School is out, and while we want our students to relax and enjoy their free time, we'd also like them to keep their English up during these weeks and, who knows, maybe pick up some new words. We have long known that students who read, beat the summer slide. However, reading for fun also means giving your studnets the freedom of choosing the book they want at the right reading level for them.

To help you with book recommendations, we have collected some of our favourite holiday reads. They are listed by level and interest area. In this post we share titles for lower level readers (A1-A2). Check out this post for higher level readers (A2-B1).

The Helbling Readers Red Series are written for elementary to pre-intermediate (CEFR A1-A2) readers and are marked Levels 1-3. 

Science and science fiction

• Next Door by Robert Campbell, illustrated by Giovanni Da Re - Level 1 (CEFR A1)
• The Time Detectives series by Martyn Hobbs, illustrated by Francesca Protopapa
  • Total Eclipse (Level 1 - CEFR A1)
  • Run, Liam, Run! (Level 1 - CEFR A1)
  • The Last Voyage (Level 2 - CEFR A1/A2)
• The Time Capsule written by Robert Campbell, illustrated by Arianna Operamolla - Level 2 (CEFR A1/A2)

Interactive reading

Helbling Readers Red Series Fiction Maze Stories 

• The Cat's Paw by Gavin Biggs, illustrated by Elisa Bellotti - Level 2 (CEFR A1/A2)
• The Black Owl by Gavin Biggs, illustrated by Francesco Cattani - Level 3 (CEFR A2)
• Summer School by Gavin Biggs, illustrated by Giovanni Abeille - Level 3 (CEFR A2)

Read our blog post about the series:

• Over to you! Maze adventure readers for the English classroom

Be a detective

The Dan, the teenage the detective seriess

• Dan and the Village Fête by Richard MacAndrew, illustrated by Giulia Sagramola - Level 1 (CEFR A1)
• Dan and the Stolen Bikes by Richard MacAndrew, illustrated by Lorenzo Sabbatini - Level 1 (CEFR A1)
• Dan and the Missing Dogs by Richard MacAndrew, illustrated by Giulia Sagramola - Level 2 (CEFR A1/A2)
• Dan in London by Richard MacAndrew, illustrated by Lorenzo Sabbatini - Level 2 (CEFR A1/A2)
• Dan and the Island Mystery by Richard MacAndrew, illustrated by Giulia Sagramola - Level 3 (CEFR A2)
• Dan and the Hong Kong Mystery by Richard MacAndrew, illustrated by Lorenzo Sabbatini - Level 3 (CEFR A2)

Sherlock Holmes series

• The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle, adapted by Geraldine Sweeney, illustrated by Agilulfo Russo - Level 1 (CEFR A1)
• The Red-headed League by Arthur Conan Doyle, adapted by Maria Cleary, illustrated by Giulia Sagramola - Level 2 (CEFR A1/A2)
• The Boscombe Valley Mystery by Arthur Conan Doyle, adapted by Geraldine Sweeney, illustrated by Agilulfo Russo - Level 2 (CEFR A1/A2)
• Sherlock Holmes and the Stolen Jewels by Arthur Conan Doyle, adapted by Geraldine Sweeney, illustrated by Agilulfo Russo - Level 2 (CEFR A1/A2)

Original friendships

The Westbourne Kids series 

There are 12 titles about the adventures of the Westbourne Kids in the Helbling Readers Red Series Fiction Graphic Stories series.

All the titles were written by Martyn Hobbs and illustrated by Lorenzo Sabbatini.

Classic adventures

• Five Children and It by Edith Nesbit, adapted by Jennifer Gascoigne, illustrated by Viola Niccolai - Level 1 (CEFR A1)
• Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, adapted by Jennifer Gascoigne, illustrated by Roberto Tomei - Level 2 (CEFR A1/A2)
• A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain, adapted by Scott Lauder and Walter McGregor, illustrated by Andrea Alemanno - Level 2 (CEFR A1/A2)
• The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, adapted by Jennifer Gascoigne, illustrated by Matteo Vattani - Level 3 (CEFR A2)
• The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain, adapted by David A. Hill, illustrated by Gianluca Garofalo - Level 3 (CEFR A2)

Classic journeys

• The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, adapted by Geraldine Sweeney, illustrated by Marzia Sanfilippo - Level 1 (CEFR A1)
• The Adventures of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting, adapted by Jennifer Gascoigne, illustrated by Lorenzo Sabbatini - Level 1 (CEFR A1)
• Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe, adapted by Jennifer Gascoigne, illustrated by Arianna Vairo - Level 2 (CEFR A1/A2)
• Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift, adapted by Beverley Young, illustrated by Michele Rocchetti - Level 3 (CEFR A2)

Classic friendships

• The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, adapted by Geraldine Sweeney, illustrated by Caterina Baldi - Level 2 (CEFR A1/A2)
• Mowgli's Brothers by Jonathan Swift, adapted by Maria Cleary, illustrated by Roberto Tomei - Level 2 (CEFR A1/A2)
• Anne of Green Gables - Anne arrives by Lucy Maud Montgomery, adapted by Nicole Harrick, illustrated by Arianna Operamolla - Level 2 (CEFR A1/A2)
• Anne of Green Gables - Anne grows up by Lucy Maud Montgomery, adapted by Nicole Harrick, illustrated by Arianna Operamolla - Level 3 (CEFR A2)