Wired up series by various authors

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A and C Black, 2012.
Begging letter by Judi Waite. ISBN 9781 40814264 6.
Is there anybody there? by Maggie Pearson. ISBN 978 1 4081 4261 5.
(Age: 11+) Recommended. High interest, low literacy. Two strangely different stories in this wonderful Wired Up series of books from England, will be readily picked up by students wanting a quick read. Those with a lower literacy ability but wanting something a bit grittier than those usually published in 60 or so pages with wide margins and larger print, will love all of this series.
Begging letter has Connie sending a letter to the Universe. The love of her life has a steady girlfriend, Megan and so she begs the Universe for Josh to drop Megan and go out with her, but when she sees Megan the next day with her beautiful hair cut off and Josh asks her out, she begins to wish her wish to be undone.
A different take on the adage, be careful what you wish for.
Is there anybody there? revolves around a seance, where several teens use a pack of lettered cards to call on a dead person. They give him a name, age and job during WW2, and are very scared when the person becomes real. At first they all blame each other, but when one is knocked off his bike, and one continuously draws the face of the man called Tom, things become seriously creepy.
This is certainly a scary story and one which could be used as a model for writing in the classroom.
Fran Knight

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