January 10th, 2022
Welcome to this new series of blog posts: Books to Learn English
Reading in English is a great way to strengthen our language skills. It teaches us new vocabulary, sentence structure, and cultural ideas associated with English-speaking places.
However, many books written by native speakers for native speakers are too advanced for the intermediate English Language Learner. There’s too much slang in the dialogue, every third word is a word we have to look up, the sentences are too long, and so on. It can feel discouraging!
A better option is books written for older children and teenagers. While some of these novels can bore the adult reader, others have something for all ages to enjoy.
Here are my recommendations for readable, enjoyable, intermediate novels for adult English Language Learners. They are listed from easiest reading level to hardest. (For teachers reading this post, I’ve listed the Lexile level in parenthesis next to the author’s name. This gives you a sense of my definition of an “intermediate” English Language Learner.)
How can we find these books?
- Ask your local library if they have a copy available.
- Visit your local English bookstore, like La Maison Anglaise. Links are next to each title.
- Order a used copy in good condition for about $8 from com. (Thriftbooks ships to Canada for about $3.19/book. Shipping is free in the U.S. for orders over $10.) Links are next to each book title.
- Before you buy: test-read the book by going to Amazon and clicking the “Look Inside” button above the book’s picture. Scroll to the first page and read a few paragraphs. Is it too hard? Too boring? Or just right?
Readable, Enjoyable, Intermediate Novels for Adult English Language Learners
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House of Dies Drear, by Virginia Hamilton (570L) Thriftbooks Amazon La Maison Anglaise
If you like ghost stories and learning more about U.S. history, you will enjoy reading this novel. It has won a handful of awards and is often taught in U.S. schools.
The house is as much of a character as the family and young boy who are moving into it. Once part of the Underground Railroad—the network of safe houses used to aid escaped slaves—it holds a secretive past...especially since an abolitionist named Dies Drear was murdered there.
Topics: ghosts, haunted houses, slavery in the U.S., religion, freedom, exploration
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Stargirl, by Jerry Spinelli (590L) Thriftbooks Amazon La Maison Anglaise
Stargirl is for the free spirits (hippies) out there! Stargirl is one-of-a-kind in her peers’ eyes. She carries a ukulele to school, eats organic food, and meditates. Her peers don’t know how to understand her. As a reader, it is empowering to watch Stargirl maintain her identity and refuse conformity. This book is a lighthearted but truthful reminder of the many challenges young people face today.
Topics: individuality, popularity, group dynamics, difference, self-acceptance, homeschooling
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Holes, by Louis Sachar (660L) Thriftbooks Amazon La Maison Anglaise
How do you turn a bad boy into a good boy? Make him dig holes all day in the hot sun. Or, at least, that is what Stanley Yelnats’ warden thinks. Stanley is a teenage boy who was caught in the wrong place at the wrong time...or was he? As he serves time in a juvenile detention center, he will dig up the truth of his cursed family history, all while gaining redemption along the way.
This book has sold about 5 million copies and has also been made into a movie.
Topics: secret family histories, coming-of-age, justice, truth, friendship, crime
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Number the Stars, by Lois Lowry (670L) Thriftbooks Amazon La Maison Anglaise
You will enjoy this novel if you enjoy reading WWII stories. The main character is a 10-year-old girl named Annemarie. She is living in Nazi-occupied Denmark. The story follows the Danish Resistance’s effort to smuggle Danish Jews into Sweden.
Number the Stars won the 1990 Newberry Medal (a high honor for children’s literature in the U.S.). It has sold over 3 million copies.
Topics: friendship, bravery, justice, war times
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While the Clock Ticked, by Franklin W. Dixon (680L) Thriftbooks Amazon La Maison Anglaise
This is book #11 in The Hardy Boys series, but you don’t need to read the other books to understand this one. The Hardy Boys are two brothers (with the last name Hardy) who use their curiosity and bravery to solve crimes. In this book, they help a banker with some threatening notes.
The Hardy Boys series has existed since 1927 and has undergone many changes. Books from the series still sell about a million copies annually and have been translated into 25 languages.
Topics: mystery, detective work, thieves, kidnapping
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Charlotte’s Web, by E.B. White (680L) Thriftbooks Amazon La Maison Anglaise
Charlotte’s Web is the most tenderhearted book on this list. (You might shed some tears.) It opens with a young girl saving a pig’s life, and continues to be full of deep childhood friendship throughout.
It won a Newberry Honor and is often taught in U.S. schools. It remains on the top 100 favorite American novels list.
Topics: farm life, friendship, life/death, loneliness
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Where the Red Fern Grows, by Wilson Rawls (700L) Thriftbooks Amazon La Maison Anglaise
Where the Red Fern Grows takes place in the south-central United States. It’s a great book for learning farming and hunting vocabulary.
The book is structured like a memory—an older man tells us the story of his childhood, of when he was growing up in the 1920s during the Great Depression, and when all he wanted was a pair of hunting dogs.
If you want a heartfelt adventure story about a boy and his devoted dogs, consider Where the Red Fern Grows. Beware: the ending is emotional, and you might cry.
Topics: a dog is a man’s best friend, dreams, hard times, friendship, teamwork, memory
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I Am the Cheese, by Robert Cormier (750L)Thriftbooks Amazon La Maison Anglaise
If you like psychological books that end in a twist, this is the book for you. The main character is a boy who is desperately searching for his father. The more and more he searches for his father, the more he feels he is forgetting his past, but should not remember it. It’s an intense read that has won multiple awards.
The title might sound funny, but it is a reference to a German-American folk song, “The Farmer in the Dell .” The reference will make sense in the end.
Topics: the truth, government corruption, memory, everything is not what it seems
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The Giver, by Lois Lowry (760L) Thriftbooks Amazon La Maison Anglaise
This is a dystopian, science-fiction, coming-of-age story. It is taught in many U.S. schools and has sold over 12 million copies. It has been made into a movie, but the book is so much better.
The main character is Jonas, a boy who happily conforms to society’s rules. When he receives a new role in society, however, he discovers the dark side of the world he lives in. He has to decide how he will confront this new information, and his world.
Topics: memory, rules, control, rituals, government
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Hoot, by Carl Hiassen (760L) Thriftbooks Amazon La Maison Anglaise
Hoot is considered a modern classic for young adult readers. While the main character is a young boy, readers of all ages will enjoy the way Hoot keeps them on the edge of their seat. It’s an ecological mystery full of suspense, bullies, and endangered owls.
This novel won a Newberry Honor in 2003.
Topics: justice, endangered species, the underdog, mystery
If you tried all of the first pages of these books, and they are too hard, consider reading the blog post titled Easier Reads for Intermediate Students. (Coming soon)
If you have read all of these books and are ready for more of a challenge, consider reading the blog post titled Challenging Reads for Intermediate Students. (Coming soon)
If you dislike reading fiction and instead like reading nonfiction, consider reading the blog post titled Nonfiction Books for Intermediate Students. (Coming soon)
Happy Reading!
Allison Nowak
Teacher, Évoluciole