Hi everyone! My name is Mercedes and I work as an English teacher at Adagio Music School - Fine Arts & Language Centre.
Many of my students have asked me several times to recommend them books. I can’t tell you how many times I stress this issue: it is so important to read. When you read you learn new vocabulary, expressions and you apply all of those grammar concepts that we learn in class. So, today I would like to take the time to offer a couple of suggestions.
My students know my love for books. I have more books on a “To Be Read” pile than I can count. During this quarantine we’ve had to endure, between work and studying, I’ve read a couple of the ones I had in that pile. But before I go into those, I would like to make a suggestion to those of you A1-B1 level people that might not feel comfortable making a purchase of a more advanced book. If you are at a B1-B2 level and want to take a shot at it, by all means do it. Go slowly and if you feel it's getting the better of you, leave it and come back to it when you feel comfortable.
Macmillan Readers, Oxford Bookworms and Cambridge Readers make great adaptations to some of the classics and are appropriate for all levels. If you have access to your local library, you may be able to find some of them. Look in the back cover for information about the level. Normally for levels 1-3, which tend to be A1-B1, have some drawings in them but they are cool and the text you will encounter has vocabulary and grammar structures appropriate to your level. At the end of the book you will encounter some reading comprehension exercises as well. Some of them also have an audio CD so you can not only work on your reading skills but also your listening comprehension.
Now, on to the recommendations of a couple of my new favorites.
Talking As Fast As I Can- Lauren Graham
If you are a Gilmore Girls fan like I am, you will love this book. I’ve seen this TV series so many times I can actually act out some of the dialogues. In this book Lauren Graham takes you through her life as a Gilmore Girl and through the taping of the last season by Netflix. It’s a refreshing and not long book to read and a delightful one at it. If you’re looking for some light reading, this is it. You will also understand so many things about the series and get an inside look into her reaction about those last four words in the new season.
The Overdue Life of Amy Byler- Kely Harms
A mom who is newly separated and takes some time for herself. I loved this book because, even though I am not a mom yet, it felt liberating to see that there is nothing wrong with taking time for yourself. That happiness doesn’t lie in only being a wife or a mother and its job description, but that there is more to life and there’s nothing wrong in looking for happiness. It was fun and witty.
A Fire Sparkling- Julianne MacLean
This one I recently read in three days. I absolutely loved it. Set in the World War II London, it paints a detailed picture of how Great Britain got involved in the war and how they fought against Germany. Gillian Gibbons is the granddaughter of Vivian Hughes or so she thinks. Gillian and her father embark on a journey told by Vivian of how she survived the London Blitz and everything that happened after it. I can’t stress enough how beautiful this book was.
Next Year in Havana- Chanel Cleeton
If you’re looking for a history novel with some romance in it, this is the one. A granddaughter is sent to Cuba to learn about her roots. She learns about her family’s history regarding Batista’s flee from Cuba and how life changed for them when Fidel was in charge which led them to flee Cuba towards Miami. A family torn apart by political ideals and a heartbreaking death. You will learn a little about Cuba’s revolution and its history. You will want to visit its Malecón and beautiful beaches. So, if this summer you’re not able to visit the beach, maybe this book will set your heart at ease.
Well, here are my recommendations for some books to read over what’s left of the summer. It was hard to choose four because I read so much but maybe when you finish these, I can recommend others. It's important that you feel comfortable with what you choose. If you have an ebook reader, it might be helpful to have a built in dictionary. Go slowly and enjoy the process. If you don't feel comfortable, leave it. Reading is something that is to be enjoyed rather than hated. It's like a movie where only you have the power to create those characters and settings. Thank you for taking the time to read me and please, stay safe everyone. I hope we can see you soon as we've missed you all these months.