Reading skills

A Moment of Connection at the Alliance Française de Pasadena Book Fair

Emma

Credit: Califrenchlife

The French Book Fair which took place at Alliance Française de Pasadena with Clotilde French Bookstore on February 1, 2025, was more than just a chance to buy books—it was a celebration of community, resilience, and the shared love of reading in French !

In the wake of the recent wildfires that deeply impacted our area, this event became a space for people to reconnect, exchange experiences, and find comfort in literature. Attendees didn’t just come to shop; they came to discover new books, engage in discussions, and support each other during a difficult time.

 Books as an Escape

For some, especially those who had lost their homes, books provided a much-needed escape from the weight of reality. Reading in French, a foreign language, offered a double layer of evasion—immersing them in new worlds while allowing them to step outside their everyday struggles, if only for a while.

 A Community Coming Together

Beyond browsing through the carefully curated selection of Clotilde French Bookstore, visitors shared reading tips, recommendations, and personal stories. The book fair became a place of support and exchange, where literature helped forge connections and offered a sense of normalcy.

The Consul of France in Los Angeles especially went to the event with his family to support the community of Alliance Française de Pasadena.

 Personalized Guidance from Clotilde

Clotilde, always attentive, was there to guide everyone toward the right books—whether they were looking to improve their French, explore classic or contemporary literature, or simply find a comforting read.

In the comments of the Linkedin post of Alliance Française de Pasadena about the French book fair, Clotilde wrote in French:

Translation in English: “Thank you Emma Franks! Working with you is always a great pleasure.
And it was a real beautiful emotion to see you come this morning to the Alliance one after the other to come and choose new books to discover.
Lately, your community has suffered a lot from the fires in LA and some this morning even shared with me that they lost everything, including all their books.
It touched me extremely to exchange with you, and to be able to disconnect from this reality for a moment to dive into different literary discussions/recommendations.
Pasadena/Altadena, my heart goes out to you, and I’ll see you soon.”

Clotilde Delestre from Clotilde Bookstore (on the left) and Emma Franks, Executive Director of Alliance Française de Pasadena.

Credit: Clotilde Delestre

 A Success Rooted in Solidarity

This edition of the book fair was a true success, not just because of the books sold, but because of the spirit of togetherness that filled the room. It was a reminder that literature is not just about words on a page—it’s about sharing, healing, and growing together.

French books can make an event meaningful. Let’s keep reading in French, discovering, and supporting one another!

Credit: Califrenchlife

Reading in French : Why and how ?

Emma

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Reading a book or an article in French is a big plus to improve your linguistic skills.

You will learn new vocabulary, discover French-speaking cultures by enjoying 100% because you choose your reading.

The more in contact with the French language you are, the more your written comprehension will improve.

The first articles or books that you’re going to read may be difficult but don’t be discouraged. You can begin by articles or books which are especially written for foreigners who have your linguistic level: A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2.

You can evaluate your level thanks to this official document created by the Council of Europe:

Chart to check your level

You need to be a little organized when you read in a foreign language:

  • Highlight the recurrent words which appear in your reading and look them up in a dictionary to be sure to understand the plot. But don’t use the dictionary for every single word. It will spoil your pleasure. Search for the most important words only.
  • Write the words you find in a notebook to begin a vocabulary list that you will be able to read and memorize.
  • Take into account the context. If you don’t understand a word, being logical can help a lot.
  • Transparent words (words which are similar in English and in French) can help you too.
  • Be wary of false friends.

Here is a list of some false friends to have in mind:

Words in French Translation into English Don’t mistake with
Actuellement Currently Actually = en fait (en français)
Administration

 

 Paperwork Administration = gouvernement (en français)
Une cave cellar Cave = grotte (en français)
Un caractère

 

 personality Character : Personnage (d’un roman, par exemple)
Un collège

 

 Secondary school (the first four years) College = université (en français)
Un commercial

 

 businessman Commercial = publicité à la télévision (en français)
Des fournitures

 

 supplies A piece of furniture = meuble (en français)
Issue Way-out Issue = problème à traiter (en français)
Une librairie

 

 Bookshop Library= bibliothèque (en français)
Résumer

 

 To sum up To resume = reprendre (en français)
Sensible

 

 sensitive Sensible = sensé (en français)
Demander quelque chose

 

 To ask for something To demand = exiger (en français)
La concurrence

 

 competition Concurrence= simultanéité (en français)

Reading a long book in French may not be the most motivating to begin with that’s why press articles about subjects which are interesting for you can be a solution. The advantage of articles is that they are short but rich and they deal with society. For instance, if you read articles about French society issues, you will find the most interesting vocabulary to interact with native speakers and have interesting conversations.

Bilingual books can be a good idea too, but you need to be self-disciplined. Don’t be tempted to read the pages in your native language only !

Specialized magazines or websites such as http://califrenchlife.com/ can provide articles written for foreigners. You will discover the centers of interest of the French-speakers and you will find the most difficult vocabulary explained at the bottom of the article in French or in English.

Reading in French can be a real pleasure as long as you choose the right texts for yourself and your needs. It’s important to include this activity in your schedule. Regularity is a strength when you learn a foreign language.