Collins Big Cat is a guided reading series for ages 4--7 edited by Cliff Moon. Top children's authors and illustrators have created fiction and non-fiction books that your children will love to read, banded to help you choose the right book for every child. Practical teaching notes are included at the back of each book. It was Pirate Captain Codspawn's birthday. But what was his birthday surprise? It wasn't the beetles in the butter. It wasn't the spiders in the sugar. And it wasn't the special pirate pie that Cook had baked. But it was the best present a pirate could ever want! This humorous story shows that small mishaps can sometimes lead to glorious surprises! The vibrant cartoon illustrations give expression to the funny situations the pirates find themselves in. Pages 14 and 15 feature a recipe for pirate pie, with ingredients that would test the stomachs of even the most bloodthirsty pirates. Gold (Band 9) fiction books offer developing readers literary language and stories with distinctive characters.