How Chocolate Is Made by Claire Llewellyn is a Turquoise band non-fiction reader from Cambridge Reading Adventures, used for Class 3 at Lahore Grammar School (LGS). The cover shows a smiling boy with a gap in his teeth holding a big bar of chocolate up to the camera.
A book about chocolate does not need much selling to an eight-year-old. In the 2027-28 session it offers Class 3 readers a clear, step-by-step explanation text with real maps, charts and instructions, which is exactly the kind of reading they will meet in science and geography.
What the book is about
According to the teaching notes, this non-fiction text is predominantly an explanation text, although a simple procedural text is also included. Explanation texts are generally read chronologically as they follow a sequence of events. Key structural non-fiction features support the reading of information and include maps, diagrams and ‘did you know?’ boxes. Sentences follow the language features of each genre: imperative verbs for instructions, and the present tense for explanation. Labels and captions use different punctuation styles.
Time connectives such as ‘then’, ‘after’ and ‘next’ guide the reader through the sequence, and topic words are read and spelled using the glossary. Pages 4 and 5 teach the difference between ‘cacao’ and ‘cocoa’; page 6 has labels; page 7 has the word ‘ripe’ in bold with its meaning in the glossary; pages 12 and 13 show the sequence of events once the beans reach the factory. Pages 20 and 21 are written as an instruction text.
What your child learns from it
The publisher’s teaching notes list these learning outcomes. A child who reads this book can:
- locate information in the text which supports comprehension;
- understand and use charts, labels and instructions;
- problem-solve new topic words that are not completely decodable.
How to read it together at home
The guided reading lesson printed in the book gives a simple routine you can follow:
- Give your child a copy and ask them to read the title and the blurb quietly. Ask what type of text this will be.
- Talk about what a ‘how’ title promises: an explanation. Ask what your child expects to find out, and recall the labels, captions, diagrams and headings of other non-fiction books.
- Explore the labels on page 6, then pages 4 and 5: read ‘cacao’ and ‘cocoa’ and make sure your child knows they mean different things.
- Look at the pie chart on that page, explain how it works and read the same information in the text, written as a fraction.
- On page 7, find ‘ripe’ in the glossary: remember a glossary is in alphabetical order.
Fun learning links beyond the book
For science, children could experiment with melting and cooling chocolate in different ways and at different temperatures; the notes ask that any chocolate used eventually becomes something for children to eat so that food is not wasted. For maths, create other pie charts to represent things familiar to your child, such as the number of brothers and sisters each child has, or different ways of coming to school.
About the Turquoise band
Turquoise band books extend descriptions of places and people with literary phrases and expressions, and the publisher notes that vocabulary is often less common and needs the reader to use spelling patterns.
Who, when, where and why
Whom: Class 3 children (about eight years old). When: during the 2027-28 session. Where: at school and at home. Why: to practise reading explanation and instruction texts and charts, which appear in every subject. Book lists at LGS are almost the same from campus to campus, with a few campuses following their own for some subjects, so message us your campus name first and we will confirm this exact book with you.
Frequently asked questions
Does it include instructions?
Yes. Pages 20 and 21 are written as an instruction text.
Who wrote it?
Claire Llewellyn.
What are the topic words?
Cacao, cocoa and ripe, explained in the glossary.
You can order How Chocolate Is Made online today. We ship across Pakistan on Cash on Delivery, and families in Lahore can also pick it up from our shop. For overseas delivery (Gulf countries), message us on WhatsApp.
