CEFR B1 · Intermediate
Read Intermediate Classics in English (B1)
21 books graded at CEFR B1 (intermediate) — learn English by reading the stories worth reading at exactly your level. Tap any word for an instant translation, listen to the narration, and save the vocabulary you meet. Start with a free sample.
What are the best B1 books to read in English?
The best B1 books to read in English are well-known classics whose own language sits at that level — start with A Child's Garden of Verses, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Andersen's Fairy Tales. Each is the complete book, labelled CEFR B1 (intermediate), with tap-to-translate, narration and saved vocabulary, so you read a real story while building the English you actually meet in it.
- 21
- books
| Title | Chapters | CEFR |
|---|---|---|
| A Child's Garden of Verses | 65 | A2–B2 |
| Alice's Adventures in Wonderland | 12 | B1–C1 |
| Andersen's Fairy Tales | 18 | A2–B2 |
| Anne of Green Gables | 38 | B1–C1 |
| English Fairy Tales | 43 | A2–B2 |
| Fifty Famous Stories Retold | 50 | A2–B1 |
| Grimms' Fairy Tales | 62 | A2–B2 |
| Just So Stories | 12 | B1–B2 |
| Little Women; Or, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy | 47 | B1–C1 |
| Peter Pan : $b [Peter and Wendy] | 17 | B1–C1 |
| The Aesop for Children | 144 | A2–B1 |
| The Blue Castle: a novel | 46 | B1–C1 |
| The Blue Fairy Book | 37 | B1–B2 |
| The Wonderful Wizard of Oz | 24 | B1–B2 |
| The Adventures of Reddy Fox | 26 | A2–B1 |
| The Adventures of Buster Bear | 23 | A2–B1 |
| The Adventures of Danny Meadow Mouse | 24 | A2–B1 |
| A Little Princess | 18 | B1–B2 |
| Heidi | 23 | B1–B2 |
| The Secret Garden | 27 | B1–B2 |
| The Wind in the Willows | 12 | B1–C1 |
Level A2–B2PoetryA Child's Garden of VersesStevenson's beloved collection of short, musical poems about childhood — swings, shadows, ships, and bedtime.
Level B1–C1FantasyAlice's Adventures in WonderlandDown the rabbit-hole into a logic-bending world of riddles and talking creatures.
Level A2–B2Children'sAndersen's Fairy TalesEighteen timeless tales including The Emperor's New Clothes, The Snow Queen, and The Little Match Girl.
Level B1–C1Children'sAnne of Green GablesThe classic historical novel by L.
Level A2–B2Children'sEnglish Fairy TalesClassic English folk tales collected by Joseph Jacobs — Jack and the Beanstalk, Tom Tit Tot, The Three Little Pigs and more.
Level A2–B1Children'sFifty Famous Stories RetoldFifty short, famous stories from history and legend — King Alfred and the cakes, the sword of Damocles, and more — retold in plain English for young and new readers.
Level A2–B2Children'sGrimms' Fairy TalesSixty-two beloved folk tales — from Hansel and Gretel to Rumpelstiltskin — retold in simple English.
Level B1–B2Children'sJust So StoriesKipling's playful pourquoi tales explaining how the whale got his throat, how the leopard got his spots, and more.
Level B1–C1Children'sLittle Women; Or, Meg, Jo, Beth, and AmyThe classic childrens novel by Louisa May Alcott.![Cover of Peter Pan : $b [Peter and Wendy] by J. M. (James Matthew) Barrie](https://dsx1pat3ljtul.cloudfront.net/books/book-peter-pan-b-peter-and-wendy-cover.jpg)
Level B1–C1Children'sPeter Pan : $b [Peter and Wendy]The classic adventure novel by J.
Level A2–B1Children'sThe Aesop for ChildrenMore than a hundred of Aesop's fables retold for children, each a few sentences long and ending in a clear moral.
Level B1–C1RomanceThe Blue Castle: a novelThe classic romance novel by L.
Level B1–B2Children'sThe Blue Fairy BookAndrew Lang's celebrated anthology gathering favourite fairy tales from around the world — Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and many more.
Level B1–B2FantasyThe Wonderful Wizard of OzThe classic adventure novel by L.
Level A2–B1Children'sThe Adventures of Reddy FoxSly Reddy Fox learns some hard lessons in the Green Meadows and the Green Forest, with Granny Fox, Bowser the Hound, and Peter Rabbit — gentle, repetitive animal stories for early…
Level A2–B1Children'sThe Adventures of Buster BearBig Buster Bear comes to the Green Forest and stirs up the Smiling Pool — gentle, repetitive animal tales for early readers.
Level A2–B1Children'sThe Adventures of Danny Meadow MouseLittle Danny Meadow Mouse outwits foxes and hawks with his wits and his tunnels — simple, kindly animal stories for early readers.
Level B1–B2Children'sA Little PrincessWealthy, imaginative Sara Crewe is left penniless at her London boarding school and made a servant — yet keeps her kindness and courage against all odds.
Level B1–B2Children'sHeidiOrphaned Heidi is sent to live with her gruff grandfather on a Swiss mountain, and her sunny spirit warms everyone she meets — a heart-warming Alpine classic.
Level B1–B2Children'sThe Secret GardenSour, lonely Mary Lennox is sent to a great Yorkshire house and discovers a locked, hidden garden — and brings it, and herself, and a sickly boy, back to life.
Level B1–C1Children'sThe Wind in the WillowsMole, Rat, Badger, and the boastful Mr.