CEFR B2 · Upper-intermediate
Read Upper-intermediate Classics in English (B2)
2602 books graded at CEFR B2 (upper-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 B2 books to read in English?
The best B2 books to read in English are well-known classics whose own language sits at that level — start with £19,000, Zula and Zoraida: A Romance of the Harem and the Great Sahara. Each is the complete book, labelled CEFR B2 (upper-intermediate), with tap-to-translate, narration and saved vocabulary, so you read a real story while building the English you actually meet in it.
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Level B2AdventureThe Young Trailers: A Story of Early KentuckyA strong-willed fifteen-year-old leads his family and neighbors into the wild, untamed forests of early Kentucky, where adventure, danger, and the secrets of the wilderness await u…
Level B2AdventureThe Young Trail Hunters: Or, the Wild Riders of the Plains. The Veritable Adventures of Hal Hyde and Ned Brown, on Their Journey Across the Great Plains of the South-WestTwo young adventurers, Hal and Ned, embark on a perilous journey across the Great Plains, facing wild mustangs, Comanche attacks, and treacherous landscapes, while encountering Nat…
Level B2AdventureThe Young Supercargo: A Story of the Merchant MarineAmidst the cold Brooklyn docks, a determined young supercargo faces the harsh world of the merchant marine, navigating danger from rough seas and tough encounters onshore.
Level B2AdventureThe Young Ship-Builders of Elm IslandA young boy wrestles with the question of his future, finding unexpected purpose and strength as he learns the demanding trade of ship-building under the guidance of a trusted blac…
Level B2AdventureThe Young Sharpshooter at AntietamTwo young Union sharpshooters navigate camp life and foraging during the tense days leading to the pivotal Battle of Antietam, encountering the diverse and complex world of the Civ…
Level B2AdventureThe Young Scout: The Story of a West Point LieutenantA determined young scholar stands up to a feared school bully, defending his disabled friend with courage and quick wit.
Level B2AdventureThe Young Ranchers; Or, Fighting the SiouxA young hunter returns to his South Dakota ranch amid growing unrest among the Sioux, facing the looming threat of attack as tensions rise in the turbulent frontier.
Level B2AdventureThe Young RajahA young man of mysterious heritage travels to India aboard the Glamorgan Castle, where social tensions and romantic intrigue unfold among the passengers.
Level B2AdventureThe Young Railroaders: Tales of Adventure and IngenuityA young boy stumbles upon a dangerous plot by disgruntled railroad workers to sabotage a train and must use his wits and courage to prevent disaster.
Level B2AdventureThe Young Musician; Or, Fighting His WayLeft penniless after his father's death, young Philip Gray faces the harsh prospect of the poorhouse but vows to fight his way up through hard work and his talent for music.
Level B2AdventureThe Young Miner; Or, Tom Nelson in CaliforniaIn the rugged California goldfields, sixteen-year-old Tom Nelson faces the harsh realities of mining with determination and grit, contrasting sharply with others’ fleeting hopes of…
Level B2AdventureThe Young Ice WhalersA seventeen-year-old boy faces the challenge of helping his family recover from financial ruin, sacrificing his dreams of college to learn the ropes of business and responsibility.
Level B2AdventureThe Young Game-WardenIn a rugged wilderness, a lazy woodsman named Silas dreams of fortune amid hidden treasures and mysterious pasts—until an unexpected letter in the firewood sparks an adventure that…
Level B2AdventureThe Young Fur TradersIn the remote wilderness of the Red River Settlement, young Charley and his sister Kate face the harsh challenges of frontier life, dreaming of escape while navigating the rugged w…
Level B2AdventureThe Young ForesterTwo brothers camp by the Susquehanna River, debating the future of forestry—a profession promising adventure, conservation, and the wild frontier.
Level B2AdventureThe Young Explorer; Or, Claiming His FortuneA determined sixteen-year-old boy inherits a modest sum but refuses to settle for a shoemaker's life or a harsh farm job, setting his sights on the distant promise of California’s…
Level B2MysteryThe Young Engineers on the Gulf: Or, The Dread Mystery of the Million Dollar BreakwaterTwo young engineers brave a pitch-black night on a narrow breakwater, haunted by mysterious sounds and a lurking shadow threatening their safety.
Level B2AdventureThe Young Engineers in Nevada; Or, Seeking Fortune on the Turn of a PickTwo young engineers venture into the Nevada wilderness, where youthful bravado and hard lessons about manhood and survival collide.
Level B2AdventureThe Young Engineers in Mexico; Or, Fighting the Mine SwindlersTwo young American engineers arrive in Mexico to develop a promising gold mine, but beneath the land’s golden allure lurks deception and danger as they confront cunning swindlers t…
Level B2AdventureThe Young Engineers in Colorado; Or, At Railroad Building in EarnestTwo young engineers journey into the rugged Colorado Rockies, encountering mysterious figures like the elusive "Bad Pete" as they seek the hidden railroad building camp.
Level B2AdventureThe Young Engineers in Arizona; or, Laying Tracks on the Man-killer QuicksandIn the rugged Arizona desert, young Clarence Farnsworth, a naive newcomer, crosses paths with the cunning gambler Jim Duff amid whispers of treacherous quicksand threatening a dari…
Level B2AdventureThe Young Emigrants; Madelaine Tube; the Boy and the Book; and Crystal PalaceEmbark on a thrilling voyage across the Atlantic with the Lee family as young Tom and Annie discover the wonders of the sea—from flying fish to starry skies—while learning courage,…
Level B2AdventureThe Young Continentals at TrentonFour boys navigate the perils of the American Revolution, from secret missions to key battles like Long Island and the daring crossing of the Delaware.
Level B2AdventureThe Young Continentals at MonmouthFour young Continental Army couriers navigate the challenges of war, carrying urgent messages and witnessing pivotal moments like Washington’s daring Delaware crossing and the tens…
Level B2AdventureThe Young Continentals at LexingtonFour boys find themselves at the heart of rising tensions as Boston braces under British occupation, with colonial resistance swelling toward revolution.
Level B2AdventureThe Young Continentals at Bunker HillFour boys navigate danger and duty during the siege of Boston, delivering crucial messages and witnessing the heroic stand at Bunker Hill.
Level B2AdventureThe Young Colonists: A Story of the Zulu and Boer WarsTwo brothers grow up on a Derbyshire farm amid harsh winters and changing times, learning that courage and knowledge are both needed to face challenges ahead.
Level B2AdventureThe Young Circus Rider; or, the Mystery of Robert RuddA daring fifteen-year-old bareback rider and his towering giant companion navigate the thrilling, unpredictable world of the circus, uncovering secrets and facing adventures that t…
Level B2AdventureThe Young Captives: A Narrative of the Shipwreck and Suffering of John and William DoyleyAfter a shipwreck in the Southern Ocean, two young brothers survive the massacre of their family and crew, enduring years of captivity among island savages before a chance rescue o…
Level B2AdventureThe Young Berringtons: The Boy ExplorersTwo adventurous brothers in Queensland prepare to welcome their refined English cousins, expecting culture clashes and wild escapades as city boys face rugged colonial life, cattle…
Level B2AdventureThe Young Alaskans on the TrailThree adventurous boys set out to retrace the historic fur-trader’s trail across the rugged Rocky Mountains, guided by seasoned experts.
Level B2AdventureThe Young Alaskans on the MissouriA restless uncle sets out to lead a group of young Americans on an adventurous journey up the Missouri River, tracing the historic trail of Lewis and Clark to rediscover the spirit…
Level B2AdventureThe Young Alaskans in the RockiesThree young adventurers set out to follow the ancient fur-traders’ trail through the uncharted Rockies, seeking hidden passes, wild game, and the thrill of a wilderness journey fil…
Level B2AdventureThe Young AlaskansIn the rugged Alaskan town of Valdez, three adventurous boys dream of exploring vast wilderness and hunting mighty bears, as the arrival of a steamboat promises new supplies and ex…
Level B2AdventureThe Young Adventurer; or, Tom's Trip Across the PlainsStruggling to free his family from debt, a determined young boy sets out from his humble farm to seek fortune and a better life beyond the plains.
Level B2AdventureThe Young Acrobat of the Great North American CircusTwo boys in Smyrna eagerly await the arrival of Barlow's Great American Circus, a dazzling spectacle of daring acts and exotic wonders.
Level B2AdventureThe Yazoo Mystery: A NovelA desperate crew hastily assembles on the steamer Domus, where firemen endure brutal conditions and uncertain destinations.
Level B2AdventureThe X Bar X boys on the ranchTwo adventurous boys race against time to bring their prized horse, General, to meet their father’s train at the X Bar X ranch, facing dusty trails and old rivalries along the way.
Level B2AdventureThe X Bar X boys on Whirlpool RiverTwo brothers from the X Bar X Ranch stumble upon fresh bear tracks in the wild forest and decide to follow them, facing the thrilling dangers of the hunt with only their wits and s…
Level B2AdventureThe X Bar X boys in Thunder CanyonTwo brothers navigating treacherous mountain trails on horseback stumble upon mysterious thunderous noises, testing their courage and wits as they race home before darkness—and dan…
Level B2AdventureThe X Bar X boys at the round-upTwo brothers brace for a challenging roundup as mysterious newcomers pry into their cattle business, raising suspicions just when every fence break and every move counts on their r…
Level B2AdventureThe X Bar X boys at Nugget CampTeenagers Roy and Teddy Manley face wild adventures on the Western plains, chasing runaway ponies and proving their mettle at Nugget Camp.
Level B2AdventureThe Wrecking MasterCaught in a treacherous harbor on a dark night, Captain Jim Wetherly and his nephew Dan navigate their oceangoing tug through danger, confronting mysterious small boats and perilou…
Level B2AdventureThe Wreckers of Sable IslandA spirited fifteen-year-old boy defies his grandfather’s fears to journey from peaceful Warwickshire to wild Nova Scotia in 1799, eager to join his father and embrace adventure acr…
Level B2AdventureThe Wreck of the Red Bird: A Story of the Carolina CoastThree boys arrive at a quiet South Carolina coastal town, drawn by a family summons amid fears of yellow fever.
Level B2AdventureThe Wreck of the Golden MaryA seasoned sea captain embarks on a perilous voyage to California during the gold rush, navigating treacherous waters and lawless crews determined to seize the precious cargo.
Level B2AdventureThe WreckA sunny day’s errand to fetch sugar leads Ollie and her friends on a charming walk through fields, geese, and a seaside tea party, where childhood adventures and unexpected discove…
Level B2AdventureThe Wounded NameAs the Allies near Paris and the Bourbon king is poised to return, Laurent de Courtomer, raised in England but heir to a French title, wrestles with his divided loyalties and the u…