Although speaking and listening comprehension are both important elements of learning a language, essential aspect is reading practice! One option is finding reading practice tables on Hilokal or through the notebooks available on the app. But what if you want to do extra practice outside of lessons?
If that’s the case, this list is for you! Below are some popular English children’s stories, all available online, listed generally from very beginner to advanced.
Go, Dog. Go! By P. D. Eastman
Published in 1961, this book was one of the earlier Beginner Books designed to help children read on their own. Go, Dog. Go! has remained popular for the past 60 years, and has gone through dozens of editions. The story is about all kinds of dogs, who are all busy doing something, but what is it? Although written for children, even adult language learners can enjoy this book as there are several bits of comedy added to story.
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
This classic has been around since 1947 and has continued to gain popularity. Going into multiple editions, and having just passed its 70th anniversary, Goodnight Moon is still a favorite among children and adults today. A good bedtime story, it is written from the perspective of a young bunny saying goodnight to all the things in its bedroom.
Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
Although not quite as well-known as some of the books on this list, Crockett Johnson’s series of books about Harold, starting with Harold and the Purple Crayon (1955), is still loved by many readers today. In this story, Harold draws himself imaginary worlds with his purple crayon and gives readers a look into how a child’s imagination works.
Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White
Moving on from picture books, Charlotte’s Web has been loved by readers since 1952, and continues to be a favorite among children today. It’s a sweet story of friendship between a pig and a spider, but don’t think that just because it’s about animals, adults can’t enjoy it! The story had many themes that people of any age can relate to, which has only helped solidify its place as an English classic.
The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis
For those of you who enjoy fantasy stories, The Chronicles of Narnia might be just right! Published between 1950 and 1956, the seven books in this series take place in the world of Narnia, and follows the world from its creation to its end. The stories are easy to understand, even with the fantasy terms, but they also have enough depth that both children and adults can enjoy.
One thing to note with this series is that there are two different orders you can read then books in: chronologically or in the order they where published.
Chronological Order:
- The Magician’s Nephew
- The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
- The Horse and His Boy
- Prince Caspian
- The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
- The Silver Chair
- The Last Battle
Published Order:
- The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
- Prince Caspian
- The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
- The Silver Chair
- The Horse and His Boy
- The Magician’s Nephew
- The Last Battle
Both orders are a wonderful reading experience, so the order you choose depends on what you want from the series. If you want the history of Narnia from start to finish, go with the chronological order! If you want the characters to remain more consistent, go with the published order.
The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
If you’re ready to challenge yourself with a more difficult children’s story, try The Hobbit. You’ll have to work your way through a lot of songs and poetry as well as some riddles and a lot of made words from the world of Middle Earth, but the story is worth it!
BONUS!
Several of the books on this list have been made into movies. Charlotte’s Web, several books from the Chronicles of Narnia, and The Hobbit all have movie versions that you could use to help with listening comprehension! So if reading isn’t exactly your thing, consider checking out the movie versions, all of which are available online through different streaming services. Watch without subtitles for an extra challenge!
Let’s Recap
It can be hard to know what books are worth reading and which are not, especially for language learners. Use this list as a springboard to find other books! You can find lists of other classic children’s stories online through services like Goodreads, or you could ask for recommendations from native English speakers through platforms like Hilokal! Either way, there’s no reason to wait. Find a book that sounds good to you and get started!
