Reading books is one of my hobbies that I have taken up since I was a very small child, and my collection of books is my proudest treasure. When I was a three grader, I had to listen to the audio books of the famous series Harry Potter by J.K.Rowling although my English was by no means fluent. I could not afford to buy the Vietnamese edition, and unlike now, it cost a great deal to read stories online at the time. Surprisingly, I witnessed marked improvements in my English thanks to my difficulties, and I advise beginners to try reading English books. Don’t think you cannot, because “Only those who dare may fly”. If you have made up your mind to go on this challenging adventure, but have no idea about what books to read, you can start with one of my following recommendations which are suitable for beginners.
1.The Little Prince
This is the most famous and desired work of Saint Exupéry, and was voted to be the best book of the 20th century in France. It is also a book written by a French author which is read by most people from all around the world. Available in 250 languages, together with 200 million prints, the book is considered to be a best seller in history. With simple language and elegant prose, the book can easily win over people of all ages. The little prince’s thoughts seem childish at some point but help waken in adults’ subconscious perceptions of love and principles, which they used to hold when they were little.
2.Diary of a Wimpy Kid
No single page of this appealing and hilarious book series fails to amaze readers as they are guided through one surprise after another along with Greg’s upbringing. You are bound to burst into laughter when you witness his continuous mischievous yet smart tricks. Being a dreamy and stubborn child, Greg successfully conquers the U.S market in particular and was the best-seller of the New York Times for 75 weeks in a row with an astounding number of 2 million books sold out. This achievement was due to the attractive prose and very funny illustrations of the author Jeff Kinney, and you definitely should buy your own series.
3.Tuesdays With Morrie
The book tells the story about Morrie and his teacher who guided him in university. 20 years after graduation, Morrie was still filled with worries and confusion about death, his family and ambitions, and forgot the true meaning of living, while his teacher ,who was diagnosed with ALS (a disease that causes the death of neurons controlling voluntary muscles), held a positive way of thinking. As soon as Morrie heard from his former teacher, he immediately returned to meet him, and learnt invaluable lessons about how to live and how to die on every Tuesday until his teacher passed away. The book is not merely a 200-page journal but is a must-read that contains sincere feelings and thoughts which are of significant values to anyone who are lost in life.
4.To Kill A Mockingbird
Maybe this book still appears on many people’s lists of their favorite books. More than half a century has passed since its first edition, this novel can still stand the test of time and have a long-standing position in many book lovers’ heart. I myself have never ceased my love for the book, its characters and the messages conveyed by it. I am not sure how many times I buried my nose in the book and savored its very last word to forget the worries of this life, and lived with my true feelings. But the way Atticus taught his children how to become a useful citizen and love people around, or the way he fought against racial discrimination and injustice will always be clear in my mind. Being a famous novel of all time, but the book is not difficult to read at all. Harper Lee’s inborn talent for writing stories in and his satirical writing will not disappoint you, the only matter is if you dare to challenge yourself with it.
5.The Story Of A Seagull And The Cat Who Taught Her To Fly
The book has been with me since my very first days of my English mission. At the time, I was still a little child who could not understand the whole lesson inferred from it, but simply read for fun and to improve my English. On growing up, I read the book time and again, and finally learnt precious lessons about love, friendships and the importance of belief in yourself. They are also what the cat Zorbah taught the baby gull Lucky, whose mom died after successfully laying an egg with Lucky inside. The gull was indeed very lucky, as it met Zorbah who gave it confidence and courage to live a life with its true identity – freely spread its wings in the sky. The book only has one hundred page, but with natural narrative and hilarious prose, it should be read by any English learner of all levels.
Above are five books that are representative of best story books which are easy to read but contain a wealth of invaluable lessons. I hope you are able to draw some inspiration from this post and start reading books in English. They are not necessarily my suggestions, as you may like other types of books with different content, but please make sure you choose books that are appropriate for your level. After finishing your books, come back this post and let me know what your favorite stories are, and here is one interesting thing: All the recommended books are available in Vietnamese editions, so if you still have difficulties in understanding them, buy an additional version to aid you, so that they can be fully experienced.
