Zwei Jungs. Ein geknackter Lada. Eine Reise voller Umwege durch ein unbekanntes Deutschland.
Mutter in der Entzugsklinik, Vater mit Assistentin auf Geschäftsreise: Maik Klingenberg wird die großen Ferien allein am Pool der elterlichen Villa verbringen. Doch dann kreuzt Tschick auf. Tschick, eigentlich Andrej Tschichatschow, kommt aus einem der Asi-Hochhäuser in Hellersdorf, hat es von der Förderschule irgendwie bis aufs Gymnasium geschafft und wirkt doch nicht gerade wie das Musterbeispiel der Integration. Außerdem hat er einen geklauten Wagen zur Hand. Und damit beginnt eine unvergessliche Reise ohne Karte und Kompass durch die sommerglühende deutsche Provinz.
Summary - English
Automatically translated:
Two boys. A cracked Lada. A journey full of detours through an unknown Germany.
Mother in rehab, father away on a business trip with his assistant: Maik Klingenberg will spend the big summer holidays alone by the pool of his parents’ villa. But then Tschick shows up. Tschick, actually Andrej Tschichatschow, comes from one of the rough high-rise buildings in Hellersdorf, somehow made it from special school to high school, yet doesn’t exactly seem like the epitome of integration. Plus, he has a stolen car at hand. And thus begins an unforgettable journey without a map or compass through the summer-glazed German province.
Content Warnings
Not sure…maybe someone who may have read this knows?
Reason(s) for nominating: This is a classic recommendation for German learners that I’ve just never gotten around to reading. I’ve heard from some people that they had to read it in Gymnasium, so it seems like one of those books everyone would know (someone please confirm or deny ). It looks like there is a graded reader version that is easier that I linked above, but there is also a normal version that doesn’t appear to be on natively yet… That would make it accessible for a lot of different level learners, since there are two difficulty modes available.
Die kleine Hexe ist mit ihren 127 Jahren viel zu jung, um mit den großen Hexen in der Walpurgisnacht auf dem Blocksberg zu tanzen. Doch das ist ihr egal: Sie springt auf ihren Besen und feiert den Hexentanz mit. Dass sie dabei erwischt werden könnte, damit hat sie allerdings nicht gerechnet. Zur Strafe muss sie alle Zaubersprüche auswendig lernen und versprechen, eine gute Hexe zu werden. Aber wie soll sie das nur schaffen? Zum Glück hilft ihr der Rabe Abraxas, ihr bester Freund.
Summary - English
At 127 years old, the little witch is far too young to dance with the big witches on Walpurgis Night on the Blocksberg. But she doesn’t care: she jumps on her broom and joins in the witches’ dance. However, she didn’t expect to be caught. As punishment, she has to memorize all the spells and promise to become a good witch. But how is she supposed to do that? Fortunately, her best friend Abraxas the raven helps her.
Content Warnings
None known.
Reason(s) for nominating: This seems to be a well-known children’s book, and having an audiobook available is a big plus. There’s also a simplified version: Die kleine Hexe: Deutsch - leichter lesen | L15??
Anton just moved to Berlin. He is new in school and doesn’t know anyone. He has a problem. Who can help him? He sees Heidi – a girl from biology class. He is nervous, but he walks over and asks her for help.
With Heidi’s help and friendship, Anton adjusts to his new school. As he meets new classmates, he is befriended by Felix and Lena – but what are their true intentions? As their relationships grow and change, Anton and his new friends face new realities and challenging decisions…
Content Warnings
None
Reason(s) for nominating: I read this series a while back. They’re very well done and definitely worth reading as a beginner. The only read downside is that there’s no audiobook.
I will join especially if a kids book is chosen, I’m not a beginner but I enjoy kids books. I’d like to recommend some but most from my childhood don’t seem to be easily available…
I think I’ll leave the nominations open for a couple of weeks so people that don’t visit the forum as often get a chance to add their suggestions, and we can start voting at the end of the month.
I’m also thinking of maybe nominating Momo | L27 (learnnatively.com) or Emil und die Detektive | L22?? (learnnatively.com), but what I’m more interested in reading is Krimis and contemporary fiction, which would probably be more of an advanced club? Of course I have no idea if we have enough German learners (we do native speakers, I think) for two book clubs, nor whether I should even be considering this on top of my multiple Japanese book clubs, but here I am
If it’s indeed a L29, then it’s a bit difficult for a beginners. If the level isn’t accurate (since German is still in beta and lacks enough gradings), then it’s fine to nominate if it seems to really be L26 or below.
I’d probably attempt higher level books if you are planning to make an intermediate/advanced club. More book clubs are always good!
ETA: I think Momo and Emil are probably fine to nominate, since they’re children’s books.
I read Die Verwandlung a few years ago and found it to be surprisingly simple language wise, I feel like it’s current 29 is a bit too high. But as I am not a traditional learner I hesitate to say for sure, especially without a reread
I have no idea what consitutes a L26 in German to be honest, neither whether Die Verwandlung would be a 26 or higher (I’ve read it and didn’t find it hard, but this was ages ago). However it’s free and short. It’s also been widely translated, and there are even editions of parallel text I think.
Zum ersten Mal darf Emil allein nach Berlin fahren. Seine Großmutter und die Kusine Pony Hütchen erwarten ihn am Blumenstand im Bahnhof Friedrichstraße. Aber Emil kommt nicht. Während die Großmutter und Pony Hütchen noch überlegen, was sie tun sollen, hat Emil sich schon in eine aufregende Verfolgungsjagd gestürzt. Quer durch die große fremde Stadt, immer hinter dem Dieb her, der ihm im Zug sein ganzes Geld gestohlen hat. Zum Glück bekommt Emil bald Unterstützung: von Gustav mit der Hupe und seinen Jungs.
Summary - English
Young Emil is robbed on his first real railway journey of money entrusted to him by his hard-working mother for the relatives he is to stay with in Berlin. A gang of boys about his own age come to his aid, and a thrilling adventure full of surprises ensues as they use their wits to devise a wonderfully simple but practical trick to capture the thief.
With every detail clearly drawn - from the tiresome business of getting into best clothes for the journey, down to the final anxiety as to what shall be done with a gloriously unexpected reward - this is a story all young readers will enjoy.
Content Warnings
None that I know of.
Reason(s) for nominating: It’s a classic and very famous children’s book. Widely translated too, and relatively short.
“Als Gregor Samsa eines Morgens aus unruhigen Träumen erwachte, fand er sich in seinem Bett zu einem ungeheueren Ungeziefer verwandelt.” Schon der erste Satz aus Kafkas berühmter Erzählung vermittelt schlagartig die Irritation, die sich in das Verhältnis zur empirischen Wirklichkeit eingeschlichen hat, die die problematische Schnittstelle äußerer und innerer Realitäten bestimmt.
Summary - English
One morning, ordinary salesman Gregor Samsa wakes up to find himself transformed into a giant cockroach. Metamorphosis, Kafka’s masterpiece of unease and black humour, is one of the twentieth century’s most influential works of fiction, and is accompanied here by two more classic stories.
Content Warnings
Bugs.
Reason(s) for nominating: One of Kafka’s best-known works, it is widely translated and there are even dual-language editions out there. It is available for free, and it’s quite short. I don’t remember it being particularly difficult when I read it many, many years ago. There is also a simplified edition available on Amazon, not sure how good it is or whether it’s needed.
I guess when people vote they can decide. I read it as a beginner long ago, so here are some thoughts if it’s helpful for beginners, alongside what others have already said.
Pros
simple language
ability to read a classic in German, which is cool at that level
Cons
the concept is so abstract, you don’t really know what to expect, and that might be what has earned it a higher difficulty rating. Expectations and following standard story arcs can make fiction a lot easier to read, or harder if it bucks every trend, which is what Kafka does!
lol your content warning is great, it does go into explicit detail about bugs
Something occurred to me, it’s possible Die Verwandlung was used as a reference book for Natively ratings in the German language. Somewhere there is a thread where Brandon was asking for suggestions and in that case it’s rating would be fixed.
(Is it time for the one German book that I read per year?! 
Maybe…)
). It looks like there is a graded reader version that is easier that I linked above, but there is also a normal version that doesn’t appear to be on natively yet… That would make it accessible for a lot of different level learners, since there are two difficulty modes available.
