• Supernatural/Paranormal
• True crime
• Unexplainable events

On the Edge content was derived from popular news items. Selections include topics about out-of-body experiences, alien abductions, escaped killers, strange outbreaks of diseases, and much more.

Against the Odds features amazing stories of survival and medical miracles that will make you wonder how these people beat the odds of life. Read selections such as "Icicle Baby," "Survival on a Desert Island," "A Hole In His Head," and "Trapped in a Cave"!

• Comprehension
  Each reading selection concludes with a Comprehension activity designed to build an understanding of the concepts presented.
• Vocabulary
  Each unit ends with a Vocabulary exercise that uses words from both reading selections.
• Critical Thinking
  The Critical Thinking activities at the end of each unit are formulated to stimulate higher order thinking skills.
• Reading Speed Calculating and Charting
  Each reading selection provides tools for recording and calculating reading speed. Students calculate and record their reading time for each story, then use the Words-per-Minute table to look up their reading speed. Students can chart their progress by using the convenient graph in the back of each book. Because of the consistency of the range of the number of words in each story, as well as the reading level, progress charting of students' reading speed is easy and accurate.