Reading can open your mind to brilliant new worlds and take you to a new level of English language learning.
It may seem like a slow process, but it is effective.
You are reading: Good books for english learners
Embracing English books as learning tools can help you reach English fluency faster than ever before.
Take a trip to your local library and see the difference a few good books can make!
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- the benefits of reading books in English
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- reading is rewarding.
- reading is an exercise in language learning.
- reading opens the mind.
- reading is fun!
- 1. charlotte’s web – e.b. white
- 2. mieko and the fifth treasure – eleanor coerr
- 3. the outsiders – s.e. suggestion
- 4. the house on mango street – sandra cisneros
- 5. thirteen reasons why – jay asher
- 6. Peter Pan – J.M. sweep
- 7. the old man and the sea – ernest hemmingway
- 8. the giver – lois lowry
- 9. number the stars – lois lowry
- 10. a wrinkle in time – madeline l’engle
download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable pdf that you can take anywhere. click here for a copy. (download)
See Also: The Very Best Princess Books for Kids to Read
the benefits of reading books in English
“the more you read, the more you will know. the more you know, the more places you will go.” -dr seuss.
as any english speaking kid can tell you, there’s no denying that dr. seuss if you love to read, but are a little scared to read an entire novel in english, don’t worry. let’s help you get there, step by step.
with each book you read, the more you will improve your English reading skills.
For starters, there are some excellent novels written in English that aren’t too difficult to understand. anyway, it’s good to set yourself a linguistic challenge from time to time. How else are you going to improve your English?
reading is rewarding.
Being able to read a novel in another language and understand it is a great achievement. You will feel fulfilled the moment you read the last page, close the book and reflect on the experience. you may find yourself on the last page faster than you thought; once you start reading these books, you won’t be able to put them down.
reading is a language learning exercise.
Reading novels in English will help you improve your vocabulary, general comprehension, and in some cases can even give you more knowledge about different countries and their cultures. you can also move at your own pace. while listening to podcasts and radio, you need to keep up with whoever you’re talking to. but while reading a book, you can read as slow or as fast as you like. if you didn’t understand something, just look at the paragraph again!
reading opens the mind.
reading educates. It opens you up to new experiences and perspectives. What better way is there to understand someone’s way of thinking? you can learn new information about the language, culture, society, and history that you never knew before.
reading is fun!
is, overall, a nice and relaxing way to learn English without any stress. people get frustrated when they choose books that are above their reading levels. If you choose your first English books wisely, you should have a very positive experience.
10 great and easy English books you should read
Take a look at some of the following popular novels. if you have a basic level of understanding and comprehension, these novels will not be a problem. They are perfect for any student learning English for beginners!
set a reading challenge. How many of these books can you read?
1. charlotte’s web – e.b. white
This is a charming novel that all age groups can understand. Aimed at native English-speaking children, there are plenty of adults who still say this famous book is their favorite. this is part of the national curriculum in many schools around the world, so it is quite possible that this book will also come up in conversation. You can almost guarantee that most native English speakers have read this book at least once.
plot summary
a baby pig almost died due to its status: it is the smallest pig ever born and is considered useless and worthless. the pig is saved by a girl named farm fern. she adopts the pig and takes care of it. she gives him the name wilbur.
Fern is saddened when Wilbur grows up and has to be sent to a farm owned by his uncle. she has a strong relationship with wilbur. when wilbur goes to the farm, all the other animals on the farm ignore him and he is left crying for his human friend. one day he hears a voice, but can’t see anything. this voice promises to befriend him.
The voice belongs to a little spider named charlotte. charlotte the spider knows that the farmers plan to kill wilbur. she promises to make a plan to save her life. The farmers are surprised the next day when they see the words “some pig” written on the spider web* that Charlotte has made. charlotte asked for the help of the other animals during the day to write messages everywhere.
Wilbur is saddened when Charlotte disappears. but in the end, their spiderlings turn out to be great company for the pig. they continue to protect themselves and the story ends well.
*webs are sticky traps made by spiders.
2. mieko and the fifth treasure – eleanor coerr
This book isn’t really that famous, but it’s on the recommended book list. the good thing about “mieko and the fifth treasure” is that it is short. At just 77 pages, it will be easy to read. Again, this book is aimed at young native English speakers, so if you’re learning English, the level won’t be that difficult. this book will keep you interested as you will learn many interesting things about japan and its culture.
plot summary
this is an emotional story about mieko. mieko is a talented artist and calligrapher (handwriting artist). her hand is seriously injured during the bombing of the war. the frightened girl is sent to live with her grandparents in the country where she is safer.
mieko is worried and afraid that she has lost her fifth treasure: the “beauty of her heart”. This treasure is the key to her happiness and her beautiful art.
mieko starts a new school. her new classmates are bad. they constantly laugh at her and make fun of her, which makes her angrier. Her grandparents eventually manage to dispel her darkness through her patience and wisdom. she also finds a good friend in yoshi. yoshi is a very kind classmate.
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mieko also approaches yoshi’s aunt. her friend’s aunt is strict but kind and encourages mieko to go back and pick up her brushes.
3. the outsiders – s.e. track
This short novel is perfect for learners of English as a foreign language. It has modern themes and typical teenage problems that people from all over the world have experienced. there are very few cultural notes in this, which means you don’t need a lot of background information. the sentences are short and easy to understand. the vocabulary is also very easy. you should be able to read this book without difficulty.
plot summary
ponyboy curtis is one of the main characters. he is part of a gang of teenagers called the greasers. after he leaves the cinema one day, he is attacked by a rival (enemy) gang. Ponyboy’s friends chase the group away and he is saved.
The next night, Ponyboy and his friends go to see a movie again. they sit behind a few pretty girls from the other gang. they end up sitting together with the girls. Ponyboy and Cherry discover that they have a lot in common even though they belong to different gangs. the boys start walking to the girls’ house, but on the way they run into the girls’ boyfriends. The girls have to go so a fight doesn’t start.
because ponyboy comes home late his brother gets angry. this makes them fight. as a result, ponyboy tries to run away from home. they run into the rival gang again and another fight begins. this time one of the enemies dies.
ponyboy is really scared. they hide in a church and try to hide his appearance by dyeing (coloring) their hair. several different fights break out between the two gangs. eventually, ponyboy wakes up in the hospital.
A trial is set in the courtroom and the judge has to decide the (future) fate of ponyboy. Is he guilty or innocent?
4. the house on mango street – sandra cisneros
the best thing about “the house on mango street” is that it is an interesting read. It is written from the writer’s point of view. you can really feel what the protagonist (the main character) feels. the sentences are very short, so it is also easy to understand. there are some challenging words and some descriptive language, but you can usually make sense of them from the context. another great thing about this book is that it gives you a deep understanding of a different culture.
plot summary
This book follows the life of Esperanza, a Mexican girl. the novel takes place over the period of one year. Esperanza moves into a new house on Mango Street. the house is much better than the previous one. it is the first house that her parents have had; all the other houses of hers have been rented. Esperanza is not very happy because she had been dreaming of a different house, a bigger one. her new house is old and small. the house is located in a busy latino area of chicago. In the new home, Esperanza feels that she doesn’t have time to be alone. she promises herself that one day she will leave and have her own house.
Throughout the novel the young woman grows a lot. the story follows her life as she makes friends, her body changes and she begins to have feelings for a boy. With her new friends, she has many adventures. When she returns to school after vacation, Esperanza is embarrassed that her family is poor. she secretly writes poetry to feel better.
There is a lot of focus on other women in the community and Esperanza hopes she will never be like them again. Observing the older women and how they are trapped, she knows that she wants to leave.
5. thirteen reasons why – jay asher
This story takes place in the present, which means the writer writes using simple grammar. all the sentences are short and the vocabulary is relatively easy. Interesting grammar and short paragraphs make this a quick and easy book for ESL students. This is an award winning book and it’s on the New York Best Books list so it’s well worth a read. this book deals with some heavy topics. If you’re looking for something light and happy to read over the summer break, you shouldn’t read this book.
plot summary
The main character is Clay Jensen, a quiet high school student. he comes home from school and finds a package on his doorstep. he doesn’t know who sent it. he opens it and discovers 7 cassette tapes. These tapes are from Hannah Baker, his former classmate. he had emotional problems and committed suicide (he committed suicide).
the tapes came with instructions. the newspaper said they were to pass the tapes from one student to another student. there are 12 people in total. in the newspaper, she explains to these people who helped her die; gives them 13 reasons. hannah also sends another set of tapes to someone else. she gives them a strong warning that if they don’t pass the first set of tapes on to the next person, the whole school will know how they were a part of her death.
We heard about your pain. he talks about his first kiss, people who lied to him and stole from him. it all started with gossip. gossip then grew and got out of control. The book follows each person’s story and why she felt hurt, including her English teacher who didn’t take her seriously.
6. Peter Pan – J.M. sweep
almost everyone knows the story of “peter pan”, so it is easy to read. being familiar with a story already helps the reader better understand the text. this book is aimed at children, but continues to be enjoyed by adults around the world as well.
plot summary
every night, peter visits the beloved family home and listens to mrs. Honey, she tells bedtime stories. she sits at the window listening. One night, they see Peter trying to escape. as she tries to run away, she loses the shadow of her. she returns to look for her shadow. she wakes up the daughter of the house, wendy darling. wendy helps him join her shadow to her body again. Wendy tells him that she knows a lot of bedtime stories too.
peter invites wendy to come back to neverland with him. he wants her to be the mother of the lost children. Wendy accepts the mission and asks her brothers Michael and John to join them.
have a magical flight as they travel to neverland and have many adventures along the way. Wendy almost dies and the kids build her a tree house to recover. After Wendy is well, she takes on the role of mother.
After all her adventures and fun, Wendy decides her place is at home with her mom. wendy helps all the lost boys to return to london. but peter doesn’t want him to go. instead, he tries to trick her. he tells her that her mother doesn’t love them anymore. however, he understands how sad his mother must be. in the end, he decides to let them go home.
7. the old man and the sea – ernest hemmingway
This is a famous classic. Almost every native English speaker will have read this book at some point in school. so if you ever find yourself in a conversation about literature and books, this is a good conversation. at some points it has some difficult vocabulary, however it is short and you won’t have much trouble finishing it.
plot summary
This is the story of a long fight between a seasoned old fisherman and the best fish he ever caught. Santiago has returned to town without fish for 84 days. The parents of the boy who helps Santiago tell him to join another ship. but the young man continues to help the fisherman at night.
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On day eighty-five, your luck changes and so does your life. Santiago sails further with his boat. he drops his fishing lines. at 12 o’clock at night, a huge fish (a marlin) bites the hook (the food used to attract fish). the man tries to get the fish out, but the fish is too big and strong. instead, the fish begins to pull the boat. the old man is still struggling and holding on to the line. the fish pulls the boat through the sea for two days.
On the third day, the fish gets tired. Santiago is able to approach the fish and kill it. it is the biggest fish he has ever seen in his life. he begins to sail back to the village, but the blood of the fish attracts the sharks. The boat is attacked by a mako shark, but Santiago manages to kill it. he kills most of the sharks, but there is a problem. they have eaten the meat of the fish and now only the skeleton (bones) remain. he goes home and falls asleep.
all the townspeople are amazed at the size of the fish skeleton. The young man agrees to be Santiago’s fishing partner once again.
8. the giver – lois lowry
“the giver” begins in a very interesting way and catches the attention of the readers from the beginning. It has easy to understand grammar. most of the grammar is past simple and past perfect. all the sentences are short and there is no confusion in the story. this is a longer book. however, it is very easy, so you will finish it quickly.
plot summary
jonas is a boy. he lives a very safe life with a lot of order and rules. there are many rules and everyone follows them. the lives of citizens are planned for them and they do not usually make decisions for themselves.
try not to say anything different. one rule is that you should never say anything that makes another person uncomfortable. each husband and wife are matched by a special committee. each family has two children, a boy and a girl.
when jonas and the rest of his group become the “twelve” in december, they get special jobs. Because Jonas is smart and respected, he is given an additional special job. his new job is to become the receiver of memories. the receiver of the memories is the only person in the group who can see all the memories of the past. he must keep these memories a secret until he trains someone else to take his place. this job is really hard. this person knows things that others don’t, and also has to deal with all the sadness of the past.
jonas is very excited at first. but he soon learns some truths about the people in the community. he comes to understand that this kind of life is unfair. he wants to allow people to make their own decisions. Jonas comes up with an interesting plan to change the community. he decides that he needs to move the community to another place. In his plan, they will recover their memories and will be able to live a good and righteous life.
9. number the stars – lois lowry
This is a realistic novel. it is based on history. unlike other historical literature, it is easy to understand. If you already know a lot about World War II, this could be an interesting book for you. not recommended if you don’t know much about world wars. in this case, you’ll be too focused on trying to understand the facts, so you won’t enjoy the book as much.
plot summary
This is a story of hope and courage. The year is 1943 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The area has been taken over by Hitler’s army. there are soldiers everywhere. 10-year-old annemarie’s life has changed a lot. there is little food and everyone is very scared. there is talk of moving all the Jews to another place. This is difficult for Annemarie because her best friend, Ellen, is Jewish.
This is a different book about war. shows that it was not only the Jewish people who suffered during the war. Annemarie’s family lost her eldest daughter, Lise, a few weeks before her wedding.
annemarie will later do what her sister lise did. she will join the resistance group to fight against the nazis. she ends up being a hero (a hero) for a few reasons (which I won’t tell you because I don’t want to ruin the story).
10. a wrinkle in time – madeline l’engle
This book has a combination of shorter and longer sentences. short sentences allow readers to relax a bit more. they also set the scene well and let you know what is happening through simple words. there is a lot of vocabulary to learn. is a good book if you already have experience reading novels in English. make sure you have your vocabulary notebook with you, in case there are any interesting words you would like to learn. this book has many!
plot summary
meg is 14 years old. everyone sees her as a troublemaker (a person who causes trouble). they think she is a bad student. everyone in her family seems to be perfect. her mom is a very beautiful scientist. her twin brothers are very athletic. and her 5 year old little brother, charles wallace murry, is a child genius and can often read meg’s mind.
one night, meg can’t sleep. she goes downstairs and finds her younger brother sitting at the kitchen table drinking milk. later her mom joins them. a strange neighbor named mrs. what unites them. Mrs. whatsit talks a lot and says that the “tesseract” is real. we (the readers) don’t know what this means, but mrs. murry knows what it is. she looks like she is going to pass out (fall down from illness or fear).
meg and her brother meet a friend the next day. Calvin O’Keefe is a high school student. together, the three of them go to visit an old haunted house that belongs to mrs. What is that. while going there they meet the lady. what is friend, ma’am? who. Mrs. which is also very strange. Meg and Calvin start to like each other. Charles suddenly announces that they must concentrate on finding her father, who is lost somewhere in the universe.
Strange things happen and the older women become supernatural beings (not from earth). children are transported into the universe by the “tesseract”. they stop and visit different planets along the way. the women tell the children that the universe is being attacked by the “black thing” (the devil).
find out where meg’s father is. Charles tries to use his psychic powers (in his mind) to see where her father is. they eventually find his father, but not without drama. Along the way, Meg learns to love. she uses this new love to help them escape.
There are so many great and fun books to read!
Of course, you’re not limited to books for reading practice. You can also use blogs, social media, and even videos with subtitles or transcripts to improve your reading skills.
for example, in the fluentu language learning program, you can practice reading while watching authentic videos like movie trailers and music videos. Each video comes with an interactive transcript and subtitles so you can get instant definitions of any unfamiliar words.
There are also flashcards and exercises to help you remember new words. and if you want to play a sentence, there are convenient arrow keys that move the video backwards or forwards sentence by sentence.
Reading is a wonderful way to improve your English. is an amazing way to learn new vocabulary. reading opens your mind. It’s a great way to learn to guess the meaning of things and at the same time enjoy English in a different way.
download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable pdf that you can take anywhere. click here for a copy. (download)
