Ein unvergesslicher Urlaub: Graded Reader Intermediate German B1

Carla - Eine Portugiesin in Deutschland #3

by Daniela Fries

Learn German in a fun and brain-friendly way

Carla and Henrik’s vacation and volunteer work at the German Baltic Sea coast turns into an adventure when a theft occurs and the local police make little effort to solve the crime. Will Carla and Henrik be able to help their hosts get their belongings back?

An engaging but easy-to-follow storyline makes the book a perfect experience for intermediate students who are just starting to read longer texts in German.

12 chapters with German-English vocabulary lists
Comprehension questions at the end of each chapter
Audio recordings available on the "Learn German with Stories" website

Throughout the book, you will find cultural hints about life in Germany that will help you to become familiar with German habits and customs.

The story combines colloquial language used in natural dialogues with a narrative written in the past tense. Because past tense is only used in written and formal language, reading books suited for your level is the perfect way to get used to it in a fun and effortless way.

Start improving your German now and enjoy reading in your target language!

Genres: German Literature, Fiction

145 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 2021

Reviews

[Liralen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ich fand Short Stories in German for Intermediate Learners interessant genug, um Ein unvergesslicher Urlaub zu probieren, aber ich bin mir nicht sicher, ob ich mit dieser Art von Buch weitermachen werde. Short Stories war ein bisschen zu sci-fi für mich, aber Ein unvergesslicher Urlaub war am Anfang ein bisschen langweilig. Die Verständnisfragen sind jedoch nutzbar, und für Leser/innen, die ihr Niveau probieren (oder testen!) wollen, ist es vielleicht eine gute Idee, durch die Serie zu lesen.

Wörter, die besser auf Deutsch als auf Englisch klingen:
Lesesüchtig. Bookworm (Bücherwurm!), aber buchstäblich (ein Wort aus einem anderen Buch!) mehr wie 'addicted to reading'.
Rippen. Ribs. Ich weiß nicht warum, aber das finde ich lustig.

[Joseph Hirsch · Rating 5 out of 5]

The language books by Ollie Richards still remain the gold standard for me, but Ein Unvergesslicher Urlaub (An Unforgettable Vacation) by Daniela Fries, comes pretty close. It’s a B1 level tale about a young couple who goes to spend some time on a workaway program, building cabins at a farm run by a couple retirees. They hope to practice their language skills, and grow closer to each other in their relationship, but end up being involved in a mystery.
One of the workaway students, it turns out, has stolen a large sum of cash and a bundle of jewelry from the family that was good enough to host him.
It's a “Krimi” as the Germans call the subgenre of crime works that deal with police procedurals. The most famous of these in Deutschland is Tatort, which is maybe the longest-running series in German history. Here the procedure is handled by amateurs—along with an international team of computer hackers—and the story is compelling enough to keep you reading. Which is to say, that apart from its educative value, the thing keeps you entertained.
Each story is followed by a section with questions that allow one to demonstrate their comprehension of the material. Or, if you’ve forgotten something about the storyline (I sometimes take days off between readings), this section provides good incentive for a reread. After the questions, then, comes a review of vocabulary.
I’d say I knew about ninety-five percent of the words encountered, maybe more, but at times they were used in idiomatic phrases I didn’t know. Maybe it’s time for me to get back to Deutschland and do a bit of “immersive learning?” Until then, Ein Unvergesslicher Urlaub more than foots the bill.
It’s followed in the series by a slightly more advanced book—B2 level—called Umzug nach Berlin (Moving to Berlin.) I might check that out next, or, conversely, I might go back to Ollie Richards. Recommended, regardless, with cute little pictures appearing before each story.

[Curtis Hartwig]

Lifestyle in Germany

I am fascinated by the careers that are evolving in the new digital world. Daniela makes it interesting and educational to increase my understanding of the language while learning how people from many lands are working together.

[DavidO · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good for learning

A good book for learning German, but the plot isn't that interesting. The author covers a lot of grammar too, which some people may enjoy.

[Judy Li · Rating 3 out of 5]

The content was plain. But I often had 3/5 questions correct so maybe it is still a bit of a reach??

[Anne Siddell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an enjoyable read, and the vocabulary and comprehension exercises are extremely useful.