Voltaire once said, "Let us read, and let us dance; these two amusements will never harm the world." And for many others, there's nothing better than curling up with a good book. What if it's a book written in a different language than the one you're learning?

You should read books in various languages. In addition to syntax and vocabulary, a language provides a unique perspective on the world. As a result, reading a book written in a foreign language can help you learn a new idiom and the perspective of the native speaker.

If you enjoy reading in Italian, there is a wide range of material to choose from, regardless of your proficiency level, preferences, or inclinations. If you're just starting to learn Italian or want to brush up on your knowledge of the language, culture, and way of life in Italy, your options are limited when it comes to the finest books to learn Italian.

 

There are a wide variety of easy Italian books, novels for beginners, and audiobooks to help you learn the language. A fun and simple approach to learn for those who are just starting out are comics.

Easy Italian Books for Beginners

There are hundreds of years of books in the Italian literary canon to draw upon.

Take your time and be patient; things will pick up speed as you progress through the first few pages, so don't be discouraged.

List of the greatest books for learning Italian, from easy to intermediate, to get you started on your literary journey.

Adriano, il Cane di Pompei (Hadrian, the Dog of Pompeii)

Adriano, a dog who lives in Pompeii, an ancient city that is now a popular tourist destination, has a charming story to tell.

It is Adriano's favorite pastime to see people come and go, and he feeds on their generosity when they do. In the meantime, however, things are about to undergo a dramatic shift.

Written in simple grammar, Adriano, the Cane of Pompei On each page, the original Italian text is followed by an English translation. The book also offers historical asides, offering you a peek of the past. This is the greatest book if you want to study Italian on your own.

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Italian Short Stories for Beginners: 8 Unconventional Short Stories …

For those who are just beginning to learn the language, this collection of Italian short stories is a great place to begin. This book was authored by Olly Richards, one of the better-known polyglots on the web. The advantage of reading a book from someone like him is that he’s been on the other side of the fence and can share your perspective.

There are eight original stories in this book, each one designed to help students at the beginner and low-intermediate levels improve their vocabulary. It is hoped that reading the stories would give you a sense of success and improvement. No English translations are provided, but words that may be confusing are highlighted and defined at the end of each chapter.

If you’re learning Italian and enjoy reading, this is the book you need to take your Italian to the next level!

Le Avventure di Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi

One of the best-known works of Italian children's literature is Pinocchio, which is based on the 1940 Disney film. The original story is much different from the version we're used to, like most stories converted into movies.

Puppeteer Pinocchio escapes from his parents' house after being duped into it. A loving fairy and a talking cricket who helps him distinguish between right and wrong accompany him on a series of naughty escapades as he attempts to return home to his father Geppetto.

Pinocchio encounters a variety of unusual characters, creatures, and animals during the course of the story.

You'll encounter a wide variety of characters and circumstances throughout the novel, making it a useful vocabulary builder.

Il Barone Rampante (The Baron in the Trees)

Calvino's novel combines a fictional narrative with philosophical questions on what it means to have a fulfilled life. After being teased by his older sister and growing weary of his duty as a young Baron, an aristocratic kid decides to take matters into his own hands one day by scaling a tree and refusing to come down. Finally, he becomes self-sufficient in the treetops and changes the lives of everyone he meets during his unorthodox existence outside of the influence of his family and civilization.

Io Non Ho Paura (I’m Not Scared)

Nick Ammaniti's Io Non Ho Paura is a well-written mystery book set in 1970s Italy, where nine-year-old Michele finds a horrific secret that he is afraid to share with anybody. Both the boy's perspective and the catastrophe that befalls the adults in this small town are presented to the reader. With its dramatic plot and atmosphere evocative of Tom Sawyer, Stephen King's Stand By Me, and Italo Calvino's Italian Fairy Tales, it is sure to be more approachable to Italian language learners at the beginner or intermediate levels.

Best audiobooks for learning Italian

In the end, it's only a matter of habit. In the beginning, you may not be able to focus on both at once, but you'll get the hang of it in no time.

Listening to the words you're reading will help you improve your pronunciation. There are many terms that have more than one pronunciation, and you'll begin to notice this.

Italian audiobooks are a great way to get to know the numerous accents and dialects of the Italian language and culture. With native speakers, you can learn the language's phonetics, rules, and phrases in a way that is unique to you.

Here are two audiobooks that will help you learn Italian if you're already at an intermediate level.

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Il nome della rosa” (The Name of the Rose)

Umberto Eco has written a medieval mystery novel that takes place in a Benedictine abbey in Italy. Guillermo de Baskerville and Adso de Melk, two English Franciscan monks working in the monastery in 1327, are tasked with solving a string of murders that have occurred there. Well-written mystery novel depicting medieval Benedictine and Franciscan worldviews and moral codes through the lens of a well-researched historical mystery.

This is a book for students at the intermediate/advanced level, but it has a great tale and is suitable for individuals who like mysteries and want to acquire historical language.

L’amica geniale (My Brilliant Friend)

Italian author Elena Ferrante has written a novel about two childhood friends, Lila and Elena, who live in an area of Naples where further education is extremely difficult to attain. The two sisters attempt to leave their neighborhood in search of better possibilities, but their schemes fail miserably for them both. While the social milieu is demanding, the two friends manage to conquer it, but not without struggle. The book also features a diverse cast of people, making it an enjoyable read.

Using a narrative style that emphasizes events from the past will help you better understand Italian past tenses.

Read Comic Books (Pictures Aren’t Cheating!)

After a long search, we've found a new resource for learning Italian: comic books.

An enjoyable way to learn is through the use of comics. You can read simpler materials and discover something amusing at your reading level because of them.

"A picture is worth a thousand words" is a well-known saying.

An Italian comic book is the finest way to learn the language's grammar because of its blend of words and graphics.

As a result, comics are a rich source of informal common expressions, like colloquial sentences, sayings, and idioms, and their vocabulary tends to be closer to that of native speakers.

Topolino is the best of the best.

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