Search results for ""Author Chitra Soundar""

In this Indian folktale, a young turtle shares a shallow lake with unlikely friends - two geese. But when the lake starts drying up, the stubborn turtle must follow his winged friends' advice, or he'll be left out to dry. With clever text and easy-to-follow panels, Discover Graphics: Global Folktales are perfect for graphic novel fans new and old.

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'This bubbly, inclusive story, filled with meticulous detail, will be a winner for 7+ dance fanatics' - GuardianPirouette your way into the Shimmer & Shine dance studio, where the ballet besties are ready to put on a show!When Yara joins Shimmer & Shine, a community dance school, she meets lots of other children her age, who are there to either start their training or just for the fun of it. Soon she has a group of ballet besties she loves to dance with.But then Dame Clougston-Wilmott, their grumpy, dance-hating landlady, threatens to close the studio. Suddenly it's up to Yara and her new friends to keep Shimmer & Shine open!Will putting on a performance of The Sleeping Beauty reawaken the Dame's love for dance? Will Yara have the chance to dance her dream role of Aurora? And most importantly of all, can the ballet besties save their studio?A fun, inclusive and accessible series that will b

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Penguin Readers is an ELT graded reader series for learners of English as a foreign language. With carefully adapted text, new illustrations and language learning exercises, the print edition also includes instructions to access supporting material online.Titles include popular classics, exciting contemporary fiction, and thought-provoking non-fiction, introducing language learners to bestselling authors and compelling content.The eight levels of Penguin Readers follow the Common European Framework of Reference for language learning (CEFR). Exercises at the back of each Reader help language learners to practise grammar, vocabulary, and key exam skills. Before, during and after-reading questions test readers' story comprehension and develop vocabulary.The Extraordinary Life of Mahatma Gandhi, a Level 2 Reader, is A1+ in the CEFR framework. Sentences contain a maximum of two clauses, introducing the future tenses will and going to, present continuous for future meaning, and comparatives and superlatives. It is well supported by illustrations, which appear on most pages.Mahatma Gandhi was from India. Gandhi wanted India to be an independent country, and he fought hard for his beliefs.Visit the Penguin Readers websiteExclusively with the print edition, readers can unlock online resources including a digital book, audio edition, lesson plans and answer keys.

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As cold winter goes away, it's time for spring to come and play.See the growing moon rise slowly . . . It's only one more day till Holi!Swirling clouds of colour. Sweet gujiya dumplings. Singing and dancing in the street. Discover the magical moments that make up Holi, the Hindu Festival of Colours, in this bright and joyful picture book.During this very special time of year, friends and family come together to celebrate the arrival of spring, and the triumph of goodness and love over evil. Young readers will love following two siblings as they enjoy all the wonderful traditions and treats Holi has to offer - baking and bonfires, stories and sweets and, of course, a wild day of fun where people take to the streets and shower one another in brightly coloured powders!With Chitra Soundar''s lyrical rhymes and rich, vibrant illustrations from Amberin Huq, this is the perfect gift for one of the world's most colourful celebrations.Also available: Garland of Lights

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At the start of winter, two bear cubs are born, deep in their den in the frozen North. Mama, what lies beyond here? they ask. Above us is a land of ice and snow. What lies beyond the ice and snow? they ask. The ocean, full of ice from long ago. And as they learn the secrets of the Earth and their place in it, Mama Bear whispers, You're snug with me.

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One lamp welcomes the goddess of wealth.She blesses all with wisdom and health.Feasts. Fireworks. Fun with family and friends. Shine a light on the magical moments that make up Diwali, the Festival of Lights, in this warm and dazzling storybook. During this very special time of the year, join in the fun and count glittering lanterns one by one to celebrate all the wonderful traditions and treats Diwali has to offer - music and mouthwatering sweets, swirling rangolis and sweet-smelling marigolds, laughter and light.With Chitra Soundar''s lyrical rhymes and rich, vibrant illustrations from Amberin Huq, this is the perfect gift to celebrate one of the world''s biggest and brightest holidays.

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One lamp welcomes the goddess of wealth.She blesses all with wisdom and health.Feasts. Fireworks. Fun with family and friends. Shine a light on the magical moments that make up Diwali, the Festival of Lights, in this warm and dazzling storybook. During this very special time of the year, join in the fun and count glittering lanterns one by one to celebrate all the wonderful traditions and treats Diwali has to offer - music and mouthwatering sweets, swirling rangolis and sweet-smelling marigolds, laughter and light.With Chitra Soundar''s lyrical rhymes and rich, vibrant illustrations from Amberin Huq, this is the perfect gift to celebrate one of the world''s biggest and brightest holidays.

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Kathir lives with his grandmother by the sea where he harvests salt to sell at the market. But one day, Kathir's donkey, Gobi, decides it's too hot to carry the heavy load to the market. What can Kathir do to persuade Gobi to continue with this important task? Find out in this charming tale set in India. The Salt Maker is part of the Galaxy range of books from Rising Stars Reading Planet. Galaxy provides captivating fiction and non-fiction for Pink A to White band. The rich collection of highly decodable books immerses children in a range of cross-curricular topics and genres. Reading Planet books have been carefully levelled to support children in becoming fluent and confident readers. Each book features useful notes and activities to support reading at home as well as comprehension questions to check understanding. Reading age: 6-7 years

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Pirouette your way into the Shimmer & Shine dance studio, where the ballet besties are ready to put on a show! Indu loves learning ballet at Shimmer & Shine, her local community dance school. Unlike her friends, she doesn't want to be a principal dancer when she grows up, and she's a bit scared of being on stage, but it's still one of her favourite hobbies.Until Miss Diamond announces that this term they'll be putting on a performance of Cinderella! Suddenly everyone's talking about what lead role they want and how fun it will be to dance for an audience, and Indu is feeling nervous and left out.What role will she audition for? Will her friends understand her worries? And will she ever be able to conquer her stage fright? A fun, inclusive and accessible series that will bring the joy of dance to young readers aged 6+!

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This story is part of Reading Champion, a series carefully linked to book bands to encourage independent reading skills, developed with Dr Sue Bodman and Glen Franklin of UCL Institute of Education (IOE)Reading Champion offers independent reading books for children to practise and reinforce their developing reading skills. Fantastic, original stories are accompanied by engaging artwork and a reading activity. Each book has been carefully graded so that it can be matched to a child's reading ability, encouraging reading for pleasure.

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Being a big sister to a new baby brings big responsibilities.Sona Sharma's house is full of people who joke often and argue sometimes. Relatives come unannounced, the phone rings frequently and friends drop in all the time. Then one day Amma tells Sona she is going to have a baby. Is that good? Sona isn't sure – she has always enjoyed being an only child – and straight away she has a word with her best friend, Elephant. When Sona learns that there will be a baby naming ceremony, she is determined to find the perfect name for her new brother or sister. Because although she realizes that her life is about to change, and while she's having some difficulty in coming to terms with having to share everything with the new baby – including Amma and Appa, her grandparents and her home – Sona Sharma wants to be the very best big sister she can be.

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Here is a bunch of dung-dropping, sweet-stealing, luck-jinxing villains!Four stories about young Prince Veera, who, along with his friend Suku, helps his father, the king, solve some of the problems he is having with his subjects. Trickster tales with lots of humour and colour, based on traditional Indian folktales.

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In this Indian folktale, a young turtle shares a shallow lake with unlikely friends - two geese. But when the lake starts drying up, the stubborn turtle must follow his winged friends’ advice, or he’ll be left out to dry. With clever text and easy-to-follow panels, Discover Graphics: Global Folktales are perfect for graphic novel fans new and old.

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Pattan has an amazing pumpkin… it grows BIGGER than the goats, BIGGER than the elephants, until it is as TALL as the mountains. But can Pattan’s pumpkin save his family and all the animals when the storm-clouds burst and the waters rise?

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Nikhil and Jay feel sorry for Appa when he falls and hurts his ankle, but they make him feel better by playing Dayan, the Indian Board Game; litter-picking at the Clean and Green Club is great fun when the boys do it in the park with all their friends; one windy day Nikhil, Jay, Amma and Appa make kites and decorate them – and have a fantastic time flying them; Jay doesn’t like tidying up but he discovers that putting away his toys can be a fun game when he does it together with Nikhil! The Nikhil and Jay series is perfect for children moving on from picture books to longer storybooks

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Nikhil and Jay and Amma and Appa are off to India for the Christmas holidays to visit Chennai Granny and Grandad. In Grandad’s garden they are excited to see parrots and Chennai squirrels, a mango tree and a coconut tree. One day they go to the beach, play in the big waves and eat Granny’s Indian savoury snacks. The boys have their first Chennai Christmas, with mango-leaf decorations, Indian sweets for Father Christmas, a basket of beautiful Indian wooden toys – and a special Christmas star. And last but not least, the family see in the New Year the Indian way. They make a Welcome poster, Granny lights a lamp at midnight and they all eat Granny’s delicious Kesala as an Indian New Year treat. This third book in the Nikhil and Jay series is perfect for children moving on from picture books to longer stories, helped by Soofiya’s lively and characterful illustrations.

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At the start of winter, two bear cubs are born, deep in their den in the frozen North. “Mama, what lies beyond here?” they ask. “‘Above us is a land of ice and snow.” “What lies beyond the ice and snow?” they ask. “The ocean, full of ice from long ago.” And as they learn the secrets of the Earth and their place in it, Mama Bear whispers, “You’re snug with me.”

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Kina, the camel is travelling through the desert with Rana, the kite seller. Can Kina teach Rana how to have good manners and be kind to others? Or will Rana continue to be mean and selfish? Find out in this playscript set in the Arabian desert. Kina and The Kite Seller is part of the Galaxy range of books from Rising Stars Reading Planet. Galaxy provides captivating fiction and non-fiction for Pink A to White band. The rich collection of highly decodable books immerses children in a range of cross-curricular topics and genres. Reading Planet books have been carefully levelled to support children in becoming fluent and confident readers. Each book features useful notes and activities to support reading at home as well as comprehension questions to check understanding.Reading age: 6-7 years

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Far away, across the deep seas and the tall mountains, there is a little kingdom called Samanpur. In the kingdom there lived a prince called Prabir and a poor boy called Arup. Prince Prabir had everything a boy could want, and yet he was unhappy. But then Arup hears of the queen's competition to cheer up the unhappy prince, and the big reward that comes with it! But how will he come up with something to impress a royal prince? All he has is a broken kite and a mouse from a wise man... A Kite for a Prince is part of the Astro range from Rising Stars Reading Planet. Astro books are ideal for struggling and reluctant readers aged 7-11. Each book is dual-banded so that children can improve their fluency whilst enjoying exciting fiction and non-fiction relevant to their age. Astro books for Earth/White band are also highly-decodable so ideal for extra phonics practice. Reading Planet books have been carefully levelled to support children in becoming fluent and confident readers. Each book features useful notes and questions to support reading at home and develop comprehension skills.Interest age: 8-9 Reading age: 6-7 years

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The rain clouds are long gone and the dry season scorches the land. Everything is new for the baby giraffe. As she bounds ahead and lags behind, her mother patiently explains the ways of the grasslands. And until she grows a little taller, older and wiser, her mother reminds her: “You’re strong with me.”

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One day, Deepa, the clever rabbit met a hungry lion in the forest. He licked his lips, ready to pounce, but she had a clever plan to trick him... The Clever Rabbit and the Hungry Lion is part of the Galaxy range of books from Rising Stars Reading Planet. Galaxy provides captivating fiction and non-fiction for Pink A to White band. The rich collection of highly decodable books immerses children in a range of cross-curricular topics and genres. Reading Planet books have been carefully levelled to support children in becoming fluent and confident readers. Each book features useful notes and activities to support reading at home as well as comprehension questions to check understanding.Reading age: 5-6 years

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Book Band: White (Ideal for ages 6+) An energetic animal story, ideal for children practising their reading at home or in school. All Sloth Bear wants to do is play with Porcupine but it's nap time in the jungle and all the other animals are sleeping. So she throws a guava at Porcupine's tree to wake him up and SPLAT! THUD! BUMP! Little Tiger gets woken up too! And Little Tiger is rather hungry... This funny story set in the Indian jungle from storyteller Chitra Soundar is perfect for children who are learning to read by themselves and for Key Stage 1. It features illustrations from Hannah Marks and appealing characters young readers will find hard to resist. _______________ Bloomsbury Young Readers are the perfect way to get children reading, with book-banded stories by brilliant authors like Julia Donaldson. The series is ideal for both home and school, with gorgeous colour illustrations, tips for parents, and fun activity ideas. Online guided reading and teaching notes, written by the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE), are available at bloomsburyreaders.com. 'Every child needs a Bloomsbury Young Reader. Fun, stretching, just the right length, full of adventurous vocabulary and punctuation.' - Julie-Ann McCulloch, Teacher

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Book Band: Gold (Ideal for ages 6+) A funny, magical story, ideal for children practising reading at home or in school. Manju's stuck at home and she is BORED. Looking for entertainment, she summons the genie. When he turns up with a terrible cold, the genie can't hear any of Manju's wishes properly and his magic is even more strange than usual. Can Manju help him sort out the muddle? The characters from Manju's Magic Wishes return in this quirky comedy from Chitra Soundar, perfect for Key Stage 1 (KS1) children who are learning to read by themselves. It features illustrations from Verónica Montoya and hilarious mishaps that children will love. _______________ Bloomsbury Young Readers are the perfect way to get children reading, with book-banded stories by brilliant authors like Julia Donaldson. The series is ideal for both home and school, with gorgeous colour illustrations, tips for parents, and fun activity ideas. Online guided reading and teaching notes, written by the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE), are available at bloomsburyreaders.com. 'Every child needs a Bloomsbury Young Reader.' - Julie-Ann McCulloch, Teacher

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Sona Sharma, who lives in India, learns all about school elections, the ups and downs of best friends, and how to choose what matters most in life."Warmly loving and evocative" The GuardianWhen Miss Rao announces that there's going to be an election for Class Leader, Sona is excited to stand as a candidate – until she finds herself competing against her best friends, Joy and Renu.When the three girls fall out, Sona must decide what matters most – winning the election or proving herself to be a true friend indeed. With the support of her wise family, perhaps Sona can learn that there is often more than one way to be a winner.

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Sona Sharma combats climate change.When Sona learns about the climate crisis at school and is very worried that no one is doing enough to combat it, she takes up the challenge herself. But Appa isn't amused when Sona throws out her baby sister's nappies and Thatha isn't happy when she tells him to get rid of his colour-coded plastic files. When Sona learns that many of the kolams – the traditional art that people draw in front of their homes to celebrate the winter months and the festival season – are not organic, she sets out to make some big changes by getting everyone involved.

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This story is part of Reading Champion, a series carefully linked to book bands to encourage independent reading skills, developed with Dr Sue Bodman and Glen Franklin of UCL Institute of Education (IOE)Reading Champion offers independent reading books for children to practise and reinforce their developing reading skills.Fantastic, original stories are accompanied by engaging artwork and a reading activity. Each book has been carefully graded so that it can be matched to a child's reading ability, encouraging reading for pleasure.

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A dream-ride of a bedtime book, inspired by ancient Indian lullabies.Travel a lush dreamscape world as a father lulls his toddler towards sleep, weaving a quilt of dreams across the roaring seas and through the inky night - and dealing with some big toddler emotions en route. Sumptuously illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat, and infused with the spirit and flora and fauna of India.

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In these four interlinked stories about Nikhil and Jay and their family, there's always fun and mischief. Jay wants to do things by himself on his birthday, but sharing with Nikhil turns out to be more fun. They all go to visit Grandad and Nana, but where is the story dragon? Then it's Pancake Day, the day when Amma makes yummy dosa, Indian pancakes. And last but not least, Nikhil and Jay help to lead a campaign to save their local library from closing. The Nikhil and Jay stories are perfect for children moving on from picture books to longer stories, helped by Soofiya's lively and characterful illustrations.

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In these four interlinked stories about Nikhil and Jay and their family, there's always fun and mischief. Grandad and Granny come to visit from India and show the boys that the best way to eat mangoes is in the bath! There's a Star Birthday for Nikhil, with a special Indian Feast. Another day the family all go for a banana picnic in the park. Everyone is sad when it's time for Granny and Grandad to go back to India, but Nikhil and Jay promise to send letters and pictures. The Nikhil and Jay stories are perfect for children moving on from picture books to longer stories, helped by Soofiya's lively and characterful illustrations.

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In this traditional tale from India, the mice and the elephants discover that size is no barrier to friendship after one of the elephants falls into a hunter's trap...This story is part of Reading Champion, a series carefully linked to book bands to encourage independent reading skills, developed with Dr Sue Bodman and Glen Franklin of UCL Institute of Education (IOE)Reading Champion offers independent reading books for children to practise and reinforce their developing reading skills.Fantastic, original stories are accompanied by engaging artwork and a reading activity. Each book has been carefully graded so that it can be matched to a child's reading ability, encouraging reading for pleasure.Perfect for readers aged 5-7 or those reading at book band purple.

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Discover six new tales of wit, courage and power in this new treasury from Ladybird Books.Join six kings, queens and warriors from around the world as they battle for crowns, vanquish dark forces and claim their thrones in this colourful illustrated collection of Ladybird Tales. Includes a special introduction from Game of Thrones actress Gemma Whelan.Perfect for bedtime, to read aloud or to enjoy alone, these exciting stories taken from myth and legend show that there is more to royalty than bows and curtsies.

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Sona Sharma lives in India with her busy family, where she learns about the ups and downs of family, friendship and life."Warmly loving and evocative" The Guardian Sona and her friends are excited to learn their beloved teacher, Miss Rao, is getting married – but then they panic that she might leave their school for ever after her wedding! They try all kinds of tactics, like wishing on a peacock feather and even starting a petition to keep Miss Rao. But Miss Rao's beautiful Indian wedding has a surprise in store for the girls.

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Book Band: Grey, ideal for ages 8+ An exciting detective story from Chitra Soundar, author of over 50 children’s books in the UK, India and the US. Sindhu and Jeet are the best detectives in town: they solve all their cases with a dollop of observation, a dash of imagination and a whole load of legwork. And when they travel from India to England for a holiday, the detective work doesn’t stop! This page-turning story is accompanied by black-and-white illustrations by Amberin Huq. The Bloomsbury Readers series is packed with book-banded stories to get children reading independently in Key Stage 2 by award-winning authors like double Carnegie Medal winner Geraldine McCaughrean and Waterstones Prize winner Patrice Lawrence. With engaging illustrations and online guided reading notes written by the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE), this series is ideal for home and school. For more information visit www.bloomsburyreaders.com. 'Any list that brings together such a quality line up of authors is going to be welcomed … Bloomsbury Readers are aimed squarely at children in Key Stage 2 and designed to support them as they start reading independently and while they continue to gain confidence and understanding.' Books for Keeps

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This story is part of Reading Champion, a series carefully linked to book bands to encourage independent reading skills, developed with Dr Sue Bodman and Glen Franklin of UCL Institute of Education (IOE)Reading Champion offers independent reading books for children to practise and reinforce their developing reading skills.Fantastic, original stories are accompanied by engaging artwork and a reading activity. Each book has been carefully graded so that it can be matched to a child's reading ability, encouraging reading for pleasure.

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Book Band: Purple (Ideal for ages 6+) A fun, magical story, ideal for children practising their reading at home or in school. Manju wants to get a present for her Mum's birthday but Cumin her cat isn't sure about the toy elephant or robot. So when they find Grandma's magic lamp, Manju is granted seven wishes to find the best present. But each wish starts to go wrong and soon the house is filled with a rock band, aliens and pirates! Can Manju and Cumin wish for the perfect gift? This magically humorous tale from storyteller Chitra Soundar is perfect for children who are learning to read by themselves and for Key Stage 1. It features engaging illustrations from Verónica Montoya and quirky characters young readers will find hard to resist. _______________ Bloomsbury Young Readers are the perfect way to get children reading, with book-banded stories by brilliant authors like Julia Donaldson. The series is ideal for both home and school, with gorgeous colour illustrations, tips for parents, and fun activity ideas. Online guided reading and teaching notes, written by the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE), are available at bloomsburyreaders.com. 'Every child needs a Bloomsbury Young Reader. Fun, stretching, just the right length, full of adventurous vocabulary and punctuation.' - Julie-Ann McCulloch, Teacher

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When the moon rises high and the stars twinkle, it is bedtime for the baby animals of the Indian forest. But tonight, when the skies turn dark and the night grows stormy, the little ones can’t sleep. SWISH-SWISH! CRACK-TRACK! FLASH-SNAP! goes the storm. Only Mama Elephant with her words of wisdom can reassure them, “You’re safe with me”. A modern fable about learning not to fear the storm, this gorgeously-illustrated picture book is a sleep-time staple for toddlers.

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Further delightful trickster tales from IndiaPrince Veera and his best friend, Suku, are left in charge of King Beema's court when the king goes off on a hunting trip. Each day the king's subjects come before the boys with their problems and petty disagreements. Can Veera and Suku settle the dispute between the man who sells a well – but not the water in it – to his neighbour? Or solve the mystery of the jewels that have turned into pickles? And what about the old washerwoman who is set the task of washing the king's elephants until they turn white? These clever, funny trickster tales, full of humour and colour, are sure to delight.

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