Philippa Gregory is a historian and novelist renowned for combining rich research with powerful storytelling. Through her writing, she reveals the women history tried to forget - and whose stories are more relevant today than ever. Her novels have sold millions of copies worldwide and been adapted for stage, television and film. In 2023 she published her critically acclaimed non-fiction book Normal Women, a new social history of women in England for 900 years. It has also been adapted as a podcast, teen edition and children's edition. In 2026, Boleyn Traitor won Fiction Book of the Year at the British Book Awards. Philippa Gregory was awarded a CBE for services to literature and charity in 2021. www.philippagregory.com
Collins Big Cat supports every primary child on their reading journey from phonics to fluency. Top authors and illustrators have created fiction and non-fiction books that children love to read. Levelled for guided and independent reading, each book includes ideas to support reading. Teaching and assessment support and eBooks are also available. Why, in the past, did men earn the most money and get the best jobs? Is it because women naturally stupid and weak? Of course not! This story starts nearly one thousand years ago, when William the Conqueror invaded England and ensured that women, who had worked side-by-side with men were squeezed off the land and out of money. Women were banned from guilds, underpaid and undervalued. But still they got promotions, started businesses and made money. This book is about all of these women. Adapted from her best-selling, critically acclaimed series Normal Women, join multi-award-winning author Philippa Gregory as she explores the inspiring history of women's work and wealth - women who found ways around the laws, who took opportunities and who never gave up demanding equal pay and fair treatment in the workplace. Pearl/Band 18 books offer fluent readers a complex, substantial text with challenging themes to facilitate sustained comprehension, bridging the gap between a reading programme and longer chapter books. Pages 78 and 79 allow children to re-visit the content of the book, supporting comprehension skills, vocabulary development and recall. Ideas for reading in the back of the book provide practical support and stimulating activities.