The Country of the Blind: Mandarin Companion Graded Readers Level 1, Simplified Chinese Edition

This really is a fantastic story with a brilliant ending, adapted well for HSK 3 level readers. The way new words are introduced is effective and, both the illustrations, and the choice of story make this an excellent graded reader.

The characters are a good size and easy to read. I am disappointed that the audio has to be purchased separately through audible that charges a monthly fee. I would like to be able to purchase the audio in an MP3 and be able to use on any device without having to go through an APP or stream.

I love this series and I loved this book.I made it through Chapter 18 of the Integrated Chinese textbooks and took 3 semesters in College before starting this book.You could probably tackle this with just finishing the first Integrated textbook but I would use flashcards with the vocabulary on the back before doing so. It would be a bit challenging as you would need to look up new grammar but it's doable. Also, It's easy to find all the vocab because they are listed with the definitions on the back. I like that they are on every page too, so that when you read along all you need to do is look down if you don't know a character. However, for full comprehension and enjoyment, I would suggest starting this book after making it through at least Chapter 15 of the Integrated Chinese textbooks.The story is interesting and is NOT redundant. It recycles new vocabulary in a fresh way that doesn't over-encumber the reader with repeating the same portion of the story over and over again (I can't stress how much I HATE this). The sentence structures are all different, with new words, and doesn't make me feel like I'm reading flashcards or that I'm in class doing drills.There's a little drama, some emotions, and a good ending.It's not Shakespeare but I'm more than happy with the quality.I recommended this series to all of my classmates and anyone who is trying to learn Mandarin independently.No it doesn't have audio. The satisfaction I get from being able to comprehend what I'm reading and the fact it doesn't feel monotonous makes me more than happy to pay for the book without it.I'm hooked and a supporter. Keep it up Mandarin Companion. (I also read the traditional character versions at times so don't get rid of those!)

The good line spacing and the beautiful calligraphy-type characters make it easy to read.

On n'a pas besoin d'être très avancé pour lire ce livre, qui utilise un système de notes numérotées récurrentes permettant de retrouver au fur et à mesure le sens de mots inconnus, et de même d'apprendre ces mots pour ne plus avoir besoin de s'y référer. Il y a beaucoup de répétitions : celles-ci sont à la base d'un enseignement progressif, intuitif et sans douleur. C'est simple, mais efficace (ce liver s'adresse plutôt à des adolescents ou jeunes adultes qui veulent apprendre par eux-même) : c'est gratifiant de se dire qu'on arrive à lire un chapitre entier voire tout le livre, en peu de temps, et en ayant révisé et/ou appris un certain nombre de caractères au passage.