BR02-18 The Adventures of TOM SAWYER

" ' They are grave robbers, Tom! They are going to rob a grave! My father told me about it. The doctor wants a dead body, you see. He cut it up because he wants to learn about--' " (p. 12)

Tom Sawyer is rambunctious boy, and he does not like school instead he loves adventures. Tom Sawyer is climbing out of his bedroom window to meet his friends when other people are sleeping in their bed. Tom, Joe Harper and Huckleberry Finn are best friend, have an exciting time every day.

It was first time to read the story for me, but it was exciting!

[118 words]

Twain Mark. (2000) The Adventures of TOM SAWYER OXFORD BOOKWORMS LIBRARY: Oxford University Press

BR 02-17 MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS

" ' She's afraid of me, and she hates me too. She hates me because I am beautiful, and she is not; because I had three husbands, and she never married."(p. 2)

This story was not written by Mary Queen of Scots. The writer was Bess Curle who is a her chamberlain. There is story about Mary Queen of Scots in this book.

The Queen of Scots returned from France when she was young, then her husband was died. And unfortunately for her, England have ruled by Elizabeth I then. And then The Mary Queen of Scots
was confined in Fotheringhay Castle in England with her a chamberlain and some maids...

The story was written in plain English, so it is very easy for us to read and understand this contents. At first, I could not be interested in this book as the story is history of England and about the Mary Queen of Scots. But, it is reader-friendly version, font and text, that means it is reader-friendly pages, so I was gradually interested in the story.

[193 words]

Vicary Tim. (2000). Mary Queen of Scots OXFORD BOOKWORMS LIBRARY: Oxford University Press

BR 02-16 Mystery Mansion

" Loud moans rang out from Mystery Mansion, deep in the marshes, and a glowing, yellow mist curled around its walls." (p.3)

Mystery Mansion is a place of dark secrets and terrifying nightmares. Harry the boot boy tries to ignore them all and get on with his job until he finds himself caught up in an adventure more scary than any nightmare.

The book contains 10 chapters and their after story. There were a lot of scary monsters, for example there were some living dead monsters (Zombies), skeleton bones, bats and big wolf. There were some pictures at intervals of one page. Therefore you can understand the stories very well.

[121 words]

Sims Lesley. (2004) Mystery Mansion. USEBORNE YOUNG READING London; Usborne

BR 02-15 The Snow Queen

" 'Let's show it off to the angels.' " (p. 4)

Gerda and Kay are best friends, until Kay suddenly changes. Then he is kidnapped by the wicked Snow Queen and everyone thinks he is lost forever. But Gerda is determined to rescue him.

Follow her, in this retelling of the classic tale by Hans Christian Anderson, as she sets out on a lonely, dangerous quest to the frozen north.

The Snow Queen is in series two of Usborne Young Reading, which combines good stories with easy reading text. Developed in consultaion with Alison Kelly, Senior Lecturer at the University of Surrey Roehampton, series two is for readers who are growing in confidence. For readers who have just started reading alone, try the exciting stories in series one.

[140 words]

Anderson Hans. (2004). The Snow Queen. USEBORNE YOUNG READING: SERIES TWO London: Usborne

BR 02-14 Frog and Toad Together

" 'Because,' wailed Toad,  'running after my list is not one of the things that I wrote on my list of things to do!'" (p. 14)

Have you ever read this series of "Frog and Toad"? They have been translated into Japanese. So I think that large segment of the population have had a chance to read them when they were kindergarten pupil or early elementary school student. This is because they have been very popular with young children all aver Japan.

Two frogs are featured in this volume. One of them, main character, is Toad who is red frog, short and yellow streak. And he like his friend very much. Frog is his friend's name. He is rain frog, taller than Toad and like Toad.  More than anything, unlike Toad, he is very brave. Therefore he always help and treats Toad with gentle patience.

There are five stories in this book. I especially like second story because Toad wanted to have own garden as he saw Frog, his best friend, has grown plants in his garden. And then he planted the flower seeds. He had thought that the flowers come up any second, so he walked up and down around his garden. Then Frog came and told him that "Leave them alone for a few days. Let the sun shine on them, let the rain fall on them." Therefore Toad do something for his flower. I felt it was very cute. I want you to do read it.

[260 words]

Lobel Arnold. (1972). Frog and Toad Together. New York: Harper Collins

BR 02-13 New Zealand

"The Maori are famous for their woodcarving. When they arrived in New Zealand, they found large trees everywhere." (p. 11)

New Zealand is in the south Pacific Ocean, along way from anywhere. Australia is the closest country and that is two thousand kilometres away. New Zealand is isolated and this makes it special. This isolation changes everything. New Zealand's history, the weather, the way its people are and the trees, flowers and animals that you can see.

New Zealand is made up of two large islands - the North Island and the South Island, and a much smaller island, Stewart Island. It is about the same size as the United Kingdom, but it has only four million people. The United Kingdom has sixty-one million people. There are almost a million young people under fifteen in New Zealand.

I have been to New Zealand last spring vacation. I enjoyed home-stay in Auckland where locates in North Island for a month. And my friends and I went somewhere, for example we went to Hot Water Beach, Rotorua and so many. I recommend you going to Rotorua because there is Waimoto Carves. They are very brilliant!(the picture). It was great. It really got to me! You must go there to see them before you die!

[223 words]

Johnson Margaret. (2009) Madrid; Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

BR 02-12 MR BEAN

" 'Americaaaaaa!!' shouted Mr Bean at the airport. 'I am going to Americaaaaaa!!'" (p. 4)

Do you know "Mr Bean"? I think that all Mr Tomei's student of speaking class know it because professor Tomei showed the movie of Mr Bean.

It is comedy story  series which is very famous in the world, and it is British story. Therefore sometimes a lot of places appear in this film. Mr Bean is main character, and he hardly speaks in the movie, but he can tells fun of the story.

This book is written about one day at Grierson Art Gallery....

Nobody in the room liked Mr Bean. They all wanted him to leave the gallery, why? What was wrong with the man? He only had to sit in one of the rooms in the gallery all day and watch the paintings. He was not very good at his job. He usually fell asleep, but why did they all hate him?

I want you read this book without anybody else because I guess that you absolutely can't stop laughing. It was written by British English, so it is bit difficult to read, but it is good chance for you to touch British English.

[211 words] 

Curtis Richard and Driscoll Robin (2000) Harow: Person Education

BR 02-11 Night Museum

" 'He is drinking!' Larry cried. Water went through T-Rex's bones and onto the floor. 'I do not believe this. He can move! He is alive!' Larry ran. T-Rex followed." (p. 14)

Larry is main character of this story. He has no money, no car and no job. He wants a new job to meet his son, Nicky, and to pay for his flat. Nicky is Larry's son, and lives with his mother,Erica, and her new husband, Don who is rich and has a great job.

Larry always changes his flat because he has no money for it, so Erica thinks that "It is not good for Nicky"and she tells Larry that "You get a job, otherwise you do not see Nicky." He was very sad to hear that.

And then he get a new job, but he hear that the job is hated by somebody from Debbie who finds jobs for people. He did not understand what she wanted to tell him.

His new job is night guard, and there are three old night guards there, Cecil, Gus and Reg. Cecil is a head of them, and he took Larry to explanation about the museum and the job. After that he gave Larry a peace of paper and told him that "You must read it before your work." But he did not read it...

Suddenly he woke up. It was very late. He looked around him, then there was not T-Rex. "Where is T-Rex?" he thought and then cried because the T-Rex drunk water....

There is actually American Museum of Natural History in Manhattan, New York. It is very near Central Park like in the films. It opened in 1869. The father of President Roosevelt and some other people started it. The filming of this story was shot there.

This story was very interesting for me. There are two or three movies today, but I have never watched them, so I wanted to watch during winter vacation.


[346words]


Goldman　Leslie. (2008) Night Museum Mary Glasgow Magazines London : Scholastic

BR 02- 10 Welcome to Narnia : the lion, the witch and the wardrobe

"As Lucy moved toward the back of the wardrobe, she felt a cold wind. 'What was going on?'" (p. 8)

There were four children in the Pevensie. Older sister was Susan, Peter, two brother; Edmund and younger sister was Lucy. The Pevensie family never dreamed that a magic wardrobe would change their lives...

One day, Lucy who is the youngest in the Pevensie find out the secret inside the wardrobe as the first Pevensie. She and her two brothers and a older sister were playing hide-and-seek at their house. Lucy dashed inside a wardrobe in an otherwise empty room. As Lucy moved toward the back of the wardrobe, she felt cold wind. Unbelievable, she came to the world of Narnia.

She went back her house, and told her brothers and sister about Narnia. But they did not believe in Narnia, but they would visit Narnia, too.

There are seven The Narnia stories. And this book is a first part of them. And they has also been made into some movies until now. As you can fun, please read or watch them.

[200 words]




 Frantz Jennifer. (2005) Welcome to Narnia : the lion, the witch and the wardrobe New York : HarperCollins, c2005

BR 2-09 William Shakespeare

" 'Mr Shakespeare, you are the best playwright in England. I enjoyed your play, and I thought that Sir John Falstaff was very funny. I have known like him. Will you write me another play?' said the Queen. " (p. 26)


Have you ever read or watched 'Romeo and Juliet', 'Phantom of the Opera' or 'Hamlet'? Shakespeare wrote them, and he was very famous playwright in England.


Nearly 400 years after William Shakespeare'e death, people are still enjoyed his plays and poetry. Year after year there are new books about his life and his works, the Royal Shakespeare Company performs the plays in theaters in Stratford, London, and around the country, and there are new versions on the radio, on television, and on film.


Shakespeare's plays are performed all over the world, and in many different ways. There are Italian operas and American musicals- West Side Story was based on Romeo and Juliet. There are many famous films, including a Russian Hamlet and a Japanese King Lear. A film in 1999, called Shakespeare in Love, gave us a picture of Shakespeare as a young man in London, writing Romeo and Juliet, falling in love, and living life to the full. The film was a great success. William Shakespeare has not been forgotten.




Bassett Jennifer (2000) William Shakespeare OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS Oxford : Oxford University Press, 2000

[225 words]

BR 2-08 The Phantom Opera

" 'Quick! Quick! Close the door! It's him!' Annie Sorelli ran into the dressing-room, her face white."(p. 1)

Do you believe in ghosts? I do not know about whether you believe in the existence of them or not, this book, The Phantom of the Opera, was written about the phantom who located a Opera house where located in Paris.

The story's stage is the opera house in Paris in 1880. The Phantom of the Opera lives somewhere under the Opera house. The ghost is a man whith black evening coat, and has yellow face without his nose and eyes instead there are three black holes on his face. Everyone is afraid of the Phantom-the shingers, the dancers, the derectors, the stage workers, the orchestra and so on...

The first original story was written by a Frenchman, Gaston Leroux, in 1911. He was writter, and investigated into some strange affair which were happening in the Opera house, and then he writed this story. His book was very popular, and in 1925 it was made into as American silent film, with the great Lon Chaney as the Pantom. Since then, there have been many other films and plays, and, most recently, the famous British musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber. A theatrical company,Gekidan Shiki, have also been playing in Japan.

This book was written in easy English and big characters with some pictres, so you can read it easily. Therefore I reccomend you.

Bassett Jennifer. (2000) The Phantom of the Opera OXFORD BOOKWORMS LIBRARY Oxford; UNIVERSITY PRESS Stage 1

[261 words]

BR 2-07 ANNE of GREEN GABLES

" 'Oh! Anne! What have you put in this cake? Marilla cried.'" (p. 20)

Life in the sleepy village of Avonlea is never boring after Anne Shirley comes to live with the Cuthberts. They wanted to adopt an orphan boy to help with the farm work at Green Gables. But instead, they get Anne who has ginger hair and freckles on her face and who never stops talking.

She is a loving child, but she is always in trouble. THere is the visit from Mrs Lynde, then the vicar's wife, and the trouble with her hair...

Have you ever watched the movie or TV drama of this story? The stage is Prince Edward Island in Canada. It was Lucy Maud Montgomery's hometown, and she got an idea from the article of taking a girl for a boy at the time. This author became famous and poplar by Anne series which contains seven books and was written about Anne's life from childhood to after graduated college.

I have watched it on DVD few years ago, but I hate it because the person who played Anne was a great actor. I seem like real Anne, she could not stop talking or was in some troubles.


Mongomery M. L (2000) ANNE of GREEN GABLES OXFORD BOOKWORMS LIBRARY Oxford; UNIVERSITY PRESS Stage2

[220 words]

BR 2-06 SHERLOCK HOLMES

"I must find out more before I tell you"(p.10)

When we think of a detective, we think of Sherlock Holmes. Some might visualized "Mei-tantei Conan" who is a comic character. (but, he was an adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle who is author of Sherlock Holmes) Even now, a hundred years after the first story about him, he is still the greatest detective of all.

The story about him stage is U.K., so a great number of tourrist still go to Baker Street, in London, to see the place where he had his flat in the stories. There were films about him, pictures of him - we all know what he loocked like, we all know whta kind of clothes he wore at the time.

This book contains some short stories about him, and they were writen by  John H. Watson who was a doctor and Sherlock's pal.

There are some pictures and explanations, and it was writen in easy English, so I guess that you can read easily, and then it makes you interesting.

Doyle Conan Arthur. ; retold by Clare West (2000). SHERLOCK HOLMES OXFORD BOOKWORMS LIBRARY Oxford: UNIVERSITY PRESS Starge 2

[196 words]

BR 2-05 ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND

" 'We are all mad here, you know,' said the Cheshire Cat. 'I am mad. You are mad.' "(p. 21)


Have you ever watched or read "Alice's adventures in wonderlasnd"? The story was turned into a lot of movies again and again. The Disney version and "Alice in wonderland" ,who was made by Walt Disney Pictures, are very famous in the world at the present moment.  Especially, later one became famous by 3D. But it is not same as the original Alice because it is the sequel to the original one.

'ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND' was written by Lewis Carrol in 1885. His real name is Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, and the story was created by him as a fairy tale for three children, Lorina Liddell, Alice Liddell and Edith Liddel. Each of three girls were model of Alice in the story. After that he gave the story as a Christmas gift to Alice, and I published it next year.

The story opens with reading a book with Alice's older sister at their garden. When  Alice was very borling, a rabbit having a poket watch with green vest went by Alice. Alice was surprised because the rabbit run like a human. And she chased the strange white rabbit, and then she fell down into a pit....

It is one of a lot of stories I like in Disney. The story is very strange, but some characters that appeared in it is so unique!! Therefore I believe that you cannot like the story. Please read it.

Carroll Lewis. (2000). ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND OXFORD BOOKWORMS LIBRARY Oxford: UNIVERSITY PRESS

[268 words]

My favorite book

My favorite book is the Harry Potter series. I think it is very famous all over the world today, and the series was translated from British English into various languages. I have read the series written in Japanese at the very least eight times. It is interested for me to read. So I want to read it written in English next time. The series was written by J.K. Rowling who is once a poor British woman, and the series was structured by seven volumes. The main character,Harry Potter, is a normal boy and he lives with his uncle's family,that is the Dursley. But one day, a man who is like a giant visited Harry when it was Harry's birth day. Therefore he knew that he is a wizard... And then he entered Hogwarts where he will learn to use magic from great wizards This series was written about Harry's life at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. These story already made into some movies until now. The last one is a film in 3-D. 

[181 words]

BR 2-04 THE WIZARD OF OZ

"The Witch said 'Go and see the Wizard of Oz. He is a good wizard, and perhaps he can help you. It is long way, and you must walk there. I can't go with you, I can give you my kiss.' " (Baum, 1998, p. 6 ).

I think that you know the story or the title of the book, as it is very famous story in the world. Perhaps some have never heard its mane. As it was written by easy and simple English, and it is an enjoyable book, I want you who have never red the story to read it.

There are Dorothy who is a girl and Toto that is a small dog as main characters. Oneday, a cyclone hit and blew her house with Dorothy and Toto. Then, the house touched down other place where Dorothy has never been to. And then they met three strange people and a witch. They told her how to go back Kansas. It was going to wizard of Oz and ask him. It was the moment the journey which she looks for wizard of Oz started.

Dorothy and Toto met some strange things which are not people, but they alive things on the them way. And then the party left heading for Emerald City where Oz lives. They were faced with some difficult problems, but they got over them difficulties somehow. At long last they arrived the Emerald City and they met the wizerd of Oz.....

The first I read the story, I thought that it like "Momotaro" because Dorothy gathered her pals, and they came through a lot of difficulties, but the end of story is not same. It is not so much 'The broth of them not same' as but 'The end is different'.

The author of the book is Lyman Frank Baum was born in Chittenago New York State. His first job was an actor, but also wrote for newspapers and for the theater. He had four children, and like to tell them stories, so in 1897 he wrote his first children's book. He was soon very successful, and in 1900 the Wonderful Wizard of Oz came out.

Baum Lyman. (1998). THE WIZARD OF OZ [OXFORD BOOKWORMS LIBRARY Stage 1] Oxford: OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS

[375 words]

BR 2-03 This is London

Have you bee to London? This book, This is London, introduces you to some area of  London. The reason why I chose the book is I love London, and  I want to go there.

The story of the book is divided into five capters, and each capters tell you various aspect of those areas. Of cause it introduses you to place where is famouse tourist attraction. For example, it was writen about Soho, Covent Garden, Centre area, River Thames, Tower of London, Big Ben, London eye, Buckingham Palace, Westminster and so many.

I want you read the book and love London.

And this book has 1450 words which are very easy, so you can read it easily.

Prowse Philip. (2006). This is London [MACMILLAN READERS] Oxford : Macmillan Heinemann ELT

[129 words]

BR 2-02: A Christmas Carol

" 'A Merry Christmas, uncle,' said Scrooge's nephew, Fred, coming into the cold dark office. 'Bah!' replied Scrooge. 'Humbug!' He really hated Christmas."(Dickens, 2002, p6)

Do you know the story of 'A Christmas Carol' ? This story is British fairy tale, and very famous story of Christmas. It was translated from English into various language.  Of cause it was made into a lot of movies, including Disney.

It is first time, I read it this time, and I was thought a lot things by this book. For example 'What is true happiness for me?' 'What is family love?' 'What is kind?' and so on.

The main character, Ebenerzer Scrooge, is very cold-blooded fellow, egoist and scrooge(it means miser). He hates "happy" , "people",  "everything", but likes only money. The day before Christmas eve, his ex-coworker,Jacob Marley, who already dead come to Scrooge  to preach. After he disappear, three fairys of Christmas, and show him other "happy" Christmas....

In my opinion, the story is like a Aesop's Fables because it has some lessons. I want you thinking something through this story. You can get something without fail.

[185 words]

BR 2-01 Aladdin and the Enchanted Lamp

"Abanazar took some powder out of a box, and put it on the fire. He closed his eyes and said, 'Abracadabra!'"(Judith, 2008, p. 9).

You can find the story of Aladdin in many place, in books, in the theater, in bedtime story, and in films. There is a famous Disney film of Aladdin, but that is a very different story from one in this book.

There was a boy called Aladdin in a city in Arabia. He lived with his mother in little and dirty house nearby the market and they were very poor, so his mother worked all day and everyday. However Aladdin played with his friends all day and everyday instead of worked and then earned money.

One day, a man, Abanazar, talked to him and said "I am your uncle, and I am a rich man so I want to help you" And he give a lot of money. But he is not Aladdin's uncle, in fact he is a magician of Morocco....

I think that this story has some difference from story what you know one. In fact, it is very different story from Disney film. For example there are two jinnees in this story. One of them appear from a ring, and the another appear from a lamp. Of cause main character, Aladdin, is different. I disliked him on it because he was so lazy boy! There are lot another difference points still, so you will compare this one and Disney film.

Judith.D, author of this book, wrote this book with simply words. Therefore you easily read yet it has 5240 words. It is a piece of cake for you to read.
Please challenge it!

{272 words}

Dean Judith.  (2008). Aladdin and the Enchanted Lamp [THE OXFORD BOOKWORMS LIBRARY, Stage 1]. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

BR 01-12 The Swan Princess

Reference Hans Christian Andersen

There were princess Eliza and her eleven brothers in the country. They were perfectly happy. It had been until their father marries a woman who is secretly a witch. The witch is so nasty and dreadful. Determined to get rid of the children, the witch turns the brothers into swans. But Eliza is harder to deal with.  

(57 words)