# What to start reading (with samples) with my current level? **URL:** \ **Category:** Japanese Language\ **Created:** [October 29, 2019, 5:29am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/what-to-start-reading-with-samples-with-my-current-level/39872 "2019-10-29T05:29:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leo-Tyrant](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/leo-tyrant/32/263754_2.png) [@Leo-Tyrant](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Leo-Tyrant)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2019, 5:29am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/what-to-start-reading-with-samples-with-my-current-level/39872/1 "2019-10-29T05:29:29Z")
Hi all! Context: I have been focusing on JUST learning kanji and vocabulary since last July, as I only have so much time per day. In parallel I have been going slowly through Human Japanese and Tae Kim. I can “read” and “understand” a lot of the samples, but I would like to force myself to read something in full japanese BUT…that is also kinda mapped to my current kanji level (should be 13 in the next couple of days, so still a beginner), and that is also “cool” to read through. **Could you share some beginner samples of “interesting” reading material? (Hiragana + N5-N4 Kanji?) It can be regular reading, or manga, whatever you feel is easier.** I tried to test my current status in anime but while I can recognize phrases and vocabulary and a lot of the grammar structure, I get lost EASILY. So I would like to start by reading a lot more before bed each day… Thanks in advance! ---
**Author:** ![Naphthalene](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/naphthalene/32/219185_2.png) [@Naphthalene](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Naphthalene)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2019, 5:34am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/what-to-start-reading-with-samples-with-my-current-level/39872/2 "2019-10-29T05:34:58Z")
I feel like stuff from the absolute beginner book club might be what you are looking for? > [@Absolute Beginners Book Club // Now Reading: My Love Story! // Reading Next (Dec 13th): Gal and Dino](https://community.wanikani.com/t/absolute-beginner-book-club-now-reading-kitty-detectives-and-10%E5%88%86%E3%81%A7%E8%AA%AD%E3%82%81%E3%82%8B%E7%89%A9%E8%AA%9E-%E4%BA%8C%E5%B9%B4%E7%94%9F/34698): > > Reading now: [My Love Story!!](https://community.wanikani.com/t/x/71064)Reading next: [Gal and Dino](https://community.wanikani.com/t/gal-and-dino-absolute-beginner-book-club/72757) Start date: December 13th Overview Welcome to our Japanese book club for absolute beginners! In this club, we choose a Japanese book and read it together. We then discuss what we’ve read, whether that’s meaningful discussion on the content, questions about vocabulary and grammar that confuse us, or just motivating each other to keep moving. What Does Absolute Beginner Mean? This… You could have a look at their past books too. In particular Book 3 | [しろくまカフェ](https://community.wanikani.com/t/x/34867) Book 4 | [チーズスイートホーム](https://community.wanikani.com/t/x/36727) Book 5 | [結婚しても愛して](https://community.wanikani.com/t/x/37702) I don’t know what counts as “‘cool’ to read through”, but those look reasonable. Plus, the club has a ton of vocabulary and grammar explanations to help you through those. ---
**Author:** ![Leo-Tyrant](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/leo-tyrant/32/263754_2.png) [@Leo-Tyrant](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Leo-Tyrant)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2019, 5:42am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/what-to-start-reading-with-samples-with-my-current-level/39872/3 "2019-10-29T05:42:14Z")
Thank you! Didn’t know this was a thing. Are there any options that I could attempt (read) for free before purchasing those recommended ones? I was thinking like maybe some folk tale or fairy tales with pictures and some kanji thrown in alongside the hiragana (don’t know if this actually exists). ---
**Author:** ![Naphthalene](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/naphthalene/32/219185_2.png) [@Naphthalene](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Naphthalene)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2019, 5:47am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/what-to-start-reading-with-samples-with-my-current-level/39872/4 "2019-10-29T05:47:19Z")
> [@Leo-Tyrant](#): > > Are there any options that I could attempt (read) for free before purchasing those recommended ones? Yes. If you follow any of the links, you will find somewhere below the picture of the book links to where you can find those books. Amazon.jp and eBookJapan have free samples (試し読み) ![tameshiyomi](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/original/4X/1/d/2/1d28fab666c9cf266eafe845de3dd6e839040ad2.png) Book 5 started as a webcomic, so that version is completely free anyway. I don’t know if there’s any difference between the webcomic and published version. > [@Leo-Tyrant](#): > > I was thinking like maybe some folk tale or fairy tales with pictures and some kanji thrown in alongside the hiragana (don’t know if this actually exists). Fairy tales aren’t such a good idea, as they are quite hard to read for beginners. They tend to use grammar that isn’t in use in common language, relegating them to N2 or N1. I remember there was a thread about reading kid stories, though. ---
**Author:** ![Leo-Tyrant](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/leo-tyrant/32/263754_2.png) [@Leo-Tyrant](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Leo-Tyrant)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2019, 5:49am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/what-to-start-reading-with-samples-with-my-current-level/39872/5 "2019-10-29T05:49:45Z")
Thank you! I will start with that particular one 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Leo-Tyrant](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/leo-tyrant/32/263754_2.png) [@Leo-Tyrant](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Leo-Tyrant)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2019, 5:53am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/what-to-start-reading-with-samples-with-my-current-level/39872/6 "2019-10-29T05:53:21Z")
Update: just being able to read “試し読み” in your picture “Try-read, read trial or something” is … such a great feeling! Thanks again! ---
**Author:** ![jneapan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/jneapan/32/3868_2.png) [@jneapan](https://community.wanikani.com/u/jneapan)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2019, 8:43am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/what-to-start-reading-with-samples-with-my-current-level/39872/7 "2019-10-29T08:43:49Z")
I just read daily web-manga ([ツイ４ | 最前線](https://sai-zen-sen.jp/comics/twi4/)). 1 page a day for each series so not a huge commitment. This one is very beginner friendly: > **[『ふしぎねこのきゅーちゃん』にとりささみ | ツイ４ | 最前線](https://sai-zen-sen.jp/comics/twi4/fushigineko/)** > > キュートなきゅーちゃんはふしぎねこ。踊って、歌って、一緒にハッピー！ So is this: > **[『あ〜んちゃんのあ〜ん』かねこもとき | ツイ４ | 最前線](https://sai-zen-sen.jp/comics/twi4/anchan/)** > > ちょっと残念な女の子あ〜んちゃんが「あ〜ん」と言うだけのおはなしです。あ〜んちゃんの「あ〜ん」は、喜怒哀楽すべてを表せるとっても便利な言葉です。 But browse through them yourself and see what catches your eye. I’ve been reading these for years daily and it’s a big part of what helped me reach fluency. ---
**Author:** ![Leo-Tyrant](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/leo-tyrant/32/263754_2.png) [@Leo-Tyrant](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Leo-Tyrant)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2019, 2:47pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/what-to-start-reading-with-samples-with-my-current-level/39872/8 "2019-10-29T14:47:58Z")
Thank you! I honestly have no “sources”, that’s why I opened this thread. Your links are very helpful and I will definitely attempt to go through all of them! ---
**Author:** ![rawrdinosaur](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/rawrdinosaur/32/267461_2.png) [@rawrdinosaur](https://community.wanikani.com/u/rawrdinosaur)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2019, 4:38pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/what-to-start-reading-with-samples-with-my-current-level/39872/9 "2019-10-29T16:38:53Z")
There’s also a bookclub for graded readers and parallel texts! If you find the manga and books in the absolute beginner bookclub too difficult, graded readers are a really nice first step into reading, since they’re scaled for foreign learners. > [@Graded Readers and Parallel Texts "Book Club"](https://community.wanikani.com/t/graded-readers-and-parallel-texts-book-club/35099): > > I want this to be a “Free for all” and open to all types of Graded Reader books. We are many who have them, but not necessarily the same ones. And this is where this differs from the Book Clubs; I want everyone to be able to ask about any and all Graded readers. They are a great resource that comes in a good variety of difficulties! Most of the stories are very short. If you ask about the beginning or middle, no spoiler tag is needed. If you ask about a plot point near the end you should proba… ---
**Author:** ![YukiPhoenix](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/yukiphoenix/32/458505_2.png) [@YukiPhoenix](https://community.wanikani.com/u/YukiPhoenix)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2019, 4:53pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/what-to-start-reading-with-samples-with-my-current-level/39872/10 "2019-10-29T16:53:40Z")
There are a number of free graded readers here: > **[Free books](https://tadoku.org/japanese/en/free-books-en/)** > > Books listed below are free for on-site reading, PDF-downloading and printing for making books. ---
**Author:** ![Leo-Tyrant](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/leo-tyrant/32/263754_2.png) [@Leo-Tyrant](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Leo-Tyrant)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2019, 4:58pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/what-to-start-reading-with-samples-with-my-current-level/39872/11 "2019-10-29T16:58:05Z")
Thank you so much! This is really helpful! ---
**Author:** ![Leo-Tyrant](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/leo-tyrant/32/263754_2.png) [@Leo-Tyrant](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Leo-Tyrant)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2019, 4:58pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/what-to-start-reading-with-samples-with-my-current-level/39872/12 "2019-10-29T16:58:48Z")
Thank you as always @athomasm, I will review all options and start with the easier ones. ---
**Author:** ![YukiPhoenix](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/yukiphoenix/32/458505_2.png) [@YukiPhoenix](https://community.wanikani.com/u/YukiPhoenix)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2019, 4:59pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/what-to-start-reading-with-samples-with-my-current-level/39872/13 "2019-10-29T16:59:58Z")
Yeah, you’re welcome. Some may be too simple depending on your grammar and vocabulary level, but they are at least a good way to dip your toe into reading. ---
**Author:** ![ihbryant](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/ihbryant/32/271732_2.png) [@ihbryant](https://community.wanikani.com/u/ihbryant)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2019, 5:28pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/what-to-start-reading-with-samples-with-my-current-level/39872/14 "2019-10-29T17:28:23Z")
Matcha Travel Magazine has an [Easy Japanese](https://matcha-jp.com/easy) section that has a bunch of short articles. I like that they sometimes explain more complicated Japanese words in simpler Japanese right after the word occurs. ---
**Author:** ![Belthazar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/belthazar/32/4469_2.png) [@Belthazar](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Belthazar)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2019, 5:52am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/what-to-start-reading-with-samples-with-my-current-level/39872/15 "2019-10-31T05:52:49Z")
> [@Leo-Tyrant](#): > > I was thinking like maybe some folk tale or fairy tales with pictures and some kanji thrown in alongside the hiragana (don’t know if this actually exists). Ah well, that one’s easy: > **[福娘童話集 -世界と日本の童話・昔話集-](http://hukumusume.com/douwa/)** > > まんが日本昔ばなしでおなじみの日本昔話、イソップ童話、アンデルセン童話、グリム童話などの世界と日本の昔話を毎日紹介。声優、アナウンサーによる昔話の朗読や、プリンターで作る豆本、ぬりえコーナーもあります。 You’re probably largely after the section in the sidebar under まいにちの昔話 (daily stories): ・日本の昔話 = Japanese fairy tales ・世界の昔話 = international fairy tales ・日本の民話 = Japanese folk tales ・イソップ童話 = Aesop’s fables ・江戸小話 = Edo comical stories ・百物語 = Ghost stories ---
**Author:** ![Leo-Tyrant](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/leo-tyrant/32/263754_2.png) [@Leo-Tyrant](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Leo-Tyrant)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2019, 5:56pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/what-to-start-reading-with-samples-with-my-current-level/39872/16 "2019-10-31T17:56:26Z")
Woah! Thank you I will go through these during the weekend. I’m excited! ---
**Author:** ![finechty](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/finechty/32/200169_2.png) [@finechty](https://community.wanikani.com/u/finechty)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2019, 6:13pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/what-to-start-reading-with-samples-with-my-current-level/39872/17 "2019-10-31T18:13:40Z")
> **[THE GIRL LIVING ALONE A schoolchild living alone (Japanese Edition) eBook :...](https://www.amazon.co.uk/LIVING-ALONE-schoolchild-living-Japanese-ebook/dp/B00PDSIJOI)** > > THE GIRL LIVING ALONE A schoolchild living alone (Japanese Edition) eBook : Koichiro Matsushita: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store On amazon uk you can look at the first few pages of this and it’s really cheap to buy. Big simple kanji without furigana. It was one of the first things that I felt like I could properly read ---
**Author:** ![Leo-Tyrant](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/leo-tyrant/32/263754_2.png) [@Leo-Tyrant](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Leo-Tyrant)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2019, 8:47pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/what-to-start-reading-with-samples-with-my-current-level/39872/18 "2019-10-31T20:47:41Z")
Love it, thank you! ---
**Author:** ![Leo-Tyrant](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/leo-tyrant/32/263754_2.png) [@Leo-Tyrant](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Leo-Tyrant)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2019, 7:05pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/what-to-start-reading-with-samples-with-my-current-level/39872/19 "2019-11-03T19:05:34Z")
> [@Belthazar](#): > > まいにちの昔話 I have been going through this, this is pretty much what I had in mind (simple pictures, simple words, simple grammar) and it has been a bit rough at first but I’m “getting it”. Thank you again! ---
**Author:** ![normful](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/normful/32/67551_2.png) [@normful](https://community.wanikani.com/u/normful)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2019, 8:14pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/what-to-start-reading-with-samples-with-my-current-level/39872/20 "2019-11-03T20:14:11Z")
If you’re having troubles finding books, and don’t mind reading ebooks, I suggest signing up for an amazon.co.jp account and either buying individual Kindle books there, or signing up for Kindle Unlimited. There’s no shortage of things to read, at all levels, using that approach. Signing up for an amazon.co.jp account is pretty simple – Amazon already has an English UI for their Japanese site, and you just need to provide any Japanese address (e.g. use a hotel address or something). [Next page](https://community.wanikani.com/t/what-to-start-reading-with-samples-with-my-current-level/39872.md?page=2)