Soccer Stars

An Original Playbook® Story
Written by: Dianna Cleveland
Illustrated by: Liliane Grenier
Edited for Multi-Level Readability by: Patricia and John Fine, Retired Teachers

Luis loves soccer, as does everyone in Mexico! But for Luis, it was his life, and his greatest dream was to someday play for Mexico in the World Cup. He believed he was the best player on the team, but no one else seemed to notice! His coach, his teacher, and everyone in town only seemed to be interested in Alejandro. Alejandro's grandfather had been a great soccer player-so what! And Alejandro had invented a special kick-big deal! Luis was jealous so Luis did something drastic to take the attention off Alejandro. But he caused more damage than he could have imagined and his envy was replaced with a horrible sense of guilt. His grandmother talked to him about forgiveness, but Luis was certain that this time there was no way out. How could the townspeople, and especially Alejandro, ever forgive him?
Story Length: 4,499 Words
64 bound pages (fully illustrated-paperback size)
Download Pages to Print: 39
Download File Size: 981 kb

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Questionella and the Perfect Prince:
A Fairy Tale of Multiple Choices

Written by: Gregory Brown and Kim Brown
Illustrated by: Liliane Grenier

Long ago, in the enchanted kingdom of Think-a-lot, lived a young girl named Questionella. Her loving stepmother dreamed her stepdaughter might one day have a chance for a better life, and she knew that going to college was the way towards fulfilling those hopes. As fate would have it, King Tassel decides to throw a ball so he can select one lucky lass to study with his son at the Royal University! Questionella is elated about this opportunity for a scholarship … until she discovers she will have to pass a test to have a chance! Still, with the help of her bookworm friend, Lil’ Confidence, a wacky unemployed Tooth Fairy, and a Town Crier who really cries, Questionella makes it to the palace. Will our heroine learn how to choose the correct multiple choice answer when ALL of the four choices say “choose me?” Can Questionella really pick the perfect prince in her final multiple choice challenge? Readers will not only have fun answering these questions … they will also learn definitive test-taking strategies as this fairy tale unfolds.


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Surfing at Sunrise

An Original Playbook® Story

Written by: Eric Namisniak
Illustrated by: Matthew Leigh Dalton
Edited for Multi-Level Readability by: Jan Abbott, 5th Grade Teacher

Tensions are high in the beach-city of San Pedro. Surfers are practicing for the upcoming surf competition where the best surfers could possibly receive sponsorships. This story is about one particular surfer named Cody. He and his best friend, Kristie, have been practicing for quite some time in hopes of winning the competition. Derek and Chad, a couple of bullies, are the only two people standing in their way. Because of the rivalry and bad feelings that exist between these two pairs, they can't even stand to be at the same beach together. Cody desperately wants to win the competition. Then Cody's uncle, Kana, teaches him the family surfing motto. It certainly gives Cody a new outlook on surfing, but will it help him win the competition? This story contains fun surfing lingo and slang, which appear in bold throughout the story, as well as a glossary at the end defining these cool words.
Story Length: 4,279 Words
60 bound pages (fully illustrated-paperback size)
Download Pages to Print: 29
Download File Size: 1,219 kb

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Same old, same old .. a wicked witch who wants revenge, a beautiful girl with long, blonde braids imprisoned in a tower, and a handsome prince who climbs up to rescue her. Right? Wrong!!! In this modern adaptation, you'll find out how computers and a spunky hairdresser can thwart true love's path.
Story Length: 5,005 Words
54 bound pages (fully illustrated-paperback size)
Download Pages to Print: 30
Download File Size: 1,164 kb

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Sherman the Shy

An Original Playbook® Story
Written by: Patricia Fine
Illustrated by: Liliane Grenier

It’s time for Prince Sherman to choose a bride, but that’s actually the last thing he wants to do. In the first place, he’s horribly shy. He can’t even talk to girls, let alone think about marrying one. Also, the girls who are always flocking around him are only interested in him because he’s a handsome prince. He wishes he could find a girl he could talk to who would like him for who he is, but apparently that sort of girl just doesn’t exist. To get away from it all, he heads out by himself to go camping in the woods. Unfortunately, he’s not a very good camper and ends up falling down a deep hole. It seems like his life only goes from bad to worse until he’s rescued by the very girl he’d always hoped to find. Except, of course, he can’t marry her because she’s not royalty. Will Prince Sherman ever find happiness? They say love always finds a way!
Story Length: 21,111 Words
128 bound pages (fully illustrated-paperback size)
Download Pages to Print: 72
Download File Size: 1,145 kb

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Mission Humanity

An Original Playbook® Story
Written by: Elizabeth Burke
Illustrated by: Stephen Anderson

Mission Humanity is a futuristic science fiction story about a family living on Planet Luna in the year 2084 under the rule of a dictator who has outlawed the ideas of family identity, individuality, and even names! People are to be known by letters and numbers only and to function as members of a governmental machine. One family dares to oppose this tyranny, but it's a dangerous undertaking. Worse yet, it seems that the younger members of the family have already been indoctrinated into this sterile and heartless form of existence. Will the family be able to pull together to overcome this oppression, or is it already too late? Does the younger generation still retain enough of their humanity to want to join their family against this cruel dictator?
Story Length: 11,381 Words
128 bound pages (fully illustrated-paperback size)
Download Pages to Print: 72
Download File Size: 1,145 kb

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The Railway Children

A timeless tale adapted to Playbook® Format
Retold by: Stephanie Comella and Margaret Ann Webber
I llustrated by: Lisa Burson and Liliane Grenier

Roberta, Peter, and Phyllis had always had a normal, happy family life, living with their parents in a nice house in the suburbs. Suddenly, without any warning whatsoever, the children's father was whisked away, taken by two strange men who disappeared into the darkness of night. Not only that, but the children immediately discovered they would have to leave their childhood home for a new life in the country near the railroad. This new chapter in their lives also included one very special train passenger, one who could possibly bring back their father. Adapted from the classic story by Edith Nesbit.
Story Length: 14,693 Words
98 bound pages (fully illustrated-paperback size)
Download Pages to Print: 46
Download File Size: 657 kb

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Sundance Finds a Cigarette

An Original Playbook® Story
Written by: Jan Abbott
I llustrated by: Bret Berndes

Sundance, that curious yellow-striped kitten is back. He's growing up, and so is his master and friend, Ryan, who is now thirteen. Ryan is small for his age, just like Sundance, and he wishes he looked older. When Ryan's friend, Jimmy, tries to get him to smoke, telling him it will make him look more mature, Ryan decides to try it. Of course, Sundance also gets involved and the drama begins. With a little creative help from the other two cats in the family, both cat and boy not only come to understand the dangers of cigarettes, but also learn important truths about the process of growing up.
Story Length: 6,436 Words
58 bound pages (fully illustrated-paperback size)
Download Pages to Print: 28
Download File Size: 564 kb

I'm Not With Them

An Original Playbook® Story
Written by: Sharon Brinkerhoff
I llustrated by: Dina Skeels

Life had never been easy for Carlos. His father died early, falling victim to the alcoholism that plagued his life. His mother and her five children were left in poverty. Carlos looked up to his brother, Diego, and wanted to fit in with his crowd, but he found himself in situations where the peer pressure was too great. Fortunately, Carlos had a gift, a rare and special talent that always helped him deal with difficult times. He was an artist, and through his abstract painting, he not only found a release for his emotions, but had already started to gain the respect and admiration of the art world. Would Carlos give in to the urge to follow the crowd, or would his artistic drive be strong enough to help him say, "I'm not with them." This story deals with teenage drinking including some graphic detail.
Story Length: 11,494 Words
74 bound pages (fully illustrated-paperback size)
Download Pages to Print: 35
Download File Size: 724kb

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Behind the Waterfall

An Original Playbook® Story
Written by: Diana Alexander

Life was good for Lee and Diana. On the flight back from the best vacation of their lives, they realized they were finally living their dreams. It was only when the plane suddenly plummeted into the cold depths of the sea that the dream ended and the nightmare began. In the frantic scramble to board the two lifeboats as the plane sank into the dark waves, Lee became separated from his family, his last memory being their faint cries as the waves swept them away. After days of floating with the tide, both rafts found refuge on uncharted tropical islands. Diana and her children were fortunate to land on an island with plentiful natural resources. When they discovered a surprisingly habitable cave behind a waterfall they had the foundation they needed to confront this new existence with zeal. Lee had not been so lucky. He, together with the only other family that hadn't perished in the crash, became trapped on a small, barren island where mere survival was nearly impossible. Although Lee was with others, he felt completely alone. Sometimes, as he suffered through each long, painful day, he imagined he saw smoke swirling up from a distant point.... Two sets of castaways, only twenty miles apart, would they ever see each other again?
Story Length: 19,688 Words
110 bound pages (fully illustrated-paperback size)
Download Pages to Print: 54
Download File Size: 652 kb

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Around the World in 80 Days

A timeless tale adapted to Playbook® Format
Retold by: Margaret Ann Webber
I llustrated by: Antonio Nilo

This story chronicles the adventures of an Englishman, Phileas Fogg, who takes on a seemingly impossible wager: traveling around the world in 80 days. The year is 1872, and Fogg, along with his helpful and loyal sidekick, Passepartout, uses every form of transportation imaginable to aid in his quest. As he races around the world, he's pursued relentlessly by a determined private detective who somehow manages to track his every move. Join Fogg as he visits Egypt, India, Hong Kong, the American West, and many other colorful locations by way of railroad, carriage, steamer, pilot-boat, and other even more unusual conveyances.
Story Length: 11,685 Words
78 bound pages (fully illustrated-paperback size)
Download Pages to Print: 41
Download File Size: 720 kb

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