10 Learn French Books Benny Lewis and Jonathan Levi Recommend for Real Progress

Discover expert-approved Learn French Books recommended by Benny Lewis, Jonathan Levi, and others to enhance your language journey.

Updated on June 22, 2025
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What if the secret to learning French wasn’t buried in endless grammar drills or tedious vocabulary lists? Instead, imagine immersing yourself in stories that spark curiosity, tools designed for adults eager to speak confidently, and fresh approaches that shake up traditional methods. Today, French learning is evolving — and these 10 books stand out as guides that truly connect with how you learn.

Benny Lewis, founder of Fluent in 3 Months, knows firsthand the frustrations of starting from zero. He praises Olly Richards' storytelling approach, calling it "the real deal" in language learning. Meanwhile, entrepreneur and learning strategist Jonathan Levi highlights how accessible and empowering these books make French, emphasizing the cognitive perks that come with mastering a new language.

While these expert-curated books provide proven frameworks, readers seeking content tailored to their specific proficiency, goals, or interests might consider creating a personalized Learn French book that builds on these insights and fits your unique learning journey.

Best for beginners seeking engaging stories
Benny Lewis, founder of Fluent in 3 Months and a respected voice in language learning, shares how Olly Richards' practical guidance transformed his approach to French. Facing the typical frustrations of starting a new language, Benny found Olly's methods refreshingly straightforward and effective. He says, "Olly's advice on language learning is the real deal, and I recommend you pay attention to what he has to say!" This endorsement comes from someone who’s built a career around rapid language acquisition, underscoring the book's value. Complementing this, Jonathan Levi, an entrepreneur focused on learning optimization, highlights Olly’s role in making language learning accessible and empowering, emphasizing the cognitive benefits that come with it.

Recommended by Benny Lewis

Language expert, Fluent in 3 months founder

Olly's advice on language learning is the real deal, and I recommend you pay attention to what he has to say!

2018·252 pages·Learn French, French for Beginners, Short Stories, Vocabulary Building, Conversational French

Olly Richards, fluent in eight languages and creator of the popular "I Will Teach You A Language" blog, wrote this book to share how he tackled learning French from scratch without prior exposure. You gain access to eight engaging short stories crafted for beginner to intermediate levels, designed to build your vocabulary using the 1000 most frequent words and natural dialogues that mirror real conversations. For example, the chapters cover diverse genres like sci-fi and crime, each accompanied by glossaries, summaries, and comprehension questions that reinforce your learning subtly. If you want to improve your French reading and speaking skills without feeling overwhelmed, this book provides a paced, enjoyable approach that respects how language acquisition really works.

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Best for adult learners progressing fast
Explore ToWin specializes in language education, providing innovative and engaging resources to help learners speak confidently and explore the world. Their approach focuses on making language learning fast, fun, and effective, which is reflected in this immersive and well-structured French course designed specifically for adults eager to gain practical conversational skills quickly.
2022·382 pages·Learn French, Language Learning, Adult Education, French Conversation, Vocabulary Building

Unlike most language learning books that overwhelm you with endless vocabulary lists, this collection by Explore ToWin offers a practical, immersive approach tailored specifically for adult learners eager to gain conversational French quickly. The book integrates five focused volumes, blending workbooks, engaging short stories, and essential phrases to build your skills progressively from beginner to intermediate levels. You’ll find tools like 100 flashcards and audio pronunciations that sharpen your speaking and comprehension, while a 30-day study plan keeps your progress on track. If you want to confidently navigate everyday French conversations without slogging through traditional methods, this course is designed with your pace and interests in mind.

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Best for personal reading plans
This AI-powered book on French reading offers a tailored collection of short stories crafted to develop your comprehension through engaging narratives. Created after you specify your areas of interest and proficiency, it bridges the gap between theoretical learning and real-world application. The content adjusts naturally to your goals, providing a personalized framework that emphasizes meaningful storytelling as a vehicle for language acquisition. Readers will find the tailored approach practical for deepening vocabulary and cultural insight within an immersive reading experience.
2025·50-300 pages·Learn French, Reading Comprehension, Short Stories, Vocabulary Acquisition, Cultural Context

This tailored book provides an adaptive framework of engaging French short stories designed to elevate reading comprehension through contextualized narratives. It focuses on a personalized approach that aligns story complexity, vocabulary, and thematic elements to your proficiency and learning objectives. The methodology emphasizes immersive storytelling as a tool for internalizing language patterns, enhancing retention, and boosting confidence in reading. By cutting through irrelevant content, it fits your specific context, enabling efficient vocabulary acquisition and practical application of French in diverse scenarios. This personalized framework supports a progressive skill-building path, integrating cultural nuances and comprehension strategies tailored to your interests and goals.

Tailored Framework
Immersive Storytelling
1,000+ Happy Readers
Best for adults wanting structured practice
ExploreToWin is a rising language learning and travel brand committed to making you fluent fast. Their approach focuses on fun, easy, and natural language acquisition, aiming to help you sound experienced from the start. This background shapes the workbook’s design, emphasizing practical communication over rote memorization, making it a solid choice if you want to learn French efficiently and enjoyably.
2022·223 pages·Learn French, French for Beginners, Language, Conversational French, Grammar

Drawing from their expertise as a rising language learning brand, ExploreToWin crafted this workbook to simplify French for adult beginners eager to speak confidently within a month. You won't find endless grammar drills here; instead, the book immerses you in realistic dialogues and contextual vocabulary that stick. It guides you through common conversational scenarios and highlights typical English speaker mistakes, making the learning experience practical and tailored. If you want to bypass tedious memorization and start communicating from day one, this workbook offers a clear path, especially suited for adults new to French who need structured yet engaging guidance.

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Frédéric Bibard is the founder of TalkInFrench.com, recognized as the #1 language blog in 2016 by bab.la and Lexiophiles. With years of teaching French internationally and a passion for crafting engaging French learning content, he created this book to offer clear, manageable grammar lessons paired with exercises and native audio. His expertise shines through in this resource tailored to help you build a solid French foundation with enjoyable, structured practice.
2022·225 pages·Learn French, French Grammar, French for Beginners, Grammar Lessons, Language Practice

When Frédéric Bibard decided to create this textbook, his goal was to make beginner French grammar accessible without overwhelming you with exceptions or fluff. Drawing from his years teaching French abroad and running TalkInFrench.com, he offers 30 concise lessons that build your grammar foundation steadily, with a focus on daily 30-minute sessions to form lasting habits. You’ll find straightforward explanations paired with over 300 workbook exercises and native-speaker audio to sharpen your listening and pronunciation. This book suits anyone starting fresh with French who wants a clear, digestible approach rather than a dense grammar tome.

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Best for absolute beginners improving listening
Frédéric Bibard, founder of TalkInFrench.com and recognized for running the #1 language blog in 2016, draws on years of teaching experience and his passion for French culture to create this approachable collection. Returning to Paris, he dedicated himself to crafting fun, accessible resources that connect learners directly with practical language use. This book reflects his commitment to making French learning enjoyable and effective for absolute beginners.
2017·102 pages·Learn French, French for Beginners, Short Stories, Vocabulary Building, Grammar Structures

What if everything you knew about learning French was wrong? Frédéric Bibard challenges the typical approach by offering 30 short, 300-word stories crafted specifically for complete beginners, blending simple dialogues with descriptive sentences. You’ll find new vocabulary introduced naturally, accompanied by English translations to avoid constant dictionary hunting, and the inclusion of native-speaker audio to enhance your listening skills. This book is ideal if you want to grasp everyday conversational French and basic grammar structures without overwhelming complexity, making it especially suitable for those just starting out who crave engaging, manageable content.

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Best for targeted conjugation mastery
This AI-powered book on French verbs tackles the subject through a personalized lens, with content shaped by your proficiency level and specific goals. It develops a systematic approach with frameworks that adapt to your linguistic background, focusing on essential conjugations and tense usage. Created after you specify your areas of interest, the book bridges foundational knowledge and practical application, providing targeted exercises and strategies to deepen your understanding. The tailored approach ensures you focus on what truly matters for your mastery of French verbs.
2025·50-300 pages·Learn French, French Verbs, Verb Conjugation, Tense Usage, Mood Differentiation

This tailored book on French verb mastery provides a focused methodology for understanding essential verb conjugations and tenses with precision. It offers a personalized framework that adapts to your current proficiency and specific learning goals, cutting through irrelevant content to concentrate on verb forms critical for effective communication. The book covers both foundational conjugation patterns and practical application strategies, enabling you to grasp nuances across moods and tenses. By addressing your unique linguistic context, it equips you with targeted exercises and explanations that reinforce retention and usage. This tailored approach ensures that learners receive relevant instruction suited to their needs, accelerating verb mastery in French.

Tailored Framework
Verb Mastery Method
1,000+ Happy Readers
Best for mastering verb conjugations easily
K. Remington O'Toole, an American polyglot known for her unconventional lifestyle and linguistic expertise, channels her passion into this book. Her background as a globe-trotter and language lover inspired her to challenge traditional French grammar methods and create a fresh, engaging system that helps you grasp French verbs with ease. Living among diverse cultures, she brings a unique perspective that turns learning into an adventure rather than a chore.
2020·178 pages·Learn French, French Grammar, Verb Conjugation, Language Learning, Tense Usage

When Karen REMY O'Toole first discovered how traditional French verb charts overwhelmed learners, she set out to rewrite the rules. This book offers a refreshingly simple approach to French verbs, focusing on just four essential tenses and the most commonly used verbs, making it easier to start speaking quickly. You’ll find inventive techniques like the new verb chart that replaces centuries-old methods, plus memorable stories like the "Kumbaya family" to help cement learning. If you’re tired of memorization and want a lively, approachable way to tackle French grammar, this book is designed to get you conjugating without the usual headaches.

Glyph Award Winner
Nautilus Award
BAIPA Award
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Best for beginners enhancing listening skills
Frederic Bibard is a language expert and educator known for his engaging approach to teaching French. He has authored several books aimed at helping learners improve their language skills through practical and enjoyable methods. His work focuses on making language learning accessible and fun, particularly for beginners, which directly informs the approachable and story-driven style of this book.
2022·214 pages·Learn French, Language, Short Stories, Listening Skills, Pronunciation

Unlike most learn French books that focus heavily on grammar drills or vocabulary lists, Frederic Bibard's approach revolves around storytelling to boost your comprehension and pronunciation. Drawing from his extensive experience as a language educator, he crafted short, engaging narratives paired with native audio to help you internalize French naturally. You’ll find chapters that gently introduce key grammar and vocabulary while the accompanying glossaries make reviewing effortless. This method suits beginners eager to develop listening skills and sound more native without feeling overwhelmed by traditional study methods.

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Best for learners combining reading and audio
Frédéric Bibard, founder of TalkInFrench.com and recognized for his expertise in French language education, developed this book to make learning French more engaging and accessible. His experience teaching French while traveling and creating language resources underpins the approach taken here, combining storytelling with audio to help you improve both reading and listening skills. This method reflects Bibard's commitment to crafting helpful tools that support learners at the beginner level.
2021·244 pages·Learn French, French for Beginners, Short Stories, Listening Skills, Reading Comprehension

When Frédéric Bibard first challenged conventional language-learning methods, he created a book that turns traditional French study on its head by using short stories tailored for beginners. This book teaches you to improve reading and listening skills simultaneously through engaging narratives that incorporate essential grammar and vocabulary, supported by audio at normal and slower speeds. You’ll find dual-language texts and glossaries to ease vocabulary retention and pronunciation practice, making it accessible even if you’re just starting out. This resource is ideal if you want a gentle yet structured way to build confidence in French without getting bogged down in dry drills or grammar-heavy textbooks.

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Best for vocabulary building through stories
Dylane Moreau is the founder of 'The perfect French with Dylane,' a YouTube channel and website where she teaches French to a global audience. She believes in accessible language learning, offering free courses alongside practical books for practice. This background anchors the book's approach, providing you with short, manageable stories paired with vocabulary and audio to support your French learning journey.

Dylane Moreau, a dedicated French teacher and founder of 'The perfect French with Dylane,' crafted this collection to meet the needs of learners seeking accessible reading material. You gain practical exposure to everyday French through 30 concise stories covering themes like travel, friendship, and family, each reinforced with focused vocabulary and comprehension questions. The inclusion of English translations and an audio component recorded by Moreau herself makes this resource particularly useful for improving both reading and listening skills. If you're looking to build vocabulary and confidence without overwhelming complexity, this book offers a structured yet approachable way to practice daily.

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Rosetta Stone is a renowned language learning company that has been helping learners for nearly 30 years. They are known for their immersive and effective language learning solutions, making them a trusted name in education. This book reflects their expertise by offering a colorful, picture-based approach to building French vocabulary, designed to engage learners of all ages and support foundational language skills with native speaker pronunciations.
2022·80 pages·Learn French, French Vocabulary, Language Learning, Visual Learning, Pronunciation

When Rosetta Stone first realized the power of visual learning in language acquisition, they crafted this picture dictionary to make French vocabulary accessible and engaging for all ages. You’ll learn practical words and phrases accompanied by colorful illustrations that make abstract concepts concrete, like the surprising overlap between the French words for 'avocado' and 'lawyer.' This book benefits children and adults alike who want to build a solid vocabulary foundation with native-speaker pronunciations via QR codes, supporting both self-study and classroom learning. It’s straightforward in its approach, focusing on everyday language essentials rather than complex grammar, making it ideal for beginners who want to jumpstart communication skills.

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Conclusion

Across these 10 books, a few clear themes emerge: storytelling as a powerful tool, practical conversation skills tailored for adults, and fresh takes on grammar that prioritize usability over memorization. If you struggle with traditional methods, starting with Olly Richards’ short stories can make learning enjoyable, while those craving structured practice will find Explore ToWin’s workbooks invaluable.

For faster results, combine books focused on listening and speaking, like Frederic Bibard’s audio-supported stories, with targeted grammar guides such as HOW TO CHEAT AT FRENCH VERBS. Once you’ve absorbed these expert insights, create a personalized Learn French book to bridge the gap between general principles and your specific situation.

Your French journey can be both effective and enjoyable. Dive into these expert-recommended reads and discover how language learning can finally click for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

I'm overwhelmed by choice – which book should I start with?

Start with "Short Stories in French for Beginners" by Olly Richards. Benny Lewis praises it for its engaging, approachable style that’s perfect for newcomers. It builds vocabulary naturally through stories, making it easier to stick with learning from day one.

Are these books too advanced for someone new to Learn French?

Not at all. Many, like Frederic Bibard’s and Explore ToWin’s books, are designed specifically for beginners and adults new to French, offering clear explanations and gradual progression suited to your level.

What's the best order to read these books?

Begin with storytelling books to build comprehension and confidence, like Olly Richards and Frederic Bibard’s works. Then, add structured grammar practice such as "French Grammar for Beginners" and "HOW TO CHEAT AT FRENCH VERBS" for mastery of essentials.

Do I need to read all of these, or can I just pick one?

You can pick based on your goals. For vocabulary and listening, short story collections work well. For grammar and speaking confidence, workbooks and verb-focused books are ideal. Combining a few gives the best-rounded skill set.

What makes these books different from others on Learn French?

These books stand out because experts like Benny Lewis and Jonathan Levi recommend them for their practical, learner-friendly methods that focus on real communication, not just rote memorization or overwhelming grammar.

Can personalized books complement these expert recommendations?

Yes! While these books offer solid foundations, personalized Learn French books tailor content to your goals, experience, and interests. They complement expert insights perfectly. Learn more here.

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