What are level 1 reading books

The Best Level 1 Reading Books For Your Budding Reader

Parenting

July 19, 2021

Amazon / Scary Mommy

The best level 1 reading books can help your future bookworm fall in love with reading. But before you fill that bookcase full of your childhood favorites, it’s important to know that there are levels this -ish, mama. Yes, literal levels. When shopping for books for new or learning readers, you don’t want anything too easy or too difficult. You also want to be sure that it’s something that will actually hold their attention and get your LO interested in books (hopefully enough to want to continue reading on their own). It’s a lot to take into consideration! While filling up a bookshelf with the classics may be an understandable first instinct, it’s important to get what you’re child will both enjoy and learn from.

“Let your child’s library be determined by what they want to read. Building reading fluency is all about practice. And if your child is reading what appeals to them, they will want to read more and more,” advised Rachel Matson, the associate editor at Scholastic. “Passion for the book is more important than if your child is reading above or below level.”

That’s right. It doesn’t matter if the book is about ponies, pirates, or Olaf the Snowman — as long as they want to read it!

What is a level 1 reader?

Generally, there are five different categories (I Can Read, Ready to Read, Hello Reader, Step into Reading, and Brand New Readers) and four easy reader levels (Levels 1-4), each with various subcategories for different ages. Level 1 readers are usually around five or six years old, the age most children begin kindergarten. Unfortunately, there isn’t one set of industry standards across publishers that categorizes level 1 reading books. (Which makes this hella confusing for us parents). However, all the best level 1 reading books have the same characteristics: a simple vocabulary with familiar high-frequency words, repetition, and illustrations that support the text on every page. Shira Stein, a New York-based literacy specialist and tutor, gave Scary Mommy a little insight:

“Most publishing companies issue some version of early leveled readers. And these books can be very helpful in supporting your child learning to read because they are written with this specific audience in mind,” recommends Stein.

The Five Finger Rule

But how do you know if that level 1 reading book is right for your reader? Stein recommends using the Five Finger Rule! “If your kiddo opens a book and runs into 5+ unfamiliar words, that book is too hard. But zero unknown words is too easy,” Stein explains. So, it’s best to find a sweet spot in the middle. A book that has 2-3 new words per page is perfect for your learning reader.

I know that seems like a ton of info, mama — but don’t worry. We’ve sifted through all the leveled easy reading books from different publishing houses to collect the best level 1 reading books that are actually easy to read. Check them out below!

The Best Level 1 Reading Books

'Hello, Hedgehog: Let’s Have a Sleepover!' by Norm Feuti

Scholastic Books’ Associate Editor Rachel Matson recommends “this cute-as-can-be sleepover story which is all about having empathy for your friends,” as one of her top level 1 books. Part of the Scholastic early reader line Acorn, Hello Hedgehog: Let’s Have a Sleepover! is the second of the five book series. The Acorn book line features easy to read text, a short story format, and captivating tales illustrated in full color. “Perfect for kids just learning to read. They have age-appropriate humor (no crude/gross humor), good grammar, and are relatable for young kids. Three to seven year-olds will enjoy them (and their parents). The hide-and-seek part is a big favorite” said one happy Amazon customer.

$4.99

'Jump' by David McPhail

Jump into reading with this high quality, guided reading level A book by David McPhail. Part of the award winning early reading series from Holiday House, the book features acclaimed author-illustrators that create compelling narratives with simple text and gorgeous original artwork. McPhail uses cozy watercolor illustrations to depict kids and animals leaping in the air with this beginner book perfect for early kindergarten. “Awesome book,” reviews one happy customer on Amazon. “I love how even though these books are for beginning readers the illustrations and books are just as rich as higher level ones!”

$7.99

'Go Dog Go!' by P.D. Eastman

This classic beginner’s book written by P.D. Eastman—edited by Dr. Seuss—features silly dogs zipping around town in everything from a car to rollerskates. With so many fun-loving characters, it’s no wonder why this beloved book has been a favorite for generations. One Amazon customer reviews, “from colors and numbers and locations, to the time of day, basic temperature, and size comparisons, there are lots of learning moments in this book. But I think it’s the fun illustrations and simple humor that has kept us coming back to Go, Dog, Go!” Kids of all ages (and reading abilities) will giggle when they hit the classic line “I do not like your hat” (which is so humorously met with a frosty “goodbye”). And parents will rarely tire of sharing this classic with their kiddos.

$4.99

'Frog Meets Dog' by Janee Trasler

Chosen as a best book of 2020 by the Chicago Public Library, the Frog and Dog series is guaranteed to elicit giggles from the whole family. The first story in the series, Frog Meets Dog, tells how the two characters first encounter grows into friendship while also highlighting the importance of showing kindness. Perfect for fans of Hop on Pop, the simple text features repetitive rhyming texts allowing early readers to quickly recognize the cadence of the book while sounding out words. “We love this book!” said one Amazon customer. “Such a fun, easy reader that also shows kids it’s important to be kind. The fun and silly illustrations are perfect for all kids learning to read!”

$4.99

'Soccer Time!' by Terry Pierce

What’s more exciting than scoring a goal? Finally reading a book all on your own — obviously! That is exactly what author Terry Pierce captures in this truly beginner book for the sports-loving kid. Simple sentences chocked full of alliterations and word families makes this a book little learners will enjoy reading again and again. “This is a cute book with easy to learn words and nice illustrations. Definitely coming back for more of this brand,” raved an Amazon customer. This Step 1 book from the Step into Reading series is ideal for a 4 to 6 year old who knows their alphabet and can’t wait to start reading!

$4.99

'Elephant & Piggie: The Complete Collection' by Mo Willems

Create an instant Elephant & Piggie library with all 25 titles in one complete set by author- illustrator Mo Willems. Any new reader will love giggling their way through the side splitting and always heartwarming adventures of these two wonderful friends. The set includes teacher favorites like There is a Bird on Your Head! and Today I Will Fly!, and come highly recommended by New York City based reading specialist, Shira Stein. “My favorite books for the beginning reader age group include anything by Mo Willems, but especially the Elephant and Piggie books.” states Stein. But don’t forget how much parents love them too! One parent on Amazon reviews, “My daughter loves Elephant and Piggie books. The stories are hilarious, and the characters are kind and friendly. The best part is that the books use simple vocabulary and my daughter for the most part can read them on her own.”

$99.99

'Fox Tails: The Great Bunk Bed Battle' by Tina Kügler

“A must-have for any child with siblings,” recommends Rachel Matson, Associate Editor at Scholastic. The first book of the hit Fox Tails series features brother and sister Fritz and Franny, and their highly imaginative bedtime routine that ends up looking a lot like sibling shenanigans. Any young reader with siblings and only children who pine for a larger family will respond to the rambunctious stories with vivid illustrations. “A marvelous read,” reviews one customer on Amazon. “The story and the illustrations are both charming and imaginative. Includes a drawing tutorial and a “What’s your story” prompt to keep the story going.”

$4.99

'Ice Cream Soup' by Ann Ingalls

Part of the Penguin Books Young Readers series, this level 1 book explores what happens when an ice cream cake gets overloaded with too many ingredients. Ann Ingalls masterfully crafts a story that is not only appropriate for young readers, primarily ages 4-6, but tells it with easy-to-read text full of short and simple words. “These Penguin Young Readers are what I think of as a true Level 1, for the kid who is just putting everything together and starting to read. It’s such a great feeling for my little man to be able to read the whole book himself. This is the first book my son ever read all by himself, and it’s probably my favorite out of this series,” said a parent reviewer on Amazon.

$9.33

'Meet the Sight Words' Level 1 Boxed Set by Kathy Oxley

Created specifically for four to five year olds who are just starting to read by recognizing sight words and sounding out CVC words (consonant vowel consonant words such as ‘cat’ and ‘fan’). These books focus on the 16 most frequent kindergarten sight words (also known as star words or high frequency words) that kids are taught to memorize in their early reading journey. One parent reviews on Amazon, “I bought Level 1, 2, and 3, and my son loves them! The biggest win is that these books, coupled with his few lessons on sight words, have enabled him to quickly be able to start recognizing these words and actually reading full sentences!”

$13.46

'Here is Big Bunny' by Steve Henry

Here is Big Bunny is a visual treat for young readers. Steve Henry creates a cute and captivating story while changing just one word on each page to help budding readers gain confidence and momentum. And during the entire story, there are more than 150 adorable animal characters involved in their everyday city life to enjoy, while hints of Big Bunny are seen behind trees and through windows. “Delivers more every time you look,” said one Amazon customer. “Bursting with energy, the colorful city scenes are filled with animal characters engaged in fun activities. There’s a lot for children to discover, including the mystery of the shapes seen moving between the pages. The text is short, simple, and just right for beginning readers.”

$4.99

'Princess Truly: Off I Go!' by Kelly Greenawalt

By now we know that representation matters. And that is why we love the Princess Truly books from Scholastic’s Acorn series. Princess Truly features a little girl who has magical curly hair. In Off I Go!, she uses her magical curls to travel the world while making arctic friends. And in I am a Super Girl, Princess Truly uses her magic locks to actually become a superhero! Talk about girl power! This easy to read, highly entertaining book series will not only inspire our young female readers, but teach boys that girls are just as strong as they are. One mom on Amazon reviews, “This is a great story book! My kiddo says ‘Mommy, she has my hair!’,” How awesome is that?

$4.99

First Little Readers Parent Pack (Level D)

The first little readers pack contains 25 unique eight-page stories that build early reading confidence at just the right level for your developing reader. The books feature simple text, picture clues, and decodable words that will help your child find success in reading with adorable stories about everything from dinosaurs to pizza. “My kindergartener was struggling to use the tools available to beginner readers (e.g. picture clues and sounding out words), so I bought this set for more practice at home,” reviews one parent on Amazon. “The past couple of weeks, I have seen significant improvement at home, and her teacher reported this morning that they’ve also seen improvement at school.” Is your little one totally new to reading? Or are they more advanced? The First Little Readers Parent Packs are also available in guided reading levels A through level G-H.

$13.59

Get the Giggles: A First Joke Book

Does your kiddo love cracking a joke? Or maybe they just love giggling at the punchline. Either way, if your kids like to laugh (and quite frankly what little one doesn’t), then Get the Giggles: A First Joke Book is the perfect level 1 book for your house. The 32-page colorful easy reader features the beginning of a joke on one page with the punchline on the back. One parent on Amazon reviews, “My five year old’s favorite book. If you have an early reader, this is the book you need! My daughter has read this book so much that she has memorized every single joke! It gives her big belly laughs as well as great confidence to read to others. This one is all five stars!”

$3.99

'Moo Dog' by David Milgrim

Get ready to have fun with a zany dog and bird duo who like to moo. Although the other animals are confused by these mooing animals, the book ultimately rings through with the timely theme of shamelessly being who you are (and having a blast doing it). One parent said, “This has been a great reader for my kindergartner. He was tired of repetitive books. This one is more of a short story using a variety of sight words. A lot of the pages look like a comic book style, my kid definitely thought that was fun.” Get ready to have the whole house mooing with the adorable tale of Moo Dog!

$3. 99

'Cat Days' by Alexa Andrews

“Wonderful for hesitant readers,” said one parent in Amazon reviews. “My child can read, but is hesitant to do so. This book gave her confidence to read. We checked it out at the library so many times I surprised her with her very own copy. Happy Girl!” The adorable easy reader follows the story of an orange tabby cat as she moves through her day. She learns where the best place to sit is, makes a new friend, and in the end curls up to a nice long nap. A great easy reader with sweetly simple illustrations that make this one of the best confidence building level 1 books on the list.

$3.99

Looking for more ideas to get your kids reading, learning, playing, or moving? We’ve got all the best mom-approved kids gear here!

SHOP THE STORY

'Hello, Hedgehog: Let’s Have a Sleepov...

$4.99

'Jump' by David McPhail

Jump into reading with this high quality, guided reading level A book by David McPhail. Part of the award winning early reading series from Holiday House, the book features acclaimed author-illustrators that create compelling narratives with simple text and gorgeous original artwork. McPhail uses cozy watercolor illustrations to depict kids and animals leaping in the air with this beginner book perfect for early kindergarten. “Awesome book,” reviews one happy customer on Amazon. “I love how even though these books are for beginning readers the illustrations and books are just as rich as higher level ones!”

$7.99

'Go Dog Go!' by P.D. Eastman

This classic beginner’s book written by P.D. Eastman—edited by Dr. Seuss—features silly dogs zipping around town in everything from a car to rollerskates. With so many fun-loving characters, it’s no wonder why this beloved book has been a favorite for generations. One Amazon customer reviews, “from colors and numbers and locations, to the time of day, basic temperature, and size comparisons, there are lots of learning moments in this book. But I think it’s the fun illustrations and simple humor that has kept us coming back to Go, Dog, Go!” Kids of all ages (and reading abilities) will giggle when they hit the classic line “I do not like your hat” (which is so humorously met with a frosty “goodbye”). And parents will rarely tire of sharing this classic with their kiddos.

$4.99

'Frog Meets Dog' by Janee Trasler

Chosen as a best book of 2020 by the Chicago Public Library, the Frog and Dog series is guaranteed to elicit giggles from the whole family. The first story in the series, Frog Meets Dog, tells how the two characters first encounter grows into friendship while also highlighting the importance of showing kindness. Perfect for fans of Hop on Pop, the simple text features repetitive rhyming texts allowing early readers to quickly recognize the cadence of the book while sounding out words. “We love this book!” said one Amazon customer. “Such a fun, easy reader that also shows kids it’s important to be kind. The fun and silly illustrations are perfect for all kids learning to read!”

$4.99

'Soccer Time!' by Terry Pierce

What’s more exciting than scoring a goal? Finally reading a book all on your own — obviously! That is exactly what author Terry Pierce captures in this truly beginner book for the sports-loving kid. Simple sentences chocked full of alliterations and word families makes this a book little learners will enjoy reading again and again. “This is a cute book with easy to learn words and nice illustrations. Definitely coming back for more of this brand,” raved an Amazon customer. This Step 1 book from the Step into Reading series is ideal for a 4 to 6 year old who knows their alphabet and can’t wait to start reading!

$4.99

'Elephant & Piggie: The Complete Collection' by Mo Willems

Create an instant Elephant & Piggie library with all 25 titles in one complete set by author- illustrator Mo Willems. Any new reader will love giggling their way through the side splitting and always heartwarming adventures of these two wonderful friends. The set includes teacher favorites like There is a Bird on Your Head! and Today I Will Fly!, and come highly recommended by New York City based reading specialist, Shira Stein. “My favorite books for the beginning reader age group include anything by Mo Willems, but especially the Elephant and Piggie books. ” states Stein. But don’t forget how much parents love them too! One parent on Amazon reviews, “My daughter loves Elephant and Piggie books. The stories are hilarious, and the characters are kind and friendly. The best part is that the books use simple vocabulary and my daughter for the most part can read them on her own.”

$99.99

'Fox Tails: The Great Bunk Bed Battle' by Tina Kügler

“A must-have for any child with siblings,” recommends Rachel Matson, Associate Editor at Scholastic. The first book of the hit Fox Tails series features brother and sister Fritz and Franny, and their highly imaginative bedtime routine that ends up looking a lot like sibling shenanigans. Any young reader with siblings and only children who pine for a larger family will respond to the rambunctious stories with vivid illustrations. “A marvelous read,” reviews one customer on Amazon. “The story and the illustrations are both charming and imaginative. Includes a drawing tutorial and a “What’s your story” prompt to keep the story going. ”

$4.99

'Ice Cream Soup' by Ann Ingalls

Part of the Penguin Books Young Readers series, this level 1 book explores what happens when an ice cream cake gets overloaded with too many ingredients. Ann Ingalls masterfully crafts a story that is not only appropriate for young readers, primarily ages 4-6, but tells it with easy-to-read text full of short and simple words. “These Penguin Young Readers are what I think of as a true Level 1, for the kid who is just putting everything together and starting to read. It’s such a great feeling for my little man to be able to read the whole book himself. This is the first book my son ever read all by himself, and it’s probably my favorite out of this series,” said a parent reviewer on Amazon.

$9.33

'Meet the Sight Words' Level 1 Boxed Set by Kathy Oxley

Created specifically for four to five year olds who are just starting to read by recognizing sight words and sounding out CVC words (consonant vowel consonant words such as ‘cat’ and ‘fan’). These books focus on the 16 most frequent kindergarten sight words (also known as star words or high frequency words) that kids are taught to memorize in their early reading journey. One parent reviews on Amazon, “I bought Level 1, 2, and 3, and my son loves them! The biggest win is that these books, coupled with his few lessons on sight words, have enabled him to quickly be able to start recognizing these words and actually reading full sentences!”

$13.46

'Here is Big Bunny' by Steve Henry

Here is Big Bunny is a visual treat for young readers. Steve Henry creates a cute and captivating story while changing just one word on each page to help budding readers gain confidence and momentum. And during the entire story, there are more than 150 adorable animal characters involved in their everyday city life to enjoy, while hints of Big Bunny are seen behind trees and through windows. “Delivers more every time you look,” said one Amazon customer. “Bursting with energy, the colorful city scenes are filled with animal characters engaged in fun activities. There’s a lot for children to discover, including the mystery of the shapes seen moving between the pages. The text is short, simple, and just right for beginning readers.”

$4.99

'Princess Truly: Off I Go!' by Kelly Greenawalt

By now we know that representation matters. And that is why we love the Princess Truly books from Scholastic’s Acorn series. Princess Truly features a little girl who has magical curly hair. In Off I Go!, she uses her magical curls to travel the world while making arctic friends. And in I am a Super Girl, Princess Truly uses her magic locks to actually become a superhero! Talk about girl power! This easy to read, highly entertaining book series will not only inspire our young female readers, but teach boys that girls are just as strong as they are. One mom on Amazon reviews, “This is a great story book! My kiddo says ‘Mommy, she has my hair!’,” How awesome is that?

$4.99

First Little Readers Parent Pack (Level D)

The first little readers pack contains 25 unique eight-page stories that build early reading confidence at just the right level for your developing reader. The books feature simple text, picture clues, and decodable words that will help your child find success in reading with adorable stories about everything from dinosaurs to pizza. “My kindergartener was struggling to use the tools available to beginner readers (e.g. picture clues and sounding out words), so I bought this set for more practice at home,” reviews one parent on Amazon. “The past couple of weeks, I have seen significant improvement at home, and her teacher reported this morning that they’ve also seen improvement at school.” Is your little one totally new to reading? Or are they more advanced? The First Little Readers Parent Packs are also available in guided reading levels A through level G-H.

$13.59

How to find easy reader books your learners can actually READ

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

This post contains affiliate links.

IMPORTANT UPDATE: When I first wrote this post, I believed that predictable leveled texts were the smart choice when finding reading material for brand new readers. After a great deal of study, I now understand that early readers need explicit phonics instruction accompanied by decodable text. The guided reading levels do not line up well, because most of the early books rely primarily on picture support.

I will leave this post here, but please know that my top recommendation for our earliest readers is quality decodable text. Feel free to send me a message via the Contact tab if you’d like more information!

When  a parent approaches one of our librarians for books that his/her new reader can read, the librarian points the parent to the “Easy Reader” section.

That poor parent is left to search through hundreds of books in all different series…

I Can Read.
Ready to Read.
Hello Reader.
Step into Reading.
Brand New Readers.

Ack!

After the initial overwhelm, the parent finally finds a “level 1” book that might work. Encouraged, s/he finds a “level 1” book in another series, only to discover that it is much too hard.

If you’ve been in this situation before, you have my sympathy.

Wouldn’t it be nice it someone would tell you which easy reader books really 

I have good news! Today I’m going to do EXACTLY THAT.

In this post I’ll rate the quality of popular easy reader series. Then I’ll compare them to grade levels and guided reading levels. You can even grab a free printable comparison chart at the end of this post!

For a point of reference, this is how average grade levels compare to guided reading levels …

• Kindergarten – Levels A-D
• First Grade – Levels E-J
• Second Grade – Levels K-M
• Third Grade – Levels N-P
• Fourth Grade – Levels Q-S

About this series: Brand New Readers are cute stories featuring fun characters.  UPDATE: I will keep these in the list, but I no longer recommend these for beginning readers because readers will have to rely heavily on picture cues to “read” the words.

Reading levels: Brand New Readers come in a single level, and the books roughly correspond to guided reading levels C-E.

Sample titles:

• Beeper and Honk, by Carole Lexa Schaefer – guided reading level C
• Monkey’s Loose Tooth, by David Martin – guided reading level C
• Worm boxed set, by Kathy Caple – guided reading levels B-D

 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4

About this series: I am super impressed with Penguin Young Readers! The books are high quality with wonderful variety of stories and illustrations in both fiction and nonfiction.

These books also follow a very logical order in terms of difficulty (which is more than I can say for most of the series in this list). They even have the guided reading level of each book listed on the back.

Best for: Level 1 is great for new readers in kindergarten and early first grade. Level 2 is a good level for advanced kindergarten readers and average first grade readers. Level 3 is good for mid to late first grade through second grade, and Level 4 is ideal for third and fourth grade.

Sample titles:

Level 1 (guided reading levels C-E)

• Max Finds an Egg, by Wiley Blevins -guided reading level C  (Blevins is an example of an author who can tell a good story while using decodable text – double win!!)
• Max Has a Fish, by Wiley Blevins – guided reading level D

Level 2 (guided reading levels F-I)

• Pig and Pug, by Laura Marchesani – guided reading level F
• We Need More Nuts, by Jonathan Fenske – guided reading level G
• The Cow in the House, by Harriet Ziefert- guided reading level I

Level 3 (guided reading levels J-M)

• Fox on Stage, by James Marshall – guided reading level J
• Young Cam Jansen, by David Adler – guided reading level J
• Jackie Robinson He Led the Way, by April Jones Prince – guided reading level K

Level 4 (guided reading levels N-R)

• Amistad, by Patricia McKissack – guided reading level R
• Sacajawea: Her True Story, by Joyce Milton, – guided reading level N
• I am Rosa Parks, by Rosa Parks – guided reading level O

Viking Easy-to-Read series

 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3

About this series: This series is very similar in quality to the Penguin Young Readers books, although the leveling system is different. You won’t find too many books in this series; I did some searching, and I’m not sure they’re still being printed.

Sample titles:

Level 1 (guided reading levels E-I)

• Tiny’s Bath, by Cari Meister – guided reading level F
• Ugly Duckling, by Harriet Ziefert – guided reading level H

Level 2 (guided reading levels H-K)

• Young Cam Jansen books – guided reading level J
• Willie’s Birthday – guided reading level J

Level 3 (guided reading level K)

• Cork & Fuzz – Short and Tall – guided reading level K
• Ant Plays Bear – guided reading level K

Puffin Easy-to-Read series

 Level 1 Level 2

About this series: These look like quality books, but I couldn’t find very many of them. I suspect that they’re being republished as Penguin Young Readers books. I couldn’t find enough Level 3 books to get data on the guided reading levels.

Sample titles:

Level 1 (guided reading levels C-I)

• Scat, Cats! by Joan Holub – guided reading level level C
• Shawn and Keeper, by Jonathan London – guided reading level I
• New House for Mole and Mouse, by Harriet Ziefert – guided reading level G

Level 2 (guided reading levels I-K)

• Ant Plays Bear – guided reading level K
• The Teeny-Tiny Woman, by Harriet Ziefert – guided reading level I
• Fox on Wheels – guided reading level J

 Pre-Level 1 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3

About this series: There are some really great books in the Ready-to-Read series, such as the ones pictured above, and a fair number of really junky ones (based on television shows or toys).

Be careful with the early levels. There isn’t always much phonics support, and if kids are reading primarily by memorizing the pattern or using the pictures, they’re not really reading.

As you can see above, Ready-to-Read has changed its branding quite a few times, which can be confusing. But they’re all part of the same series.

Pre-level 1 (guided reading levels B-H)

• Have You Seen My Cat? by Eric Carle – guided reading level B
• Go, Otto, Go!, by David Milgrim – guided reading level D
• Puppy Mudge books, by Cynthia Rylant  – guided reading levels D/E

Level 1 (guided reading levels H-K)

• Katy Duck and the Secret Valentine, by Alyssa Satin Capucilli – guided reading level H
• The Greedy Python, by Eric Carle – guided reading level K
• Robin Hill School books, by Margaret McNamara  – guided reading levels H-K

Level 2 (guided reading levels J-M)

• Click Clack Moo, Cows that Type, by Doreen Cronin – guided reading level M
• Annie and Snowball books, by Cynthia Rylant – guided reading level J
• Henry and Mudge books, by Cynthia Rylant – guided reading level J

Level 3 (guided reading levels N-R)

• Pinky and Rex books, by James Howe – guided reading level L

 My First Hello Reader Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4

About this series: I don’t think they still make Hello Reader books, but you’ll probably still find quite a few on your library’s shelves. Overall, I’m impressed by their quality.

One annoying thing is that levels 1 and 2 have so much overlap that they’re basically the same level.

UPDATE: Be careful with the early levels. Often, the books require too much attention to pictures or context for students to be able to attend the print itself. Remember that we want our young readers’ attention to be on the words – yes, sounding them out – so that their brains can permanently store the words in their sight vocabulary.

Sample books

My First Hello Reader (guided reading levels D-E)

• The Pet that I want, by Mary Packard – guided reading level E
• The Ball Game, by Mary Packard – guided reading level E
• Who am I? by Nancy Christensen – guided reading level E

Level 1 (guided reading levels D-I)

• Footprints in the Snow, by Cynthia Benjamin – guided reading level D
• I Hate my Bow! by Hans Wilhelm – guided reading level F
• We play on a Rainy Day, by Angela Shelf Medearis – guided reading level E

Level 2 (guided reading levels F-I)

• The Cows are in the Corn, by James Young – guided reading level F
• The Day of the Bad Haircut, by Eva Moore – guided reading level H
• N-O Spells NO! by Teddy Slater – guided reading level I

Level 3 (guided reading levels J-K)

• The Blind Men and the Elephant, by Karen Backstein – guided reading level K
• A Girl Named Helen Keller, by Margo Lundell – guided reading level K
• Even Steven and Odd Todd, by Kathryn Cristaldi – guided reading level K

Level 4 (guided reading levels L-Q)

• Buddy: The First Seeing Eye Dog, by Eva Moore – guided reading level M
• Finding the Titanic, by Robert D. Ballard – guided reading level Q
• The Snack Attack Mystery, by Elizabeth Levy – guided reading level L

Scholastic Reader

 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4About this series: For a company that is well known for publishing children’s books, Scholastic hasn’t done the best job with its easy reader series. Levels 2 and 3 have a ton of overlap and are basically the same level. Plus, there’s a wide variety of difficulty within a single level. They should really have made this a 5-level system.

About this series: For a company that is well known for publishing children’s books, Scholastic hasn’t done the best job with its easy reader series. Levels 2 and 3 have a lot of overlap and are basically the same level. Plus, there’s a wide variety of difficulty within a single level. They should really have made this a 5-level system.

(As a side note, it seems that Scholastic has transitioned its Hello Reader books into this system. )

A good thing about this series is you should be able to find a lot of them, as they’re still being published. Also, the stories are mostly good.

Sample books

Level 1 (guided reading levels C-J)

• Buzz Said the Bee, by Wendy Lewison – guided reading level G
• Pizza Party, Grace Maccarone – guided reading level F
• Bats, by Lily Wood – guided reading level J

Level 2 (guided reading levels H-O)

• Two Crazy Pigs, by Karen Nagel – guided reading level I
• Magic School bus Arctic Adventure, by Gail Herman – guided reading level M

Level 3 (guided reading levels J-O)

• Penguins, by Kate Waters, guided reading level M
• Poppleton in Winter, by Cynthia Rylant – guided reading level J
• A Girl Named Helen Keller, by Margo Lundell – guided reading level K

Level 4 (guided reading levels M-Q)

• Buddy the first seeing eye dog, by Eva Moore – guided reading level M
• Finding the Titanic, by Robert D. Ballard – guided reading level Q
• A Dinosaur Named Sue, by Fay Robinson – guided reading level P
• Five Brilliant Scientists, by Lynda Jones – guided reading level Q

 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4

About this series: I Can Read has been around for a long time. At one point they must have decided to start assigning levels to each of their books like the other easy reader series were doing. BUT … they forgot to change the actual difficulty of the books!

This is crazy, but even though “I Can Read” has four levels, they’re all basically the same! Yep. Here’s how it breaks down. Level 1 is pretty much guided reading levels J-L. So is level 2. And so is level 3! Level 4 is only slightly different, with guided reading levels L-M.

The stories are mostly good, but obviously they’re only a good fit for a small window.

Best for: All four levels are for kids in late first grade through mid-second grade.

Sample books

Level 1 (guided reading levels J-L)

• Fancy Nancy Sees Stars, by Jane O’Connor – guided reading level L
• Danny and the Dinosaur – by Syd Hoff – guided reading level J

Level 2 (guided reading levels J-L)

• My Weird School books, by Dan Gutman – guided reading level J
• Long, Tall Lincoln, by Jennier Dussling – guided reading level L
• Frog and Toad are Friends, by Arnold Lobel – guided reading level K

Level 3 (guided reading levels J-L)

• Minnie and Moo books, by Denys Cazet – guided reading level J
• Josefina story quilt, by Eleanor Coerr – guided reading level L
• The Golly Sisters Go West, by Betsy Byars – guided reading level K

Level 4 (guided reading levels L-M)

• First Flight, by George Shea – guided reading level K
• The Animal Rescue Club, by John Himmelman – guided reading level J

 Level 1 Level 2

About this series: Technically, the Let’s Read and Find Out series isn’t advertised as an early reader series. But I love these books and wanted to make sure you see them!

These are high quality science books for kids.

Best for: Level 1 is for kids in second grade. Level 2 is for kids in second and third grade.

Sample books

Level 1 (guided reading levels K-M)

• Nest full of Eggs, by Priscilla Belz Jenkins – guided reading level M
• From Seed to Pumpkin, by Wendy Pfeffer – guided reading level K

Level 2 (guided reading levels L-P)

• Let’s Go Rock Collecting, by Roma Gans – guided reading level L
• Germs Make Me Sick, by Melvin Berger – guided reading level O

National Geographic Kids

 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3

About this series: National Geographic Kids  books are high quality nonfiction. But you should know that the whole series is only good for kids in second through early fourth grade.

Best for: Level 1 is for second grade. Level 2 is for second and third grade. Level 3 is for third and fourth grade.

Level 1 (guided reading levels K-L)

• Seed to Plant, by Kristin Baird Rattini – guided reading level K
• Trains, by Amy Shields – guided reading level L

Level 2 (guided reading levels K-O)

• Alligators and Crocodiles, by Laura Marsh – guided reading level K
• Planets, by Elizabeth Carney – guided reading level O

Level 3 (guided reading levels O-Q)

• Deadliest Animals, by Melissa Stewart – guided reading level P
• Cats vs. Dogs, by Elizabeth Carney – guided reading level O

Step into Reading

 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4

About this series: There are some good books in this series, but you will have to sort through a lot of junky TV and movie-based books to find them.

I don’t like how much overlap there is in difficulty from levels 1-2.

Best for: Level 1 is for kids in kindergarten through mid-first grade. Level 2 is for first grade. Level 3 is for late first grade through mid-second grade. Level 4 is for late second grade through mid-third grade. It has a level 5, but I couldn’t find more than a couple of books for that level.

Sample books

Level 1 

• I like Fish, by Margaret Wise Brown – Level E
• Big Egg, by Molly Coxe – E
• I Like Bugs, by Margaret Wise Brown – Level E

Level 2 (guided reading levels E-J)

• Wake up, Sun! by David L. Harrison – guided reading level E
• Shampoodle, by Joan Holub – guided reading level J
• Five Silly Fishermen, by Roberta Edwards – guided reading level G

Level 3 (guided reading levels I-L)

• Arthur Loses a Friend, by Marc Brown – guided reading level K
• Hungry, Hungry Sharks, by Joanna Cole – guided reading level L
• Little Lucy, by Ilene Cooper – guided reading level K

Level 4 (guided reading levels L-O)

• Joan of Arc, by Dan Andreasen – guided reading level N
• Soccer Sam, by Jean Marzollo – guided reading level M

 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3

About this series: The stories are good, and I like that there isn’t much overlap in difficulty between the levels. The guided reading level is printed on the back of each book.

UPDATE: Be careful with the early books. I don’t recommend using them if you notice that your child will need to use picture or context clues to “read” most of the words.

Sample books

Level 1 (guided reading levels A-F)

• Big Pig and Little Pig, by David McPhail – guided reading level D
• What I See, by Holly Keller – guided reading level A

Level 2 (guided reading levels F-K)

• Catch me If You Can, by Bernard Most – guided reading level F
• Digger Pig and the Turnip, by Caron Lee Cohen – guided reading level G
• George and Martha, the Best of Friends, by James Marshall – guided reading level L

Level 3 (guided reading levels K-L)

• Iris and Walter books, by Elissa Haden Guest – guided reading level K

DK (Dorling Kindersley) Readers

 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4

About this series: DK Readers has changed its branding a number of times, which can be confusing. DK Eyewitness Readers are the same thing. These are fine nonfiction books, although I often feel that there is too much happening on a single page.

I really don’t like that books within a single level have such a wide variety of difficulty. Level 2 spans ten guided reading levels!

Best for: Level 1 is for kids in late first grade through the middle of third grade. Level 2 is for late first grade through fourth grade. Level 3 is for third and fourth grade. Level 4 is for fourth and fifth grade.

Sample books

Level 1 (guided reading levels I-O)

• Lego the Batman Movie: Team Batman, by Beth Davies – guided reading level N
• All About Bats, by Caryn Jenner – guided reading level I

Level 2 (guided reading levels I-R)

• Amazing Bees, by Sue Unstead – guided reading level M
• Journey of a Humpback Whale, by Caryn Jenner – guided reading level O

Level 3 (guided reading levels O-S)

• Ape Adventures , by Catherine Chambers – guided reading level O
• Star Wars – Finn’s Mission, by David Fentiman – guided reading level R

Level 4 (guided reading levels S-W)

• Horse Heroes, true stories of Amazing Horses, by Kate Petty – guided reading level S
• Atlantis, the Lost City?  by Andrew Donkin – guided reading level W

Free Reading Printables for Pre-K-3rd Grade

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TOP books in English adapted by knowledge level

Why read in the original

The more that you read, the more that you’ll know.
The more that you know, the more places you'll go.

Dr. Seuss

Any English-speaking child will confirm that Dr. Seuss does not give bad advice. If you love to read, but are afraid to start with a voluminous and full-bodied English novel, don't worry. Especially for educational purposes, publishing houses produce adapted books in English: for beginners, for the intermediate level, and so on. Yes, you will get a complete picture of the work of art a little later, but you can congratulate yourself on the first English book you read already starting from the Elementary level!

You can apply for training here

1. Reading in English increases vocabulary

Reading in a foreign language enriches vocabulary, even if we ourselves do not realize it. Of course, in order to learn new vocabulary more effectively, it is better to read a book, writing out unfamiliar words and memorizing their translation. When choosing books to read, be guided by your learning goals: if you need colloquial speech, pay attention to modern “light” prose, but if you want to master special vocabulary, the most obvious advice is to read literature from the area of ​​​​your professional interests.

2. Reading improves spelling

English spelling is full of mysteries and surprises. The spelling of many words defies logic: you just have to memorize. And the best way to do this is to read more English-language literature so that the images of words are stored in memory.

3. Reading broadens one's horizons

E-books and blogs, news sites and social networking feeds: reading has reached a new level in the twenty-first century. A single information space makes it possible to learn about what is happening in the most remote corners of the world, to join the world's cultural and scientific heritage.

4. Reading in the original language boosts self-esteem

Listen to how you feel when you finish the last page of your first English novel: a wonderful feeling. “She reads Orwell in the original” sounds proud! Any psychologist will tell you that motivation is important when performing any task. So do not miss the opportunity to once again praise yourself, this one is not at all superfluous! :)

Reading English books in the original is not only useful, but also pleasant

Demo lesson for free and without registration!

Take a lesson, find out about the school and get a promo code for English classes

How to choose a book to read

• Choose adapted books in English for your level (see the list of recommended books for levels A2-C1 later in the article).
• Choose works according to your ability: start with short stories, gradually moving to larger literary forms.
• The more exciting the learning, the more effective it is: try to find books that are interesting for you. Detectives, thrillers, mysticism - or any other topic that awakens your imagination and makes you read the book to the end will do.

Children's books in English

If you know only a few hundred words in English, pay attention to children's literature: many children's books are also interesting for adults. In addition, children's literature, as a rule, is generously provided with illustrations, which helps to understand the plot.

Fun fact: the acclaimed children's writer Dr. Seuss, discussed earlier in our article, wrote his best book, The Cat in the Hat , using just 220 words. This list of the first children's words was compiled by the publisher, obliging the author to use them in his work: everything to earn the love of the target audience!

Free English-language children's books can be found on the Internet. For example, on the KidsWorldFun resource.

English comics

Like children's literature, comics are a great way to start reading in a new language. There are a great many genres of comics: there are comics for children, for adults, entertaining and educational.

• Free Online Comics Library
• Marvel Comics
• English grammar comics

Film scripts in English

One of the proven and effective methods of learning a new language, recommended by many polyglots, is to read books in the target language that are already familiar in translation. The same applies to film adaptations: it is useful to read the scripts of the films you have watched. Advantages: the context is known, the plot is clear, you can guess the meaning of new words in the course of the story.

• Movie Scripts and Screenplays
• 101 Greatest Screenplays
• Awesome Film

Books in English about personal development and professional literature

Reading them kills two birds with one stone: you learn English vocabulary that is relevant to you and learn new things about a topic that is important to you. If you are keenly interested in something, why not read about it in English? Another advantage of such literature is that it is easier to read than fiction novels. The style is simpler, the vocabulary is limited to the topic under consideration.

Reading in English improves vocabulary

3 "life hacks" for beginning readers of English literature

It is not necessary to understand every word

Сontext is king (context is king)! If you have grasped the main idea of ​​the story, that is enough. Moreover, if you understand everything you read, most likely you have taken a book of too low a level for yourself. Try to find such books where about 70% of the vocabulary will be familiar (the rest will have to be written out and learned).

Read aloud in English

It may seem strange, but reading has proven to be excellent for improving pronunciation and listening - if it is reading aloud. By reading aloud, you tune in to the sound range of the language being studied. However, it is important to work on pronunciation and in addition to reading, otherwise the incorrectly “guessed” pronunciation of a particular word may annoy you for years afterwards.

When reading in English, listen to audio books

When learning English, in which the same combination of letters can be pronounced in a dozen different ways, it is very important to pay attention to the correct pronunciation of new words. We have already written about the book + audiobook format: when reading an English-language book, you listen to its audio version, voiced by native English speakers. Very handy for learning pronunciation!

English books: read and listen

Books adapted for beginner, intermediate and advanced levels of English (A2-C1)

A2 level - elementary level

Books in English help develop vocabulary

Level B1 - threshold or intermediate (threshold or intermediate)

Read English books in the original

Intermediate English (intermediate, B1-B2)

Learning English by reading books in the original is interesting and exciting

B2 - intermediate-advanced level (vantage or upper intermediate)

Airport Arthur Hailey Level: upper-intermediate Genre: thriller Volume: approx. 180000 characters English version: British/Canadian Disaster novel based on real events is fascinating even after half a century. Book: Airport Screen adaptation: Airport (1970)

The Talented Mr. Ripley Ripley Patricia Highsmith Level: upper-intermediate Genre: detective, drama Volume: approx. 130000 characters English version: American Tom Ripley is a 25-year-old young man who grew up without parents in an atmosphere of hatred and fear. Is it any wonder that his attitude to the world and people is not distinguished by special tenderness? .. Screen adaptation: The Talented Mr Ripley (1999) Audiobook download: mp3 (5 files, 182 minutes, 208 Mb)

Tomes are a girl's best friend!

С1 - advanced level of English (advanced)

Check if you know the top 100 English words

Useful:

10 "star" series that make learning English easy and fun

6 levels of English proficiency: steps to perfect English reading

2 language

What books to read in English with your level of knowledge ‹ Ingleks

Reading is one of the key English skills, so it is important to practice it from the very first stages of learning. In this article, we will tell you what to consider when choosing a text to read, give a list of books in English by level of knowledge, and also give some tips on how to read books in English correctly.

Content:

• 1. How to choose a book to read in English
• 2. What books to read with your level of knowledge
• 3. How to read books in English correctly: 7 tips

First, we advise you to watch the webinar of our methodologist Svetlana on the topic “What and how to read in English”.

How to choose a book to read in English

We have identified several criteria that will help you choose books to read in English.

1. Age and level of knowledge

Simple children's stories can be useful for those who do not yet have a wide vocabulary and do not know all grammatical constructions. But popular science novels with serious vocabulary are suitable for people with an average and high level of knowledge, from there you will learn a lot of new words.

2. Goals of learning English

If you are learning English for work, opt for professional literature, such books will help you learn useful vocabulary. If you need to build your vocabulary with colloquial expressions, choose modern prose with lots of dialogue. In this case, you will learn to speak like the heroes of your favorite work.

3. Genre of the book

Choose books that interest you: reading should bring not only benefits, but also pleasure, so you should not take the first female novel that comes across if your favorite genre is detective. Feel free to choose books of that genre and that author that you like to read in Russian. However, consider the fact that you may find it easier to read modern fiction with simple dialogue than science fiction or historical detective stories, where you will encounter a lot of unfamiliar words.

4. Year of writing

Classical works by British and American authors are written in accordance with all grammatical rules. In such books you will find interesting phrases, various comparisons and synonyms. At the same time, you may come across vocabulary that is not used in modern English, which will make it difficult for you to read the work, and you still cannot use the learned words in everyday speech, because for native English speakers you will sound too pretentious and grandiloquently. Agree, if you ask in Russian, “Is it far to the store with dishes?” instead of “Where is the nearest supermarket?”, it is unlikely that you will be answered adequately.

Modern literature is about actual words and phrases, slang expressions, dialogues from everyday life, and sometimes simplified grammar. In terms of benefits for learning English, modern literature is the best option for reading.

5. Difficulty of the text

For a book in English to benefit your knowledge, it must be uncomplicated, but not too simple. On average, you should meet no more than 10 unfamiliar words on the page (3-5 are better). This amount of new vocabulary will allow you to understand the meaning of what you read and maintain an interest in reading. You can guess the meaning of most words from the context, and this is much more useful and interesting than constant peeping in the dictionary.

6. A familiar book or not

Try to take a work that you have already read in Russian. In this case, you will not get lost in the plot, you will be able to guess the meaning of many words from the context, remembering the text in Russian. If you feel sorry for wasting time rereading an already familiar text, take something new, in which case you will be motivated to read the work to the end to find out how the book ends.

7. Format

The choice of electronic or printed format depends on the habit and conditions in which you read. The advantage of an e-book is portability and the ability to connect a dictionary, which will make it easier to find the meanings of unfamiliar words with one click on them. Nevertheless, a paper book is more convenient to work with if you are going to return to what you read earlier in order to better remember new words and phrases or to remember the storyline after a break in reading.

Audiobooks have won the hearts of some readers and caused an uproar in others. We will share an interesting and useful way of reading - listen to the text of an audiobook and repeat the phrases after the announcer, trying to imitate his pronunciation. Thus, you will improve your pronunciation, develop the correct intonation, get rid of the accent. You can read more about this technique in the article “How to learn English from audiobooks + 7 cool resources”.

Don't have time to read books? Then pay attention to 7 excellent sites with texts for reading in English, on these resources you will find short stories for people with different levels of knowledge of English, including texts for beginners.

We asked our teachers to tell us about how they started reading books in English. You will find their answers in the article “What to read in English: our teachers advise”.

Which books to read with your level of knowledge

Next, we will consider in detail which books are better to read in English, depending on your level of knowledge. In order to correctly classify yourself as one or another category of readers, we recommend that you first take our test to determine the level of English.

In the table we have listed books recommended for reading in English according to the level of knowledge. Many of the works we attributed to several levels at once. This is due to the fact that people at the same level may have a different stock of knowledge. In addition, we have sorted the books within the level from easy to hard. If you have never read a work in English, start at the top of the table and work your way down.

Under the table you will find detailed recommendations for each of the levels of knowledge, be guided by them when choosing a book.
by A.A. Miln ✖ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Tales of Beatrix Potter ✖ ✖ ✔ ✔ ✔ Charlotte’s Web
by E.B. White ✖ ✖ ✔ ✔ ✔ Matilda,
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
by Roald Dahl ✖ ✖ ✔ ✔ ✔ The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
by L. Frank Baum ✖ ✖ ✖ ✔ ✔ Little Women
by Louisa May Alcott ✖ ✖ ✖ ✔ ✔ The Golden Compass,
The Subtle Knife,
The Amber Spyglass
by Philip Pullman ✖ ✖ ✖ ✔ ✔ Harry Potter
by J. K. Rowling ✖ ✖ ✖ ✔ ✔ The Chronicles of Narnia
by Clive Staples Lewis ✖ ✖ ✖ ✔ ✔ The Twilight Saga
Stephenie Meyer0113 ✖ ✖ ✖ ✔ ✔ The Hunger Games
by Suzanne Collins ✖ ✖ ✖ ✔ ✔ Shopaholic series
by Sophie Kinsella ✖ ✖ ✖ ✔ ✔ Novels
by Nicholas Sparks ✖ ✖ ✖ ✔ ✔ EAT, Pray, Love
By Elizabeth Gilbert ✖ ✖ ✖ ✔ 111111111 90EARED, 9066, 9066, 9066, 9066, 9066, 9066, 111111111 90EAL
by Stephen King ✖ ✖ ✖ ✔ ✔ Fahrenheit 451,
Dandelion Wine,
A Sound of Thunder
by Ray Bradbury ✖ ✖ ✖ ✔ ✔ The Catcher in the Rye
by J. D. Salinger ✖ ✖ ✖ ✔ ✔ Old Man and the Sea,
A Farewell to Arms,
For Whom the Bell Tolls
by Ernest Hemingway ✖ ✖ ✖ ✔ ✔ And Then There Were None,
detectives
by Agatha Christie ✖ ✖ ✖ ✔ ✔

Of course, we do not recommend that beginners read literature in the original: even children's fairy tales will still cause difficulties in reading. However, you can already study simple texts.

• English textbooks

The textbooks at your level contain simplified texts filled with useful words and phrases, so we advise you to start with the texts in the textbooks.

• Adapted literature

Adapted books are a great help in learning English. The simplification of the text consists in the fact that complex, rarely used words are replaced by simpler and more frequently used ones. You can find books for your level of knowledge at english-e-reader.net. We also recommend reading the article Adapted Books: Is It Worth Reading?

• Plain texts

Plain texts adapted to your level of knowledge are a great alternative to books in English. Try to read the texts on the rong-chang.com website - they will be clear even to people with a very small vocabulary. In addition, at the Elementary level, you can try reading English books for toddlers, such as the adventures of Paddington Bear.

Books in English for the intermediate level

In the intermediate level of knowledge, we included Pre-Intermediate, Intermediate and Upper-Intermediate.

At the Pre-Intermediate level, we recommend reading adapted literature. Keep in mind an important detail: some publishers simplify the texts too much, so the text of your level may seem very easy. In this case, we recommend taking the book to a more difficult level. If you see those same 3-10 new words per page, feel free to start reading. At the same level, you can try reading children's books, for example, by Roald Dahl. His stories can be safely read to an adult: the author's original humor will not leave you indifferent.

At the Intermediate level, you can already start reading literature in the original. We want to warn you right away: the first few pages of any book in the original in English will be a real test of your stamina. You will immerse yourself in the world of living English with a variety of grammatical structures, new words, idioms, phrasal verbs. And here the main thing is not to dive into the dictionary for every word. Take note of only those words without which it is impossible to understand the meaning of the text. After a few pages, you will get used to the author's style, get involved in the plot, and it will become easier to read.

Upper-Intermediate gives you even more reading options. You have a solid vocabulary and a good knowledge of grammar, so you will be able to read most books without difficulty, using a dictionary on rare occasions. The advice remains the same: do not look up every unfamiliar word in the dictionary and enjoy reading.

Books in English for advanced levels

Advanced and Proficiency people are the luckiest - they can read almost any book in English. The only exception may be specialized literature, but if you are fond of quantum physics, then in order to gain new knowledge, you can take up books on this topic.

How to read books in English correctly: 7 tips

1. Write down unfamiliar words

To get the most out of reading, learn new vocabulary from the text. Write down whole phrases or fragments of phrases in which you met an unfamiliar word. In context, vocabulary will be easier to learn and you will know which words go with the word you have learned. Do not want to spoil the pleasure of reading? Then set yourself the task of writing down words from just a few pages a day, and then just read the book, using a dictionary only as a last resort. And don't forget to read about how to expand your vocabulary through reading.

2. Pay attention to grammatical constructions

While reading, pay attention to how English tenses and grammatical constructions are used in the text. This is a very useful exercise, because the more a person reads, the more competently he speaks and writes. The logic is simple: you get used to seeing correctly formulated sentences, memorize them and subsequently reproduce them in your speech. Find out some useful tricks for learning grammar constructions from the article "How to improve your knowledge of English grammar while reading."

3. Read aloud

By reading aloud you practice correct pronunciation, but only if you know the rules of reading English well. We recommend reading our article “TOP-13 “Russian” mistakes in English pronunciation”. At the same time, reading aloud can quickly tire you out, so alternate it with reading to yourself.

4. Use the correct dictionary

As we have already written, the dictionary should be used sparingly and in most cases try to do without it. Moreover, if you have already reached the Pre-Intermediate level, try using an explanatory (English-English) dictionary instead of Russian-English. So you learn not only a new word, but also its definition in English. Read our article about the benefits of an English-English dictionary.

5. Don't use translation software

Machine translation is bad for fiction and English learning in general. So far, none of the most advanced programs can translate phrases taking into account the context. If you have a desire to use the help of the program, think about whether the text you have chosen is too complicated. Perhaps you should take something simpler so that when reading, you can manage with your knowledge.

6.

Of course, we painted a very rosy picture: take a book in English and read it easily. In fact, the first pages will be given with great difficulty, because you have actually been pulled out of the Russian-speaking environment and plunged headlong into the English language. Our advice is to stick with the first few pages and try not to go into too much detail. While reading, do not try to analyze every word. Remember what happens while reading in Russian: you do not read each word separately and do not think about it, but perceive the text as a whole and imagine what is happening in your head. Do the same with the English text: draw the plot in your mind, try not to think that some words are unfamiliar to you.

7. Read regularly

Try to read at least 4-6 pages a day. It will take quite a bit of time, but the results of your classes will be noticeable very soon. Particular attention should be paid to reading for those who take a break from learning, for example, during a vacation.

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