Amended: This post now includes 8 Easy German Book recommendations for A1-level learners,
3 from adult literature and 5 from young adult literature.
All of the books listed here are A1 books, however if you look in a bookstore, make sure you look for an emblem or a marking with the EU flag and/or "A1" on it. No matter where you buy it, I recommend you purchase a physical copy so you can take notes in the book and also so you can use the included audio/mp3 download with the book.
These are books I recommend for you for several reasons:
- You're in a class and you'd like more homework. (Yes, you can ask for more homework.)
- You love to read.
- You'd like to read a German story book, but you aren't sure where to start.
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Regular Adult Literature. Du findest mich nicht! - Fender ermittelt
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Private Detective Fender takes on a murder case involving football (soccer), plus the murder sends an anonymous letter. It's a puzzle for P.I. Fender. This one is new to me, and if you like it, please comment or use the contact form to tell me about it. Affiliate links |
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2. Schatten über der Vergangenheit
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The freshly retired Chief Inspector Emma Wagner wants to enjoy her retirement. But when Felix, a friend of her grandson's from Kindergarten, disappears, Felix's father's strange behavior nags at her...
Affiliate links
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3. Überfall in Mannheim
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Paul Sommer gets knocked over and he's robbed of his cafe's takings, and thus misses his first date with Marie. She is livid at first, until she finds out what happened to him via the newspaper. This is where the story takes off, as the sympathetic, courageous Marie assists the Detective Superintendent. Will the two of them be able to catch the culprits with a fast chase through Mannheim's downtown? Shop "Überfall in Mannheim" on Alibris Affiliate link |
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Young Adult Literature (Also for Adults)
Thee books in this Stadt, Land, Fluss... series are stories about teens and kids, but they are stories for everybody. They may be mysteries, but they are not scary, and they are thus a great choice for taking a mental break and engaging with some German. If you don't mind a story written for youth, then try these on for size, you'll learn a lot.
1. Der Schatz von Hiddensee
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This is my favorite A1 story. Read this one if you like a wintery vacation, Schmuck (jewelry), and archaeological history. Affiliate links |
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2. Spannende Tour im Schwarzwald
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Read this one if you like Fahrrad fahren (bicycling), Wälder (forests), and Baden-Württemberg. Affiliate links |
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3. Gefahr am Strand
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Read this one if you like being am Strand (on the beach), die Nordsee, and Norddeutschland. Affiliate link |
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4. Blinder Passagier
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Read this one if you like Schiffe (ships), den Rhein (the Rhine river), and Familienausflüge (family outings). Affiliate link |
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Then, when you're ready to move to the A2 level, or to simply give yourself an extra challenge, try...
5. Wilde Pferde im Münsterland
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Read this one if you like Pferde (horses), Ferien (school holidays), and reiten (riding horses).
Affiliate link
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Comments
1. My first general recommendation is for physical copies whenever possible. Here's why:
• When we touch a book, write in it, flip pages, and hold it, we have a sensory experience of the textures of the book, the colors, the pictures, the scent of the paper and the ink, etc. The more senses we engage while learning, the more effective our learning is.
• With most (not all, but most) digital experiences, distraction via superfluous links, ads, and such has increased significantly. When you're trying to learn by reading, distraction from the text in front of you is a detractor.
• In addition, our brains don't comprehend tapping on a flat screen the same way they comprehend flipping the pages of a book.
• Most of my clients learn more, ask more specific questions, and garner more cultural information from the physical copy of the book.
• One of my clients bought a digital and a paper copy of one book; the paper copy stays at home, but then she reads the digital copy again and again while she travels, and it harkens back to that more sensory experience. She also gets a lot out of the book because she has read it many times.
2. My second general recommendation is if you aren't sure, try it out and see what you think. You only need one physical copy and one digital copy, so it's a lower-priced experiment.
If you do, please reply and tell us what you discovered!
Ich liebe es, Bücher zu lesen, deshalb bin ich aufgeregt.