Penguin Readers Level 2

This is a Penguin Readers graded adaptation (Level 2) of Polly Ho-Yen's children's novel Boy in the Tower, simplified for early English-language learners.

Ade lives high in a London tower block with his mother, who rarely leaves their flat. When the buildings around them begin to collapse and strange plants spread through the city, the neighborhood is evacuated — but Ade's mother refuses to go. Ade must decide how far to go to protect her while everything he knows falls apart.

The graded text uses simple vocabulary and short sentences suited to beginner readers, while keeping the tension and warmth of the original story.