Jean qui grogne et Jean qui rit

Ségur, Sophie, comtesse de and Horace Castelli (1799-1874)

Approximate level: B1
Length: 68,320 words
Reading time: 5 h 42 min
Chapters: 36
Language: French
On Project Gutenberg since: 2006

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This French children’s novel by the nineteenth-century Countess of Ségur follows two boys whose contrasting temperaments shape their experiences of family, work, and life in Paris. Its themes include character, kindness, contentment, and the choices involved in growing up. The dialogue is direct and often conversational, with familiar domestic vocabulary and some older forms of address. The sentences are generally manageable, though longer exchanges and period phrasing may take care to follow.

273 downloads on Project Gutenberg

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Subjects

Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction
Boys -- Juvenile fiction
Children's stories, French
Cousins -- Juvenile fiction
Happiness -- Juvenile fiction
Paris (France) -- Juvenile fiction
Personality -- Juvenile fiction
Discontent -- Juvenile fiction

Questions about this book

What level of French do I need for this book?

The estimate is B1, based on how common the words are and how long the sentences run. It is an approximation, not a test result. With a translation under every sentence you can start one level earlier than you would with a paper copy.

Is this book really free?

Yes. The text is in the public domain and comes from Project Gutenberg, so it costs nothing. In Lingo7 you open the book and read the first page for free; a subscription unlocks the whole library, the audio and the word practice.

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How long does it take to read?

About 5 h 42 min at a native pace, spread over 36 chapters. In a foreign language plan for more: half an hour a day finishes a book of this size in a few weeks.