Collins Arabic Big Cat is a guided reading series for ages 3 to 11. The series is structured with reference to the learning progression of Arabic at nursery and primary schools researched especially for Collins. This carefully graded approach allows children to build up their reading knowledge of Arabic step by step. Level 14 books build on level 13 by offering stories with more complex plots and with a greater number of chapters to encourage the development of reading stamina. Non-fiction texts use complex vocabulary and deal with challenging global themes. The style of language further reflects progression in the teaching of Arabic grammar, while still using largely familiar vocabulary and simplified concepts. Matato is a cat, very long and slinky. Shamshoom is a dog, very big and woolly. When the People bring home Nisma the new cat with very sharp claws, Shamshoom’s quiet life is shattered by this little pincushion. One day, Matato has an idea to put an end to Nisma’s little games… Comically illustrated by Sholto Walker, this hilarious story was written by popular children's author Jean Ure.