This series of short plays for six readers, half of them written by me and half by other authors, was one of my major projects as Children’s Laureate.

Here is a link to me introducing the plays on the publisher Pearson’s website.

The idea is to read the play aloud, then keep swapping the parts until all six readers are confident with the new words. Then you can perform a rehearsed reading to the rest of the class.

Bug Club "Plays to Read" were winners in the British Book Design Awards because “they combined imagination and innovation to truly reflect the educational requirements of the targeted age group. This resulted in an exciting and interesting developmental package for both teacher and pupil to enjoy in the teaching and learning experience.”

They can be bought in packs from Pearson’s website, but since they are also fun for children to read at home, my local bookshop is now stocking single signed copies of all of the ones written by me. Here they all are, in age-graded order:

Key Stage 1

The Last Egg
The Sockosaurus
Planet Emerald
Missing Milly
Best Friends
Don’t call me Mum!
All Gone!
The Hare and the Tortoise
Frog Fight
The Billy Goats Gruff
The Best Bet
Tricking the Tiger
Doctor, Doctor!
Goha and the Shoes
Goha and the School Quiz
The Noises Next Door
The Fish in the Tree
The Genie
The Smell of the Cakes

Key Stage 2

Step inside a story
Contains two plays.

The other plays in the series are by Steve Barlow, Vivian French, Damian Harvey, Alison Hawes, Catherine MacPhail, Geraldine McCaughrean, Mary Moore, Sally Prue, Frank Rodgers, Steve Skidmore and Jeanne Willis.

Teachers can find out more on Pearson’s website.