Whether you’re just starting to learn French or have been learning for a while, books written in French can be a great tool to further your language skills. Children’s books are a perfect way for beginners to gain confidence and comprehension. Short stories and novels targeted for teens and young adults are excellent for intermediate French learners.
For advanced French learners, we recommend opening up a classic French novel you’ve already read in English. Improve your French vocabulary and accelerate your comprehension by reading one of the best French books for beginners through advanced French learners.
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French children’s books for beginners
For those new to learning French, children’s books and short stories are an effective tool to improve your French quickly. Figuring out how to learn French can be daunting, but reading books at your level is a great way to improve your language comprehension and vocabulary.
L’imagerie De La Lecture (Reading Imagery) by Yves Lequesne and Lucienne Mestres
While L’imagerie De La Lecture is geared towards pre-readers, it can actually be great for brand new French learners to help with their pronunciation and letter combinations. The images help you decipher meaning as you read through the French alphabet. Learn about French animals and other basic French words in this book.
The Sami and Julie Series by Various Authors
This expansive series of short books called The Sami and Julie Series is made for children who are learning to read French. There are four levels of books that allow you to move through and work on different sounds and learn beautiful French words as you progress in your French learning.
L’été avec grand-père (Summer With Grandpa) by Elisavet Arkolaki
This bilingual children’s story is perfect for beginners. The two main characters in L’été avec grand-père travel back to their grandfather’s island for the summer. They go fishing and have a big meal together, so be sure to review your French food words before and after reading!
Raiponce (Rapunzel) adapted by Sarah Gilmault and Ruth Hobart
A great strategy for understanding a French book is reading a story you already know. Since you are probably already familiar with the story of Rapunzel, you can use that knowledge to help you deduce meaning as you read the beloved children’s story Rapunzel.
The Tchoupi Series by Thierry Courtin
The Tchoupi Series has a variety of topics to choose from as you follow an adorable penguin named Tchoupi. Although geared toward young children, you can learn a lot of French words and basic French grammar as you read your way through Tchoupi’s adventures.
Short Stories in French by Olly Richards and Richard Simcott
This collection of short stories is written for beginning French learners. As you progress through the eight stories, the French level progresses with you. The vocabulary and grammar are specifically chosen to help you improve your French level through a variety of topics like science fiction and crime thrillers.
French novels for beginners
If you still feel like you’re at a beginner French level but are ready for something beyond picture books, the following novels are perfect for taking your French from beginner to intermediate.
The Asterix and Obelix Series by René Goscinny
A graphic novel series by the same author as Le Petit Nicolas, Asterix and Obelix is set during Roman times. Set in the Gaulish village that is the only one yet to be invaded by Caesar, Asterix (the hero) and his sidekick Obelix drink a magic potion to befuddle and defeat the Roman army. Many live-action French movies have been made based on these graphic novels.
Le Petit Nicolas Series by René Goscinny
The Little Nicolas series is one of the most classic French language series you can find. Set in post-war 1950s France, these books of short stories follow Nicolas through his childhood at school and at home. Surrounded by friends who mean well but often make bad decisions, this series will have you laughing as you improve your French language skills.
Le roman des Goscinny (The Goscinny’s Novel) by Catel
This novel is based on the life of the acclaimed and aforementioned author and cartoonist René Goscinny. Le roman des Goscinny travels through Goscinny’s life starting in Paris in the 1920s, then through Brazil and the United States before he returned to France to start his illustrious literary career.
Les Cahiers d’Esther (Esther’s Notebooks) by Riad Sattouf
Based on the life of a real French child, this mini-series follows Esther, starting when she is 9 years old. The full graphic novel series follows Esther until she is 18. Les Cahiers d’Esther is full of conversational French and current French slang. It’s the perfect book for anyone wanting to improve their French conversation skills with current terminology.
Pauvre Anne (Poor Anne) by Lisa Ray Turner
This short and easy novel called Pauvre Anne follows teenager Anne from New York to Belgium, where she stays with a family with even less money than her own. She learns some valuable lessons about her own life by living in a French-speaking country in modest circumstances.
Voyage au centre de la Terre (Journey to the Center of the Earth, adapted) by Jules Verne
This adapted version of the classic French novel is perfect for beginners. Considered one of the best French books of all time, Voyage au centre de la Terre is a must on this list. Follow the main character Otto Lidenbrock to Iceland and then to the center of the Earth at a language level that is accessible to all. If this genre intrigues you, explore other adapted classics by Jules Verne.
Monsieur Ibrahim Et Les Fleurs Du Coran (Mister Ibrahim and the Flowers of the Koran) by Éric-Emmanuel Schmidt
Set in 1960s Paris, this novel tells the story of a young Jewish boy and a man who runs an Arabic grocery store—and things are not always as they seem. Monsieur Ibrahim Et Les Fleurs Du Coran talks about themes of friendship and tolerance and is great for beginning French learners who enjoy meaningful stories with life lessons.
Où on va, papa ? (Where Are We Going, Father?) by Jean-Louis Fournier
This book is about a father with two disabled sons, written in a series of vignettes that share the joy and struggle of their lives together. A heartwarming tale, and an easy read, Où on va, papa ? also uses a lot of French slang to help you develop your speaking alongside your reading skills.
Vendredi ou la vie sauvage (Friday and Robinson) by Michel Tournier
Written in the 1960s, this novel is a retelling of the famous novel Robinson Crusoe. This version, made for children, is actually an adaptation of the book Friday, which was made for adults. Follow the shipwrecked Crusoe as he faces the struggles of the 18th-century New World.
French books for intermediate learners
If you’ve moved past basic vocabulary and conversations using only ça va, you can read these French books at the intermediate level to further your French skills.
Le Petit Prince (The Little Prince) by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
One of the most famous French novels is The Little Prince. A pilot stranded in the Sarahan desert encounters a little prince, who regales him with tales of a rose, a fox, and planets he visited along his journey to Earth. A commentary on society and what it means to be an adult, this novel is one of the best books to learn French.
Arsène Lupin, gentleman-cambrioleur (Gentleman Burglar) by Maurice Leblanc
This classic French series is not only a great read for the intermediate French learner, but it has been modernized and remade as a French TV show on Netfilx. The nine Arsène Lupin novels follow the super intelligent and suave Lupin as he outwits (and steals from) his adversaries.
Mon père est femme de ménage (My Dad Is a Cleaning Lady) by Saphia Azzeddine
This short novel is perfect for intermediate learners. A teenager struggles with his bedridden mother and his father who has a non-traditional job. This coming-of-age story called Mon père est femme de ménage is relatively easy to understand, especially if you follow it up by watching the film adaptation.
Les jeux sont faits (The Game Is Over) by Jean-Paul Sartre
Although the philosophical themes in Jean-Paul Sartre’s novel may be hard to understand, the language in Les jeux sont faits is not. Written in the present tense, this novel about two people who meet in the afterlife is surprisingly accessible. Brush up on your romantic French phrases before reading!
Les Misérables (adapted) by Victor Hugo
The adaptation of the classic French novel Les Misérables makes it accessible to intermediate French learners. This is arguably one of the best books to learn French, as most people are familiar with the story from having seen the musical or one of the many film adaptations. Immerse yourself in revolutionary-era France and accelerate your French learning at the same time.
L’étranger (The Stranger) by Albert Camus
Another famous French author to know is Albert Camus. His novel L’étranger is accessible to intermediate French learners with its vocabulary and grammar. Set in the 1940s in French Algeria, this story follows a man who runs into some trouble after his mother’s funeral. Named the #1 book of the 20th century by the newspaper Le Monde, this is a must-read for any French learner who loves to read.
The best French books for advanced learners
If you’re ready to take your French to the highest level, these are the four of the best French books for advanced learners.
Notre Dame de Paris (The Hunchback of Notre Dame) by Victor Hugo
Whether you’ve already read Les Misérables (adapted or not), Victor Hugo’s other great literary work is a must-read for advanced French learners. The hunchback bell ringer Quasimodo and the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris are both main characters in this novel. Written in part to save the gothic architecture of the cathedral, Notre Dame de Paris helped safeguard the cathedral as we know it today.
Candide by Voltaire
This satirical book, written by Voltaire during the Enlightenment, is a great way to move your French skills from intermediate to advanced. Practice a variety of French verb conjugations and challenge your vocabulary as you read about the unique main character: Candide. This book takes you all over the world and challenges your thinking on a variety of topics.
Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
A woman trapped in a loveless marriage, Emma Bovary wants nothing but a life full of passion. Despite her best efforts, she cannot find anything to make her happy. This 1850’s novel is a commentary on the human condition as well as the role of women in the world. The Italian painter Giorgio De Chirico described Madame Bovary as the “most perfect book.”
À la recherche du temps perdu (In Search of Lost Time) by Marcel Proust
The seven-volume literary classic, À la recherche du temps perdu, is perfect for advanced French learners. The narrator brings us along through his life with the theme of involuntary memories. The most famous of these memories is when the narrator dunks his madeleine cookie into his tea and is immediately brought back to his childhood. The seven volumes are not for the faint of heart, but it is worth the read.
Whatever your current French level, reading French books for beginners or advanced literary classics, everyone can improve their French by reading French books. Paired with listening to a French podcast and the Rosetta Stone app, your French will get better at lightning speed.
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