EXPLORE ALL OUR BOOKS: Get Ready to Read in English
Topic: Reading improves your language skills in ways you cannot even imagine. In this post, I help you navigate our world of books, where stories take you to Africa and the diaspora. Meet Charles in The Old Witch and the Wish, get to know Sarah in The Language of the Heart, and discover many other unforgettable characters along the way!
“Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.“
~Charles W. Eliot, American academic and former president of Harvard University
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A Life in Books
When I was growing up in Malawi, I loved reading books. I would spend days cooped up in my bedroom, devouring The Neverending Story, a Mills & Boon romance or a Pacesetter novel.
There was so much to discover in books: so many characters to befriend and entire worlds to explore.
How could I have known about the dreary boarding schools of England in Jane Eyre or the exciting meadows of Tom Sawyer if not for books?
What about Oliver Twist or Huckleberry Finn?
Bookshops existed in Malawi, but books were very expensive and, for us, largely inaccessible.
Luckily, my mother worked as a secretary at one of the universities in Malawi and could borrow books from the university library.
I also used to steal books from my mother’s bookshelf. She would ask me if I had seen one of her books and, of course, I wouldn’t say, “Yes!” The following day, the book would miraculously reappear on the bookshelf.
Another way of getting books was through friends at school. This was how I discovered Enid Blyton and James Hadley Chase.
When I went to France, my reading world expanded. I discovered Émile Zola and his realistic novels. It was also in France that I realised that I could simply walk into a bookshop such as Fnac and buy a book to take home.
Just like that.
Poland introduced me to multilingual libraries, with free books in Polish, Spanish, French and German.
And with the advent of the internet and online shopping, reading has never been easier.
I am an avid reader, and I cannot imagine a world without books.
Nor can I imagine a world in which I didn’t write.
For me, words are like oxygen. They allow me to breathe through writing. I write to understand the world around me because words turned into sentences simply make so much sense to me.
In today’s post, I would like to share what I have written so far.
Most of my work consists of short stories, but I have also written a novel. My short stories are divided into different categories, from beginner to intermediate to advanced levels, so there is something for different stages of the English-learning journey.
I hope you find what you are looking for.
Happy reading! 📚
How and Where to Find Our Books: Beginner Stories
Our Beginner Stories are meant for learners at A1–A2 level.
They are written in simple, with easy vocabulary and clear sentences. They are a good way to practise reading and learn new words.
The stories are set in Africa or the diaspora. They help you learn English in context. You meet new words and expressions while reading about people, places and everyday situations.
Each story has a language focus. This means that while you are reading, you can learn and practise specific vocabulary or grammar. For example:
- The Old Witch and the Wish comes with vocabulary for expressing wishes.
- When Lions Come to Town introduces adverbs of time.
- The Most Beautiful Garden teaches superlatives.
- Beautiful Babies are Beautiful is about adjectives.
- Eight Days Before Christmas comes with Christmas vocabulary.
- In Rambo, you learn useful vocabulary for talking about people.
- Tobias, the Houseboy is accompanied with vocabulary for talking about houseboys.
- Doggie, the Dog introduces vocabulary for talking about dogs.
- The Astronaut from Bolero comes with space vocabulary.
- Dreams Can’t Be Too Big is all about motivational vocabulary.
- Why Hyenas Laugh at Night focuses on words for feelings and emotions.
- The Mysterious Bottle helps you practise describing people and things with adjectives.
- A Stranger in Our Town introduces adverbs of place.
Where to Find Our Books
You can buy our A2 Short Stories In English (Vol. ) beginner short story collection
- here on our website
- on Amazon
As a visitor or a subscriber, you can read enjoy our short stories here.
On our website, you will also find extra learning materials to help you get more from each story, including vocabulary activities, reading comprehension exercises and grammar practice.
Most of the stories also have audio versions, so you can also practise pronunciation.
How and Where to Find Our Books: Intermediate Stories
Our Intermediate Stories are written for learners at A2–B1 level who are ready to take the next step in English.
The stories use longer texts, richer vocabulary and more detailed situations. They are set in Africa and explore everyday life, relationships, culture, traditions and stories from the continent.
For example, A Job for Joe follows a young man as he starts his first job and receives his first salary. The Story of Nyami Nyami and Lake Kariba introduces readers to a famous Zambian legend.
Each story has a language focus. While you enjoy the story, you can also practise specific grammar and vocabulary. For example:
- A Job for Joe comes with vocabulary for talking about jobs.
- Uncle John Has Come To Stay introduces vocabulary for talking about families.
- The Time Table is all about the future tense.
- Those Whispers Were Not Meant For Me teaches small talk vocabulary.
- In The Decision, you learn vocabulary for talking about decisons.
- Don’t Go There is about modal verbs and the imperative form.
- I Will Not Learn Under a Mango Tree comes with the simple past tense.
- Josephine, My Love focuses on vocabulary for talking about love.
- Things teaches objects vocabulary.
- The Last Piece of Chicken introduces the simple present tense.
- Beyond helps you practise airport vocabulary..
Where to Find Our Books
You can buy our B1 Short Stories In English (Vol. ) intermediate short story collection
As a visitor or a subscriber, you can read enjoy our short stories here.
The stories also come with extra learning materials to help you understand and practise the language.
These include vocabulary explanations, reading comprehension activities and grammar exercises. Some stories also have audio, so you can listen to the story and practise your pronunciation and listening skills.
These stories are a good way to improve your English while discovering African stories, cultures and everyday life.
How and Where to Find Our Books: Advanced Stories
Our Advanced Stories are written for learners at B1–B2 level who are ready to take their English further.
The stories are longer, richer and more challenging. They deal with real-life situations and more serious subjects, including relationships, family, money, power and difficult choices.
The stories are set in Africa and the African diaspora, and they introduce you to different people, places and ways of life.
The language is also more advanced. You will meet phrasal verbs, idioms, different verb tenses and modal verbs in natural situations. Instead of learning these structures from a list, you learn them through the story and its characters.
- The Language of the Heart comes with vocabulary for self-talk.
- A Blessing in Disguise helps you explore synonyms and antonyms.
- Mangoes for Lydia gives you the opportunity to practise the simple past tense.
- Outbound introduces interrogative pronouns.
- My Daughter from France develops your vocabulary for describing feelings.
- Unconditional Love explores conditionals.
- Under takes a closer look at prepositions.
- Picture Perfect gives you useful vocabulary for describing pictures.
- The Handbrake gives you a chance to practise punctuation marks.
- Let Life Happen introduces vocabulary for talking about time.
- Welcome to Migodi, The City of Hope helps you talk about the past and the present.
- The Landlord brings phrasal verbs into the story.
Where to Find Our Books
You can buy our B2 Short Stories In English (Vol. ) intermediate short story collection
As a visitor or a subscriber, you can read enjoy our short stories here.
Just like with the previous stories, each Advanced Story comes with extra learning materials to help you get more from your reading. You will find vocabulary charts, reading comprehension activities and grammar exercises linked to the story.
Some stories also come with audio, so you can listen to the story as you read, hear natural English and practise your listening and pronunciation.
These stories are for learners who are ready to read more, understand more and express themselves with greater confidence.
How and Where to Find Our Books: More Advanced Stories
If you are ready for more advanced reading, you can also explore these longer and more challenging stories and books.
- The Perfect Present follows an immigrant couple living in Europe. Through their story, you explore relationships, hopes and difficult moments, while also practising the Present Perfect.
- The Pinnacle of Irresponsibility tells the story of a man whose life takes an unexpected turn when a boy claiming to be a long-lost relative appears in his yard. The story introduces reported speech while keeping you wondering what will happen next.
- The Departure Lounge takes you to an airport, where Grace, a young Malawian student travelling back to Paris, finds herself in an unexpected situation. The story explores courage, compassion and human connection.
- Salt No More is a longer work of fiction and my debut novel. It gives you the chance to spend more time with the characters and follow a story that unfolds over a much larger canvas.
These books are a good choice if you want to move beyond shorter stories and challenge yourself with longer texts. You will encounter richer vocabulary, more complex language and stories that give you something to think about.
And, of course, the aim is still the same: learn English through a good story.
Conclusion: More Than Just English Books
Our books are more than English-learning materials. They are stories about people, relationships, choices, hopes and everyday life, inspired by Africa and the African diaspora.
Whether you are beginning your English journey with an A2 story, building your confidence at B1, challenging yourself with B2 stories, or ready to tackle a longer work such as Salt No More, there is something here for you.
The stories are written to help you learn English in context. You can meet new vocabulary, practise grammar, improve your reading and listening, and at the same time discover different places, people and aspects of African life.
But above all, I want the stories to be enjoyable to read. A good story should make you curious. It should make you laugh, worry, wonder, remember or ask questions. That is when language comes alive.
My books are inspired by Africa, its people, its energy, its challenges and its hope. I invite you to read them, learn from them and, perhaps, see Africa from a different perspective.
📚🏫✩𝞹🧠📚₊˚.🎧˙
Further Exploration: All Our Books at One Glance!📚—The Ultimate Guide to Our Stories | How and Where to Get Them | (Levels A1–A2, A2–B1 & B1–B2)
Download:
Read:
- New Year’s Resolutions 2021, Learn English With Africa, January 2021
- How to Make Smart (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-Bound) Goals, Mindtools.com
Shop:
- A2 short Stories in English, Learn English With Africa 2021
- B1 Short Stories in English, Learn English With Africa 2021
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About the Author
Thandi Ngwira Gatignol is the founder of Learn English With Africa. She was born on June 11th, 1981 in Blantyre, Malawi. When she was 19, she left her country of birth for France. She currently lives with her two daughters and husband in Poland.
Thandi holds a Bachelor’s degree in English studies obtained at the Université Paris X Nanterre in France and a Certificate in Journalism from Malawi. She has taught English as a French Ministry of Education certified teacher both in France and in Poland. She speaks six languages fluently, including French, Polish and Italian. She is now learning German and Spanish. Salt No More is her debut novel and you can find her other books here on the website or on Amazon.
Music credits:
- Liberosis (Instrumental) by Nihilore is licensed under a Attribution License.
Course Title: All Our Books at One Glance!📚—The Ultimate Guide to Our Stories | How and Where to Get Them | (Levels A1–A2, A2–B1 & B1–B2)© Learn English With Africa, October 2026
