Graded Readers
Short and Easy French Readings for Little Folks
Hachette’s Illustrated French Primer
Le Francais par la méthode nature (and audio reading along)
First French Book After the Natural Method and Second French Book after the Natural or Pestalozzian Method
Livre des enfants pour l’etude du francais and Le Second livre des enfants pour l’etude du francais
Easy French Reading or Easy French: A Reader for Beginners or Easy Standard French
Newson’s First French Book and Newson’s Second French Book
Le francais par les texts (CP)
The French series Choix de lectures by Mironneau (for native speakers): CE1/Second Grade; CE2; CM1; CM; Cours Superiuer
Fables
Here is just one of many editions of Les Fables de la Fontaine. Librivox recordings (not sure of quality) also abound.
Fairy Tales
Contes et legendes 1er Partie and Contes et legends 2me Partie by Hélène Guerber (graded readers).
L’arbre de Noël: Contes et légendes by Xavier Marmier (audio recordings).
Contes bleus by Edouard Laboulaye (about; for the advanced student).
Other Children’s Literature (written for Francophone children)
Pour les petits: Premier livre pour les enfants
Nouvelles lectures pour les petits enfants
Premier livre de lecture du degre moyen des écoles primaires de la Suisse romand
Le Livre des quarante nouvelles, pour les enfants by Mmes Marie Mallet & M. Dumont
Works by the Comtesse de Segur: Les malheurs de Sophie (for French language learners and a simplified version also for learners); Les bons enfants; Les petites filles modèles; Les Actes des Apotres; L’auberge de l’ange-gardien; Les vacances; and many more.
Théâtre pour les jeunes filles by Maurice Bouchor.
Poetry
The Cours de l’Annonciation publishes for free a poetry reader for each grade level from MP to CM2.
Historiettes et poésies choisies pour les enfants
Receuil de poésies (aimed at CM1/CM2)
Recueil de poésies pour les jeunes filles by Mme de Witt.
The French Today website has posted slower readings of many poems, some with simple explanations in French.
Literature
This website shares audio recordings of many, many classics of French literature.
Anthologie littéraire illustrée by A. Mironneau.
Lettres de mon moulin by Alphonse Daudet (edited for language learners, also available in Librivox).
Jeanne d’Arc by Alphone Lamartine.
Esther, a play by Jean Racine written in three acts for the Maison Royale de Saint-Louis, a boarding school for girls from impoverished noble families.
The previous volume also contains the text of Racine’s play Athelie. Here it is with English translation.
An annotated edition of Horace by Pierre Corneille.
History
The Cours de l’Annonciation also posts a beautiful French history book for elementary school children in France, but suitable for an intermediate-level French language learner, Images et récits d’histoire de France.
Alternately, Easy French History, written for language learners. Or Easy French Readings: Beings Selections of Historical Tales and Anecdotes.
L’Histoire ancienne, racontée aux enfants by M. Lamé Fleury.
L’histoire du moyen age racontee aux enfants Partie I et Partie 2 by M. Lamé Fleury.
L’histoire moderne, racontée aux enfants Tome 1 and Tome 2 by M. Lamé Fleury.
L’histoire de France, racontée à la jeunesse. Tome premier by M. Lamé Fleury.
L’histoire de France depuis 1789 jusqu’en 1848 racontée à mes petits-enfants volume 1 and volume 2 by M. Guizot.
Jean & Lucie, histoire de deux jeunes refugies : la guerre racontee aux enfants
Lecture expliquée by A. Mironneau and Ed. Rover (primary source texts with supporting materials; lower level)
Morceaux choisis des auteurs français du moyen âge a nos jours, 842-1900, préparés en vue de la lecture expliquée (primary source texts with supporting material; higher level).
Quelle histoire – shorter form animated history series
Il était une fois… (Hello Maestro) – longer form animated history series
Science
Le livre d’histoires: Récits scientifique de l’Oncle Paul a ses neveux by Jean-Henri Fabre (and many, many more, including Le ménage : causeries d’Aurore avec ses nièces sur l’économie domestique : lectures courantes à l’usage des écoles de filles).
C’est pas sorcier – a live action, science education show
Grammar
La grammaire de l’Oncle Tonton (shared by the Cours de l’Annonciation)
The Augé System of Teaching French, Natural Method Modified
La grammaire par les textes et par l’usage by Mironneau (CP & CE, first and second grade)
Reseau canope (and many others not on the official Ministry of Education channel)
Online Exercises at L’Instit.com
Orthography
Dictées en ligne at Orthodidacte.com
Listening Comprehension
Conversational French Course, Arranged for “Natural Method” Students and Teachers
Short, Leveled Listening Comprehension Exercises from TV5
Speaking
Geography & Culture
Notions élémentaires de la géographie physique destinées aux enfants du canton de Genève
Leçons de géographie by Jean Brunhes
Le tour de la France par deux enfants (abridged and edited for language learners by Heath; abridged and edited for language learners by Holt; abridged and edited for language learners by Allyn and Bacon) – study guides for Chapters I to XI; Chapters XII to XXVIII; Chapters XXIX to XXXVII; Chapters XXXVIII to LI; Chapters LI to LII;
Religion
La vie des saints pour tous les jours de l’année, is a French collection of saints’ lives for every day of the year.
Lectures expliquées : avec enseignement moral et civique
Music
Chansons d’enfants by Jacques Dalcroze.
Current Events
General
Manuels anciens is a website that posts images of vintage French textbooks. Unfortunately the photo file for each page must be separately downloaded and then assembled in a pdf for ease of printing. But invaluable, nonetheless.
Nihil sub sole novum 