7 Spanish Books for Beginners: A2 Leveled Readers You’ll Love
Picture this: you’re in a bookstore, and a Spanish book display catches your eye. You love to read; you love Spanish, so you look over the books and pick one up.
What happens next?
Spoiler alert:
Your fate as a Spanish reader hinges on your choice of books!
Did you make the same mistake I did and choose a Latin American classic like 100 Years of Solitude? (Not exactly the best Spanish book for beginners. I know.)
If so, then your first reading experience in Spanish might look like mine:
Hours with a dictionary in hand. Not 100 years, but close.
Even worse, it might be your last reading experience in Spanish. And, as someone who went on to read many, many incredible novels by Spanish-speaking authors and start a Spanish language book club, I can tell you: that would be a shame.
Here’s the good news: you get to choose your adventure.
Fifteen years after I read my first Spanish novel, the book market has exploded.
Leveled readers in Spanish? Not just for kids anymore. You’ll find interesting and engaging books to read on your level.
Are you starting to say your first sentences in Spanish? Or ordering food at a restaurant? Then, you may be at that exciting A2 stage, where you pick up the language quickly. (Not sure about that? Read this post to help you pinpoint your Spanish level.)
As a reader with A2 Spanish skills, you have a lot to be excited about.
Pick up a leveled reader, and you’re sure to have one of those “I can do this!” moments. Your Spanish vocabulary will expand with every book you read, and before you know it, you’ll be diving into Spanish novels.
Ready to discover some great books in Spanish?
Read on for a list of 7 engaging books designed for adults with a high basic level--the kind I wish I had 15 years ago. These are the exact titles I hand-picked for adults in my Spanish program for beginners. You’ll love the simple, straightforward language and engaging plots.
(If these still seem too hard, check out this post on A1 leveled readers here.)
1. Los diamantes de Esmeralda Part 1 & 2 by Joel Zarate
What would you do if you found a bag of diamonds? After their extraordinary discovery, 10-year-old Esmeralda and her family find their lives taking an unexpected u-turn. To discover how their story ends, be sure to read part 2, La búsqueda. You may recognize the author, Joel Zarate, a renowned Spanish teacher and well-known producer of one of the best Spanish podcasts I recommend for high-beginners. If you’re looking for an engaging mini-novel that is high on interest and written in everyday language by someone who knows how to tell a story, this is for you.
2. La chica del bar by Estefanía Quevedo
Excerpt: “Felipe es un tipo normal con un trabajo normal. Él va todos los días al bar ‘El unicornio azul’. …Un día ve una chica hermosa sentada en la barra del bar. Ella no habla mucho, no bebe alcohol y no usa teléfono móvil…”
Who is the girl at the bar? What is she looking for? Part of the Short Stories in Spanish series, this book is designed to help you push your Spanish towards intermediate--while giving you a great story to read. Additional resources that will help you make this book a fun and effective part of your Spanish practice include illustrations created by a professional artist, a playlist of songs inspired by the story and adapted to your level, and instructions on how to get the most from the book as a Spanish-learner.
The self-paced course series for adults looking for a refresher of foundational Spanish to feel confident communicating in everyday situations.
3. La profe de español by Juan Fernández
Strange business is afoot at the language school where María, the Spanish teacher, works. When she doesn't turn up for work on Monday morning, her students suspect foul play. Join the Spanish students on their search to find María, enjoy the story, and get a boost for your Spanish. No more learning isolated grammar and memorizing meaningless vocabulary lists—get ready for immersion and contextual learning that will help you memorize more expressions in Spanish. Pre-intermediate (A2) Spanish learners will get the most from this book.
4. Año nuevo, vida nueva by Juan Fernández
Another incredibly designed book by author/teacher Juan Fernández Año nuevo, vida nueva takes place in London, where the author lived and taught for 20 years.
Follow Brian, a young man who has made some resolutions for the New Year in hopes of turning his life around: lose weight, give up smoking, learn Spanish, find a new job, and, most importantly, forget his Spanish ex-girlfriend forever.
This book is for you if you’re approaching a lower-intermediate level. You’ll read a story you don’t want to put down and consolidate your foundation as you push yourself with a slightly more challenging read.
5. Pre-Intermediate's Bundle A2 by Paco Ardit
This is the follow-up series to the Beginner Bundle by the same author. As you reach a high beginner or pre-intermediate level of Spanish, you can reach for these accessible and engaging Spanish novels. What impresses me most about this series is how Ardit finds a way to help you learn the structures and expressions you need to push yourself toward an intermediate level of Spanish through stories.
In this bundle, you’ll find titles such as, Laura no está, Porteño Stand-up, Un Yankee en Buenos Aires, Pasaje de ida, and El Hacker.
6. Short Stories in Spanish for Beginners by Olly Richards
By Olly Richards, language-learning legend and creator of the creator of the StoryLearning® method, these eight engaging stories in a range of genres from crime to science fiction to historical fiction will be an exciting addition to your Spanish learner’s bookshelf. As you read, you’ll be immersed in the language and find yourself reinforcing your knowledge of the 1000 most frequent words in Spanish. You’ll also discover conversational expressions through authentic dialogues and learn conversational expressions so you can improve your spoken Spanish even without having a conversation. These stories are interesting, exciting, and fun and will help you with your Spanish. Still, students at the pre-intermediate or early intermediate levels will get more from these stories than beginners. That’s why I’m including Short Stories in Spanish closer to the end of this list.
7. Spanish Novel for Upper-Beginners: Enigma en La Playa byMaría Danader
Here’s another book for Spanish learners by María Danader, complete with a free audio download, vocabulary index, and bilingual summaries that we’ve come to know and love her for. As you unfold the “mystery on the beach” in this novel, you’ll also be learning specific vocabulary and structures you’ll need to push yourself toward intermediate --or to get ready for your upcoming trip to a Spanish-speaking country. This particular book is perfect for upper beginners as it is packed with common verbs like preferir, gustar, querer and simple idiomatic expressions like ir a + infinitive, ser, and estar. It’s the perfect companion to my ALAS Basic Course Series because it helps you take all those structures and grammar you need to push your Spanish toward intermediate and revisit them while you immerse yourself in an engaging story.
Takeaway:
So, did you pick a book that will challenge you just a little--or one that feels like an old friend here to reassure you while you learn?
Go for a book you love to read, whether you stay in your comfort zone or take the leap. Either way, find something that will keep you turning the pages and excited for the next chapter.
Read in Spanish every day. Immerse yourself in the language, soak up new vocabulary--and notice how your Spanish grows.
Maybe you’ll catch spoken words faster---because you’ve “seen” them already. Maybe a phrase from your book will slip into your next Spanish conversation.
Keep reading, keep practicing your Spanish, and I promise you:
You will surprise yourself.
Discover 7 must-read books for intermediate Spanish learners to boost fluency, overcome the plateau, and immerse yourself in engaging Spanish stories.