French Book Club

Read in French for pleasure, not for homework

A cosy online book club for adult French learners (A2+) who are ready to stop being scared of reading in French – and actually enjoy it. Each month, we read a short, accessible French book or short story, then meet in a small group on Zoom to talk about it in French. No tests, no grammar drills – just stories, conversations, and a gentle push to finally read in French without panicking.

Who is this for?

This French Book Club is for you if:

you’re an adult learning French for pleasure (not for an exam)
you’d love to read in French, but you don’t know what to read or where to start
you’ve tried reading before, but you get stuck after a few pages and give up
you like the idea of a small, kind, non-judgemental group where everyone is learning too

Recommended level: end of A2 and above. No level test – I’ll simply give you a suggested level for each book, and you decide.

Before & After

Before:

You have no idea where to start, so you grab the first French book you find at the op shop… or you feel like you “should” read the classics (but honestly, they’re boring and way too hard). You stop at every unknown word, look it up, write it down… and you’re exhausted after three pages. You’ve already forgotten the story.

After:

You accept that you don’t need to understand every single word. You can read a whole (short) book in French, follow the story, and actually enjoy it. You discover modern French authors you’d never have found on your own – and you have a small, kind group of people to talk about the book with.

What is the French Book Club?

The French Book Club is a 90-minute online session, once a month, where we meet in a small group (3 to 6 people) to talk about a French book or short story you’ve read at home.

Each session = one book or one short story
You read it at home, at your own pace
Then we meet on Zoom to talk about it in French

It’s not:

a grammar class
a test or an exam
a literary snob club where you need to have read Proust to be allowed to speak 😉

It is:

a cosy, safe space to talk about books in French
a gentle reason to finally read in French regularly
a way to build confidence, one book at a time

Who leads the sessions? All sessions are led by Sophie, a native French teacher based in Melbourne, with 10+ years’ experience teaching adults and VCE students.

Her style: kind, relaxed, structured but never strict, and 100% anti-shame.

How it works

1. Before the session

You sign up for a specific French Book Club session (each one has its own book).
You receive:
- the title of the book
- a suggested minimum level (for example: “best from end of A2 / B1”)
- a list of links to buy the book (paper or digital, when possible)

You have three options for the book:

You buy it yourself using the links I send you.
You choose the “Sophie takes care of it for you” option (extra fee):
- I order the book and send it to you by post
- or hand it to you in person if we see each other in real life
If the book is legally available for free (public domain / free PDF), I’ll let you know.

You also receive a reading worksheet you can fill in as you go. It’s there to help you keep track of characters, questions, favourite moments – not to give you extra homework.

You then read the book at your own pace before the session.

2. During the session (90 minutes on Zoom)

We meet in a small group of 3 to 6 people. The session is mainly in French, with a bit of English if needed to clarify something.

We will:

break the ice gently so you feel comfortable
talk about the characters, the story, the ending, the themes
share favourite passages
discuss what was easy, what was challenging, what surprised you
use a special vocabulary guide to help you talk about books in French

You don’t have to be perfect. You can speak a lot, a little, or mostly listen at the beginning. The group is small and kind, and everyone is learning.

3. After the session

After the session, you receive:

a short recap of the session (in French):
- main ideas we talked about
- a few useful words and expressions
- maybe 1–2 quotes from the book

If a recording is available (depending on privacy and cameras), it can be used as a backup if you couldn’t attend live – but the main focus is on the live experience.

What you get when you join a session

For each French Book Club session, you get:

A 90-minute online group session (3–6 people) led by Sophie
A reading worksheet to guide you while you read
A mini guide “How to talk about a book in French”, with:
- vocabulary for parts of a book (cover, blurb, opening, characters, plot, etc.)
- ready-made phrases to give your opinion, agree/disagree, compare, soften what you say
A written recap of the session (in French)
A list of links to buy the book if you want to order it yourself
Optional: the “Sophie takes care of it for you” service (extra fee) if you prefer not to deal with ordering

Practical details

Who is it for? Adult learners of French, from end of A2 and above.
Where? Online, on Zoom.
When? Starting from the Australian school year in February. Around one session per month, each with a different book or short story.
Group size: Minimum 3, maximum 6 participants per session.
Price: 37 AUD per 90-minute session.
Book options (extra):
- You can buy the book yourself using the links I send you.
- Or you can choose the “Sophie takes care of it for you” option (extra40 AUD if I send it by post, 30 AUD if I hand it to you in person): I order the book and send it to you, so you don’t have to hunt it down yourself.
How to join: For now, you sign up via a simple form and I’ll send you the payment details and all the information by email. When a session is full (6 people), registrations close.

FAQ

What if I don’t finish the book in time?

You’re still welcome to join. You’ll be able to listen, ask questions, and participate as much as you can. The goal is to encourage you to read more in French, not to punish you if life gets in the way.

What if I’m shy or not very confident speaking?

That’s totally fine. The group is small and friendly, and you can participate at your own pace. You’ll also have the vocabulary guide to help you find the right words.

What if my level is just end of A2?

You might need a bit more time to read, but the books are chosen to be accessible (short, relatively simple style). I’ll give a suggested level for each book so you can decide if it feels right for you.

Is this a French class?

It’s more a conversation space around a book than a traditional class. You’ll still learn a lot of vocabulary and get more comfortable speaking and understanding French, but there are no grammar exercises or tests.

Do I have to buy the book through you?

No. You can absolutely buy it yourself – I’ll send you links and you choose what works best for you. The “I take care of it for you” option is just there to make things easier if you prefer.

Will the session be recorded?

Sometimes the session may be recorded as a backup for those who can’t attend live, but I’m very careful about privacy and comfort. I’ll always let you know what we do for each session, and cameras are never mandatory.

Schedule 2026

Enrolment form