A Cat Can Be a Hat is a comic that has now been translated into four languages.

This book of comics is a text that will enchant beginners with the power of reading. The language in each version is scaffolded so that the story remains 100% comprehensible, regardless of the student’s reading level. These are what I call “zero-level texts” because they can be read by any student. As a teacher, I would not want my entire classroom library to be zero-level texts, but I also recognize that my greatest challenge is to find texts that my beginners can read on their own without the teacher reading over their shoulders. “Zero-level texts” are a unique contribution to the diversity of text types that teachers need in order to engage every learner. Check out samples on the language specific page: French, German, Japanese, or Spanish.

In addition to A Cat Can Be a Hat, earlier this year we have also released a full graphic novel in the “zero-level text” format. Elke und Jonas (German), Manon et Benoît (French) and Esme y Beto (Spanish) are each over one hundred pages with an ongoing plot that emphasizes that it is easier to overcome obstacles when you have a friend cheering you on.

Please follow the language tab on the top navigation bar to see all of our books.