{"id":154017,"date":"2023-10-19T09:22:44","date_gmt":"2023-10-19T13:22:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/english-readers\/"},"modified":"2025-02-19T06:41:16","modified_gmt":"2025-02-19T11:41:16","slug":"english-readers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/english\/english-readers\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Best Places to Find Graded English Readers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Want to enjoy classic English literature or exciting new books without getting lost?\u00a0Then you should give English readers a try.\u00a0English readers, also called graded readers, are books that have been adapted specifically for language learners at different levels from beginner to advanced.<\/p>\n

In this article, we’ll show you why English readers are so important to your English reading practice<\/a>, and where to find the best ones!<\/p>\n

[fluentu-toc]<\/p>\n

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1. Helbling English Readers<\/a><\/h2>\n

\"Grace<\/a><\/p>\n

Price:<\/strong> Varies by source and format<\/p>\n

Includes:<\/strong> Digital book, audiobook, vocabulary defined directly on the page it appears, before and after ESL reading activities, facts about the themes and culture in the book, online resources like listening activities<\/p>\n

Example book on Amazon:<\/strong> “Grace and the Double Life<\/a>\u201d<\/p>\n

Helbling offers several different reader series for various ages and levels. Some are collections of classics rewritten for English learners, and some are original titles written by the publisher.<\/p>\n

You can order Helbling readers from one of their many international distributors<\/a>, but there are also many available secondhand on Amazon, along with their CD audiobook companions.<\/p>\n

2. Pearson English Readers<\/a><\/h2>\n

\"L1:<\/a><\/p>\n

Price:<\/strong> $6-20 per book, $20+ for hardcover versions<\/p>\n

Includes:<\/strong> Digital or physical book, audiobook<\/p>\n

Example book on Amazon:<\/strong> “Rip Van Winkle and the Legend of Sleepy Hollow<\/a>\u201d<\/p>\n

There are six levels of Pearson English Readers for children and ten levels for adults. They offer a huge variety of books, from difficult classics like “Les Miserables”<\/em> to written adaptations of movies like “Love Actually.”<\/p>\n

There are fiction and non-fiction books from plenty of different genres and over 400 titles to choose from. Use these to read some complex classic books in English or to enjoy a great modern hit.<\/p>\n

3. Macmillan Graded Readers<\/a><\/h2>\n

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Price:<\/strong> $8-25 per book<\/p>\n

Includes:<\/strong> Digital book, audiobook, written and audio worksheets, vocabulary exercises, information about the work and author, vocabulary\/phrase list<\/p>\n

Example book on Amazon:<\/strong> “The Black Cat: Elementary<\/a>\u201d<\/p>\n

Macmillan loves the classics, and features a lot of great works by famous authors like William Shakespeare and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (author of the Sherlock Holmes series).<\/p>\n

There are lots of online resources that you can use with each book, some of which are available for free on the website. It’s also possible to browse the books by level and genre<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Macmillan readers for adults are organized from starter to upper intermediate, and you can find your level by taking this test<\/a>. There are also separate readers for children which are divided into six levels.\u00a0<\/p>\n

4. Collins English Readers<\/a><\/h2>\n

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Price: <\/strong>$6-$13 per book<\/p>\n

Includes:<\/strong> Digital book, audiobook, notes about the culture and characters (for Agatha Christie titles), glossary, online classroom with student and teacher resources<\/p>\n

Example book on Amazon:<\/strong> “The Murder of Roger Ackroyd<\/a>\u201d<\/p>\n

Collins publishes two graded reader series, one with mystery works by Agatha Christie for adults, and one of the best series for young learners on our list called Peapod Readers<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Agatha Christie books are generally for level B1 or above. The series for young learners has over 200 books and consists of five levels. Both also come with lots of resources to help you understand what you’re reading.\u00a0<\/p>\n

5. Oxford Graded Readers<\/a><\/h2>\n

\"Journey<\/a><\/p>\n

Price:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>Varies by length and edition<\/p>\n

Includes:<\/strong> Audiobook, digital book, an introduction before each story, illustrations, glossary, worksheets for before, during and after reading<\/p>\n

Example book on Amazon:<\/strong> “Journey to the Center of the Earth<\/a>\u201d<\/p>\n

You can access Oxford’s huge library of graded readers digitally either through the app or on their library website here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

There are six levels, and you can find out what level to start with\u00a0here<\/a>.\u00a0Books and short stories of all kinds are available, from classics to modern stories.<\/p>\n

If you’d rather have a physical copy and don’t want to use the app to purchase, you can buy some of Oxford’s older readers on Amazon (see the example book above). These are older books and don’t come with the online resources, but they can still be useful learning tools.<\/p>\n

6. Garnet Oracle Readers<\/a><\/h2>\n

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Price:<\/strong> About $4-$22 per book<\/p>\n

Includes:<\/strong> Digital book, full-color illustrations and photos, glossary, worksheets with exercises<\/p>\n

Example book on Amazon:<\/strong> “The Hitchhiker<\/a>\u201d<\/p>\n

Garnet’s graded readers are written for teenagers and young adults, but adults can still find them interesting.<\/p>\n

The series currently has 16 books from beginner to upper intermediate, and although all are original stories written specifically for English learning, there’s still\u00a0a focus on story development and entertainment.<\/p>\n

7. Cambridge English Readers<\/a><\/h2>\n

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Price: <\/strong>$6-11 per book<\/p>\n

Includes:<\/strong> Physical or digital book, audiobook, worksheets, vocabulary test, lesson plans<\/p>\n

Example book on Amazon:<\/strong> “Eye of the Storm<\/a>\u201d<\/p>\n

The Cambridge series of graded readers has seven levels of learning, from beginner to advanced. These books are all original stories written around modern themes, and most are available as digital e-books.<\/p>\n

FAQ About Graded Readers<\/h2>\n

What Are Graded English Readers?<\/h3>\n

A graded reader is a book intended\u00a0for learners at different levels of learning English<\/strong>. These books have complex and interesting stories, but are written in a way that’s comfortable for English language learners at every stage.<\/p>\n

English readers have different grades: the higher the grade, the more difficult the ESL reading will be<\/strong>. These books are designed to use a specific number of difficult words (for example, one new vocabulary word every 500 or 600 words). This means you can understand and enjoy the book, but still learn from it.<\/p>\n

Some graded readers use existing classic and popular modern books<\/strong>, and simply rewrite them to accommodate\u00a0different levels. Other English readers write completely new and original stories. These kinds of books exist for kids, young adults and adults. They’re a great way to learn and to read some works that you wouldn’t have been able to understand otherwise.<\/p>\n

How Can I Choose the Right Reader and Level?<\/h3>\n

You can choose a reader based on the kinds of books you enjoy, since publishers offer different types of books. You can also choose a series based on the\u00a0additional resources they offer, how many books are in the series, how long the books are and any other things you consider before choosing a book.<\/p>\n

Once you find the right series for you, the next step is to find out your grade. Publishers have their own level charts to help you determine what grade of reader to start with.<\/p>\n

This is actually a major reason why graded readers work so well. With the right grade, you\u2019re still being challenged, but it\u2019s not overwhelming because the difficulty is just slightly above your current level.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Through interesting content that\u2019s tailored to your English proficiency, you can learn at a comfortable pace and move up the levels\u2013all the way to being able to read an entire book on your own!<\/p>\n

How Can I Learn English with English Readers?<\/h3>\n

There are other ways you can enhance your English learning with graded readers. Here are a few tips before you begin:<\/p>\n