Ebook Craver

Best Spanish Books to read for Spanish Learners

1. “Papelucho” by Marcela Paz

Written by Chilean author Marcela Paz, “Papelucho” is a series of twelve books written between the 1940s-1970s about an eight-year-old middle class boy called Papelucho. The stories, written in diary form, detail Papelucho’s everyday life in Santiago de Chile and are based on the author’s own childhood experiences.

Books include “Papelucho historiador” (Papelucho the Historian), “Papelucho y el marciano” (Papelucho and the Martian), and “Papelucho ¿Soy dix-leso?” (Papelucho, Am I Dyslexic?). They were unusual at the time because unlike other popular children’s stories, they were not moralistic. These books also have lovely illustrations which help explain the story.

As the stories are written from the perspective of an eight-year-old boy, the prose is simple and easy to understand. They’re also fairly short stories, so the books are definitely manageable reads. The stories also deal with everyday life, so they’re packed full of useful vocabulary.

If you really can’t get enough of Papelucho, you can also watch the Papelucho animated film, “Papelucho y el marciano,” which was made in 2007.

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2. “Cuentos de la selva” by Horacio Quiroga

A book of short stories for children, “Cuentos de la selva” (Stories from the Jungle) was written in 1918 by Uruguayan author Horacio Quiroga. Quiroga spent many years living in the jungle of Misiones,Argentina and used his experiences to bring the jungle to life in these short stories.

This is a world where crocodiles put on banana necklaces and smoke Paraguayan cigarettes, where parrots invite tigers round for tea and where one lazy bee drinks all the honey to avoid having to work. These short and sweet stories are easy to read, and you will definitely have improved your animal vocabulary by the time you’ve finished.

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3. “El principito” by Antonie de Saint-Expuéry

Although this book was originally written in French, its simple story and sweet pictures mean that it is a delight to read in any language. Some people claim that the alien landscapes described in the book refer to Patagonia in Argentina, as Saint-Expuéry flew over the region many times during his time as a pilot.

A good book for practicing simple dialogue and the past tense, “El principito” is a slim volume, and is a manageable length for intermediate students and above. Even if you have already read “The Little Prince” in English (or another language), you might find it useful to read it again in Spanish so you can just concentrate on the language and enjoy the story.

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4. “El alquimista” by Paulo Coelho

Originally written in Portuguese, the Spanish translation of this international best seller is a good one if you want to read a whole novel. The story concerns a young Spanish shepherd who goes on a quest after having a recurring dream. Lessons learned by the shepherd throughout the book can be applied to a variety of life decisions, so the book is often referred to as more “self-help than literature.”

Apart from its spiritual message, this book’s main language benefit is that both the vocabulary and grammar are simple and easy to understand.

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5. “El túnel” by Ernesto Sabato

This psychological thriller was written in 1948 by Argentine writer Ernesto Sabato. It was highly acclaimed internationally when it came out, and is a popular set text for teenagers in Argentina today. It has also been adapted for the stage and the big screen.

The plot concerns Juan Pablo Castel, a painter from Buenos Aires who has killed the woman he loved, María Iribarne. Castel examines his motives and much of the book deals with existentialism. It is also heavily laced with the author’s characteristic acid pessimism.

This book deals with some tricky subject matter, but is a fascinating read for anyone who wants to challenge themselves to reading a book in another language that will truly make you think.

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Just some tips for new learners: 

Don’t forget to record any new vocabulary you learn as you go along, and not to give up if there are words or even sections of any of these books you don’t understand. You don’t know every word in your own language, so of course you won’t understand all the Spanish words right away either.

Most importantly, try to find a nice space to sit back and enjoy your book. Whether it’s a comfy sofa, hammock or a just lying in bed, enjoy the experience and savor that feeling of satisfaction once you’re done.

Happy reading!

Tags: Language Learning , Spanish , Spanish Learning