6 Awesome German Books For Kids

Children are great language learners. The earlier they start the better. However, to keep them engaged, the process has to be fun and interesting. Also, this shouldn’t only be about learning to speak a foreign language. This education is based combined with learning about the culture and history of other places as well.

So, what teaches kids loads about other cultures, history, and all sorts of other interesting stuff? Storytelling does! Even better, it puts the language into a context that truly speaks to kids. So, if children are learning German, it only makes sense to introduce them to these six awesome German books for kids.

Sidenote for the adults: These are great books for you as well. The simple stories and repetition will help you improve your fluency and understanding.

1.  Das Kleine Ich Bin Ich (I am Me)

This is the story of a nameless, unidentified animal who simply wants to find out who it is. The poor thing spends the book learning what it is not as it encounters animals that look nothing like themselves. Finally, they come to the realization ‘I am Me’.

The vocabulary here is easy. However, the rhyming poses some challenges.

2.  Pettersson Und Findus (Pettersson And Findus)

This is a fun book series about a farmer and his cat. Each story is slightly longer and more advanced. These books are ideal for a slightly more advanced learner who has mastered at least some aspects of the language.

3.  Eine Woche voller Samstage (A Week Full of Saturdays)

This is a story of a wish-granting, mythical creature and its adoptive father. While there are pictures that can help readers understand the story, this is probably the most advanced book on the list. However, it provides a good story and challenge for kids who have accomplished good fluency.

4.  Die Kleine Raupe Nimmersatt (The Very Hungry Caterpillar)

This is the German translation of this wildly popular story. It’s a great book for new learners because of its simplicity and use of repetition. The story is also just as fun in German as it is in other languages.

5.  Oh wie schön ist Panama (The Trip to Panama)

Janosch is a beloved children’s book author in Germany. Both children and adults read his stories because of their wonderful illustrations and positive messages. There’s also an opportunity here to provide children with a multi-media, multi-sensory learning experience. In addition to reading his books, these stories were also made into a television series. You can watch many of the episodes on YouTube.

6.  Der Räuber Hotzenplotz (Final Adventures of The Robber Hotzenplotz)

This is an example of classic German children’s literature. This makes it a perfect book for learners to immerse themselves in something very relevant to German culture in addition to testing their reading skills. The book does have illustrations, however, these are supplemental and do not impact plot delivery. There have been several movies based on this story as well. It would benefit advanced learners to watch at least one of these.

Teaching German Books

In addition to these books, teachers should also increase learning by offering supplemental materials such as worksheets and art projects. By reading the best translation company reviews, teachers can identify providers who can help them translate any supplemental materials.

Final Thoughts

Language learning isn’t something that is going to compel kids to learn if it isn’t fun. While drills and memorization are important parts of this process, they don’t do much to engage. However, by incorporating children’s books, educators can help kids enjoy and immerse themselves in learning German. The curiosity developed here could also motivate them to become more advanced in their fluency and understanding.

Author Bio: Michael Carr is a popular writer in language learning, translation, and travel circles. He is passionate about the power of multilingualism to bridge gaps between cultures. When he isn’t busy on an assignment, he is planning his next trip.