Practice Reading English - English Language Learners - Resources - LibGuides at Hostos Community College Library

Graphic novels

Graphic novels are stories told in words and pictures. In the past, some people thought that graphic novels, or comics, are just for children, but that isn't true. Today, there are many graphic novels that are written for adult readers. Here are just a few of the graphic novels available at the Hostos Library:

Aya of Yop City by Marguerite Abouet; Clément Oubrerie; Helge Dascher (Translator)
Call Number: PN 6790 .C853 A36313 2008
A story of 19-year-old Aya, her friends, their lovers, their bosses, and their families, in Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast). From the publisher: "[Aya is] a breezy and wryly funny account of the desire for joy and freedom, and of the simple pleasures and private troubles of everyday life in Yop City. An unpretentious and gently humorous story of an Africa we rarely see-- spirited, hopeful and resilient. Aya won the 2006 award for Best First Album at the Angouleme International Comics Festival."
Aya: Love in Yop City by Marguerite Abouet; Helge Dascher (Translator); Clément Oubrerie
Call Number: PN 6790 .C853 A36313 2013
The final part of the Aya series.
You can read interviews with the author here in English: http://thebrownbookshelf.com/2010/01/31/marguerite-abouet/ and in French: http://www.jeuneafrique.com/136786/culture/marguerite-abouet-les-ivoiriennes-sont-moins-libres-qu-avant/
Palomar by Gilbert Hernandez
A very big book: nearly ten years of stories of the many interconnecting lives of the people of the fictional Central American town of Palomar. Gilbert Hernandez is a famous cartoonist who created the Love & Rockets series with his brother Jaime.
Latino USA by Ilan Stavans; Lalo Alcaraz (Illustrator)
Call Number: PN 6725 .S7265 2012
ISBN: 9780465082506
Covering a large swath of history, from 1492 until the beginning of the 21st century, this book captures "the joys, nuances, and multiple dimensions of Latino culture within the context of the English language...[with] multiple, at times contradictory voices, each narrating various episodes of Latino history from a unique perspective."(from the publisher)
Boxers by Gene Luen Yang (Illustrator); Lark Pien
Call Number: PN 6727 .Y36 B68 2013
ISBN: 9781596433595
What do you do when powerful foreigners have been bullying you and everyone you love for too long? The Boxers fought back, with a vengeance. But did everyone they killed deserve to die? And what would you do if it turned out that your fight for your country was doomed? (Read about the other side of this war in "Saints"!)
Saints by Gene Luen Yang (Illustrator); Lark Pien
Call Number: PN 6727 .Y36 S25 2013
ISBN: 9781596436893
What do you do when fighters want to kill you because of your religion? Will you stay true to your faith? "Saints" is the story of a bold young girl, rejected by her family, hoping to become a warrior, who gets caught up in a deadly rebellion. (Find out about the other side of the war in "Boxers"!)

Bilingual news stories

Al Día News is a bilingual news site based in Philadelphia. You can compare the English and Spanish versions of the same stories (please note, it is possible not every story is in both languages, but most seem to be.)

Oxford Bookworms

Our "subway reading" collection includes books like the Oxford Bookworms and Townsend Press books to read for fun and to practice your English! The books are graded by English level.

Many of the stories have been re-written from longer English works. They are shorter versions, and written in English that is easier to understand, with fewer vocabulary words.

The stories in the hardest level (”Collections”) have not been edited or re-written, but the books include some explanations of

Learn more about the Oxford Bookworms by clicking here.
Read samples of each book level by clicking on the pdf link at the bottom of this box.

Where can I find the Subway Reading books?

The Subway Reading section is near the entrance to the reading room, immediately to your left when you enter. If you can't find them, please ask a librarian for help!

News in simplified English

The Times in Plain English is a great way to read news stories that have been re-written in clear language for English Language Learners. The website is free and includes articles from about nine well-respected newspapers.

News in Levels also re-writes news stories in clear language for English Language Learners. It has more TV news and video than articles from newspapers.

Each article has three levels from easiest to hardest, and the writers explain some new words in each article.

Books That Grow

If your teacher is using Books that Grow, just click here to sign into your account.

If you don't already have an account, you can make one for free.

Books that Grow offers a wide variety of books you can read for free on your computer, including fiction, folktales, and historical documents.

One great feature is that you can change the English level of the book as you're reading it, to make it easier or more difficult to read. Try it out!

Townsend Press Learning Center

Townsend Press has some multiple choice quizzes that allow you to test out your vocabulary, grammar, and reading comprehension.