Graded Italian Readers
Italian reading practice organized by CEFR level, from first sentences to richer intermediate stories.
A0 Italian Stories
Il Cinghiale sotto la Finestra
A short story about a boy named Marco who discovers a wild boar and her baby under his window.
La Sedia Vuota a Capodanno
A short story about a family reuniting for a special New Year's dinner.
Il Sale sulla Soglia
A grandmother uses a special tradition to keep her home safe, and her grandson learns about its magic.
Il Mandolino Appeso alla Porta
A story about a young girl who discovers a beautiful old mandolin hanging on a door in her home.
Il Pacco sul Portone Sbagliato
A helpful neighbor discovers a misdelivered package and makes sure it reaches its rightful owner.
La Fontana che Non Si Asciuga Mai
A thirsty girl discovers a magical fountain in the park that never runs dry.
La Freccia Sbagliata di Venezia
A traveler in Venice follows the wrong directions and eventually finds his way.
Il Falco che Nidificò sul Duomo
A young girl watches a falcon build a nest and raise its chicks on a city cathedral.
Il Cane che Tornò Solo
A kind man helps a lost little dog find its owner in a local park.
Il Pallone nel Canneto
A story about a boy who loses his ball in some reeds and finds it with the help of a friend.
La Gondola sul Tetto
A curious story about a man who finds an unusual object on a hotel roof.
L'Arancia Amara di Palermo
A grandmother teaches her grandson how to turn a bitter orange into a delicious treat.
La Maglia Troppo Grande
Luca is excited for his soccer match, but his new jersey is a little bit too big for him.
La Moneta Trovata nell'Orto
A young boy named Marco makes an exciting discovery while digging in his garden.
A1 Italian Stories
Il Gusto Mancante
Sofia tries to recreate her grandmother's special pasta sauce for a family dinner.
Il Giardino di Re Laurino
A legend about why the Dolomite mountains turn red at dawn and dusk due to the magical roses of a dwarf king.
La Luce Accesa nella Casa Vuota
A young woman notices a strange light in her neighbor's house and discovers who is visiting.
Il Forno che Non Si è Mai Spento
A young boy discovers the secret behind his grandmother's bakery oven and the legacy it carries.
Il Podio Scambiato
A story about two runners, Luca and Marco, whose race results are re-evaluated after a photo finish.
Il Citofono che Non Risponde
A young woman named Sara visits her neighbor Signora Pina and is worried when she does not answer the door.
Il Lupo che Scese a Valle
An old wolf descends from the snowy mountains to find food in a quiet village.
La Nota Stonata del Coro
A story about a boy named Marco who helps a nervous singer find her confidence during a choir rehearsal.
La Macchina di Leonardo che Non Volò
A story about a young boy named Marco who observes Leonardo da Vinci as he attempts to build a flying machine.
Il Messaggio Mandato alla Persona Sbagliata
A young woman accidentally sends a personal message to the boy she likes instead of her best friend.
L'Inquilino che Nessuno Vide Mai
A curious woman named Anna discovers the identity of her mysterious neighbor through small acts of kindness.
Il Caruggio che Non Vede il Sole
Sara navigates the narrow and dark alleys of Genoa to discover the city's best focaccia shop with the help of a local.
I Cugini dell'Estate Lontana
A young girl named Chiara reunites with her cousin Diego after years apart and tries to fix a mistake from the past.
A2 Italian Stories
L'Ultima Bottega di San Gregorio Armeno
A young girl named Sofia searches for a traditional artisan to repair a broken nativity shepherd for her grandmother.
La Faccia sul Muro che Ritorna
A woman living in a building in Bologna discovers a mysterious drawing on her hallway wall and learns the poignant story behind it.
La Modella di Tre Maestri
A story about a model named Elena who inspires three different painters in Florence to see her in unique ways.
L'Ombrello Restituito Troppo Tardi
A short story about a woman who leaves her city after waiting too long for a neighbor to return her borrowed umbrella.
La Fermata Sbagliata
A woman learns that a mistake can lead to an unexpected opportunity.
Il Fioretto Rotto Prima della Finale
A young fencer named Marco faces a challenge when his weapon breaks right before his first regional final, but help comes from an unexpected source.
La Sirena che Guardava Mergellina
A story about a mermaid who watches over a fisherman in Naples and must decide between her safety and his life.
La Fotografia Girata verso il Muro
Two sisters find a way to navigate the pain of a breakup through a small, meaningful gesture involving a photograph.
Il Gatto che Aspettava alla Stazione
A touching story about a loyal cat waiting at a small train station for its owner who will never return.
Il Miele dell'Ape Nera di Sicilia
A young woman visits her grandmother in Sicily and learns the value of tradition and simplicity through a rare jar of honey.
Il Cioccolato di Modica che Non Si Scioglie
Sara discovers the unique history and secret behind the chocolate her grandfather makes in Sicily.
Il Soldato che Portò i Semi a Casa
A soldier keeps a promise to his mother by bringing home tomato seeds after the war.
La Nebbia sul Fiume Po
A young woman named Elena risks the dangerous fog on the Po River to retrieve her grandfather's old fishing nets.
Il Bambino che Aprì la Porta ai Garibaldini
A young boy named Nino makes a difficult decision that changes the course of a historical moment in Palermo.
Il Cantastorie che Perse la Voce
A talented Sicilian storyteller faces a challenge when he loses his voice just before a highly anticipated performance.
B1 Italian Stories
Il Calendario Fermo al Tre Marzo
A woman discovers a mysterious, unsent letter in her late uncle's apartment that reveals a hidden chapter of his life.
Il Fornaio di Pompei che Non Scappò
A story about a humble slave baker whose life and work were frozen in time by the tragic eruption of Mount Vesuvius.
L'Ululato che Svegliò il Paese
A man living in an Italian mountain town finds himself reflecting on his relationship with nature after discovering signs of a wolf near his sheep.
La Partitura nel Doppio Fondo della Valigia
A young musician discovers a lost musical score hidden in a vintage suitcase, which connects her to a forgotten composer's family.
La Borraccia Passata al Rivale
A story about the legendary rivalry between Italian cyclists Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali and a mysterious photograph of them sharing a water bottle.
La Fata Morgana di Messina
A young man named Marco experiences a mysterious phenomenon in the Strait of Messina that changes his perspective on his home.
Il Fischio che Fermò Puccini
A story about Giacomo Puccini's experience at the difficult premiere of his opera, Madama Butterfly, in Milan.
Il Permesso che Non Arrivò Mai
A determined woman experiences a series of frustrating delays while waiting for a business permit, only to discover that the root cause of the problem is closer to home than she thought.
Lo Zafferano che Fiorì tra le Macerie
A story about a woman who finds strength and resilience by honoring a family tradition after the L'Aquila earthquake.
Il Puparo e la Nipote Distratta
A young girl learns the value of family history and craftsmanship after accidentally breaking her grandfather's prized puppet.
Il Muratore che Trovò Roma sotto i Piedi
An honest worker discovers a piece of history while digging a construction site and must decide between personal financial security and preserving the past.
La Luce nel Faro Abbandonato
Chiara, a local journalist, discovers a mysterious light in a long-abandoned lighthouse and uncovers a touching secret from the past.
La Processione dei Serpenti a Cocullo
A journalist learns about tradition and change while visiting the unique snake festival in the small town of Cocullo.
Il Formaggio che Dorme Sottoterra
A woman returns to her hometown to help her injured father with a unique and ancient cheese-aging tradition.
La Cartolina di Trent'anni Fa
A daughter finds a long-forgotten postcard in her father's belongings that reveals a hidden piece of his past.
Le Lucciole che Non Tornarono
A woman returns to her grandmother's home in Italy with her daughter, hoping to rediscover the fireflies from her childhood.
B2 Italian Stories
La Nonna che Rifiutò la Stella Michelin
A heartwarming story about a traditional grandmother from Umbria who prioritizes her local community and family over the fame offered by a prestigious Michelin star.
Il Ponte che Nessuno Attraversa di Notte
A man's journey across a cursed bridge forces him to confront a painful secret he has been keeping from his sister.
L'Autogol che Nessuno Spiegò
A melancholic reflection on a mysterious own goal that led to a football team's relegation and the long-lasting, unexplained silence surrounding it.
Il Violino Nascosto nella Soffitta di Cremona
Elena discovers a hidden violin in her late grandfather's attic, leading her to uncover a poignant and tragic secret from the past.
La Corsa dei Ceri che Non Ha Vincitori
A man returns to his hometown of Gubbio for the traditional Corsa dei Ceri, a ritualistic race that challenges his understanding of victory and collective spirit.
La Notte che il Lago Cambiò Colore
A researcher returns to a legendary lake to prove that its mysterious biological phenomenon still exists.
Il Custode che Nascose i Quadri sotto il Fienile
During World War II, a dedicated museum guard risks everything to hide precious paintings from occupying forces.
Il Rigore che Fermò una Città
A story about a high-stakes penalty kick that reconciles two estranged childhood friends.
Il Confine che Passava per il Salotto
A widow in post-war Italy discovers that a new international border has been drawn directly through her home.
La Vara che Non Partì
A story about a man in Messina who struggles with the decision to hold a traditional religious procession shortly after a devastating earthquake.
L'Ultimo Inquilino del Rione da Demolire
A poignant tale about an elderly woman who clings to her home in a Roman neighborhood scheduled for demolition, confronting a young municipal official with the weight of her memories.
L'Ultimo Treno per i Sassi
A man returns to his grandmother's ancestral home in Matera to finalize a sale, only to find himself deeply conflicted about the meaning of home.
Il Regalo di Nozze Restituito
A woman visits a friend to return a wedding gift after the friend's engagement has abruptly ended, leading to a difficult but necessary conversation.
Il Campanile che Suonò da Solo
A woman returning to her small hometown after her mother's death discovers the mystery behind a church bell ringing in the middle of the night.