Fiona Barker studied Psychology at university and went on to become an NHS audiologist. Later, a PhD in Clinical and Experimental Medicine allowed her to develop her interest in human communication and behaviour change. She is an advocate for living a low-waste lifestyle and reducing single-use plastic. Fiona won the Green Stories pre-school writing prize in 2020 and is the author of 10 picture books. In addition to her work as an audiologist, Fiona loves working as a writer in residence and patron of reading at two local primary schools. She recently graduated with a PGCE in Children's Literature. Fiona lives with her husband (also a writer) in Berkshire. They share their house with Fiona's collection of dolls houses and lots and lots of yarn (for crocheting post-box toppers). They have a daughter who is all grown up now but who still loves books. Jade Van Der Zalm is an illustrator from the Netherlands. She studied Communication and Multimedia Design where she learned she loved illustrating and telling stories. Jade draws her inspiration from the shapes and colours of nature and always tries to find a way to let the illustration speak for itself. Aside from illustrating she loves to play with her two fluffy cats, take lots of pictures to use as inspiration or cook (and eat) some good food.
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. Book banded for guided and independent reading, there are reading notes in the back, comprehensive teaching and assessment support and ebooks available. Written by Fiona Barker and illustrated by Jade Van der Zalm, join Hope as she finds her spark. While all of her friends know what they want to do with their lives, Hope feels isolated and confused. However, when she finds an injured hare, Hope does what she can to save it and give a voice to the voiceless. White Plus/Band 10+ books provide challenging plots and vocabulary as well as opportunities to practise inference, prediction and reading stamina. Pages 46 and 47 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.