三毛猫ホームズの宝さがし (赤川次郎 三毛猫ホームズの事件ノート)

Great introduction to novel-reading for N4

The only reason I got this book was to gift it to my best friend (who’s at N4). I was looking for something suitable for an elementary-level learner. And I think I found it!

Mikeneko Holmes - Case Files has most elements that beginner readers look for, i.e.:

• large font,
• not much text per page,
• most kanji has furigana,
• the vocabulary and the story is not overly complex.

Also, the book includes a few pictures - not to many to make the book overly childish, but enough so that you can grasp what’s going on (plus Holmes the cat is super cute!) if you have trouble comprehending.

There are additional advantages I can mention, like having all characters' names properly introduced with furigana. In fact, each name/surname is reintroduced each CHAPTER, so even if you forget how to read it - you get reminded. What’s more, the narration is fast-paced and concise, without unnecessarily lengthy, confusing and detailed descriptions. The characters just do this, do that and the plot moves on. It definitely helps that the book includes 3 separate ‘cases’ which you can just fly through - it reads that fast. And the beautiful hardcover is a nice bonus.