Short Stories for Students of Spanish: Easy Reading for Beginners - Paperback

by Guillermo Cuadrado (Author)

Why this book?

It's designed as support materials for students of Spanish abroad. Topics are geared towards teenage students, with some elements ti pique their curiosity and increase engagement.

What are the contents of the book?

You'll find short stories for students with a certain knowledge of Spanish, as well as a novella. There are also references to historical events in Spain during the 20th century: scenes from the civil war (1936-1939), the post-war period and the transition from Franco's dictatorship to democracy in the late 1970's.

Each story is presented in Spanish and then in English, with some highlights regarding grammar or special vocabulary.

How approachable are the stories?

Complexity is low at first, easy to understand. Difficulty increases gradually. The first stories are written in present tense, with a simple vocabulary and short sentences tof easy comprehension. There are cultural references to yearly events, such as Halloween, Christmas, and a the San Fermín celebration in July.

There are also references to other events, possibly less well known abroad.

Where do stories take place?

Most happen in Madrid. The author has tried to stick to historical and geographical facts in the stories.

What are the highlights?

There are some fantasy elements in some of the stories, thus trying to make them more attractive to young foreign readers. Some other are real episodes, somewhat fictionalized.

Each story is presented in Spanish and then in English, with some highlights regarding grammar or special vocabulary.