What are the best French books for children?

When teaching children in any foreign language, books in the target language or books designed to help teach that language must be used. Books have long been an important resource for language immersion, and French, as a literary and philosophical language, has endless options.

Our first choice, "Le Petit Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery", is a nostalgic reading for children who are learning French as a foreign language.

What to know before buying a children's French book

French children's books and French teaching books for children

As the best way to learn French, the key thing to consider when buying French books for children is the intended purpose of the book. Young children are very good language learners. They don't hesitate to make mistakes and are more focused on understanding new things, so younger children do better with children's books written for native French speakers than with books in the language of instruction.

Teaching language books or language-based courses, such as "French for Children", have their own advantages when teaching older children. These books also focus on learning through reading and immersion, but offer a more instructive approach.

Teach your children a foreign language

Giving your child the gift of a foreign language is one of the best things you can do to prepare them for their future. Children can learn and absorb languages naturally through immersion, just as they learn their mother tongue, because they are young. They are best started as early as possible.

Why should my child learn French?

French is the perfect choice to teach your children as a foreign language because it can open up career opportunities later in life. French is of course spoken in France, but it is also spoken in Canada, several African countries and many other regions and countries around the world. French has about 280 million native speakers, making it the fifth largest language in the world.

The best way to learn French is to go to children's books

What to look for in a good French book for children

Easy to understand

The most important thing to look for in a French book for children is how easy it is to understand. Although children are very receptive to foreign languages, giving them a copy of Les Mis won't do them much good. When choosing French books for your child, please consider your child's English reading level.

Focus on one or more key language concepts

Like children's English books, children's French books usually focus on a key language concept. For example, the classic children's book The Very Hungry Caterpillar focuses on the concept of food words.

Having a book that focuses only on one or a few key language concepts, whether they're grammatical concepts or a specific set of words, can help your child learn faster.

New words

The whole point of having your child read French is so they can expand their French vocabulary. Therefore, when buying French books for children, you must consider your child's reading level and age.

Especially for young language learners, the material should always be comprehensible to input +1, or in other words, 80% of learners can understand, about 20% of new words or concepts. Look for books that feature stories and teach collections of specific words, such as "household items," "food," or "things in the classroom."

How much can you expect to spend on children's French books

French books for children range in price from $15 to $35, depending on the book.

Faqs on Children's French books

Is it difficult for English speaking children to learn French?

French can be a challenging language for native English speakers, but it's not as difficult as other languages such as Chinese, Japanese or Arabic.

Should I worry that French books are too difficult for my children?

In short, no. It depends on your child's language reading level. If they have trouble understanding the text, you should downgrade to simpler text.