Fiction Books for Learning English: A Selection of 7 Books

23 January 2025

English-learners

Oleksandra Kulish

Book expert

A good book in English is a great tool to expand your vocabulary, improve your reading skills and strengthen your grammar. Reading books in English is useful at all stages of language learning, even at the beginning level. However, beginners should not immediately start with difficult classics, as this can turn into torment and cause reluctance to continue learning. Frequent reference to a dictionary to translate every second word can easily confuse you and prevent you from following the development of the plot.

We have prepared for you a selection of interesting and not too difficult fiction books that will help you start reading in English, expand your vocabulary and, in addition to vocabulary, enrich your knowledge of grammar.

Peter Pan

James Barrie is a Scottish playwright and novelist who gave the world an unforgettable story about a boy who decides to remain a child forever.

But how is this possible? After all, all children become adults at some point. Almost all of them. Except for one.

Before bedtime, parents tell their children the amazing story of Peter Pan. They say he can fly thanks to the fairy Tinker Bell's magic pollen. Peter lives in Neverland, a magical land where children never grow up and can go to bed whenever they want. Here you can meet mermaids, become part of an Indian tribe or fight pirates. There's adventure at every turn! And you can be there too. You just have to have faith. And don't forget to leave your window open at night.

Harry Potter

Eleven-year-old orphan Harry Potter lives with his aunt, not even realising that he is a real wizard. But one day an owl flies in with a letter, and his life changes forever. Harry learns that he has been accepted to study at the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, solves the mystery of his parents' tragic death and eventually solves the riddle of the Philosopher's Stone....

The series of Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling consists of 7 editions, each of which continues the tangled story and brings the reader closer to the denouement. A true classic that will not leave indifferent both children and adults.

Matilda

Matilda is a small and extremely clever girl. She learnt to read at the age of three and since then she can't get enough of books. But she is not interested in children's fairy tales, but in the works of Dickens, Hemingway, Steinbeck and Kipling. However, her parents, two rather unpleasant people, do not share her passion at all. They would rather she, like them, watched silly television programmes. At school, Matilda is also not pitied - the headmistress of the institution strongly dislikes children and torments them. Fortunately, Matilda's teacher is incredibly kind and attentive to the girl and is ready to provide her help. And soon Matilda herself discovers she has supernatural abilities....

As in many of Roald Dahl's other fiction books, ‘Matilda’ mocks stupidity and narrow-mindedness, and shows that intelligence and justice always win out. This work makes both children and adults laugh.

Silver Sparrow

Tyari Jones' third novel, Silver Sparrow, opens up a map for us to explore uncharted emotions. In this little book, a girl's growing up is coloured by the painful realisation of a devastating secret hidden by her father. Jones offers no ready-made answers, and that is where the novel's zest lies. Her prose captivates from the first lines, forcing the reader to immerse themselves in the story without noticing the most important nuances. The author reveals the lives of marginalised people - children who grew up in informal families.

A gripping book that holds your attention from the first to the last page.

The Bad Beginning

Lemony Snicket is the pseudonym under which writer Daniel Handler publishes his children's fairy tale works. He gained widespread popularity after the release of the cycle ‘33 Misfortunes’, which became a real hit among children and adults. Critics mark Lemony Snicket's books with high marks, calling them ‘witty and sarcastic literature’, and also emphasise the author's unique ability to capture the reader's imagination. The final book in the series, The Bad Beginning, has sold 60 million copies worldwide. If you are looking for quality children's literature, you should pay attention to Lemony Snicket's books, which will give your child unforgettable adventures and entertain him with colourful plots.

Shadow and Bone

Alina Starkova is a soldier, a mere expendable for her country. Her first crossing of Shadow Canyon, a swath of darkness full of monsters, may be her last. But now the fate of an entire nation depends on this lonely girl in whom an ancient magic has awakened.

Alina is taken to the royal palace, where she begins to be trained as one of the Grisha - representatives of an elite society of mages led by the mysterious Darkling. The mysteries of grisha magic and discovering the secrets of her heart lie ahead of her.

Welcome to Ravka... a world of science and superstition where things are not always what they seem.

Red, White and Royal Blue

Alex, son of the US President, and British Prince Henry have a mutual dislike for each other. One day at a reception at Buckingham Palace, their quarrel results in both of them being covered in a huge cake. Images of the incident are instantly circulated on social networks, and an international scandal begins. To avoid the deterioration of relations between the countries, they have to pretend that they are friends and the incident was just a joke. Gradually, this forced falsity turns into something much deeper.

When choosing a book to read and study, focus on your own interests. This way you can not only enjoy yourself, but also assimilate new information much more effectively, improving your vocabulary and grammar. The benefits of reading to learn English are enormous!