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Read graded readers with a built-in dictionary and vocabulary exercises.

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66 books
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English7Spanish10French9German9Portuguese7Russian5Italian4Swedish4Chinese1Danish0
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Czech1Dutch0Finnish1Hawaiian0Hebrew1Icelandic1Irish1Japanese1Lithuanian1Norwegian1Polish2
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A1Beginner44A2Elementary11B1Intermediate11B2Upper Intermediate0
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66 books

Cover of Alicia en el país de las maravillas – Spanish A1 graded reader
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Alicia en el país de las maravillas in Spanish at level A1 with dictionary

A1 Spanish Glossary: English

by Lewis Carroll 5.0(8)

Imagine tumbling down a rabbit hole into a world where logic bends and cats grin. Absorb hundreds of real-world Spanish words and phrases effortlessly as you follow Alice's journey. A margin dictionary means you never break your reading flow....

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Cover of Alice im Wunderland – German A1 graded reader
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Alice im Wunderland in German at level A1 with dictionary

A1 German Glossary: English

by Lewis Carroll 5.0(21)

Imagine tumbling down a rabbit hole into a world where logic bends and queens scream "Off with their heads!" Master beginner German naturally as you follow Alice's wild journey, absorbing hundreds of real-world words without a textbook. A margin dictionary means you never break your reading flow....

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Cover of Umhverfis jörðina á 80 dögum – Icelandic A1 graded reader
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Umhverfis jörðina á 80 dögum in Icelandic at level A1 with dictionary

A1 Icelandic Glossary: English

by Jules Verne 5.0(10)

The clock is ticking, your fortune is on the line, and a relentless detective believes you're a bank robber. Dive into a thrilling adventure and effortlessly build your Icelandic vocabulary, absorbing hundreds of real-world words and phrases naturally....

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Cover of 八十日間世界一周 – Japanese A1 graded reader
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八十日間世界一周 in Japanese at level A1 with dictionary

A1 Japanese Glossary: English

by Jules Verne 5.0(10)

The clock is ticking. Can you outwit detectives and cross continents in just 80 days, with your fortune on the line? Absorb essential Japanese vocabulary and grammar naturally, building confidence with every page. Integrated furigana and a margin dictionary keep your learning smooth....

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Cover of 環遊世界八十天 – Chinese A1 graded reader
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環遊世界八十天 in Chinese at level A1 with dictionary

A1 Chinese Glossary: English

by Jules Verne 5.0(10)

A daring wager, a relentless detective, and a race against time across the globe. Can you make it? Absorb essential Chinese vocabulary and grammar naturally, building confidence with every page. A built-in margin dictionary keeps you immersed, never breaking your reading flow....

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Cover of Jorden runt på 80 dagar – Swedish A1 graded reader
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Jorden runt på 80 dagar in Swedish at level A1 with dictionary

A1 Swedish Glossary: English

by Jules Verne 5.0(7)

A daring wager sends a meticulous Englishman on a global sprint, but a relentless detective is hot on his heels. Master beginner Swedish vocabulary and grammar, absorbing the language naturally through an unforgettable story. A built-in margin dictionary keeps you immersed, never breaking your reading flow....

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Cover of Вокруг света за 80 дней – Russian A1 graded reader
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Вокруг света за 80 дней in Russian at level A1 with dictionary

A1 Russian Glossary: English

by Jules Verne 5.0(3)

The clock is ticking. Can you outrun a detective, rescue a princess, and circle the globe in just 80 days? Master beginner Russian naturally, immersed in this thrilling adventure, building vocabulary that sticks effortlessly....

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Cover of Reise um die Erde in 80 Tagen – German A1 graded reader
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Reise um die Erde in 80 Tagen in German at level A1 with dictionary

A1 German Glossary: English

by Jules Verne 5.0(14)

A daring bet, a global chase, and a detective convinced you're a thief – your adventure begins now. Master German A1 vocabulary and grammar naturally, swept away by a classic tale of adventure. A built-in dictionary on every page keeps you immersed, never breaking your reading flow....

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Cover of La vuelta al mundo en 80 días – Spanish A1 graded reader
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La vuelta al mundo en 80 días in Spanish at level A1 with dictionary

A1 Spanish Glossary: English

by Jules Verne 5.0(9)

A daring wager, a global chase, and a detective convinced you're a thief – can you outrun them all? Absorb hundreds of real-world Spanish words and phrases effortlessly as you get lost in this thrilling adventure. Carefully adapted for beginners, every page builds your confidence....

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Cover of Jorden rundt på 80 dager – Norwegian A1 graded reader
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Jorden rundt på 80 dager in Norwegian at level A1 with dictionary

A1 Norwegian Glossary: English

by Jules Verne 5.0(10)

Imagine racing against the clock, a fortune on the line, as you dash across continents with a detective hot on your heels. You'll effortlessly absorb essential Norwegian vocabulary and grammar, building confidence with every page of this thrilling adventure. Contextual definitions on every page mean you'll never break your reading flow....

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Cover of A Volta ao Mundo em 80 Dias – Portuguese A1 graded reader
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A Volta ao Mundo em 80 Dias in Portuguese at level A1 with dictionary

A1 Portuguese Glossary: English

by Jules Verne 5.0(5)

What if your impossible wager meant racing across continents with a detective on your tail, and only 80 days to win? You'll absorb essential Portuguese vocabulary and grammar naturally, building confidence with every page of this thrilling adventure. A margin dictionary keeps you immersed, so you never break your reading flow....

Buy E-Book $2.99
Cover of Il giro del mondo in 80 giorni – Italian A1 graded reader
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Il giro del mondo in 80 giorni in Italian at level A1 with dictionary

A1 Italian Glossary: English

by Jules Verne 5.0(6)

Imagine betting your entire fortune you can race around the globe in just 80 days, with a detective hot on your heels. Master essential Italian phrases naturally, immersed in this classic adventure, building vocabulary that sticks effortlessly. A margin dictionary means you never break your reading flow....

Buy E-Book $2.99
Cover of Le Tour du monde en 80 jours – French A1 graded reader
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Le Tour du monde en 80 jours in French at level A1 with dictionary

A1 French Glossary: English

by Jules Verne 5.0(28)

Can you really circle the globe in just 80 days, with a fortune on the line and danger at every turn? Master beginner French vocabulary and grammar without even realizing it, swept away by a global race against the clock. Integrated glossaries mean you never break your reading flow....

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Cover of Orgueil et Préjugés – French A1 graded reader
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Orgueil et Préjugés in French at level A1 with dictionary

A1 French Glossary: English

by Jane Austen 5.0(28)

He's arrogant, she's prejudiced. Can love bloom amidst scandal and societal pressure? Absorb hundreds of essential French words and phrases naturally, building your A1 vocabulary effortlessly as you get lost in their story. A built-in margin dictionary keeps you immersed, never breaking your reading flow....

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Cover of Orgullo y prejuicio – Spanish A1 graded reader
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Orgullo y prejuicio in Spanish at level A1 with dictionary

A1 Spanish Glossary: English

by Jane Austen 5.0(7)

Her heart burned with prejudice, his with pride. Can love ever bloom between two such stubborn souls? Absorb hundreds of real-world Spanish words and phrases, effortlessly building vocabulary as their timeless story unfolds. A margin dictionary means you never break your reading flow....

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Cover of Приключения Шерлока Холмса – Russian B1 graded reader
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Приключения Шерлока Холмса in Russian at level B1 with dictionary

B1 Russian Glossary: English

by Arthur Conan Doyle 5.0(2)

Step into foggy Baker Street, where every shadow hides a secret and only one mind can unravel the truth. Master intermediate Russian naturally, immersed in Holmes's brilliant deductions and thrilling cases. Contextual notes clarify tricky grammar, keeping you immersed in the mystery....

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Cover of Приключения Шерлока Холмса – Russian A2 graded reader
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Приключения Шерлока Холмса in Russian at level A2 with dictionary

A2 Russian Glossary: English

by Arthur Conan Doyle 5.0(5)

The gaslight flickers, a shadow falls, and a baffling mystery lands on Baker Street. Master A2 Russian vocabulary and grammar effortlessly as you help Holmes crack the case, absorbing hundreds of real-world words. A margin dictionary means you never break your reading flow....

Buy E-Book $2.99
Cover of Sherlock Holmes äventyr – Swedish B1 graded reader
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Sherlock Holmes äventyr in Swedish at level B1 with dictionary

B1 Swedish Glossary: English

by Arthur Conan Doyle 5.0(5)

A baffling mystery unfolds in foggy Victorian London. Can you solve it before Holmes? Master B1 Swedish effortlessly, absorbing hundreds of real-world words as you follow his brilliant deductions. A margin dictionary keeps you immersed, never breaking your reading flow....

Buy E-Book $2.99
Cover of Sherlock Holmes äventyr – Swedish A2 graded reader
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Sherlock Holmes äventyr in Swedish at level A2 with dictionary

A2 Swedish Glossary: English

by Arthur Conan Doyle 5.0(8)

The gaslight flickers, a shadow falls, and a new mystery unfolds on Baker Street. Can you deduce the truth? Absorb A2 Swedish vocabulary and grammar naturally, building real-world fluency as you solve cases alongside Holmes. A margin dictionary keeps you immersed, never breaking your reading flow....

Buy E-Book $2.99
Cover of Sherlock Holmes äventyr – Swedish A1 graded reader
E-BookPaperbackAudiobook

Sherlock Holmes äventyr in Swedish at level A1 with dictionary

A1 Swedish Glossary: English

by Arthur Conan Doyle 5.0(3)

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....

Buy E-Book $2.99

Why Graded Readers Work

Research confirms that extensive reading is one of the most effective ways to build vocabulary and improve fluency. Graded readers match text difficulty to your CEFR level, so every page is challenging enough to learn from but easy enough to enjoy. Each book includes a dictionary beside the text, chapter exercises, and online vocabulary practice — everything you need in one package.

Formats: e-book, paperback and super audiobook

Our graded readers come in several formats. The text, the CEFR level and the glossary are the same in each — only the way you read changes. Pick whatever suits your day: the e-book on your phone on the way to work, paper and pencil at your desk, or the super audiobook when you want to read and listen at the same time.

E-book (EPUB and PDF). You can download both files right after purchase and read on an e-reader, phone, tablet or computer. Difficult words have their translation in a pop-up note: one tap and you are back in the story, no dictionary needed. Each chapter ends with vocabulary exercises, and a link takes you to free online practice with the same words.

Paperback. A classic softcover book, printed to order and sent by post. The glossary sits in the margin, right next to the word it explains, so you never have to flip pages. Chapters end with crosswords and vocabulary exercises, and QR codes take you to online practice on your phone. A good choice if you like writing in your books or want a break from screens.

Formats on this list (66 books): E-Book: 66 · Paperback: 58 · Super audiobook: 66.

The super audiobook: read, listen and check meanings at the same time

A super audiobook is an audiobook in karaoke form. A narrator reads the book aloud while the same text is in front of you, with a marker moving along it word by word. You always know which word you are hearing, so you never lose your place — even when the narrator speaks faster than you read. Your ears tell your eyes how a written word sounds, your eyes tell your ears how to spell what you hear, and both routes reinforce the same words at once.

The real difference shows when you meet a word you don't know. In an ordinary audiobook it is gone in a second; in a super audiobook it stays within reach: glossary words are marked in colour, and pressing and holding one shows its translation in your language. You check the meaning, keep listening and never lose the thread. A slider sets the narrator's speed from 0.5× to 1.5× — slow down at first to catch every syllable, then speed up towards natural speech. The words you meet while reading come back later in short exercises in the app, such as a mini crossword or building a word from its letters.

Reading while listening is well supported by research. In a Canadian programme described by Lightbown and colleagues (2002), children who for three years learned English only this way — reading books while listening to their recordings — understood the language as well as or better than peers taught in regular classes. Waring and Takaki (2003) showed that you need to meet a word at least eight times to have even a 50% chance of recognising it three months later. Listening to a chapter again gives you exactly those extra encounters with the same words — without needing a new text.

At A1 and A2 the super audiobook helps you connect spelling with pronunciation — especially valuable in languages that are not read the way they are written, or that use a different alphabet. At B1 and B2 it carries you along at the pace of real speech, so you get used to fluent listening and stop pausing at every sentence. Advanced readers often don't need a narrator at all — which is why you decide when to switch it on and when to read silently.

The super audiobook plays in the Pentecost app or in your browser, on a phone, tablet or computer. You can add it to an e-book: on the book page, tick “Add the audiobook” in the e-book box; if you already own the e-book, you can buy the recording on its own. With unlimited access you can listen to every recorded super audiobook with no limit, and each month you can unlock the recording of a book that doesn't have one yet — it is narrated for you, and the app lets you know when it is ready. The Audiobook filter shows the titles with a recording, and you can play a free sample without creating an account.

About the writers and translators

Classic writers from this list come first; the Pentecost editors who adapted these readers follow in the next block.

  • Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (1900–1944) was a French writer and aviator who drew on his own flying adventures. In 1944 his plane vanished over the Mediterranean during a reconnaissance flight, and the wreckage was only found more than half a century later.
  • 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.
  • George Orwell: George Orwell (1903–1950) was the pen name of Eric Arthur Blair, an English writer who fought in the Spanish Civil War. He coined terms such as "Big Brother" and "Newspeak," and his name gave us the adjective "Orwellian."
  • 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.

Translators and editors

Pentecost editors adapt vocabulary and notes so the story stays clear at your level.

  • Aino Snow: Aino Snow adapts Finnish fiction for English-speaking readers in the graded-reader series. Finnish cases and consonant gradation get short, reusable glosses instead of a grammar essay on every page. She prefers footnotes that point forward—hinting that a form will return—so readers start to recognise patterns.
  • 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.
  • Aniela Pogranicznik: Aniela Pogranicznik przygotowuje polskie opracowania tekstów niemieckich w serii dla samouków. Zwraca uwagę na to, by zdania były krótkie tam, gdzie trzeba, ale żeby nie straciły naturalnego szyku — szczególnie w scenach dialogowych. Często wraca do swoich notatek z kursów dla nauczycieli, gdy układa glosariusze i przypisy do trudniejszych zwrotów.
  • 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.
  • Katarzyna Złodziej: Katarzyna Złodziej przygotowuje polskie teksty towarzyszące portugalskojęzycznej beletrystyce w serii na różne poziomy CEFR. Bacznie rozróżnia wariant europejski i brazylijski, gdy w oryginale ma to znaczenie. W pracy redakcyjnej woli jedną jasną decyzję niż pięć kompromisów, które rozmywają głos narratora.
  • Klara Linden: Klara Linden adapts Czech fiction for English-speaking readers in the Pentecost graded line. Seven cases and verb aspect carry what English does with prepositions and auxiliaries; she glosses an aspect pair once and lets the story repeat it. She points out where Czech word order carries the emphasis English would mark with stress.
  • Klara Polanowicz: Klara Polanowicz tłumaczy i upraszcza hiszpańskojęzyczne narracje dla polskich czytelników w serii lektur gradowanych. Często pracuje nad rejestrem: hiszpański z Ameryki Łacińskiej i z Półwyspu wymaga innych decyzji po polsku. W przypisach stawia na krótkość i kontekst, żeby słownik nie zasłaniał fabuły.
  • Krystyna Strażnik: Krystyna Strażnik od lat zajmuje się przekładem i redakcją tekstów literackich z francuskiego na polski dla dorosłych czytelników. W pracy nad wersjami uproszczonymi pilnuje, by poziom słownictwa zgadzał się z etykietą CEFR, a jednocześnie nie gubił się humor ani rytm dialogów. Prywatnie dużo czyta współczesną prozę francuskojęzyczną i chętnie poleca tytuły, które dobrze brzmią także po polsku.
  • Małgorzata Strzecharz: Małgorzata Strzecharz redaguje polskie wersje uproszczonych lektur do nauki angielskiego — od poziomów początkowych po średniozaawansowane. Łączy doświadczenie szkolne z pracą przy materiałach do czytania ekstensywnego: ważne jest dla niej, żeby bohaterowie nie brzmieli jak sztucznie uproszczone manekiny. Po godzinach i tak sięga po anglojęzyczne kryminały, bo lubi sprawdzać, jak brzmi żywy, współczesny idiom.
  • Margarete Reetdachdeckerin: Margarete Reetdachdeckerin verantwortet die deutsche Bearbeitung begleitender Texte zu englischsprachigen Lektüren der gestuften Reihe. Sie erklärt Phrasal verbs und idiomatische Kurzformen so, dass sie im Kapitel wiedererkennbar werden, ohne dass jede Seite zur Grammatiktafel wird. Sie liest laut, wenn ein Dialog noch nach Übungsbuch klingt.
  • Marie Bender: Marie Bender adapts Polish literary texts for English speakers learning Polish through parallel reading and footnoted editions. She explains case endings and aspect pairs in short, plain English, then lets the Polish carry the voice of the narrator. She reads each chapter twice: once for accuracy, once for pace.
  • 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.
  • Nora Harper: Nora Harper edits the English notes for Irish texts in the extensive-reading list. Initial mutations hide the form a learner would look up, so her first gloss gives the plain word beside the one on the page. She keeps the “tá … ag” way of owning things apart from the copula, because English “is” blurs both.
  • 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.
  • Ruta Amber: Ruta Amber prepares the English commentary for Lithuanian texts in the graded-reader programme. Lithuanian leans on participles where English would open a new clause, so she unpacks the first few and then trusts repetition. She notes the diminutives that carry affection rather than size, which a literal gloss loses.
  • 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.
  • Theresa White: Theresa White edits English support text for Hebrew originals in the extensive-reading list. She distinguishes modern Israeli usage from biblical echoes when it matters for comprehension, and keeps glosses short enough not to bury the plot. She coordinates Hebrew spelling and vocalisation choices across a whole book so they stay consistent.
  • Мария Гибкая: Мария Гибкая работает с польскими падежными цепочками так, чтобы они подкрепляли сюжет, а не отвлекали от него. В сносках — минимальный парадигматический набор и один-два примера; задания строго на формы, встреченные в тексте. Перед печатью она сверяет падежные подсказки с фактическими формами в тексте, чтобы не осталось «висячих» ссылок на несуществующие окончания.

Every book is available as an e-book (EPUB and PDF) and as a paperback. Many titles also come as an audiobook: a narrator reads in the app while each word lights up, karaoke-style.