When it comes to reading to improve a new language, everything is relative. The first question you should ask yourself is what level are you at, because reading the Quijote may be very fun if your Spanish is advanced, but practically impossible if you’re a beginner! Also… is there any cultural knowledge you want to acquire? Are you interested in any specific countries or dialects? Or maybe any specific centuries?
Therefore, this article is going to help you to find the best book in Spanish to help you practice. If you’re at a basic level –A0, A1 or A2–, you might want to consider reading comic books before going into books! Lucky for you, we have an article for that too! Comics are a great read for beginners!
Books in Spanish for B1/B2 (Intermediate Spanish)
Caídos del mapa, by María Inés Falconi
Caídos del mapa –Fallen of the map– is the most popular young adult fiction saga in Argentina. The story revolves around four teenagers in Buenos Aires and the interesting, funny and yet very realistic adventures they have together! The whole saga is basically a coming of age story from an Argentine point of view, given that the story starts when the kids are twelve and ends when they are in their middle twenties. Friendship, love, separation, growing up, life in Buenos Aires, these are the main topics of this story beloved by many Argentine teens!
El misterio de Crantock, by Sergio Aguirre
The mystery of Crantock is a story about a small town in the South of Argentina. The book also depicts very well the life of the people from small towns in the Patagonia. However, it is the very exciting mystery what keeps the reader going through the pages! What happens at this town? Who caused Juan Vega’s sudden death? Who keeps changing the walls of the houses? How come crops can grow without having been planted?
Sergio Aguirre is not only a novelist, he’s also a psychologist and this shows in his novels!
The Vamos Spanish Book, by Vamos Academy
Vamos Spanish Academy is a complete Spanish book that offers engaging exorcices and fun stories for readers of all levels interested in learning Spanish. They can be bought online or in one of there many locations. They also offer online Spanish classes for people interested in improving their Spanish and Spanish Courses in Toronto
Books in Spanish for C1/C2 (Advance Spanish)
Prohibido suicidarse en primavera, by Alejandro Casona
This short play –whose title can be translated as Don’t kill yourself in spring or It is forbidden to kill yourself in spring– contains a very peculiar story about a mental health center where suicide people go to heal psychologically. There a love triangle is formed among two brothers, extroverted, sporty and happy Fernando and introverted, shy and bitter Juan, and Chole, a girl who was friends with them since childhood.
El Lazarillo de Tormes, by… We’re still not sure whom.
Now, we’re not gonna lie to you: this is a hard read! A very hard one, in fact. But it is definitely worth it! This 1554 short novel is a pillar of Western Literature and it can also help you to learn a bit about life in old Spain! The story describes several Spanish cities, starting with Salamanca and its famous river, a city where you can also visit a bull statue where a very important episode of the story takes place! No spoilers, though!
El Quijote de la Mancha, by Miguel de Cervantes
When speaking about Spanish literature, this book cannot be missed. The first modern novel ever written and one of the highest achievements of Literature in History, this is a must read. The language is, of course, hard and ancient, comparable to read Shakespeare in English. However, once you get the hang of it, this is one of the most enjoyable, beautiful and funny novels you’ll ever read! There are few books that can make you laugh as much as this one.
So that’s all the recommendation we have for you today! Let us know if you decide to read one of these amazing stories!
