16. William and the Spell — Adam Coleman, illustrated by Alex Brychta and Korky Paul, with photographs by the British Library
Published as part of the Oxford Reading Tree’s Stage 9 More Jackdaws collection, William and the Spell is a playful reading experience that combines storytelling, imagination, and lessons about everyday habits.
William has a few problems. He watches too much television, neglects to clean his room, and leaves his homework until the last minute. Hoping to encourage him to read and become more responsible, his mother takes him to the library to find some information books for his homework.
While waiting for his mother, William wanders into the children’s section. He becomes so distracted by the books that he accidentally bumps into a bookshelf, causing a picture book to fall on his head.
The book is titled Gary and the Television, and its story sounds suspiciously familiar.
Gary is a clever, popular boy who does well at school, keeps his room clean, and helps around the house. But when his mother buys a television, his habits begin to change. He becomes so obsessed with watching television that he neglects practically everything else.
Eventually, Doctor Magic appears on the television screen and transforms Gary into a television himself.
Gary regrets his behavior and promises never to watch television again. Doctor Magic explains that television isn’t inherently bad, provided that Gary doesn’t spend all his time watching it. Unfortunately, there’s a small complication: the next pages of the spellbook have been torn out, leaving the story without an ending.
William is determined to discover what happens next. After his mother suggests that he make up his own ending, he eagerly takes on the challenge.
I liked this story because it combines a relatable problem with a creative solution. Excessive screen time is something many people can recognize in their own lives. Television, smartphones, and other gadgets can be useful and entertaining, but they can also become distractions when they begin to replace our responsibilities and real-world experiences.
Gary’s transformation makes that problem wonderfully ridiculous. Instead of simply being told to stop watching television, he experiences an exaggerated consequence that makes the lesson memorable.
I also enjoyed the fact that William gets to complete the story himself. Rather than passively consuming another person’s ending, he uses his imagination to create one of his own.
Would I recommend it? Yes. It’s an entertaining and educational story that encourages readers to reflect on their screen habits while also showing how reading can inspire creativity.
The Wizard’s Day Off
The book also includes another story, The Wizard’s Day Off, which follows a young apprentice named Hans.
Every Wednesday, the wizard takes a day off and leaves Hans in charge of the shop. Hans is still learning magic and must study the wizard’s spellbook every morning. However, he isn’t allowed to use magic without the wizard’s supervision.
His apprenticeship comes with quite a few responsibilities. He has to do the housework, cook meals, and take care of the dog, all without using magic to make his chores easier.
One Wednesday, the wizard leaves for a haircut and expects Hans to finish all the housework before he returns.
Unfortunately, Hans gets distracted by a comic and falls asleep. When he finally wakes up, he realizes that the wizard will soon be home and that he hasn’t completed any of his tasks.
In a panic, Hans decides to use the spellbook to speed things up. But because he is inexperienced and rushing, he mixes up the spells, creating an enormous mess.
By the time the wizard returns, things are considerably worse than they were before. It takes a long time to clean everything up, and Hans doesn’t attempt another spell for quite a while.
I enjoyed this story just as much as the first one. It offers a familiar lesson about procrastination, but it also explores what can happen when we try to handle responsibilities beyond our current abilities.
Hans makes several mistakes. He procrastinates, panics when he realizes he’s running out of time, and attempts to solve everything with a shortcut. His inexperience makes the consequences even worse.
There’s an important distinction here: learning something new takes time. Hans wants the benefits of being a wizard, but he hasn’t yet developed the knowledge and discipline required to use magic responsibly.
His situation is also a reminder that trying to escape the consequences of our mistakes can sometimes create even bigger problems. Taking responsibility and working through a difficult situation may be less exciting, but it can prevent unnecessary complications.
Would I recommend it? Yes. Both stories are enjoyable, accessible, and filled with useful lessons. With their expressive illustrations and imaginative premises, they make a nice choice for children practicing their reading or anyone looking for a couple of entertaining short stories.
17. Picking Teams — Colin Pearce, illustrated by Michael Charlton
Picking Teams follows Jake, a boy who is football crazy but never gets picked to play on a team. At first, that sounds pretty disappointing, but the coach finds another way for him to participate: Jake becomes the referee.
I really liked this because the coach doesn’t simply leave Jake out. Instead, he recognizes his strengths and finds a position that actually suits him. The book explains the different strengths of the players and why they were chosen, while Jake turns out to be particularly suited to refereeing because he’s observant and fair.
What I especially liked was that Jake doesn’t play favorites. He judges the game based on the rules rather than on who he likes. That makes him a good referee and shows that not being picked for one position doesn’t necessarily mean you’re not good enough. Maybe you simply haven’t found the position that fits you yet.
For me, the story is about teamwork, sportsmanship, observation, fairness, inclusion, and using your strengths. It also has an encouraging message: sometimes you aren’t chosen for something because there’s actually another role where you can do much better.
The illustrations by Michael Charlton are colorful and add to the fun of the football game. It’s an easy and encouraging read, especially for children who might relate to the feeling of being left out.
I would recommend it. It’s a fun story that also reminds readers that everyone can contribute—you just have to find where your strengths fit.
Double Trouble — Alan MacDonald, illustrated by Ann Kronheimer
Double Trouble is a short, silly story about two customers at Sam’s burger bar who couldn’t be more different. Slow Joe likes his burger plain—no cheese, ketchup, or onion—while the Ketchup Kid wants his with cheese and onion. Naturally, the two don’t get along very well.
One day, their orders get mixed up, and the Ketchup Kid accidentally squeezes ketchup onto both burgers. The two immediately prepare for a ketchup fight, each holding a bottle and ready to attack. But just as they’re about to start, their burgers mysteriously disappear. Quick Kate has grabbed them and quickly escaped!
Both boys are left hungry and feeling pretty silly, so they simply order another set of burgers.
I like how silly and fun this story is. It also shows that people have different preferences, and that’s perfectly fine. Not everyone likes the same things, and the story makes that difference into something funny rather than a problem that needs to be fixed. In that sense, it can encourage children to respect other people’s preferences and understand that everyone is unique.
The illustrations by Ann Kronheimer also add a lot to the experience. They’re colorful and entertaining, which is especially helpful in a children’s book because the pictures keep the story engaging rather than making it feel like something the child is simply being told to read.
There’s also a funny little lesson hidden in the ending. The boys get so caught up in preparing for their ketchup fight that they don’t notice someone else taking advantage of the situation. Quick Kate basically takes the cake—or, in this case, takes the burgers! They were so focused on fighting over the food that they ended up losing the food entirely. Sometimes you can get so caught up in one thing that something else happens right in front of you.
Overall, it’s a simple and enjoyable story with a lot of humor. I would recommend it, especially for younger readers who want something quick, funny, and easy to follow.
Jokes, Jokes, Jokes! — illustrated by David Pattison
The final section, Jokes, Jokes, Jokes!, is exactly what the title promises: a collection of simple jokes that are easy for children to understand and enjoy. The jokes are straightforward, but that’s part of what makes them work for younger readers.
The illustrations by David Pattison add to the humor and make the collection more entertaining.
Together, Double Trouble, Picking Teams, and Jokes, Jokes, Jokes! make this a fun little reading-practice collection. It’s not just about practicing reading—it gives children stories, humor, and situations that are easy to follow while keeping the experience enjoyable.
Overall, this Ladybird Book 5, Level 3 practice-reading book is a nice collection for young readers. As the book itself describes it, it’s an enjoyable collection of stories and rhymes designed to help children practice reading—and I think it succeeds at making that practice feel fun rather than like homework.