Welcome to the IWC blog’s first ever collab with mentor Evie, who has her own book club on the IWC Instagram. All of these books have her stamp of approval! If you want to find more books to read check out our Instagram! The recommened books are divided into three levels of difficulty so it is easier to find a book that works best for you.
LEVEL 1
Children’s books are a great way to learn new vocabulary and enjoy a good story. I highly recommend these books to practice reading English.
Matilda by Roald Dahl
Matilda has such a good storyline and there are a lot of lessons you can learn from it. If you love the movie you will love the book as it’s quite funny. This book is about a young girl named Matilda and she is extremely smart. Her parents are irresponsible and she had a very mean head teacher named Miss Trunchbull.
This book has been made into a film, so I would recommend watching it after reading the book. There is also a Netflix musical series about Matilda; I think that it’s very fun so try watching it if you can.
Where to buy this book:
Kyobo - 5,800 Won
Aladin - 5,940 Won
2. Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White
Charlotte’s Web is a novel about a pig named Wilbur and a spider named Charlotte. They live on a farm together. However, when Wilbur is in danger of being slaughtered and becoming Christmas dinner, Charlotte rushes to save him. It is a beautiful story about friendship and compassion. This book is also beautifully illustrated, which only increases the enjoyment factor.
This book has also been made into a film, so I would recommend watching it after reading the book.
Where to buy this book:
Aladin - 6, 200 Won
3. Horrid Henry by Francesca Simon
This book is part of a very funny series. The illustrations are grea,t and it has also been adapted into a British TV show as well as a movie. It follows a boy named Henry throughout the books; he is mischievous, rebellious and witty. The sibling rivalry is super relatable and the pranks that Henry pulls are genius. It’s a childhood classic!
Where to buy this book:
Kyobo - 7,650 Won
Aladin - 7,200 Won
LEVEL 2
The following books are great to read if you want to take the next step with your reading. These books are a little more advanced and again have interesting stories.
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
This book is about a boy who explores spirituality and practicality from an early age. He survives 227 days after a shipwreck while stranded on a boat in the Pacific Ocean with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker.
This book has also been made into a film, so I would recommend watching it after reading the book.
Where to buy this book:
Kyobo – 13,110 Won
2. Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo
This book tells the story of a young soldier during World War I and how he tries to find love as well as fighting battles, not only on the front line but also among the rising family conflicts. It is a very emotional and a brilliant story.
This book has also been made into a film, so I would recommend watching it after reading the book. Michael Mopurgo is my favorite author so I belive that all of his books are great!
Where to buy this book:
Aladin – 5,000 Won
3. A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
This book is part of a series and is narrated by the author named Lemony Snicket. There are thirteen books in total but the plot keeps you hooked. The series is about three siblings who are forced to live with their distant cousin after their parents die; strange things happen and they discover their cousin might not have their best interests at heart. This book is funny, scary and full of suspense; you never know what is going to happen. It’s a real page turner!
If you are interested in this series then there is also a film and Netflix series based on it that you can watch.
Where to buy this book:
Kyobo – 12,160 Won
LEVEL 3
These books are an excellent way to learn more vocabulary; they are great because the language used in these books is more advanced. Some of these books use references that can be a bit harder to comprehend.
Mortal Instruments: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
This is the first book in the Mortal Instruments series about a girl named Clary who suddenly becomes involved in the world of angels and demons in the Shadow World. She finds out that she’s a Shadowhunter and attempts to balance her old life with the new one, but there is a big struggle. There are themes of forbidden love, betrayal and friendship.
If you are interested in this book then there is also a film based on the first book and a Netflix show about the whole book series that you can watch.
Where to buy this book:
Kyobo: 20,540 Won
Aladin: 14,400 Won
I am aware that this book is a bit expensive; however, this is a great book with amazing mix of reality and a fantasy world.
2. Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling
I’m sure that you know who Harry Potter is, but I think that this is such a good book to practice your English reading skills and learn some new vocabulary. Despite a lot of the vocabulary being words that aren’t even real, the description in this novel series is very good. Please be aware that this is the first book of a very long series but it is really good. A young boy finds out he’s a wizard and goes to Hogwarts, a school for witchcraft and wizardry, but he finds out that he is well-known as ‘The Boy Who Lived’. Read more to find out how he figures out his new life.
Where to buy this book:
Kyobo: 5,950 Won
Aladin: 7,300 Won
Useful vocabulary:
Collab (Noun) – An abbreviation of the word "collaboration", meaning to work together as a team
Compassion (Noun) – A strong feeling of empathy towards others
Mischievous (Adjective) – Likes to cause trouble
Rebellious (Adjective) – Challenges authority
Witty (Adjective) – To use words in a clever and funny way
Childhood classic (Expression) – A popular book from one’s childhood
Spirituality (Noun) – Strong feelings about a greater being or nature
Practicality (Noun) – The quality of being useful for a specific purpose
Best interests at heart (Expression) – To act while thinking about the benefits for another person
*If you have someone’s best interests at heart then you are selfless (Adjective) or considerate (Adjective)
Suspense (Noun) – A tense atmosphere where you are unsure what will happen next
Page turner (Expression) – When a book is so good that you can’t stop reading, and you keep "turning the pages"
Forbidden (Adjective) – Not allowed
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