The Book Next Door
Australian ESL materials for adults and young adults

ESL Extras

ESL Extras reading books have an Australian focus and a photocopiable Teacher’s Guide.

Extra Easy Puzzles

by Clare Harris
Extra Easy Puzzles cover

Extra Easy Puzzles is just that - a book of photocopiable word puzzles for ESOL/EAL learners at Beginner C level - strong beginners who are confident at reading sentences and familiar with past tense as well as present.

The puzzles are based on the puzzles in mainstream magazines and puzzle books, and suitable for adult and young adult learners (as well as for younger learners). However, although the book is illustrated, it's not just 'picture puzzles' - the focus is on simple reading and language use.

There are wordfinds, crosswords, downwords, matching puzzles, quizzes and pair work puzzles. The book has teacher notes and answers, and the CD in the back of the book has a pdf of all the puzzles, for printing or projecting onto a whiteboard.

NEWS: You can now purchase a licence for the pdf version of this book from The Book Next Door PayHip store  OR you can still buy the original paperback version from your local language bookshop or library supplier.

If you bought the paperback some time ago, and now want the pdf, please contact me for a pdf discount!

There are sample pages for download here, as well as on the PayHip store.

Download Samples

Workwise English Puzzles cover

Workwise English Puzzles is for learners studying 'pre-employment' English, or in a workplace language class. Like Extra Easy Puzzles, it's a book of photocopiable word puzzles for ESOL/EAL learners, but this time at lower intermediate to intermediate level. The puzzles are in sections:

  • Jobs and applications
  • Starting a new job
  • How’s it going? (adjusting to the workplace)
  • Getting it right
  • Talking to workmates
  • Think about it!

The puzzles are suitable for adult and young adult learners, and include crosswords, downwords, wordfinds, quizzes and pair work puzzles, as well as a 'board game' and 'language collection pages'.

The book has teacher notes and answers, and the CD in the back of the book has a pdf of all the puzzles, for printing or projecting onto a whiteboard. You can find reviews in the reviews section of this website.

NEWS: You can now purchase a licence for the pdf version of this book from The Book Next Door PayHip store  OR you can still buy the original paperback version from your local language bookshop or library supplier.

If you bought the paperback some time ago, and now want the pdf, please contact me for a pdf discount!

There are sample pages for download here, as well as on the PayHip store.

Download Samples

Front cover of My Job is the Best

My name is Kelly.

I'm a train driver.

I drive a train all day.

My Job is the Best (Beginner A) is a free-to-download book about the Hope Street neighbours. In each very simple mini-story, a character talks about their work:  train driver, at-home dad, carer, office worker,  supermarket cashier, chef, volunteer and small business owner.

With teacher/tutor notes, cut-up pages, activities, answers and a board game, this Australian ESL Extra resource follows the same pattern as the other Hope Street books (Maybe Next Year, Six Stories from Hope Street and The Garage Sale).

Download the complete text and audio

Maybe Next Year

by Clare Harris
Maybe Next Year cover

Hello. My name is Marcy.

I’m 38 years old.

I live at number 5, Hope Street.

I’m married to a lovely man called Vic.

Maybe Next Year contains eight vignette-style chapters about Marcy and her family, and their hopes for 'next year',  told in simple present tense only (Beginner A).

Learners can read more about the Hope Street neighbours in Six Stories from Hope Street and The Garage Sale. Available with audio CD, in both a story-only library version or as a photocopiable Teacher's Guide and Workbook, which contains the full story plus exercises, activities and teaching notes.

NEWS: DIGITAL VERSION NOW AVAILABLE: You can now purchase a licence for a pdf and mp3 version of the Teacher's Guide from The Book Next Door PayHip store  OR you can still buy the original paperback version (and the small library books) from your local language bookshop or library supplier.

If you bought the Teacher Guide some time ago, and now want the pdf, please contact me for a pdf discount!

There are sample pages for download here, as well as on the PayHip store.

Download Samples of Maybe Next Year

Welcome to Hope Street

by Clare Harris
Welcome to Hope Street cover

I'm Cassie. I'm 14. I love shopping.

I'm Tom. I'm 10. I love food.

I'm John and this is Marissa. We love walking.

Welcome to Hope Street is a 'pre-beginner' (literacy) reader in the Hope Street series, leading on to beginner titles like Maybe Next Year, Six Stories from Hope Street, and The Garage Sale. Each 'story' in Welcome to Hope Street introduces a different neighbour, with sentences matched to illustrations.

The audio for this book has three versions: 'listen', 'read with the teacher' (extra slow version), and 'now you read'.

The Teacher's Guide and Workbook is a little different from the other books in the series, as the story pages are designed to be photocopied back to back and folded into booklet form (not visible in the sample pages, however).

At Pre-beginner level, Welcome to Hope Street should suit learners who are gaining confidence with reading short sentences on familiar topics.

You can find sample pages here.

NEWS: DIGITAL VERSION NOW AVAILABLE: You can now purchase a licence for a pdf and mp3 version of the Teacher's Guide from The Book Next Door PayHip store  OR you can still buy the original paperback version (and the small library books) from your local language bookshop or library supplier.

If you bought the Teacher Guide some time ago, and now want the pdf, please contact me for a pdf discount!

There are sample pages for download here, as well as on the PayHip store.

Download Samples of Welcome to Hope Street

The Garage Sale

by Clare Harris
The Garage Sale cover

I opened the door of Simon’s old bedroom and looked inside. Uh-oh. I felt worried.

There was a bed in the room, but I couldn’t see it. There were too many things on top of the bed, next to the bed, in front of the bed and under the bed.

Ben and Tori have too many things in their house. Ben’s sister is coming to stay next month, but where can she sleep? Then Tori’s nephew has an idea. Why not have a garage sale?

“Nothing can go wrong,” he says. Is he right?

The Garage Sale is the third book in the ‘Hope Street’ series. At Beginner C level, this six-chapter novel should suit learners who are gaining confidence with past tense and extended narrative.

NEWS: DIGITAL VERSION NOW AVAILABLE: You can now purchase a licence for a pdf and mp3 version of the Teacher's Guide from The Book Next Door PayHip store  OR you can still buy the original paperback version (and the small library books) from your local language bookshop or library supplier.

If you bought the Teacher Guide some time ago, and now want the pdf, please contact me for a pdf discount!

There are sample pages for download here, as well as on the PayHip store.

Download Samples of The Garage Sale

Six Stories from Hope Street

It was Monday morning.

I was in a hurry.

“Where are my keys?” I said.

“Here they are, Mum,” said Alex.

“No, not those keys,” I said.

Problems, problems, problems! Natasha can’t find her car keys, Alex's cooking doesn't go as planned, Grace is late for work, Cassie thinks she sees a snake in the garden, Zac takes a neighbour's dog for an eventful walk, and John has a mix-up at the medical centre.

Six Stories from Hope Street contains six light-hearted stories told in simple past tense (Beginner B level). Available with audio CD, in both a story-only library version or as a photocopiable Teacher's Guide and Workbook, which contains the full story plus exercises, activities and teaching notes.

NEWS: DIGITAL VERSION NOW AVAILABLE: You can now purchase a licence for a pdf and mp3 version of the Teacher's Guide from The Book Next Door PayHip store  OR you can still buy the original paperback version (and the small library books) from your local language bookshop or library supplier.

If you bought the Teacher Guide some time ago, and now want the pdf, please contact me for a pdf discount!

There are sample pages for download here, as well as on the PayHip store.

Download Samples of Six Stories from Hope Street

Can You Keep a Secret?

by Harris, Clare
Can You Keep a Secret? cover

Can You Keep a Secret? is an elementary reader, the sequel to Life is Full of Surprises, set eighteen months later. It continues the story of George and his family:

At 9 o’clock, I walked slowly into my boss’s office.

She frowned a little. “George, I have some news, but it’s confidential. Do you understand?”

“I understand confidential,” I said. “Private. Don’t tell anyone. I won’t tell anyone.”

“Good,” she said.

George doesn’t like secrets. His boss tells him some exciting news, but he can’t tell anyone. His wife and children want to give him a surprise birthday party, but George doesn’t want a party.

Suddenly, he has a lot of secrets to keep…

This light-hearted (but thoughtful) story is available with audio CD, in both a story-only library version or as a photocopiable Teacher's Guide and Workbook, which contains the full story plus exercises, activities and teaching notes.

NEWS: DIGITAL VERSION NOW AVAILABLE: You can now purchase a licence for a pdf and mp3 version of the Teacher's Guide from The Book Next Door PayHip store  OR you can still buy the original paperback version (and the small library books) from your local language bookshop or library supplier.

If you bought the Teacher Guide some time ago, and now want the pdf, please contact me for a pdf discount!

There are sample pages for download here, as well as on the PayHip store.

Download Samples of Can You Keep a Secret?

Cover of The Coat by Clare Harris

The Coat is a pre-intermediate reader, set in Melbourne, and featuring the sometimes impetuous Anni.

I was shivering when I arrived at work. Sue, my boss, looked at my thin jacket.

“Anni, you need a good coat,” she said. She was wearing a thick red jacket. She looked wonderful. She always looked wonderful.

“I’m not really cold,” I said. It wasn’t true, but I didn’t have the money for a new coat.

When Anni moves to Melbourne, she’s cold, but she doesn’t have the money for a new coat. She wants to start a business, but she can’t get a bank loan. Her boyfriend wants to get married, but she’s not sure...

Then suddenly a borrowed coat changes everything.

 

The Coat is available with audio CD, in both a story-only library version or as a photocopiable Teacher's Guide and Workbook, which contains the full story plus exercises, activities and teaching notes.

NEWS: DIGITAL VERSION NOW AVAILABLE: You can now purchase a licence for a pdf and mp3 version of the Teacher's Guide from The Book Next Door PayHip store  OR you can still buy the original paperback version (and the small library books) from your local language bookshop or library supplier.

If you bought the Teacher Guide some time ago, and now want the pdf, please contact me for a pdf discount!

There are sample pages for download here, as well as on the PayHip store.

Download Samples of The Coat

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