10 Great French Novels to Learn French for All Levels
Bookworms rejoice! We have a list of French novels for you to learn French by reading, for French language learners of all levels. Check them out now!
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1. Le Petit Nicolas de René Goscinny2. Mon Père est Femme de Ménage de Saphia Azzeddine3. Le Petit Prince d’Antoine de Saint-Exupéry4. Ensemble, c’est tout d’Anna Gavalda5. Que serais-je sans toi? de Guillaume Musso6. Où on va, papa? de Jean-Louis Fournier7. La Petite Fille de Monsieur Linh de Philippe Claudel8. L’Étranger d’Albert Camus9. Les Âmes grises de Philippe Claudel10. Voyage au Pays des Arbres de J.M.G Le ClézioConclusionReading is a true source of pleasure and often a relaxing hobby to undertake. It can also be a very handy learning tool to practice your French and put your comprehension skills to good use.
Reading books in French is a fantastic way to complement your studies by increasing your vocabulary and improving your understanding of written grammatical rules. While you are learning new things, you also get the enjoyment of reading a nice book during your free time through the day or before you head to bed at night.
The great thing about reading books, similar to watching television series, is that you get to know the characters and follow an enjoyable storyline. This can be perfect motivation to continue reading and continually learn more vocabulary along the way.
Reading is self-directed and you can choose your own pace, which means you have as much time as you need to really understand what is happening in the text.
There is a wide range of French literature available for all different stages of learning and different reading interests. This article outlines some great books in French that might tickle your fancy when it comes to reading in French.
Many of these books are available online at websites such as amazon.com, or can be found at large, international book shop companies. Or you can even try your luck at a secondhand book store and see what you can find there. Allow me to help you find the right books in French so you can practice your listening and reading comprehension!
1. Le Petit Nicolas de René Goscinny
Difficulty: Easy – Intermediate
This book series tells stories of what childhood was like in France in the 1950s. Nicolas and his school friends embark on many adventures together. The storylines are meant for children so they have simple sentence structure, but are amusing and humorous at the same time.
2. Mon Père est Femme de Ménage de Saphia Azzeddine
Difficulty: Easy – Intermediate
This is a short novel that is fun to read, telling a coming-of-age story and the struggles faced in adolescence. This novel has also been adapted into a movie, making it ideal for learners of French to read the text and watch the adaptation to further develop reading and listening comprehension skills.
3. Le Petit Prince d’Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Difficulty: Easy – Intermediate
A true French classic in terms of literature for children, Saint-Exupéry writes a charming story that intrigues children through the descriptions of characters, but also enchants adults in the ideas explored throughout. This is a fantastic book for all ages and all levels of French, and one that can be enjoyed time and time again.
4. Ensemble, c’est tout d’Anna Gavalda
Difficulty: Intermediate – Advanced
Not only is this a famous film featuring Audrey Tautou, but it is also a charming book to read. This novel has been translated into many languages as the story of an anorexic girl struggling to fit into society has touched people all over the world. The writing style and the dialogue are modern and pleasing to read.
5. Que serais-je sans toi? de Guillaume Musso
Difficulty: Intermediate – Advanced
A love story in the language of love, this novel is a great one for learners of French to read. With easy to follow vocabulary and an emotionally invested story line about choosing who to love, this story is sure to please French learners of any age.
6. Où on va, papa? de Jean-Louis Fournier
Difficulty: Easy – Intermediate
This is a touching and darkly humorous memoir in which the author looks back on raising his two severely disabled sons. Through a well-structured narrative and easy vocabulary, he tells the story of what it means to be their father. Definitely one of the French books for beginners!
7. La Petite Fille de Monsieur Linh de Philippe Claudel
Difficulty: Easy – Intermediate
A wartime story, this tells the tale of a man who is forced to leave his homeland with a light suitcase. He also leaves holding a small baby, whose parents died in the war. With touching word choices and simple sentence structure, this is an intriguing story to read about the long journey of a man with a little girl.
8. L’Étranger d’Albert Camus
Difficulty: Easy – Intermediate
This book is one for lovers of literature who want to read something philosophical and insightful. Camus questions society and its values through the character Meursault. The vocabulary and language itself is not challenging, but there are many deep themes that will make you think more about the text.
9. Les Âmes grises de Philippe Claudel
Difficulty: Intermediate
Set in a French village during the First World War, this dark murder mystery explores themes such as death, war, and love. The subject is heavy, but the uncomplicated descriptions and the thoroughly fascinating way it is written make it very accessible for intermediate French learners.
10. Voyage au Pays des Arbres de J.M.G Le Clézio
Difficulty: Intermediate
Here the story follows a little boy who dreams of life in the forest and living among the trees. This is a great narrative to awaken the imagination and learn some interesting new French vocabulary along the way.
Conclusion
When it comes to reading books in French, always remember that it is a challenging task to read a book in a new language. Everyone has a different type of reading style and it is important to remember that you need to find a way to read that works for you as an individual.
Some ways that you can make reading in French easier for yourself include:
- Read the summary of the book in English or French before starting.
- Make notes as you read about important characters or storylines.
- Read a bilingual book with the English version on one side of the page and the French on the other.
- Read the English version of the book first, and then the French version.
- Read a book in French that you are already familiar with so you know the storyline and what is going to happen.
- Select some fun picture story books to read in French.
