Fiction and journalistic literature enriches us with knowledge and always gives us food for thought. No wonder they say: a book is a person’s best friend, his assistant and savior. And if you learn English, then without reading books in the original at intermediate level certainly can't be avoided.

“If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all.”

"If you can't enjoy reading a book over and over again, there's no point in reading it at all."

Unadapted literature at intermediate level and above offers you “living English in action”: as you read, you will see how words work with each other and, as far as possible, deviate from the grammatical rules of the language.

If your level is intermediate, then before choosing a book to read, answer 3 questions for yourself:

• What level of book do I need?
• What volume should the original book have?
• What book topics are suitable for the intermediate level?

By answering these questions, make a personal commitment to yourself. Let's look at the questions in more detail.

Compliance of the book in English with intermediate level

To begin with, you should find out what Intermediate level you have (low, medium, high), because it may turn out that the English text will be too difficult for a higher level. In this case, you will not get any pleasure or benefit from reading it.

A book that is too easy will mean that you are not going to level up and are in your comfort zone. For example, if your low intermediate level Preference should not be given to books at the pre-intermediate level, much less elementary.

Simple grammar structures and basic vocabulary will seem monotonous and boring to you. It's like playing in a sandbox, but as an adult: you can, but it's not interesting.

Important!

The book you choose should be a little more difficult than your current level. If your level is high intermediate, feel free to choose adapted literature marked upper-intermediate.

It is worth mentioning that an excellent option are parallel texts in English and Russian, which have become very popular recently. In our article you can find tips on reading literature with translation.

Volume of an English book for intermediate level

Always ask yourself truthfully how much time can you allocate to read a book.

For example, you have a long trip ahead. Think about how much time a day you can spend reading and, based on this, choose the number of pages.

On the other hand, perhaps you spend a lot of time at work or school, you have family obligations and you don’t have much free time, choose short stories, comics or even articles. In this case, a thick book will seem like an eternity to you and you will soon abandon it.

The volume of a modern story ranges from one to three author's pages, a story from two to eight pages. If the volume of the work is more than ten author's sheets, then they speak of a novel.

Also, before choosing a book, imagine when can you finish it. If you can't immediately name any time frame, then it's not quite the right book, at least for now.

Style and genre of books for intermediate level

Main rule: the book should be of interest to you. Choose a topic based on your personal preferences and hobbies. If you are good in general topics, but “float” in some narrowly focused ones, then put aside professional literature for now; you can return to it a little later.

For holiday reading, choose more serious literature, for example novels by English or American classics. Having free time will help you follow the plot line (there are usually several of them in a novel) and will give you the opportunity to focus on new words.

For reading without interruption from work, for example, on public transport, read stories and novellas in English small volume. It's better if they are comedy stories, which will set a positive mood for the whole day or help you while away the way home.

Personal commitment when you read books in the original

To achieve concrete results, you need to make promises to yourself. For example, write down the following questions and answer them truthfully:

• How many pages will/can I read per day? - The answer may be approximate.
• When are you going to finish reading the book you have chosen? - The date must be specific.

Let's say you have a vacation ahead and you plan to finish a book by the end of the vacation. The book has 1075 pages, which you will read for 31 days. Those. you need to read 35 pages a day. Not that much, right?!

Thanks to this, you will be able to motivate yourself and control your promises reading English literature. Be sure to record whether you managed to invest within the promised time frame. This could be a simple mark on a wall calendar or a more detailed entry in a diary with unfamiliar words written down and translation.

You'll soon see that you're on the right path to improving your English.

50 books for intermediate level of English proficiency

The original book should bring you joy and pleasure. Each page you read brings from 10 to 50 new words and several live grammatical phrases to your passive vocabulary.

In the list of “50 best books in English” we tried to highlight books that are recommended for reading at the pre-intermediate level and above.

You can choose a book by genre (for enjoyable reading) and difficulty (for learning English).

50 best books in English

Title of the book in the original (year of first publication), Author	Book title	Genre	Difficulty
Paddington (1958), Thomas Michael Bond	Little Bear named Paddington	Tales and stories about animals	-
Alice in Wonderland (1865), Lewis Carroll	Alice in Wonderland	Children's literature, Fiction	Lots of mathematical, linguistic and philosophical jokes and allusions
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (1926), Agatha Christie	Murder of Roger Ackroyd	detective	Criminal vocabulary
About a boy (1998), Nick Hornby	My boy	Novel, Fiction	-
Winnie-The-Pooh and All, All, All (1926), A.A. Milne	Winnie the Pooh and everyone everything everything	Prose, children's story	-
Charlotte's web (1952), Alvin Brooks White	Charlotte's Web	Family, children's literature	-
1984 (1949), George Orwell	One thousand nine hundred eighty-four	Dystopian novel	Terminology from the field of political science
As Time Goes By (1998), Michael Walsh	Play it again, Sam	Novel	Military theme (partially)
Love Actual (2003), Richard Curtis	Real love	Novel	British English
Women In Business (2001), James Carl Evans	Women in business	Biography	-
The Chocolate War (1974), Robert Cormier	Chocolate War	Teen literature	Prohibited literature. May cause controversy.
The Graveyard Book (2008), Neil Gaiman	The story of the cemetery	Horror Literature, Children's Literature, Fantasy	-
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (2011), Ransom Riggs	Home for Peculiar Children	Young Adult Literature, Fantasy	-
A Wrinkle in Time (1962), Madeleine L'Engle	A crack in time	Young Adult Literature, Science Fantasy	Science fiction vocabulary
The Book Thief (2005), Markus Zusak	Book thief	Novel, Historical genre, Fiction	Military theme
An American Tragedy (1925), Theodore Dreiser	American tragedy	novel, naturalism
The Catcher in the Rye (1951), Jerome Salinger	Catcher in the rye	Realism, Coming of Age Literature	Complex speech patterns, advanced vocabulary
Eragon (2003), Christopher Paolini	Eragon	Fantasy, Dystopia, Related searches	Book character names
The Fault in Our Stars (2012), John Green	The Fault in Our Stars	Teen literature	Heartbreaking story
The Giver (1993), Lois Lowry	Giving	Utopia and dystopia, Science fiction	Terminology
Emma (1815), Jane Austen	Emma	A novel of manners	Complex speech patterns, advanced vocabulary
Berlin Express (2010), Michael Austin	Berlin Express	War novel	Military theme
The Devil Wears Prada (2003), Lauren Weisberger	The Devil Wears Prada	novel	-
The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1995), Michael Crichton	The Lost World: Jurassic Park	Fantastic	Dinosaur names
My cousin Rachel (1951), Daphne du Maurier	My cousin Rachel	Romance, Romance, Detective	-
Bridget Jones's Diary (1996), Helen Fielding	Bridget Jones's Diary	Comedy novel
A Room with a View (1908), Edward Morgan Forster	Room with a view	Novel	British English
Three Men in a Boat (1889), Jerome K. Jerome	Three in the boat, not counting the dog	story	British English
The Enchanted Castle (1907), Edith Nasbit	Enchanted Castle	novel	-
Misery (1987), Stephen King	Misery	Psychological horror	Stephen King's special style
The Bourne Identity (1980), Robert Ludlum	The Bourne Identity	Thriller, spy fiction	Crime and spy vocabulary
Moby Dick (1851), Herman Melville	Moby Dick	Adventure novel, Epic, Maritime literature	Marine terminology
The Adventures of Peter Pan (1904), James Matthew Barry	The Adventures of Peter Pan	Adventure novel	-
The Great Gatsby (1992), Francis Scott Fitzgerald	The Great Gatsby	Novel, Drama, Fiction	There are archaisms
Gone with the Wind (1936), Margaret Mitchell	Gone With the Wind	Historical novel	Military theme
One Day (2009), David Nichols	One day	Novel	A heartbreaking romance
On the Beach (1957), Alex Garland	Beach	Novel	-
Treasure island (1883), Robert Louis Stevenson	Treasure Island	Adventure novel, Young adult literature	-
Dracula (1897), Bram Stoker	Dracula	Horror literature, Gothic literature	Mystical vocabulary
Man from the South (1948), Roald Dahl	Man from the South	Fiction	Complex turns
For Whom the Bell Tolls (1940), Ernest Hemingway	For whom the Bell Tolls	Military prose	Military theme
The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890), Oscar Wilde	The Picture of Dorian Grey	Philosophical novel	Complex speech patterns, advanced vocabulary. Moral inconsistency of the author's statements.
Staying Together (2001), Judith Wilson	Stay together	Novel	-
The Time Traveler's Wife (2003), Audrey Niffeneger	The Time Traveler's Wife	novel, science fiction	Scientific terms
The Gift of the Magi (1905), O. Henry	Gifts of the Magi	Story	-
“Harry Potter” (series of novels since 1997), JK Rowling	Harry Potter	Novel, fantasy	Words made up by the author
The chronicles of Narnia (since 1950), Clive Staples Lewis	The Chronicles of Narnia	Fantasy	-
The twilight saga (2005-2008), Stephenie Meyer	Twilight	Romantic fantasy	-
The hunger games (2008), Suzanne Collins	The Hunger Games	Romance, post-apocalyptic	Words made up by the author
Girl in Translation (2011), Jin Kwok	Girl in translation	novel	Words related to Chinese culture.

10 must-read books in English (intermediate level)

Now let's stop at 10 books in English from this list that you should pay special attention to.

In each of these books you will find:

• New words for you on completely different topics and even jokes
• Interesting grammatical structures
• A sea of ​​colloquial phrases that we use in modern life
• Examples that you will not find in adapted English textbooks
• The experience of each hero that you can try on yourself

“The Murder of Roger Ackroyd”

"Everything is simple, if you arrange the facts methodically"

Genre: detective

The year of publishing: 1926

English: British

Undoubtedly, this book is ideal for fans of detective stories and mysterious, intricate stories.

The novel takes place in the fictional English village of Kings Abbot. The story is told from the perspective of Dr. James Sheppard, who becomes assistant to detective Hercule Poirot. Together they will have to solve the case of a strange murder that occurred in the area.

“For Whom the Bell Tolls”

"The sadness will dissipate as the sun rises. It is like a mist"

Genre: novel

The year of publishing: 1940

English: American

For Whom the Bell Tolls tells the story of Robert Jordan, a young American soldier sent behind Franco guerrilla lines during the Spanish Civil War on an important mission.

This story tells about the hardships and cruelty of the Civil War, if this is your taste, then you won’t find a better book - Ernest Hemingway was a talented writer and his works are popular to this day.

“Misery”

"In the darkness the mind is helpless and the logic is just a ghost"

Genre: novel; psychological thriller

The year of publishing: 1987

English: American

The king of horror, Stephen King, and his excellent work “Misery,” recognized as a world bestseller, will help you tickle your nerves.

The plot of the work is based on the relationship between two heroes of the book - the popular writer Paul Sheldon and his fan Annie Wilkes. Paul is seriously injured in a car accident. Former nurse Annie brings him to her home, where the writer receives painkillers and treatment. And then the most interesting thing happens!

“Girl in Translation”

“Louses were the only thing which overcame racial barriers”

Genre: novel

The year of publishing: 2011

English: American

The amazing story of schoolgirl Kimberly and her mother, who emigrated from Hong Kong to Brooklyn, USA. Not knowing the language and living in terrible conditions, they try to adapt to a new life. However, this test makes Kimbrely stronger and more determined.

Jean Kwok, being Chinese herself, perfectly described the clash of two different cultures - Eastern and Western.

“The Enchanted Castle”

“And yet there was time for many happenings”

Genre: fairy tale

The year of publishing: 1907

English: British

Fairy tales are written not only for children, but also for adults! You will see this by reading the magical story of Edith Nesbit. Despite the fact that the fairy tale was written more than a hundred years ago, it has not lost its relevance and liveliness.

The heroes of the fairy tales of the English writer Edith Nesbit are ordinary children who escaped from the city for the “open space” of the summer holidays. And immediately amazing adventures begin. A funny monster living in a sand pit or a ring found in a castle will fulfill any of their wishes. However, having received what they want, children find themselves in such incredible situations from which it is not easy to find a way out.

“The Catcher in the Rye”

"Girls. You never know what they"re going to think."

Genre: novel

The year of publishing: 1951

English: American

The story tells about a 16-year-old American, his life and active position, namely, rejection of general canons and moral principles.

The Catcher in the Rye is one of the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century, so it's not to be missed.

“The Time Traveler's Wife”

“Running is many things to me: survival, calmness, euphoria, solitude”

Genre: novel, science fiction

The year of publishing: 2003

English: American

In this novel you will find both a love story and fantasy.

It's a love story about a man with a genetic disorder that allows him to travel through time unpredictably, and his wife who must cope with his frequent and dangerous absences. The novel became a bestseller and received numerous awards, and was also adapted into a film adaptation.

“The Devil Wears Prada”

“The extra calories do not find place in their bodies, but occupy all their thoughts”

Genre: novel

The year of publishing: 2003

English: American

Do you love fashion, glossy magazines, designer clothes? The world bestseller by American writer Lauren Weisberger will lift the veil of secrecy for you - how does fashion work from the inside?

The novel tells the story of a young girl who comes to work for a fashion glossy magazine. But she couldn’t even think that her boss was a real tyrant in a skirt.

“An American Tragedy”

“People love money even more than good appearance”

Genre: novel, naturalism

The year of publishing: 1925

English: American

A long and tragic story of a young man, from a poor family, who aspired to wealth.

The theme of wealth and poverty is still relevant today; what sacrifices a person can make to get what he wants, whether he will side with good or evil.

“Three Men in a Boat” (Three in a boat, not counting the dog)

“I like work. It fascinates me. I am able to sit and look at it for hours"

Genre: story

The year of publishing: 1889

English: British

A wonderful humorous story about the journey of three men along the river. The book leaves no one indifferent to this day, although the story was written already in the 19th century!

Some tips on how to read books in the original at the intermediate level

Don't despair if you come across a lot of new words. Translate only those without which you cannot understand the essence of the sentence. Over time, you will see that they occur quite often and you will quickly remember them.

Most people buy books in English with great enthusiasm and motivation. Then, after reading three pages, they quit because everything seems very difficult to them.

Motivation disappears, and the book begins to gather dust on the shelf. You can find out how to avoid difficulties and not stop at the beginning of the journey in the article

• Read English as if it were your native language. This means you don't have to translate every word. When you read books in your native language, you also come across unfamiliar words that you don’t understand, but this does not prevent you from understanding the plot of the book. And don’t be upset if there are more such words than you expected. Remember that you are reading for pleasure, not as torture.
• Don't stop as soon as you come across a new word or phrase. Read to the end of the sentence or paragraph, or reread the previous sentence. Perhaps it will help you better understand the meaning of these words or phrases.
• As you read, underline phrases, words and expressions that you don't understand. Arm yourself with a dictionary to translate unfamiliar words and a notepad or notebook to write them down. But if you don’t use the dictionary too often, you may lose track of the plot and it will become uninteresting to read.
• Work actively with the dictionary, which you get as you read the book. Also learn the new words you have written down every day and a little at a time - do not accumulate them. Try to make up small stories and situations with new grammatical structures, words and phrases - this way you will remember them more quickly.
• Stay motivated! Be sure to write commitments to yourself and make it a habit not to break them. And read at least 20 pages a day.

Finally

Of course, this is not a complete list of books, but it is simply impossible to compile a complete one! remember, that reading books in the original at any level helps you not only develop spiritually, but also learn English with pleasure.

In contact with

Adapted books in English.

Reading books will improve:

What are adapted books in English

Adapted books in English (or Readers) are books that use simplified and frequently used words and expressions, i.e. these books are adapted for those who study a foreign language. This could be a retelling of a classic work or film, a biography of a famous person, or an original originally written in easy language.

Such books are divided into levels - from Starter (beginner level) to Advanced (advanced level). Depending on the level, the book will contain easier or, accordingly, more complex words and grammar.

Thus, the easiest book will be marked as Starter and will contain only the most basic English words and figures of speech. Typically this is around 200 words. This book will be an excellent help at the very beginning level of language learning.

Levels and vocabulary

What are the advantages of adapted literature

• Levels- You can choose a book that suits you;
• Exercises- These books contain additional exercises to help you remember new words and expressions;
• Dictionary- They have small dictionaries, so you don’t have to be distracted by another book or the Internet to look up the meaning of a word;
• Audio- Such books, as a rule, are accompanied by audio discs with a recording of the text of the book, read at a pace suitable for a given level of knowledge of the language (sometimes instead of a disc you can find a link to a resource where the audio for the book can be downloaded);
• Additional materials- On the publisher’s website you can download additional materials for the book, which will help you even more fully reveal the educational potential of the book.

Information that can be found on the cover of the book (click on the picture to enlarge it)

How to choose an adapted book

Adapted literature is published by both foreign and Russian publishing houses. I would advise you to opt for foreign publishing houses - such as Macmillan, Cambridge, Oxford, Penguin readers, Black Cat (to visit the publisher's website, click on its name). These are 100% tested, up-to-date, trustworthy tutorials written by professionals. It is these publishing houses that provide the most complete support to their customers - on the publishing house’s website you can always find additional materials - exercises, games, tests for books, download examples of books and audio, and purchase e-books.

Please note when purchasing:

1. Is the level of the book suitable for you? Open the book to any page and read a few sentences.

The book is suitable for you if

• On one page there are no more than one or two words that are unfamiliar to you
• You can read 8-10 lines in a minute
• You understand most of what you read
• You read as you would in your native language

Most often, when choosing a book, you can confidently rely on the level system. If you don’t know your level, take the test on the website of one of the above publishers:

Test from the publishing house Black Cat

Test from Macmillan

Test from Oxford Publishing House

2. Is there anyaudio, and in what form? – some publishers offer to go to the website and download an audio file, others attach a disc with audio to the book itself.

4. Even if you are just starting to learn a language, do not be afraid to buy books where all the tasks are given in English. Usually, in such books everything is intuitive. And if you can’t figure it out, write to me and I will help you.

Where to buy adapted literature

Adapted literature in English can be found in most bookstores. But, of course, the widest selection is presented in the largest stores and stores focused on literature in foreign languages. You can also order books via the Internet (including on the publisher’s website) or download them in e-book format.

How to learn better from an adapted book

Be sure to do the exercises that are given in the book, and if they are not there, try going to the publisher’s website and look for them there (if you find it difficult to navigate the publisher’s website, do not hesitate to write to me, I will help you).

Write down words and phrases that are new to you in your dictionary. Read about what a dictionary is and how to maintain it in the article “Dictionary”. Repeat the words regularly.

It is very good if there are audio materials for the book. In this case, you can listen to part of the book first and then read it, or you can listen at the same time as reading. However you decide to use audio, it will certainly help you develop your listening skills and improve your pronunciation.

Example of exercises from the book "Mystery in New Orleans" by Black Cat (click on the picture to enlarge it)

English prose, adapted for beginners and intermediates, from A2 to C1: books with which you will reach a new level!

Many people find reading to be a slow and rather tedious process. Learning English from TV series or songs is much more fun. But this is only at first glance! After all, if you delve deeper into the question, the advantages of this approach to learning a foreign language will become noticeable; We will begin our article with these advantages.

Why is it important to read English books in the original to effectively master the English language?

“The more that you read, the more that you’ll know.” The more that you know, the more places you’ll go.” -Dr. Seuss

“The more you read, the more you learn. The more you learn, the more places you will visit." - Dr. Seuss, American children's writer and cartoonist

Any English-speaking child will confirm: Dr. Seuss will not give bad advice. If you love to read, but are afraid to start with a long and full-length English novel, don't worry. There is a great variety of literature adapted specifically to your level of English proficiency. Yes, you will get a full idea of ​​the work of fiction a little later, but you can congratulate yourself on the first English book you read already starting at the Elementary level!

Reading is a great way to expand your vocabulary

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

Reading improves spelling

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

Reading broadens your horizons

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

The first book read in a foreign language is a powerful incentive to conquer new linguistic peaks

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: motivation is important when performing any task. So don’t miss an opportunity to praise yourself once again, this one is not superfluous at all! :)

How to choose a book to read

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

Children's books

If you only know 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 supplied with illustrations, which helps to understand the plot.

Interesting fact: the famous children's writer Dr. Seuss, who was discussed earlier in our article, wrote his best book The Cat in the Hat(“The Cat in the Hat”), using only 220 words. This list of children's first 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 following resources:

Comics

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

Film scripts

One of the proven and effective methods of mastering 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 as the story progresses.

Books on personal development and professional literature

By reading books about personal development and professional specialized literature, you kill two birds with one stone: you study vocabulary that is relevant to you in English and learn new things on 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: it is easier to read than fiction novels. The style is simpler, the vocabulary is limited to the topic under consideration.

3 “life hacks” for beginning readers of English literature

What to do if you don't understand 100% of what you read?

Calm down, this is quite natural. It is not necessary to understand every word, because context is king(king - context). If you have grasped the main idea of ​​the story, that is quite enough. Moreover, if you understand everything you read, most likely you took a book of too low a level for yourself. Try to find books where about 70% of the vocabulary will be familiar (the rest will have to be written out and learned).

Read aloud

It may seem strange, but reading has proven itself to be excellent in improving pronunciation and listening comprehension - if it is reading aloud. By reading aloud, you tune in to the sounds of the language you are learning. However, it is important to work on pronunciation in addition to reading, otherwise the incorrectly “guessed” pronunciation of a particular word can annoy you for years later.

Listen to audiobooks while reading

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 convenient for learning pronunciation!

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

Level A2 - pre-threshold level (waystage level, elementary level)

The Hound of the Baskervilles

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Level: elementary
Genre: detective
Volume: OK. 45000 characters
English version: British

The well-known story, filmed dozens of times, about how a pet can become a real curse for a noble family. It's time to read it in the original!

The Fisherman and His Soul - The Fisherman and His Soul

Oscar Wilde

Level: elementary
Genre: romantic fairy tale
Volume: OK. 30000 characters
English version: British

A poignant romantic tale about the mad love of a dolphin fisherman and a mermaid.

Dracula - Dracula

Bram Stoker

Level: elementary
Genre: mysticism, horror
Volume: OK. 50000 characters
English version: British

A chilling story about eternal love and eternal damnation: that's where all the vampire sagas of our time come from.

The Million Pound Bank Note

Mark Twain

Level: elementary
Genre: adventures, humor
Volume: OK. 25000 characters
English version: American

A witty and instructive story about the exploits of a poor man with a million pound note in his pocket.

Mr Bean is in town - Mr. Bean In Town

Level: elementary
Genre: humor
Volume: OK. 20000 characters
English version: British

Mr. Bean will always find adventures for his wild little head! The eccentric eccentric continues to surprise and make the reader laugh.

Level B1 - threshold or intermediate level

FANTASTIC MR FOX

Roald Dahl

Level: average
Genre: fairy tale, humor
Volume: OK. 45000 characters
English version: American
Foxes and farmers are eternal enemies. Who will win this time?..

The Picture of Dorian Gray - The Picture of Dorian Gray

Oscar Wilde

Level: average
Genre: fiction
Volume: OK. 80000 characters
English version: British

What is more important, the beauty of the face or the beauty of the soul? An incredible story about a beautiful mask and the terrible essence of a person. Mr. Grey, weren’t you the prototype for the hero of “Fifty Shades of Grey”?..

Appointment With Death

Level: average
Genre: detective
Volume: OK. 125000 characters
English version: British

Christie, Poirot, detective. A must read!

Forrest Gump - Wikiwand Forrest Gump

John Escott

Level: average
Genre: drama
Volume: OK. 45000 characters
English version: American

A book about a man whose fate makes you believe in the impossible.

Three Men In a Boat

Jerome K. Jerome

Level: average
Genre: humor
Volume: OK. 50000 characters
English version: British

Three cheerful friends decided to go on a trip. What came of it - read in the original.

Intermediate level of English (intermediate, B1-B2)

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Francis Scott Fitzgerald

Level: average
Genre: drama
Volume: OK. 45000 characters
English version: American

A fantastic story about a man who “lived in reverse.” But you've probably already seen the movie?..

George Orwell

Level: average
Genre: prose
Volume: OK. 150000 characters
English version: British

A landmark work of English literature that should definitely be included in the reading arsenal of every modern person. So that you don’t have to blush in polite society.

2001: A Space Odyssey - 2001: A Space Odyssey

Arthur Clarke

Level: average
Genre: Science fiction
Volume: OK. 150000 characters
English version: American

Spaceships, interplanetary travel, mysterious artifacts... Science fiction at its finest!

Gladiator - Gladiator

Dewey Gram

Level: average
Genre: historical novel
Volume: OK. 100000 characters
English version: American

This book will tell about the difficult fate of the Roman gladiator. That's who had a really difficult job!

Four Weddings and a Funeral - Four Weddings and a Funeral

Richard Curtis

Level: average
Genre: romance, humor
Volume: OK. 100000 characters
English version: British

The best way to understand the culture of a people is to study their customs. A funny, touching, slightly frivolous book by Richard Curtis tells about the love between a British man and an American against the backdrop of four weddings and, alas, one funeral. Is there hope for a happy ending? Read about it for yourself.

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

Misery - Misery

Stephen King

Level:
Genre: novel, thriller
Volume: OK. 120000 characters
English version: British

A novel about the relationship between a writer and an admirer of his talent, so eccentric that it’s even scary. The plot develops like in a fairy tale: the further it goes, the scarier it gets. But this is precisely why we love King.

A Murder Is Announced

Agatha Christie

Level: upper-intermediate
Genre: detective
Volume: OK. 140000 characters
English version: British

And again the grandmother of an English detective with a novel about a mysterious newspaper ad that indicates the exact day and hour of a future murder. Will it be possible to prevent the fatal event? You will read the answer to this question in clear English.

Airport

Arthur Hailey

Level: upper-intermediate
Genre: thriller
Volume: OK. 180000 characters
English version: British/Canadian

A disaster novel based on real events, fascinating even after half a century.

The Bourne Identity

Robert Ludlum

Level: upper-intermediate
Genre: thriller
Volume: OK. 100000 characters
English version: American

Off the coast of the Mediterranean, fishermen caught a wounded man who had completely lost his memory. This is the beginning of an exciting novel, which became the basis of one of the most successful film thrillers of our time.

The Talented Mr. Ripley

Patricia Highsmith

Level: upper-intermediate
Genre: detective, drama
Volume: OK. 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 towards the world and people is not particularly tender?..

Greetings, my dear readers.

Adapted books in English by level are not so easy to find. If for level Intermediate There are still chances, then the levels before or after remain without books. But today we will fix it. I want to introduce you to the best publishing houses that publish entire series of interesting and useful books. I will give my top for each level and tell you where you can buy them or download them for free.

By the way, if you are not sure what level of English your knowledge corresponds to, you can visit my blog. Good luck!

Publishers and series

• Penguin readers is a series of adapted books from the famous publishing house Longman. Usually the book contains not only the story itself, but also exercises and assignments. Of course, all tasks come with answers. And some books even have an audio version. The books in this series are also distinguished by the fact that they often contain images in the form of comics based on the plot of the story.
• This series is divided by age and level. One of the most popular is the series Penguin kids . These are books for little ones. They are brightly illustrated and attract that fickle children's attention. Other sections of the series include Penguin for Readers - adapted books for children of different ages - and Penguin Active Readers - interactive books with audio and computer applications.
• Series "English Club" is published by our domestic publisher - Iris Press. Each edition contains a mini-dictionary with unfamiliar words and a set of comprehension exercises. The entire series is accompanied by illustrations, and there are enough books for every language level.
• "Oxford bookworms", or the Oxford Bookworm Library series, a cool series from the British publisher Oxford University Press. One of the largest publishing houses publishes adapted books - both works of fiction from classical literature and non-fiction publications about various countries, cities, and writers.
• And here is the series Cambridge Discovery Education: Interactive Readers " The Cambridge publishing house offers books of various levels, but in the popular science genre. These are books about countries, travel, animals and people. All this is extremely unusual and very attractive!
• Series « Easy to read in English» is represented by the famous domestic publishing house AST. Books are divided into four main levels: from Elementary to Unpper-Intermediate. Here are collected classic novels known to many, which most have already read in Russian.
• Series " Abridged Bestseller » Published in St. Petersburg by the Anthology publishing house. Editions include the most popular modern and classic stories.

My personal top

To make it much easier for you to find the books you need, I will distribute them depending on the level. Let's go from the most basic for beginners to real professionals. You can find and order all the books presented in the Ozon store; you can also find some in the Labyrinth store.

Level 1: Elementary

• Puss in Boots

Genre: fairy tale

The fairy tale about an incredibly wise cat, known to many since childhood, is now in English. Beginners will be helped to learn it by the tips and exercises in the book.

• Battle of Newton Street

Genre: story

Residents of Newton Street live in small but cozy houses. But the new engineer wants to demolish the houses and build a new road. Will the residents be able to resist him?

• Marcel goes to Hollywood

Genre: story

Marcel and his friend are vacationing in Los Angeles. They stay at the house of the famous director Arnold. And on the first night, Arnold's daughter is kidnapped...

• Marseille and Shakespeare's letters

Genre: story

Marcel visits his friend Henry in London. Henry knows a professor who has something interesting - the letters of William Shakespeare. Marcel and Henry want to find the rest of the letters. Will they succeed?

• William Tell

Genre: story

William is a very good person. But his country is under threat. Will William be able to hold his own in battle against the Austrians?

Level 2: Pre-intermediate

• Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Genre: adventure

The story is about a provincial American boy, Tom, who, together with his friends, is constantly looking for new adventures. He lives his childhood to the fullest, falls in love with a nine-year-old girl, and then with another. We observe all this on the pages of this book.

• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Genre: fairy tale.

This is a thrilling story about a boy named Charlie who, along with five other children, wins a ticket to a closed chocolate factory. Adventures, dangers, difficult choices and, of course, a “happy ending” await him.

• Legends of King Arthur

Genre: adventure.

The book gives us the stories of the famous King Arthur, who, together with his knights of the Round Table, goes to war and performs great deeds. All this with one single goal - to save and unite their country.

• Peter Pan

Genre: adventure.

The story is about a boy who loved his childhood so much that he never wanted to grow up. He remained small, ran away from the house through the chimney and went to fly in Kensington Gardens with the fairies.

• Marley and Me

Genre: novel

A husband and wife buy a dog and name it Marley. And it seems that this is the worst dog of all. He is growing more and more. Spoils things. Doesn't listen. But he loves his owners endlessly. So is this the worst dog of all?

Level 3: Intermediate

• Forrest Gump

Genre: tragicomedy

The story tells of a kind and naive man who was born a mentally retarded child. Despite this, he has life experience and abilities that are inaccessible to ordinary people.

• Eat. Pray. Be in love.

Genre: novel

Elizabeth seems to have everything: a husband, a favorite job, wealth. But she realizes that she has lost her sense of happiness. And in search of herself, she goes on a trip to three countries: Italy, India and Indonesia.

• Fight club

Genre: novel

A story about a man surrounded by a disposable world. He suffers from insomnia. The doctor advises him to go to a meeting of terminally ill people. There he finds solace, but not for long. After these meetings stop helping, the hero organizes a fight club.

• Dracula

Genre: horror.

Something strange is happening in a castle in Transylvania. Arriving there, lawyer Jonathan Harker encounters the most terrible monster in the world - a vampire named Dracula.

• Count of Monte Cristo

Genre: adventure novel

The book is about a sailor named Dantes, who is sent to prison by conspiracy. He loses everything, including the woman he loved, whom he was going to marry. When in prison Dantes is already completely desperate and is about to starve himself to death, he meets a scientist, with whom he begins to plan an escape and take revenge on everyone involved in his imprisonment.

Level 4: Upper-Intermediate

• Pride and Prejudice

Genre: novel.

When she first met Mr. Darcy at the ball, Elizabeth felt only hatred. This man did not evoke positive emotions in any of the guests. But as the book progresses, we learn how deceiving first impressions can be.

• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Genre: story

The book tells us about an amazing person who does not age, but on the contrary, gets younger every year. Fate prepares ups and downs, love and a surprisingly interesting life for Benjamin.

• Jane Eyre

Genre: novel

The story of an orphan named Jane captivates the reader. We experience her growing up, how she goes to work and falls in love for the first time. But her love had no right to exist, because her chosen one was a noble man - Sir Rochester.

• The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

Genre: adventure

In this book you will live six amazing adventure stories of the famous detective Sherlock Holmes and his faithful assistant, Dr. Watson.

• The Great Gatsby

Genre: novel

The story is about a young man, Jack Gatsby, who spends his entire life pursuing his love, Daisy. As a poor orphan, Jack becomes smarter and much richer as he ages. He buys a huge house and throws fancy parties. And all this just to meet her.

Level 5: Advanced

• The Picture of Dorian Grey

Genre: novel

This book is amazing in its depth. A young man named Dorian is blessed with stunning beauty and does not want to grow old. Therefore, in a magical way, his portrait begins to age, but not him. The story shows how Dorian enjoys life and goes through difficulties.

• Phantom of the Opera

Genre: adventure novel

Something strange is happening at the Paris Opera House: decorations are collapsing for no reason, strange sounds are appearing and accidents are happening. They say that a ghost has settled there. And everything would have remained rumors if the famous opera singer had not disappeared.

• Invisible Man

Genre: science fiction

An unknown person appears in a small town. He is dressed in a black coat and hat, and his eyes are hidden by glasses. For a small town this seems strange. So people begin to wonder: who is this person? They don’t yet know that they are about to get into terrible trouble.

Level 6: Proficiency

• Crime and Punishment

Genre: novel.

The story tells about a poor student Radion Raskolnikov, who was left completely without money. He commits a terrible crime, after which he reproaches himself and repents. Throughout the book we see Radion’s torment of conscience, after which he confesses.

• Madame Bovary

Genre: novel.

The reader lives the story of the dreamer Emma Bovary. In an escape from her boring life, Emma gets married. But later she realizes that this does not save her from boredom and lack of love. She starts looking for her. And then begins the greatest literary drama in history.

• Tess of the D'erbevilles

Genre: novel

This story is about a girl named Tess. Due to her family's poverty, she is forced to leave home and go to work for a rich family. Tess is still very young and easily believes everything her rich lover tells her. She falls in love and remains alone against the condemnation of the whole world.

I am sure, my dears, that you will find something to your liking among the options offered. Each of the books will captivate you and help you learn English faster. I have already written about that. If this is your first time encountering this, find out some useful tips. She also voiced.

Each of the books I mentioned can be purchased in the online store Ozone (or Labyrinth ). You can also download them on other sites, for example on Litres . There you can read adapted books by level and download them in text or audio formats.

Share your impressions of the books you read in the comments. And subscribe to the blog newsletter, where I regularly share useful materials.

Until we meet again, my dears.