Recommended Reading: IESL Readers

SUMMARY: A simplified retelling of the adventures of an orphan boy who lives in the squalid surroundings of a nineteenth-century English workhouse until he becomes involved with a gang of thieves.Recommendation: Yes, this book is about a homeless boy’s life. At first, he was a vagrant and he experiences many bad things, but finally he found his relatives.

RECOMMENDATION: Yes, I will recommend this because the book taught me one important thing. However bad society is, however many bad people are around you, don't lose your mind and goodness.

RECOMMENDATION: These are good books. They help people understand society in the past. Moreover, by reading these books, students can improve their vocabulary.

SUMMARY: Young Pip, an orphan is working as a blacksmith when he learns that an unknown person has willed him a fortune. He is sent to London to be educated as a rich gentleman.

RECOMMENDATION: They are good books [Charles Dickens books]. They help people understand social life in the past. Moreover, by reading these books, students can improve their vocabulary.

SUMMARY: Phileas Fogg, an Englishman, undertakes a hasty world tour as the result of a bet made at his London club.

RECOMMENDATION: This book is wonderful and interesting. There are many different styles of stories in it.

SUMMARY: Rudolf Rossencyll falls in love with Princess Flavia on his perilous mission to release the king of Zenda from his captors.

RECOMMENDATION: This book is great because it has a lot of action. It is very exciting.

SUMMARY: A bratty prince and his whipping boy have many adventures when they inadvertently trade places after becoming involved with dangerous outlaws.

RECOMMENDATION: The book is very interesting and good. You can learn many things in the world from it. It’s good for your reading.

SUMMARY: As further evidence of his family's bad fortune which they attribute to a curse on a distant relative, Stanley Yelnats is sent to a hellish correctional camp in the Texas desert where he finds his first real friend, a treasure, and a new sense of himself.

RECOMMENDATION: This book is of absorbing interest.

SUMMARY: In the course of his commercial-agent work in Africa, the seaman and ivory transporter, Charles Marlow becomes obsessed by Mr. Kurtz, an ivory-procurement agent, who controls the people of the European colonials.

RECOMMENDATION: I'd recommend this book because it shows a clear vision about colonialism. It defines the injustice to the native Africans on the Congo River.

SUMMARY: An unusual dog, part St. Bernard, part Scotch shepherd, is forcibly taken to Alaska where he eventually becomes leader of a wolf pack.

RECOMMENDATION: First of all, the book is appropriate and easy. Second it is interesting. Last it is instructive.

SUMMARY: Sir Henry Curtis, Captain John Good and Allan Quatermain are travelling to the mysterious, unmapped heart of Africa. Sir Henry wants to find his missing brother. Quatermain wants to find King Solomon's secret treasure. Is Sir Henry's brother still alive? Will they find King Solomon's treasure? Does the treasure even exist...'

RECOMMENDATION: [Recommended] because it has a wonderful personality (Allan) and there is much new vocabulary. You should know it.

SUMMARY: The author offers a memoir of life with his father, a proud World War II veteran, describing growing up in 1950s Buffalo, the influence of his Catholic upbringing, and the importance of hard work, responsibility, and patriotism.

RECOMMENDATION: This story is about his life with his father.

SUMMARY: A biography of the half-Dutch/half-black Surinamese man who, despite the hardships and prejudice he found in his new Massachusetts home, invented a shoe-lasting machine that revolutionized the shoe industry in the late nineteenth century.

RECOMMENDATION: It was a good book.

SUMMARY: Recounts the teenager's record-breaking solo sailing journey around the world, detailing her preparation for the trip and her determination in the face of adversity to achieve her sailing dream.

RECOMMENDATION: It talks about Jessica Watson who traveled from Sydney to South Africa by herself. [She sailed around the world in a boat by herself with no help.] Also, she is only 16!! Today she is very famous in the world. She is the youngest person who traveled around the world alone. True spirit!

SUMMARY: In early nineteenth-century England, an orphaned young woman accepts employment as a governess and soon finds herself in love with her employer who has a terrible secret.

RECOMMENDATION: This is a really good book and it is really worth reading. you can learn a lot of things from this character.

RECOMMENDATION: The book is inspirational. Her attitude is good. We should learn something from her.

RECOMMENDATION: This book is great! It shows you how energetic one orphan girl can be. This story can teach you to never give up and accept your destiny!

RECOMMENDATION: This is a really good book, and it is really worth it to read. You can learn a lot of things from this character.

SUMMARY: Nelson Mbizi returns to his home in southern Africa after studying in Britain. When he tries to help a family of orphans he meets Viki, a South African TV presenter. The story of Nelson and Viki's relationship is told against a background of HIV/AIDS and government corruption on the one hand, and great good humour and wonderful music on the other.

RECOMMENDATION: I changed my thinking after I read this book. Now I want to have a dream.

SUMMARY: An Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago travels from his homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of a treasure buried in the Pyramids....But what starts out as a journey to find worldly goods turns into a discovery of the treasures found within.

RECOMMENDATION: I strongly suggest this book to IESL level 4 students. I read this book a month ago but I still remember what this book is all about. That’s because the story of this book is so interesting. It’s kind of challenging book for level 4 students to read this because the words in this book are difficult to understand. However, I guess students can learn a lot from this book. They can learn a lot if they read this book.

SUMMARY: Warm, funny, and deeply moving, Gus Lee's semi-autobiographical account of growing up in a conflict-ridden family, unable to fully embrace either American or Chinese culture, is an enthralling story of family relationships, the perils of boyhood, and the difficulty of being Chinese in 1950's San Francisco. - (Google Books)

RECOMMENDATION: "I like this book, but I hate this book too. First, of all, the book uses a lot of Chinese spelling words I can't understand very well. However, the book tells me about the real life in the USA in 1950-1970. In my opinion, I think he [the author] can use more English to explain what the Chinese mean. It will help everyone to read it. Second he can tell us more about social USA or America. Finally, I hope people read this book to know more about what is true in the past."

SUMMARY: The story follows the flamboyant Brett and the hapless Jake as they journey from the wild nightlife of 1920s Paris to the brutal bullfighting rings of Spain with a motley group of expatriates.

RECOMMENDATION: The book is about a man who is impotent. He loves a woman and it's kind of a love story. He and their friends go on a trip in Europe. The story is about what happens.

SUMMARY: "Published to accompany the television series The Nazis: a warning from history, first broadcast on BBC 2 in 1997"--T.p. verso.

RECOMMENDATION: This book is about how Adolf Hitler came to power and how the third Reich grew. There are a lot of examples from real speeches and also big pictures of the events during 1923-1945.

SUMMARY: Set against the serene backdrop of the Russian countryside is the story of Arcady Kirsanov, a young man who returns from college to his father's country manor with his radical friend Bazarov in tow. The Kirsanovs' lives will change forever.

RECOMMENDATION: Yes, I would recommend this book because the book is interesting. The development of the plot and characters was great.

SUMMARY: "This story, by one of Britain's most important twentieth century writers, tells of a marriage falling apart and the emotional development of a young man, Paul Morel. Paul is torn between his close relationship with his mother and his romantic relationships with two young women."--Cover.

RECOMMENDATION: The vocabulary is very suitable for level 4-5 students.

SUMMARY: "It's June 9 1944, three days after D-Day. On the orders of the government, Captain John Miller and his men go to look for Private James Ryan. They must bring him home. But how many will survive the mission?"

RECOMMENDATION: I first watched the movie that has the same story as this book. It was a special experience for me. I felt different emotions between the book and movie.

SUMMARY: Provides factual information on the history of the Apollo space program.

RECOMMENDATION: The book is about the first person who took the space shuttle Apollo to land on the moon and some kinds of things they did on the moon. This book is pretty interesting to read about the first space history. Humans walked on the moon, and I think everyone should know about it.

SUMMARY: The story of the Internet is the story of the fastest growing phenomenon in technology the world has ever seen, making people richer than ever before. The only thing certain about the Internet today is that nobody has ever seen anything like it before!

RECOMMENDATION: Many of my friends study in level 2 or 3, so I don't think they can read it now. But next time, I will tell my friends about this book because it's a very interesting book for me.

RECOMMENDATION: The Internet is very common for each person. So you can know the history from the book.

SUMMARY: "Ikuko goes to England to study, promising to return to Japan to get married. But in Birmingham, Ikuko not only discovers another way of life but also a great deal about herself. This is a powerful story about a love that is carried across three continents and even time itself ..."--Taken from rear cover.

RECOMMENDATION: I recommend this book to my friends because I think that the story has good sentences and new vocabulary.

SUMMARY: Elinor and Marianne Dashwood are two very different sisters. Marianne loves excitement and always shows her feelings; Elinor is quiet and has more good sense. They both fall in love and both suffer broken hearts. Will they ever find the right man to love and marry?

RECOMMENDATION: This book is very interesting. The author writes about 19 century England. Different people have different personalities. Gives you more to think about in our own lives. Sometimes, this book is interesting.

SUMMARY: Alex is a thirty-year-old art gallery assistant and hopelessly in love with her boss, Brad. Then, an incident at the gallery means they have to spend a few days at Brad's country house. This is Alex's opportunity to impress but nothing seems to go the way she planned. A surprise guest and a Christmas party help Alex to discover what she really, really wants.

RECOMMENDATION: It is quite an interesting book.

SUMMARY: Anna Karenina, one of world literature’s greatest novels, tells the story of a beautiful young woman who is unhappily married to a man much older than herself. When she falls in love with a handsome young soldier, life suddenly seems wonderful. But real happiness is not so easily found ...

RECOMMENDATION: This book is very good to recommend. This book is written by Leo Tolstoy. It's very good.

SUMMARY: While attempting to solve the mystery of a stolen jewel, Seikei, a merchant's son who longs to be a samurai, joins a group of kabuki actors in eighteenth-century Japan.

RECOMMENDATION: This book is really interesting and not too hard to understand.

SUMMARY: Everyone else in the village is afraid of the creature who supposedly dwells at the top of Kneeknock Rise but young Egan investigates for himself.

RECOMMENDATION: "This book was a very good story. I enjoyed the way the author describes everything in a beautiful way. It was a challenging read, but it was definitely a nice story.... This book would be perfect for people who are new to the US because in every page you can find at least 5-6 new words for daily use. I would recommend it for anyone who likes mystery stories with a lot of learning."

SUMMARY: Grand Central Station, New York in mid-July. It's early morning, but everyone is suffering in the heat. Private investigator Nathan Marley is on his way to another wasted day at the office. But a chance meeting with a homeless woman at the station and a surprise letter changes all of that. Marley starts a journey through parts of the burning summer city he has never visited.

RECOMMENDATION: It's not too difficult to read. The plot is very interesting with many sudden situations. It is easy to guess the meaning of words you don't know.

SUMMARY: John is a successful TV producer with a happy family life. He wants to make a program about the strange story of a hitch-hiker. Then he finds out that the story and things that have happened in his own life are very similar. He begins to worry about his wife and young child and that he may be going mad.

RECOMMENDATION: This book is a mystery and scary, but you can know that each family is important by reading this book.

SUMMARY: On a hot August night in Milwaukee in the USA, a young artist and a gang leader's girlfriend are shot in the street, a woman dies mysteriously in the Mercy Hospital emergency room, and a famous artist is killed at the opening of an exhibition of his work. Dr Maxine Cassidy feels sure there must be a connection between these events and sets out to find it.

RECOMMENDATION: I think this book is suitable for older students because it was not hard to understand and you can learn many vocabulary [words] from this book.

SUMMARY: Billy Marr, a local misfit, claims he has murdered someone in an Edinburgh park. Inspector Logan and Sergeant Grant don't believe him.

RECOMMENDATION: This book is Level 4 but easy to understand.

SUMMARY: Linnet Ridgeway is, beautiful and clever. But she has enemies. When she is shot dead on a boat in Egypt, it is fortunate that detective Hercule Poirot is also on the trip.

RECOMMENDATION: Good book!

SUMMARY: It's Christmas in New York and Private Investigator Nathan Marley is hired by a rich attractive woman to reclaim a briefcase of jewelry from a locker at Grand Central station. Marley is right not to trust the woman and soon finds himself involved in a case of criminal activity involving fraud, computer hacking and kidnap.

RECOMMENDATION: You will learn a lot of slang or vocabulary in this book and the story is interesting. The book is worth it to read.

SUMMARY: Paul Morris's happy life in Italy changes when his wife dies suddenly. He develops a relationship with Sandra, a friend at work, but everything is not as it seems. How can Sandra afford such an expensive car? And why does she keep making mysterious phone calls? Soon Paul is involved in international crime and a thrilling car chase across Europe.

RECOMMENDATION: Would recommend this book "because it is very simple to understand and it has a lot of vocabulary words".

SUMMARY: Thirteen-year-old Anastasia acquires poise and self-confidence, a new friend, and advice on becoming a bookstore owner when she commutes to Boston to take a modeling course.

RECOMMENDATION: This book was such a humorous story. I couldn't close this book because Anastasia, who is main character, has a bold idea, and is a wild-eyed person. And her family is too.... I would recommend it for anyone who wants to know about the lives of ordinary American families. It is good for you.

SUMMARY: Smart and independent, 11-year-old Khyber lives with her mom, Tammy, a former stripper, and her autistic twin brothers in a poor Toronto neighborhood. Though she doesn't have a lot in common with her classmates, Khyber does have wonderfully eccentric friends: Valerie, Toronto’s meanest waitress, and X, a homeless woman in hiding from “the secret police.”

RECOMMENDATION: This book is a nice and enjoyable story. I was moved by looking at the main character’s growth and enjoyed her hard adventure. It is not easy for me to read and understand because of some spoken languages, but I could read using the dictionary. So this book is good for the students who want to learn English that is used commonly. This book would cheer you up and show the fun of life.

SUMMARY: Born and raised in isolation in a wealthy, eccentric family, Sandy is shocked when he, his parents, and their servants become victims of a vicious plot by his greedy uncles to incapacitate them and take their money.

RECOMMENDATION: "I think this book is crazy because Horatio and Mousey decide to get married when they meet first. Also Bart and Bernie try to kill him due to money and greed. So this book is interesting but not a good story. However, I think this book is really good for learning vocabulary and grammar because I learned a lot of new vocabulary from this book. Actually, this book has many stores. So I agree this book has a lot of things, stories, lessons and vocabulary. However it is true that this story is crazy."

SUMMARY: Sixteen-year-old Ava does not know who she is or where she belongs, but when she tries out a new personality--and sexual orientation--at a different school, her edgy girlfriend, potential boyfriend, and others are hurt by her lack of honesty.

RECOMMENDATION: "I like this story's concept: Ava is trying to figure out her identity. She makes mistake after mistake and steps up her personality. But I didn't like in the end. Ava is still doesn't know whether she like boys or girls or both. This is annoying me a little bit. So this books isn't my favorite, but it's okay.

SUMMARY: A boy who lives with domestic violence finally has the courage to speak to an adult and ask for help.

RECOMMENDATION: Today, I read one book called Something is Wrong at My House. It's an interesting book. You can study a good thing about your life, especially if you get married and have children. The husband should have taken care of his children and his wife. I suggest that students read this book to know what they can do if they have something like this problem.

SUMMARY: Twelve-year old Johnny Dixon and his friend Professor Childermass look for the hidden will left by an eccentric cereal tycoon who wished to make life difficult for his heirs after his own death by suicide.

RECOMMENDATION: This book was so fascinating! It caused me nightmares while I was sleeping. Although it was very remote and challenging when I read and found some new words. I love to read all kinds of books, and this was my first time for me to read the mystery book. It was awesome!

SUMMARY: Based on the diary of a fifteen-year-old drug user chronicling her struggle to escape the pull of the drug world.

RECOMMENDATION: I like this book. I will recommend it to every teenager or parent to read because it is true. In addition, this book is easy to understand.

SUMMARY: Peter and Scott excitedly plan a camping trip to a deserted island, only to arrive and discover that two girls with zany senses of humor are already in residence.

RECOMMENDATION: I would recommend this book because it's a good book to make you remember your childhood and it's also really funny.

SUMMARY: Hu is a teenage student at an international school in the exciting city of Bangkok. She has a problem with one of the teachers and does not know what to do. An adventure in a national park, acting in a musical, and the help of friends make Hu realize that she must tell nothing but the truth.

RECOMMENDATION: Great - I would recommend this book.

SUMMARY: It is the start of a new school year for teenager Hu at an international school in the exciting city of Bangkok. She has a problem with one of the teachers and does not know what to do. Through an adventure in a national park, acting in a musical and the help of friends, Hu finds the courage to tell the truth.

RECOMMENDATION: This is a strong girl. She is works hard for her studies. Also she tires to fit in in her school life. It tells us we need to try new things.

SUMMARY: Nelson Mbizi returns to his home in southern Africa after studying in Britain. When he tries to help a family of orphans he meets Viki, a South African TV presenter. The story of Nelson and Viki's relationship is told against a background of HIV/AIDS and government corruption on the one hand, and great good humour and wonderful music on the other.

RECOMMENDATION: I changed my thinking after I read this book. Now I want to have a dream.

SUMMARY: Two sisters struggle to come to terms with their mother's illness and its effect on their lives.

RECOMMENDATION: [Recommended because] it's not difficult. It's interesting, I enjoyed reading it.

SUMMARY: Castaway on an uninhabited island, Abel, a very civilized mouse, finds his resourcefulness and endurance tested to the limit as he struggles to survive and return to his home.

RECOMMENDATION: This book is very good. I enjoy it because this is an adventure story, and I love it. I feel like I go along with the main character in his journey, and feel happy when the main character, Abel, find out something to save his life.

RECOMMENDATION: The writer leads the reader from this problem to other problems, and the main character as well as the reader have to find the ways to solve the problems. It is really interesting. In my opinion, this book is very good for people who love adventure fiction.

SUMMARY: By falling down a rabbit hole and stepping through a mirror, Alice experiences unusual adventures with a variety of nonsensical characters.

RECOMMENDATION: Alice has many exciting adventures in an extraordinary place called “wonderland”. In this place, anything can happen: all animals can talk and everything gets more and more curious. I think many people already know this book. However, they just saw the movie or animation. Therefore, you should read the book. If you read this book, you won’t regret it.

SUMMARY: A Chinese tale in which a woman goes in search of her husband who has been forced to be a slave for a cruel king.

RECOMMENDATION: The book is about love and the virtues of being a woman in China. It shows us the love of a woman towards her husband. This book has many pictures and it's not too long, just 29 pages. Maybe when you first read this book, you will feel it's easy. But, I can tell you, some words are difficult. It's a good way you can know some story of China and to learn new words.

SUMMARY: Bella befriends Jacob, a sophomore from her school with a penchant for motorcycles. Their adventures are wild, dare-devilish, and teeter on the brink of romance, but memories of Edward pervade Bella's emotions, and soon their fun quickly morphs into danger, especially when she uncovers the true identities of Jacob and his pack of friends.

RECOMMENDATION: This book is about a love story. It was moved me deeply. I was really into it..... I think it's ok for ESL L4's students to read. Although it is a little difficult, we can learn a lot from it .This book would be perfect for people who was interested in romantic love story like me . I would recommend it for anyone who is in their teenage age to read it.

SUMMARY: This intriguing combination of fantasy thriller and moral allegory depicts the gripping struggle of two opposing personalities — one essentially good, the other evil — for the soul of one man. Its tingling suspense and intelligent and sensitive portrayal of man's dual nature reveal Stevenson as a novelist of great skill and originality.

RECOMMENDATION: "... I think the writer wrote this book because somebody wanted to read it." "This book is very exciting".

SUMMARY: Four English schoolchildren find their way through the back of a wardrobe into the magic land of Narnia and assist Aslan, the golden lion, to triumph over the White Witch, who has cursed the land with eternal winter.

RECOMMENDATION: l very [much] like this style book because it can let you relax and you can enjoy it. This book was recommended by my reading teacher.

SUMMARY: A scientist invents a time machine and uses it to travel to the year 802,701 A.D., where he discovers the childlike Eloi and the hideous underground Morlocks.

RECOMMENDATION: The Time traveler travels to the future for his belief that he can learn many things and bring these experiences back to his time. However, the way it's happened isn't like what he experienced. So he tries to return to his time by escaping all the dangers. It's a good story. You should try to read the book.

SUMMARY: Two Earthlings travel back in time to investigate the annihilation of Planet X-12.

RECOMMENDATION: "It's an exciting story. We may learn something from this book."

SUMMARY: The Tuck family is confronted with an agonizing situation when they discover that a ten-year-old girl and a malicious stranger now share their secret about a spring whose water prevents one from ever growing any older.

RECOMMENDATION: This book is about a girl who is tired of her strict family....The characters have different thinking. It's interesting and maybe you can feel sympathy with someone.

SUMMARY: The War of the Worlds is one of the most frightening science fiction novels ever written. When a spaceship falls from the sky and lands in southern England, few people are worried. But when strange creatures climb out and start killing, nobody is safe.

RECOMMENDATION: This book is not difficulty. The story is interesting; has many details.

SUMMARY: Presents the adventures of Mowgli, a boy reared by a pack of wolves, and the wild animals of the jungle.

RECOMMENDATION: Although this is a type of children's book, and it is too easy to read, it still has a lot of new vocabulary. Because it took like a children's book, it might make a reader feel excited when they read it.