Dominoes

English graded readers series for upper-primary / lower-secondary

Inside Dominoes (61)

Dominoes Two The Bird of Happiness and Other Wise Tales Pack

Tim Herdon

What is the secret of happiness, or the best thing for a wife to take with her when she leaves home?

How does a man pay for the smell of bread, or decide if he is lucky?

What happens when a friend steals a gift meant for you, or is careless when he tries to make his dreams of a better life come true?

How can you change dirt into gold, or get what you want?

The eight wise tales in this collection can teach us some important lessons about life.

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Dominoes Two The Bird of Happiness and Other Wise Tales

Tim Herdon

What is the secret of happiness, or the best thing for a wife to take with her when she leaves home?

How does a man pay for the smell of bread, or decide if he is lucky?

What happens when a friend steals a gift meant for you, or is careless when he tries to make his dreams of a better life come true?

How can you change dirt into gold, or get what you want?

The eight wise tales in this collection can teach us some important lessons about life.

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Dominoes Three The Vesuvius Mosaic Pack

Joyce Hannam

'We have some wonderful mosaics in Pompeii, but I've never seen a better one than this!'

After the young Roman mosaic designer Felix starts work in Pompeii, his whole life changes. There he falls in love with the beautiful Greek slave Agathe, who can see into the future.

When the volcano Vesuvius sends hot ash over the city, Felix - and Agathe's brother Alcander - ride to the port of Misenum for help. But will they reach admiral Gaius Plinius in time, and will they ever see Agathe alive again?

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Dominoes Three The Vesuvius Mosaic

Joyce Hannam

'We have some wonderful mosaics in Pompeii, but I've never seen a better one than this!'

After the young Roman mosaic designer Felix starts work in Pompeii, his whole life changes. There he falls in love with the beautiful Greek slave Agathe, who can see into the future.

When the volcano Vesuvius sends hot ash over the city, Felix - and Agathe's brother Alcander - ride to the port of Misenum for help. But will they reach admiral Gaius Plinius in time, and will they ever see Agathe alive again?

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Dominoes Three Hard Times Pack

Charles Dickens
Text adaptation by Susan Kingsley

Thomas Gradgrind believes that facts and money are more important than feelings and imagination. After Cissy Jupe - a circus child - is left alone in the world, Gradgrind takes her into his house, looking after her and teaching her facts with his own children Tom and Louisa. Some years later the Gradgrind family meets hard times. Louisa becomes a prisoner in a loveless marriage, and Tom has problems at work.

In the end, Thomas Gradgrind learns the importance of feelings and imagination.

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Dominoes Three My Family and Other Animals Pack

Gerald Durrell
Text adaptation by Bill Bowler

The weather in England that summer had been so awful that Gerald's mother sold the family house and took her children to live on the Mediterranean island of Corfu. Between lessons, the ten-year-old Gerald was free to walk round the sunny island and discover the wonderful people and animals living there.

This is the story of Gerald's adventures with the fascinating animals of Corfu, and, of course, with his surprising family and their friends.

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Dominoes Two Typhoon Pack

Joseph Conrad
Text adaptation by Tim Herdon

'There's some bad weather out there,' Captain MacWhirr said to himself just before he sailed his ship, the Nan-Shan, into the middle of the most terrible storm in the South China Sea.

The typhoon brings out the best in some men on the ship, and the worst in others.

Can MacWhirr bring the ship through the storm safely?

And what will happen to all the poor Chinese workers travelling home down in the ship's hold?

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Dominoes Three Mansfield Park Pack

Jane Austen
Text adaptation by Clare West

'Why shouldn't we offer to take care of her? She could live with us at Mansfield.'

In this way Mrs Norris persuades her sister, Lady Bertram, and Lady Bertram's husband, Sir Thomas, to ask their poor niece Fanny Price to live with them at Mansfield Park.

At first Fanny is unhappy there. Then, after she makes friends with her young cousins, things improve. But what happens when the cousins are older, and starting to think of love?

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Dominoes Two The Drive to Dubai Pack

Julie Till

When his father is arrested in Dubai, Kareem has to move fast. He must show that his father is not a thief and prove that his family is honest. For Kareem is going to marry the beautiful and intelligent Samira Al-Hussain, and she could never marry someone from a bad family.

So Kareem and his brother get to work quickly - with a little help from Samira.

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Dominoes Two Nicholas Nickleby Pack

Charles Dickens
Text adaptation by Tim Herdon

When his father dies a poor man, Nicholas Nickleby goes to London with his mother and sister, Kate. He hopes for help from his rich Uncle Ralph. But Ralph Nickleby is only interested in making money.

So Nicholas takes a teaching job at Dotheboys Hall - a terrible school belonging to Mr Wackford Squeers. There he helps a poor boy called Smike who has no one to look after him.

Leaving Dotheboys, Nicholas makes both friends and enemies on his journey towards better things. But will Smike, who travels with him, ever find the happy family life that he so dearly wants?

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Dominoes Starter Hercules Pack

Retold by Janet Hardy-Gould

Hercules is the strongest man in the world, but one day he does something very bad.

The priestess at Delphi tells him: 'The gods are angry with you. For twelve years you must work for King Eurystheus, and do twelve tasks for him. When you finish, the gods can forgive your crime.'

Some tasks are easier, and some tasks are more difficult. Can Hercules finish all twelve of them? And what happens when he does?

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Dominoes Two Emma Pack

Jane Austen
Text adaptation by Barbara Mackay

Emma Woodhouse is beautiful, clever and rich. She lives alone with her father, and spends a lot of her time thinking about future husbands - for her friends. When she meets Harriet Smith, a poor girl with no family, Emma decides that she must find a husband for her. Harriet is pleased to be Emma's friend - but will Emma's matchmaking make Harriet happy?

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Dominoes Two Ariadne's Story Pack

Joyce Hannam

'When he went home to Athens, the great prince Theseus left me on the island of Naxos. But why did he leave me? Everyone says that he was tired of me. But when we met, I was the princess of Crete and the most beautiful woman in the Aegean Sea.'

Ariadne's story is one woman's tale of secret love, adventure and of escape - both from danger and from a life that she wanted to leave far behind her - many years ago in Ancient Greece...

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Dominoes Three Hard Times

Charles Dickens
Text adaptation by Susan Kingsley

Thomas Gradgrind believes that facts and money are more important than feelings and imagination. After Cissy Jupe - a circus child - is left alone in the world, Gradgrind takes her into his house, looking after her and teaching her facts with his own children Tom and Louisa. Some years later the Gradgrind family meets hard times. Louisa becomes a prisoner in a loveless marriage, and Tom has problems at work.

In the end, Thomas Gradgrind learns the importance of feelings and imagination.

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Dominoes Three My Family and Other Animals

Gerald Durrell
Text adaptation by Bill Bowler

The weather in England that summer had been so awful that Gerald's mother sold the family house and took her children to live on the Mediterranean island of Corfu. Between lessons, the ten-year-old Gerald was free to walk round the sunny island and discover the wonderful people and animals living there.

This is the story of Gerald's adventures with the fascinating animals of Corfu, and, of course, with his surprising family and their friends.

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Dominoes Two The Drive to Dubai

Julie Till

When his father is arrested in Dubai, Kareem has to move fast. He must show that his father is not a thief and prove that his family is honest. For Kareem is going to marry the beautiful and intelligent Samira Al-Hussain, and she could never marry someone from a bad family.

So Kareem and his brother get to work quickly - with a little help from Samira.

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Dominoes

Second Edition

English graded readers series for upper-primary / lower-secondary

Bill Bowler and Sue Parminter

Dominoes are carefully graded from Starter Level to Level Three according to the Bookworms syllabus.

Build your language skills through reading Dominoes, the interactive readers series.

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Dominoes Two Ariadne's Story

Joyce Hannam

'When he went home to Athens, the great prince Theseus left me on the island of Naxos. But why did he leave me? Everyone says that he was tired of me. But when we met, I was the princess of Crete and the most beautiful woman in the Aegean Sea.'

Ariadne's story is one woman's tale of secret love, adventure and of escape - both from danger and from a life that she wanted to leave far behind her - many years ago in Ancient Greece...

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Dominoes Two Emma

Jane Austen
Text adaptation by Barbara Mackay

Emma Woodhouse is beautiful, clever and rich. She lives alone with her father, and spends a lot of her time thinking about future husbands - for her friends. When she meets Harriet Smith, a poor girl with no family, Emma decides that she must find a husband for her. Harriet is pleased to be Emma's friend - but will Emma's matchmaking make Harriet happy?

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Dominoes Two Nicholas Nickleby

Charles Dickens
Text adaptation by Tim Herdon

When his father dies a poor man, Nicholas Nickleby goes to London with his mother and sister, Kate. He hopes for help from his rich Uncle Ralph. But Ralph Nickleby is only interested in making money.

So Nicholas takes a teaching job at Dotheboys Hall - a terrible school belonging to Mr Wackford Squeers. There he helps a poor boy called Smike who has no one to look after him.

Leaving Dotheboys, Nicholas makes both friends and enemies on his journey towards better things. But will Smike, who travels with him, ever find the happy family life that he so dearly wants?

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Dominoes One Five Canterbury Tales Pack

Geoffrey Chaucer
Text adaptation by Bill Bowler

The year is 1386 and the first flowers of spring are here. A number of pilgrims are going to Canterbury to visit the tomb of Saint Thomas Becket, and they all tell stories on the way.

Who should be the stronger in a marriage - the husband or the wife? And what happens when two men fall in love with the same woman? In these five stories from Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales we find different answers to these questions from the Knight, the Wife of Bath, the Clerk of Oxford, the Merchant, and the Franklin.

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Dominoes One Macbeth

William Shakespeare
Text adaptation by Alistair McCallum

A dark, rainy day in Scotland, long ago. Returning from battle, Macbeth and his friend Banquo meet three witches. 'Macbeth, the king!' they say, but Macbeth is not a king, he is just a simple soldier.

Macbeth and Banquo cannot forget the witches' words. Soon Macbeth is king, but his wife walks in her sleep at night, and dreams of blood. What lies in the future for Banquo? And how many people must die before Scotland finds peace once more?

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Dominoes One Studio Five

Anthony Manning

Fay loves making The Friends' Hour for Studio Five, but her boss - Jason - is always angry with her. One day, a young man - Simon Jones - phones her show. Soon Fay must find Simon, and work hard to keep her job. Then her best friend - Wing - stops helping her. What can Fay do now? Can she and Wing stay friends?

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Dominoes One Studio Five Pack

Anthony Manning

Fay loves making The Friends' Hour for Studio Five, but her boss - Jason - is always angry with her. One day, a young man - Simon Jones - phones her show. Soon Fay must find Simon, and work hard to keep her job. Then her best friend - Wing - stops helping her. What can Fay do now? Can she and Wing stay friends?

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Dominoes Starter Blackbeard

Retold by John Escott

The year is 1717. It is a bad time to be the captain of a ship in the Caribbean because of pirates. The most frightening pirate on the sea is Edward Teach, or 'Blackbeard'.

'The Governor of Virginia wants us all dead!' Blackbeard thinks. 'But can he kill me - the most famous pirate in the Caribbean? No!'

This is his story...

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Dominoes Starter Blackbeard Pack

Retold by John Escott

The year is 1717. It is a bad time to be the captain of a ship in the Caribbean because of pirates. The most frightening pirate on the sea is Edward Teach, or 'Blackbeard'.

'The Governor of Virginia wants us all dead!' Blackbeard thinks. 'But can he kill me - the most famous pirate in the Caribbean? No!'

This is his story...

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Dominoes Starter Hercules

Retold by Janet Hardy-Gould

Hercules is the strongest man in the world, but one day he does something very bad.

The priestess at Delphi tells him: 'The gods are angry with you. For twelve years you must work for King Eurystheus, and do twelve tasks for him. When you finish, the gods can forgive your crime.'

Some tasks are easier, and some tasks are more difficult. Can Hercules finish all twelve of them? And what happens when he does?

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Dominoes Starter The Happy Prince Pack

Oscar Wilde
Text adaptation by Bill Bowler

The Happy Prince is a beautiful golden statue high up on a column in the city. Everyone loves him.

He feels sad about the city's poor people, but what can he do? He can't leave his column. Then the swallow arrives, and helps the Happy Prince to do many good things.

But what about the swallow's dream of flying to Egypt? And what does the Mayor do when the Happy Prince loses all his gold?

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Dominoes Starter The Tempest

William Shakespeare
Text adaptation by Bill Bowler

Prospero, the Duke of Milan, and his daughter Miranda are far away from home, alone on an island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. They want to return to Milan...

Then, one day, Prospero sees a ship near the island carrying his greatest enemies. Prospero, with the help of his magic and the island spirit, Ariel, makes a magic storm - a tempest - to bring them to the island.

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Dominoes Starter The Tempest Pack

William Shakespeare
Text adaptation by Bill Bowler

Prospero, the Duke of Milan, and his daughter Miranda are far away from home, alone on an island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. They want to return to Milan...

Then, one day, Prospero sees a ship near the island carrying his greatest enemies. Prospero, with the help of his magic and the island spirit, Ariel, makes a magic storm - a tempest - to bring them to the island.

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Dominoes Starter Tristan and Isolde Pack

Retold by Bill Bowler

Tristan and Isolde are in love, but Isolde must marry King Mark. So a happy love story seems impossible...

The lovers meet every day but then, one night, King Mark finds them together. Now Tristan must leave the castle, but he is badly hurt and dying. Only Isolde can help him.

Can Isolde find Tristan in time? Can their love survive?

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Dominoes Three Mansfield Park

Jane Austen
Text adaptation by Clare West

'Why shouldn't we offer to take care of her? She could live with us at Mansfield.'

In this way Mrs Norris persuades her sister, Lady Bertram, and Lady Bertram's husband, Sir Thomas, to ask their poor niece Fanny Price to live with them at Mansfield Park.

At first Fanny is unhappy there. Then, after she makes friends with her young cousins, things improve. But what happens when the cousins are older, and starting to think of love?

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Dominoes Two Eight Great American Tales

O. Henry
Text adaptation by Bill Bowler

What does a poor young woman do when she loses her boyfriend or wants to find one? What little lies do we tell to make ourselves look better in the eyes of those that we love? How can a friend save someone who is sure that they are going to die? What happens when someone's clever plans all go wrong? These sweetly surprising short stories - about both good times and bad - are sometimes sad, and sometimes funny. But all of them are sure to make you think.

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Dominoes Two Eight Great American Tales Pack

O. Henry
Text adaptation by Bill Bowler

What does a poor young woman do when she loses her boyfriend or wants to find one? What little lies do we tell to make ourselves look better in the eyes of those that we love? How can a friend save someone who is sure that they are going to die? What happens when someone's clever plans all go wrong? These sweetly surprising short stories - about both good times and bad - are sometimes sad, and sometimes funny. But all of them are sure to make you think.

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Dominoes Two Typhoon

Joseph Conrad
Text adaptation by Tim Herdon

'There's some bad weather out there,' Captain MacWhirr said to himself just before he sailed his ship, the Nan-Shan, into the middle of the most terrible storm in the South China Sea.

The typhoon brings out the best in some men on the ship, and the worst in others.

Can MacWhirr bring the ship through the storm safely?

And what will happen to all the poor Chinese workers travelling home down in the ship's hold?

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Dominoes Starter The Happy Prince

Oscar Wilde
Text adaptation by Bill Bowler

The Happy Prince is a beautiful golden statue high up on a column in the city. Everyone loves him.

He feels sad about the city's poor people, but what can he do? He can't leave his column. Then the swallow arrives, and helps the Happy Prince to do many good things.

But what about the swallow's dream of flying to Egypt? And what does the Mayor do when the Happy Prince loses all his gold?

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Dominoes Two Lord Arthur Savile's Crime and Other Stories Pack

Oscar Wilde
Text adaptation by Bill Bowler

The three stories in this book are about ordinary people, people like you and me; but they find themselves in surprising situations.

Lord Arthur Savile, a rich man with no enemies, finds out that he must do something terrible before he can marry. Poor young Hughie Erskine gives money to an old beggar - but the beggar is not what he seems. And Lord Murchison falls in love with a mystery woman - but what is the strange secret behind the door in Cumnor Street?

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Dominoes One Macbeth Pack

William Shakespeare
Text adaptation by Alistair McCallum

A dark, rainy day in Scotland, long ago. Returning from battle, Macbeth and his friend Banquo meet three witches. 'Macbeth, the king!' they say, but Macbeth is not a king, he is just a simple soldier.

Macbeth and Banquo cannot forget the witches' words. Soon Macbeth is king, but his wife walks in her sleep at night, and dreams of blood. What lies in the future for Banquo? And how many people must die before Scotland finds peace once more?

Useful and free

Cover

Dominoes One Five Canterbury Tales

Geoffrey Chaucer
Text adaptation by Bill Bowler

The year is 1386 and the first flowers of spring are here. A number of pilgrims are going to Canterbury to visit the tomb of Saint Thomas Becket, and they all tell stories on the way.

Who should be the stronger in a marriage - the husband or the wife? And what happens when two men fall in love with the same woman? In these five stories from Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales we find different answers to these questions from the Knight, the Wife of Bath, the Clerk of Oxford, the Merchant, and the Franklin.

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Dominoes One From the Heart

Alan C. McLean

Anna is a new student at Oxford University. When she arrives in Oxford, she meets Selim, and they become good friends. But Selim is not English, and living in a different country is not easy for him. Anna tries to help but she knows that her father isn't going to like it.

Selim and Anna have each other. But is that enough? And can they find true happiness together?

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Dominoes One From the Heart Pack

Alan C. McLean

Anna is a new student at Oxford University. When she arrives in Oxford, she meets Selim, and they become good friends. But Selim is not English, and living in a different country is not easy for him. Anna tries to help but she knows that her father isn't going to like it.

Selim and Anna have each other. But is that enough? And can they find true happiness together?

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Dominoes One The Teacher's Secret and Other Folk Tales

Retold by Joyce Hannam

Are men cleverer than women? Is a poor man cleverer than a rich man? And what about teachers? Are they always cleverer than their students?

The people in these six well-known folk tales from around the world all want to be clever. But are some of them just stupid?

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Dominoes One The Teacher's Secret and Other Folk Tales Pack

Retold by Joyce Hannam

Are men cleverer than women? Is a poor man cleverer than a rich man? And what about teachers? Are they always cleverer than their students?

The people in these six well-known folk tales from around the world all want to be clever. But are some of them just stupid?

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Dominoes Starter Tristan and Isolde

Retold by Bill Bowler

Tristan and Isolde are in love, but Isolde must marry King Mark. So a happy love story seems impossible...

The lovers meet every day but then, one night, King Mark finds them together. Now Tristan must leave the castle, but he is badly hurt and dying. Only Isolde can help him.

Can Isolde find Tristan in time? Can their love survive?

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Dominoes Two Lord Arthur Savile's Crime and Other Stories

Oscar Wilde
Text adaptation by Bill Bowler

The three stories in this book are about ordinary people, people like you and me; but they find themselves in surprising situations.

Lord Arthur Savile, a rich man with no enemies, finds out that he must do something terrible before he can marry. Poor young Hughie Erskine gives money to an old beggar - but the beggar is not what he seems. And Lord Murchison falls in love with a mystery woman - but what is the strange secret behind the door in Cumnor Street?

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Dominoes Two

Second Edition

Bill Bowler and Sue Parminter

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Dominoes Three

Second Edition

Bill Bowler and Sue Parminter

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Dominoes One

Second Edition

Bill Bowler and Sue Parminter

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Dominoes Starter

Second Edition

Bill Bowler and Sue Parminter

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