Easy-to-Read Chinese Stories
Learn Chinese with stories you love and build fluency with adaptations of classic novels.
Start leveling up your Chinese today!
Reading in Chinese is one of the best ways to build fluency
Learn Vocabulary Faster
Acquire vocabulary twice as fast compared to flash cards
Learn Grammar Naturally
Seeing grammar patterns over and over again trains your brain to naturally understand
Automatically Process Chinese
As your reading speed increases, you’ll start to understand it in Chinese instead of translating in your head
Enjoyable
Interesting and fun stories you can AND want to read
We offer three levels of graded readers to help you learn Chinese confidently.
Breakthrough Level
For those who are just getting started with Chinese
Level I
For those with some built up vocabulary
Level II
For those taking it to the next level of learning
You Are In Charge of Your Learning
Welcome to Mandarin Companion!
We’ve worked hard to create enjoyable stories at the right level for you — that can help you build confidence and competence to improve your Chinese.
Our Graded Readers use language that is controlled and simplified that makes them easy for learners to read. Reading long strings of text in context shows you how the language is used to build proficiency in and naturally understand Chinese.
Research shows that learners need to ‘encounter’ a word 10-30 times before truly learning it. Graded Readers provide that repetition that you need to develop fluency NOW at your level.
In the next section, you can take an assessment and discover if this is the right level for you. We also explain how it won’t just improve your Chinese skills but will have a wide range of benefits, from better test scores to more confidence.
We hope you enjoy our books and all the best with your studies!
Start Learning Chinese Today!
Post List #1
You Can Learn Chinese Podcast
Learn HOW to learn Chinese with hosts Jared Turner and John Pasden. You will learn tips, strategies, and insights so you can supercharge your language learning. You will also be inspired by guest interviews with people from all over the world who have learned Chinese.
Both Jared and John both learned Chinese, lived in China for many years, and have worked with learners all over the world and understand the unique challenges that Chinese learners face. They stay at the forefront of language learning research and methods and bring that to listeners everywhere.
Should you learn Chinese by reading children’s books? It’s a common recommendation, but is it actually a good idea?
In this episode, Jared and John unpack why kids’ books aren’t as “simple” as they seem. These books are written for native-speaking children who already have years of spoken fluency. They’re often read aloud by parents and packed with specialized vocabulary, proper nouns, literary language, and characters that learners rarely need early on. What looks beginner-friendly can quickly become frustrating and inefficient.
So why do people keep suggesting it? Usually because it worked for them—as native speakers. But second language acquisition research shows that learners benefit most from high-frequency vocabulary and carefully controlled input.
That’s where graded readers come in. Designed specifically for language learners, they limit vocabulary and characters while still telling engaging stories. The goal isn’t to learn Chinese like a child, it’s to build a strong foundation so you can eventually read whatever you want.
If you’ve ever struggled through a “simple” children’s book, this episode explains why, and what to read instead.
Links from the episode:
7 Mistakes about Extensive Reading (w/analysis of《好饿的毛毛虫》) | Mandarin Companion
