Summaries and Customer Reviews are supplied by Amazon.com

A fun and easy new way to quickly acquire or enhance basic reading skills

These unique guides are based on the premise that the best way to learn a language is to start reading it, immediately. Suitable for raw beginners to intermediate-level language learners, the new editions of these popular titles feature engaging readings of progressive difficulty that allow learners to rapidly build comprehension.

Easy French Reader begins with the adventures of two friends, an American and a Parisian, as they learn about their respective cultures. This is followed by readings on the history of France, from ancient Gaul to the present. The final section features four abridged short stories by famous French authors.

Similarly, Easy Spanish Reader begins with the story of two high school seniors involved with their Spanish Club, followed by a history of Mexico, from the Conquistadors to the present, and an abridged version of the classic story of "Lazarillo de Tormes."

• Progressive format makes it easy to quickly build comprehension
• Marginal word glossaries conveniently present new words and phrases
• Exercises challenge comprehension and build reading skills

Attractive new editions, fully updated and featuring appealing new artwork and expanded exercises

Average Customer Rating:

Not Done Right

Customer Rating:

I give this 2 stars because the first part is good. They will list 30 to 40 words, with their translations, which are used in the short conversation stories that follow and it works well. Then in Part 2 they got lazy and stupid. Part 2 is made up of much longer stories but suddenly the amount of words they list with translations goes down to as few as 15. Part 2 is about the history of France. By it's nature, it uses many words that you will rarely come across, and most aren't listed and translated with the story. There is a small dictionary in the back of the book where you can find some of these words but most are missing. Part two is also a dry and boring read because it covers the history of France which doesn't do anybody any good now. Part 3 is even worse than Part 2 with only a handful of words and even longer stories. How about stories asking for directions or where a good restaurant is? The authors apparently believe in some mystical power that if they teach you a few words, you will magically know all the words in the French language. For beginning French students, they should have used high usage common everyday words. Another stupid thing they did was give you exercises with questions and crossword puzzles but they don't provide the answers anywhere in the book. Laziness. This is just another example of a person or company out to make a buck. It almost appears like someone started the book with good intentions and then quit, so someone else stepped in and just slapped the rest of it together to get it done. You are better off getting a regular book written in French and using a dictionary to translate, because that is exactly what you will be doing with this one. For those of you thinking it must be me because there are so many 5 star reviews, go read those 5 star reviews. Most of them say "Great Beginner Book", and then go on to say such things as "I just finished College French 101" or "good if you had French 101 or 102". How interesting. The only people saying it is a good beginner book are those people who aren't beginners.

Excellent Value - Accessible

Customer Rating:

This is an excellent self-teaching French language guide - and a good value for the price. The book is divided into three sections. The first section is a typical boy-girl 'let's learn about our two cultures' storyline. Nothing exciting here. But the second section is more interesting and consists of twenty-two short biographical and historical sketches (from Vercingetorix, Clovis, and Charlemagne through the two world wars and accounts of more recent figures like Estaing, Mitterand, and Chirac). These little essays are sufficiently interesting and accessible to almost make the reader forget that this is primarily a language learning effort. The third section offers four short stories by Daudet, Theuriet, Zola, and Maupassant. It's an excellent selection. There is real patriotic emotion in Daudet's 'La Derniere Classe' and the familiar, razor sharp irony of Maupassant's 'La Parure'. Throughout the Reader helpful vocabulary translations appear in the margins.

Easy first dip into reading French	Customer Rating:
I found this book well organized and written as a first reader. The concepts were introduced in a carefully thought out fashion with progression from easy to difficult.

Easy French Reader

Customer Rating:

I studied French for two years back in High School. It has been over 40 years since I have had any contact with French. This book is excellent for someone with a small amount of knowledge of the French language and is trying to rebuild their reading skills. There is a small dictionary in the back which helps with some of the words. This book is laid out in such a way that you progress with each chapter. It is divided into three sections. The first section is simple french dialogue; the second section covers French figures in history and the third section has four short stories from well known french authors (Alphonse Daudet, Emile Zola, Andre Theuriet and Guy de Maupassant) If you are looking for pronunciation assistance, this is not the book you want. If you are simply wanting to ease your way back into reading French. I highly recommend it.

What a great book!

Customer Rating:

With very little French (what I got from a phrasebook on holiday for a couple of weeks), I bought this book and started reading it on the train to work. It was great. It has a good lexicon in the back, and as you progress most new words appear in the margin with a translation. It still takes effort, but is a great way to get your vocab and reading up and running. I am now reading it again, as my French improves, and it is still improving my vocab and comprehension. It has been the best book I have had as a beginner learning French.