A1 Graded Readers

Choose A1 (Beginner) graded readers with a built-in glossary and exercises. Available in multiple languages as ebook, paperback, and hardcover.

5.00 from 306 reviews
28 books

Every book is available as an e-book (EPUB and PDF) and as a paperback.

28 books found

Cover of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes – Swedish A1 graded reader

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes in Swedish at level A1 with dictionary

A1 🇸🇪 Swedish

by Arthur Conan Doyle for English-speaking learners

A chilling fog rolls through Victorian London, a baffling crime unfolds, and only one brilliant mind can see the truth. Absorb essential Swedish vocabulary and grammar naturally, building confidence as you follow Holmes's brilliant deductions. A built-in margin dictionary means you never break your reading flow....

★★★★★ 5.0 (3 reviews)
from $2.99
Cover of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes – Italian A1 graded reader

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes in Italian at level A1 with dictionary

A1 🇮🇹 Italian

by Arthur Conan Doyle for English-speaking learners

Step into foggy London, where every shadow hides a secret and only one mind can unravel the truth. Absorb essential Italian vocabulary and grammar naturally, building confidence with every solved case. A margin dictionary keeps you immersed, so you never break your reading flow....

★★★★★ 5.0 (4 reviews)
from $2.99
Cover of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes – Russian A1 graded reader

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes in Russian at level A1 with dictionary

A1 🇷🇺 Russian

by Arthur Conan Doyle for English-speaking learners

Can you outwit the criminal mastermind before Sherlock Holmes does? Absorb hundreds of real-world Russian words and phrases effortlessly as you follow Holmes's deductions. A margin dictionary keeps you immersed, never breaking your reading flow....

★★★★★ 5.0 (2 reviews)
from $2.99
Cover of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes – Portuguese A1 graded reader

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes in Portuguese at level A1 with dictionary

A1 🇵🇹 Portuguese

by Arthur Conan Doyle for English-speaking learners

The game is afoot! Can you unravel the clues alongside Sherlock Holmes in foggy Victorian London? Absorb essential Portuguese vocabulary and grammar effortlessly as you follow his brilliant deductions. Helpful footnotes ensure you never miss a single twist....

★★★★★ 5.0 (5 reviews)
from $2.99
Cover of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes – French A1 graded reader

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes in French at level A1 with dictionary

A1 🇫🇷 French

by Arthur Conan Doyle for English-speaking learners

Step into foggy London, where secrets lurk and only one man can see the truth. Build essential A1 French vocabulary and grammar effortlessly, all while solving a thrilling mystery. A built-in dictionary means you never break your reading flow....

★★★★★ 5.0 (20 reviews)
from $2.99
Cover of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes – German A1 graded reader

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes in German at level A1 with dictionary

A1 🇩🇪 German

by Arthur Conan Doyle for English-speaking learners

The gaslight flickers, a shadow falls across Baker Street, and a baffling mystery awaits. Master essential German vocabulary and grammar naturally, without even realizing you're learning. A margin dictionary means you never break your reading flow....

★★★★★ 5.0 (18 reviews)
from $2.99
Cover of Anne of Green Gables – Spanish A1 graded reader

Anne of Green Gables in Spanish at level A1 with dictionary

A1 🇪🇸 Spanish

by Lucy Maud Montgomery for English-speaking learners

What happens when a spirited orphan, dreaming of beauty, accidentally dyes her hair green? Absorb essential Spanish vocabulary and grammar naturally, lost in Anne's unforgettable world. A margin dictionary means you never break your reading flow....

★★★★★ 5.0 (5 reviews)
from $2.99
Cover of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes – Spanish A1 graded reader

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes in Spanish at level A1 with dictionary

A1 🇪🇸 Spanish

by Arthur Conan Doyle for English-speaking learners

The gaslight flickers in Baker Street, a baffling clue lies before you. Can you unravel the mystery before Holmes does? Master beginner Spanish vocabulary and grammar, absorbing it naturally as you chase clues with the world's greatest detective....

★★★★★ 5.0 (9 reviews)
from $2.99

What Makes a Good A1 Graded Reader?

At A1 (Beginner), learners are just starting to learn and can understand basic words and simple phrases. Our graded readers for this CEFR level use controlled vocabulary and clear sentence structures so you can follow the story comfortably while absorbing new words in context — the core principle of comprehensible input. Each book includes a margin glossary with translations, meaning you read without interruptions. Every chapter ends with vocabulary and comprehension exercises, and QR codes take you to online flashcards and matching games built on spaced repetition. A1 graded readers are available across multiple languages, in ebook, paperback, and hardcover formats.

What Our Readers Say

Our A1 graded readers consistently receive outstanding reviews — 306 people have rated them 5.00 out of 5 on average. Readers highlight the margin dictionary, end-of-chapter exercises, and online vocabulary games as features that set our books apart from any other graded reader series.

Our A1 graded readers collection includes titles such as Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Around the World in Eighty Days, Around the World in 80 Days, Pride and Prejudice, Little Women, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Anne of Green Gables. Every book comes with a margin dictionary, chapter exercises, and interactive online games.

★★★★★
"First French ebook that actually felt like my level. The glossary at the end of each chapter is a lifesaver."
★★★★★
"Bought it on a whim and stuck with it. Exercises are straightforward even when I check the glossary a lot."
★★★★★
"Bought it on a whim and stuck with it. Exercises are straightforward even when I check the glossary a lot."
★★★★★
"Plain and clear, no clutter. Short exercises after each section - I actually remember a few phrases now."

Find the Right Level

Not sure which level to choose? Download a free sample from any book to check the difficulty, or take our free reading placement test to find your CEFR level.

Why Graded Readers Work

Research confirms that extensive reading is one of the most effective methods for building vocabulary, improving reading fluency, and developing overall language proficiency. Graded readers make this approach accessible by matching text difficulty to your CEFR level, so you stay in the optimal learning zone. Learn more about the science behind our approach on the Pentecost Method page.

About the writers and translators

Classic writers from this list come first; Pentecost editors who adapted these readers follow in the next block. Each line is a bold name, then a short bio.

  • Arthur Conan Doyle: Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930) was a Scottish physician and writer, the creator of Sherlock Holmes. The brilliant detective was modelled on his university teacher, Dr. Joseph Bell, famous for his razor-sharp powers of observation.
  • Jane Austen: Jane Austen (1775–1817) was an English novelist whose books were published anonymously in her lifetime, signed only "By a Lady." She completed just six novels, and today her portrait appears on the British £10 note.
  • Jules Verne: Jules Verne (1828–1905) was a French writer known as the father of science fiction and one of the most translated authors in the world. In his novels he foresaw submarines and space travel long before they existed.
  • Lewis Carroll: Lewis Carroll (1832–1898) was the pen name of Charles Dodgson, an Oxford mathematician and logician. He invented the story of Alice during a boat trip, to entertain a real little girl named Alice Liddell.
  • Louisa May Alcott: Louisa May Alcott (1832–1888) was an American writer who grew up among the Transcendentalists — Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau were family friends. She served as a nurse during the Civil War and, before her fame, published sensational thrillers under the male pen name A. M. Barnard.
  • Lucy Maud Montgomery: Lucy Maud Montgomery (1874–1942) was a Canadian writer from Prince Edward Island who set her novels in the landscapes of her childhood. Thanks to Anne of Green Gables, the island became a place of pilgrimage for readers from around the world.

Translators and editors

Our editors adapt vocabulary and notes so the story stays clear at your level. Each line below is a bold name, then a short note.

  • Angela Borderkeeper: Angela Borderkeeper adapts German-language stories for English readers who are building vocabulary through extensive reading. She balances literal clarity with readable English, especially where German stacks nouns or uses modal particles that do not map neatly. Her side notes focus on collocations learners will meet again in real newspapers and podcasts.
  • Anne Frank: Anne Frank edits English support text for Dutch originals in the series. She is careful with false friends between Dutch and English and flags them early in the glossary. When a joke depends on word order, she looks for an English equivalent that keeps the beat of the scene instead of explaining the punchline away.
  • Catherine Thief: Catherine Thief edits English support layers for Portuguese originals, comparing European and Brazilian variants when the source mixes them. She prefers one clear editorial choice per title rather than hedging in every footnote. She reads aloud to catch phrasing that still sounds like translationese.
  • Christine Guardian: Christine Guardian edits graded-reader adaptations of French fiction for English-speaking adults. She keeps an eye on register—literary French can sound stiff in English if you translate every clause—and prefers footnotes that support the scene rather than pause it. She still reads long-form journalism in French to stay close to how people actually write today.
  • Clara Fieldlove: Clara Fieldlove edits English-language scaffolding around Spanish narratives for the extensive-reading list. She steers clear of over-literal cognates that mislead beginners and prefers short glosses tied to the immediate context. She has a soft spot for dialogue-heavy chapters where rhythm matters as much as vocabulary.
  • Edwina Finbow: Edwina Finbow edits English-facing material for Icelandic fiction in the graded-reader programme. Icelandic inflection and compound formation get one clear gloss at first occurrence, then lighter reminders. She likes crime and family drama where everyday vocabulary does most of the storytelling work.
  • Grace Earthland: Grace Earthland prepares English commentary for Norwegian texts in the graded-reader programme. Norwegian’s compact clauses can read abrupt in English; she smooths the seams while keeping the emotional temperature of the scene. She coordinates closely with whoever writes the chapter exercises so examples match the chapter’s new items.
  • Greta Thunderhill: Greta Thunderhill adapts Swedish fiction for English-speaking learners using the Pentecost graded format. She keeps an eye on compound words that look long but are common in Swedish, and explains them once where they recur. She likes endings where the payoff is emotional rather than lexical—those need the lightest touch in the notes.
  • Inga Clay: Inga Clay prepares English-facing materials for Danish fiction in the graded-reader line. Danish often drops subjects; she makes sure the English scaffolding still feels natural while the original stays visible on the facing page or in the margin notes. She enjoys working on small-town settings where everyday vocabulary carries most of the plot.
  • Mary Guide: Mary Guide edits English-facing material for Japanese originals in the series. She explains honorifics and sentence-final particles in plain English without turning every line into a lecture. She still listens to casual Japanese podcasts to keep colloquial markers feeling current in the notes.
  • Pauline Bird: Pauline Bird adapts Chinese-language fiction for English readers in the graded-reader line. She helps decide when to gloss a measure word, a place name, or a four-character idiom, and when context can carry the load. She likes contemporary urban settings because they recycle high-frequency vocabulary in natural ways.
  • Rita Mounts: Rita Mounts works on English notes and simplified renderings for Italian fiction in the graded series. She watches out for regional markers—north versus south—that English readers might miss without a light gloss. Her goal is that someone on a commute can follow the plot without stopping every line.
  • Sophie Stay-Maggot: Sophie Stay-Maggot works on English notes for Russian fiction in the graded series. She balances literary archaism with the labelled CEFR level, sometimes marking a form as “recognition only” so readers are not asked to produce it too early. She pays extra attention to names, patronymics, and diminutives that carry social information.