As a movie version of world-famous fiction « Le Petit Prince » (« The Little Prince ») was released not so long ago, I wanted to take the opportunity to write a little bit about what is one of my favourite books. This article is a bit different from the articles I usually publish, as I chose to write in French and in English to give you the opportunity to practice your reading skills in French. After reading, please let me know if you liked this format/this activity: I could do it more regularly in the future! About "Le Petit Prince" - bilingual article Le Petit Prince d’Antoine de … Read More →
FV 022 : Marie Aubinais, the Author of “Petit Ours Brun” stories for French Children
Meet Marie Aubinais, author of Petit Ours Brun stories. Every French toddler knows this famous childhood character! Marie will tell us how she became the author of Petit Ours Brun, how she chooses the topics of the stories, what inspires her and also what challenges she needs to take into account when writing for her very young audience. Last, but not least, Marie will also raise awareness about the importance of exposing children to books from an early age. Episode Timeline [04 min 24 sec] History of Petit Ours Brun: the birth of a childhood hero [07 min 35 sec] How Marie started to write … Read More →
FV 013 : Hitting the Road with French Books on Wheels
Jacques Bernard is the founder of Le Forum bookstore, the only bookstore exclusively and entirely dedicated to French in Australia. He is also the president of the French Books on Wheels, an initiative which allows him to spend several months each year on the road surrounded with books, travelling through Australia to meet the French speaking and French students community and promote French language. If like me, you love travelling and reading, you will also love this episode! Episode Timeline [4 min 30 sec] How Jacques arrived in Australia [06 min 05 sec] A carrier change [07 min 05 sec] … Read More →
Recommended Reading List : French Literature Within Your Reach!
I have created a reading list of French books that I have personally read and recommend to my students. Discovering French literature really is within your reach! I have rated the books in this list by difficulty on a scale of 1 to 5 as follows: Beginner – ideal to start Intermediate – language/style is accessible and the book is short or clearly cut into parts/short stories. Intermediate Plus – language/style is moderately hard and the book is short or standard length. Advanced – language/expressions are more advanced and/or book is long. Very Advanced – the language and … Read More →
Reading French books: where to start?
Once you've got some bases in French, I recommend you start trying reading French books and magazines. Why read French books? Reading French books will help you reinforce and learn French: as you see the sentences, you will passively absorb French grammar with the way sentences are structured/worded. I encourage my students to read, and I did notice dramatic improvements in every French skill among those of them who have picked up reading as a regular activity. You will expand your French vocabulary, learn new words. It is entertaining. As you gain confidence with reading French books … Read More →