French Books for Beginners

Looking to learn French or get back into it? These adult fiction and nonfiction books from the Libraries in Clackamas County are great for easing in at your own pace.

Updated October 21, 2025
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French stories = Contes français : with translations, critical introductions, notes, and vocabulary by the editor
Fowlie, Wallace
Paper Book
"The selections are good and the translations are excellent." ― Germaine Brée, New York University Drawn from two centuries of French literature, these superb selections by ten great writers span a wide variety of styles, philosophies, and literary creeds. The stories reflect not...
Short stories in French for intermediate learners : read for pleasure at your level and learn French the fun way!
Richards, Olly
Paper Book
An unmissable collection of eight unconventional and captivating short stories for young adult and adult intermediate learners of French. Olly's top-notch language-learning insights are right in line with the best of what we know from neuroscience and cognitive psychology about...
Short stories in French for beginners : read for pleasure at your level and learn French the fun way
Richards, Olly
Paper Book
An unmissable collection of eight unconventional and captivating short stories for young and adult learners. "I love Olly's work - and you will too!" - Barbara Oakley, PhD, Author of New York Times bestseller A Mind for Numbers Short Stories in...
The little prince
Saint-Exupéry, Antoine de
Paper Book
Now with the restored original artwork, the beloved classic story of a young prince's travels throughout space--a profound tale about loneliness and loss, and love and friendship. A pilot crashes in the Sahara Desert and encounters a strange young boy who calls himself the Little Prince....
Small country : a novel
Faye, Gaël
Paper Book
Already an international sensation and prize-winning bestseller in France, an evocative coming-of-age story of a young boy, a lost childhood and a shattered homeland.   SHORTLISTED FOR THE ALBERTINE PRIZE * NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY ESQUIRE<...
Kiffe kiffe tomorrow
Guène, Faïza
Paper Book
He thought I'd forged my mom's name on the slip. How stupid is that? On this thing Mom just made a kind of squiggly shape on the page. That jerk didn't even think about what he was saying, didn't even ask himself why her signature might be weird. He's one of those people who think illiteracy is...
The man who planted trees
Giono, Jean
Paper Book
We have joined the Paul Winter Consort in the release of a cassette version of the acclaimed audio of the story by Jean Giono. The original music was composed and is performed by the Paul Winter consort, and the text is narrated by Robert J. Lurtsema, host of Morning Pro Musica.The hero of the story...
Grammar is a gentle, sweet song
Orsenna, Erik
Paper Book
In the spirit of The Little Prince, this enchanting fantasy about the adventures of a shipwrecked brother and sister is a book for young people best appreciated by grown-ups. At the heart of its message is an impassioned plea for the magic and power of words. Jeanne, the...
The bald soprano ; and, The lesson
Ionesco, Eugène
Paper Book
Often called the father of the Theater of the Absurd, Eugène Ionesco wrote groundbreaking plays that are simultaneously hilarious, tragic, and profound. Now his classic one acts The Bald Soprano and The Lesson are available in an exciting new translation by Pulitzer Prize-finalist...
Short stories in French
Coward, Richard
Paper Book
This is an all new version of the popular PARALLEL TEXT series, containing eight pieces of contemporary fiction in the original French and in English translation. Including stories by Bolanger, Cotnoir, Le Clezio and Germain, this volume gives afascinating insight into French culture and literature...
Easy French reader : a three-part text for beginning students
De Roussy de Sales, R.
Paper Book
Start Reading in French Immediately and Build Your Language Skills in No Time! Whether you're a brand-new beginner or an advanced-beginning learner, the Easy Reader series enables you to dive into the language with engaging readings that progress in difficulty to match your growing...

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