

Grade 6–7 (English Home Language)

Grade 7–8 (First Additional Language)

A mysterious letter from an old friend asks Hal and Uncle Nat to help investigate a spooky supernatural mystery. Legend has it the Kratzensteins, a family of rich and powerful railway tycoons, are cursed, but there is no such thing as a curse, is there …? Hal and Nat take the night train to Berlin and go undercover. From a creaking spooky old house at the foot of the Harz mountains, they take the Kratzenstein family’s funeral train to the peak of the Brocken Mountain. Can Hal uncover the secrets of the Brocken railway and the family curse before disaster strikes? Danger at Dead Man’s Pass can be read as a stand-alone novel, or enjoyed as part of the Adventures on Trains series. Join Hal and Uncle Nat on more stops in this thrilling series with: The Highland Falcon Thief, Kidnap on the California Comet, Murder on the Safari Star and Sabotage on the Solar Express

When the sky falls

ISBN: 9781783449651

Grade 6–7 (English Home Language)

Grade 7–8 (First Additional Language)

1941. War is raging. And one angry boy has been sent to the city, where bombers rule the skies. There, Joseph will live with Mrs F, a gruff woman with no fondness for children. Her only loves are the rundown zoo she owns and its mighty silverback gorilla, Adonis. As the weeks pass, bonds deepen and secrets are revealed, but if the bombers set Adonis rampaging free, will either of them be able to end the life of the one thing they truly love?

Inspired by a true story.

Hatchet

ISBN: 9781509838790

Grade 6–7 (English Home Language)

Grade 7–8 (First Additional Language)

There was a wild crashing sound, a ripping of metal, and the plane blew through the trees, out over the water and down, down to slam into the lake …

Brian is a city boy. Not used to living rough. Until his plane crash-lands in the Canadian wilderness. All he has is a hatchet – and a desperate will to survive. Now Brian must learn to live the hard way – or die.

A Quiet Kind of Thunder

ISBN: 9781529037586

Grade 7–8 (Home Language)

Steffi doesn’t talk.

Rhys can’t hear. They understand each other perfectly.

Love isn’t always a lightning strike. Sometimes it’s the rumbling roll of thunder …

Steffi has been a selective mute for most of her life – she’s been silent for so long that she feels completely invisible. But Rhys, the new boy at school, sees her. He’s deaf, and her knowledge of basic sign language means that she’s assigned to look after him. To Rhys it doesn’t matter that Steffi doesn’t talk and, as they find ways to communicate, Steffi finds that she does have a voice, and that she’s falling in love with the one person who makes her feel brave enough to use it.

When you Dream

ISBN: 9781776250707

Grade 7–8 (Home Language)

Every great dream starts with a dreamer. Megan’s dream is to build a light aircraft with other teenagers and fly it from Cape Town to Cairo. Her aim is to inspire children in other African countries to follow their dreams. In 2018 twenty inexperienced teenagers from various backgrounds were provided with hands-on experience in engineering and building an aircraft. They assembled a Sling-4 aircraft from start to finish within three weeks, under the guidance and supervision of a group of senior engineers. When they eventually take to the air more than a year later, 17-year-old Megan and her co-pilots undertake a journey full of adventure and nail-biting moments. They fly over war-torn Sudan, in Egypt they almost land in jail, and officials refuse to give them permission to fly over Kenya. But at last, the triumphant team reaches Cairo … just for tragedy to strike a few days later while the team are on their way back to South Africa. Megan’s father and his co-pilot die when their support plane crashes near Tanzania. Megan however refuses to let her dream be compromised by this tragedy. Her dad would not have wanted that. After writing her record exams, she and two of her co-pilots retrieve their plane and complete the flight back to South Africa.

When you dream is based on true events and is a story of courage, commitment, hope AND pain. An adrenaline filled adventure that might sound far-fetched … if it wasn’t for the fact that it is true.