PageTurners are short, easy-to-read stories for adults learning to read. Designed by experienced adult educators, published by Preston Reservoir Adult Community Education and available now in the ACE Shop.
Level 1: Yellow
Approximately 100 words in length, 12–16 pages, up to 60 unique words.
Titles
- Bank hold up: I went to the bank for money and got a fright instead.
- The camel man: How cameleers helped build Australia
- The dentist: About putting off a visit to the dentist.
- The drink machine is evil: The drink machine never gives me what I want. It’s evil.
- The duck: A keen gardener enlists the help of a duck.
- The fortune teller: She can’t predict everything.
- Fresh fish: What to do when the fish don’t bite.
- The ghost: Ken spends a night in a haunted house.
- Helpful Harry: Helping other people isn’t easy.
- The hero: Mick is a ‘waste of space’ until he saves a little girl.
- I want a holiday: Anna’s holiday was all work, cooking and cleaning.
- Late for work: Luke was always in trouble for being later for work.
- Learning to swim: About a man who learns to swim.
- Motor bikes: Reasons why this guy like his motor bike.
- Not any more: When Tony came to Australia he was young and alone. But that was a long time ago.
- Red dog: The famous dog who lives in Western Australia.
- Robots: Would a robot make your life easier?
- Running with boats: The Todd River boat race in the desert.
- Spider! Scott is scared of spiders. His sister isn’t.
Level 2: Red
100-200 words in length, 16-20 pages, up to 150 unique words.
Titles
- Blood: Blood on the ground. Is it a murder?
- Can you read this: About learning to read.
- Car thieves: Two car thieves make a big mistake.
- Dance class: A woman tricks her husband into learning to dance.
- Double trouble: A slight car accident leads to a strange discovery.
- Dream job: Otus is a working dog. A story that rhymes.
- Drums: A teenager finds a creative way to get a drum kit.
- Fire! About dealing with bushfires.
- Football: Soccer, rugby or Australian rules?
- Good morning Max: Max’s plan to have coffee with Maria falls through.
- I’m watching TV: He watches TV; she wants action.
- Internet scam: An email from a stranger promises to make Ned rich.
- Lost: Driving with no GPS in a strange city is difficult.
- Mizuri the cat: Joyce got a kitten and it ate and ate and ate.
- On the goldfields: Life on the goldfields of the 1850s.
- Peanuts: Grandma’s revenge on her greedy grandson.
- The shave: Everyone wanted Kevin to cut his long hair.
- Shut up Steve: Steve talks all the time, until he meets a pretty girl.
Level 3: Blue
200–300 words in length, 16-20 pages, approx. 200 unique words.
Titles
- Be careful: Most accidents happen at home.
- Black market bargain: Gino and Mario go bargain hunting and get a nasty surprise.
- Catnapped: Two girls steal a cat for the reward — and get a surprise.
- Convicts: About the 19th century convicts sent to Australia.
- Cuc’s bed: Cuc searches for the right kind of bed.
- Cyclone Tracy: Xmas 1975 in Darwin.
- Dancer: Suzanne’s dream was to be a dancer. She quit her job to try and become one.
- A dog’s life: ‘A dog’s life’ is actually pretty good.
- I hate the beach: She hates the beach but likes lifesavers.
- Just one friend: Alone in the city Rosie was lonely, until she got a dog
- My first plane trip: It’s my first time in a plane and I’m a little bit nervous.
- Rescue: It’s simple to rescue a cat stuck in a tree. Or is it?
- Snakes alive! Walking in the bush, you need to be careful.
- Spare parts: One woman’s way to get rid of her husband’s old car.
- Sports camp: A teenager goes on a sports camp.
- Strong Sam: Going to a gym isn’t the only way to get strong.
- Tooth fairy: A mix up in an old folks’ home.
- Would I lie to you? About the origin of the expression ‘to tell a furphy’.
Level 4: Green
400-600 words in length, 20-24 pages, approx. 300 unique words.
Titles
- The beach: Sue accidentally finds herself at a nude beach.
- The big TV: The too-big TV causes some problems.
- Bikini sandals: Thongs (flip-flops) are banned at work, but not ‘bikini sandals’.
- The burglary: After a burglary, Reg makes a false insurance claim.
- The doctor’s secret: James Barry was a well-known British doctor in the 1800s.
- Dog gone: Greg’s dog Diggy goes everywhere with him. One day Diggy just disappears.
- Marry me? Proposing to Jane wasn’t easy for Dave.
- The necklace: Jenny’s new job was hard, but it was worth it in the end.
- Outback road: Two girls travel in the outback.
- Pay dirt: A cunning boss wants some free digging done.
- Phar Lap: The story of Australia’s favourite racehorse.
- Scary story: John’s love for telling scary stories backfires on him.
- Shipwreck! A 19th century love story (based loosely on Loch Ard).
- Tattoos: One tattoo branded him, but more made things worse.
- Train surfing: Playing on the trains was fun, until …
- Turning forty: Luke makes a list: 10 things to do before I turn 40.
Level 4+: Lime
Longer stories, but with a unique word count of 300 words.
Titles
- A handful of sand: A story of indigenous land rights.
- Ned Kelly: Was Ned Kelly a hero or a villain?
- Simpson’s donkey: A larrikin hero of World War 1