Best of The Reader
Best of The Reader was a website that hosted a series of e-books for adult literacy and English language learners. The website was retired in 2023.
The stories, recipes, puzzles and other material in the e-books were written by Joan Acosta, the editor of The Westcoast Reader (1982-2009), a newspaper designed to help learners develop reading and language skills.
Due to continued interest in the resource, we are making the e-books available here. As the Decoda Literacy Library has now closed, physical copies are not available to borrow until the library is transferred to another organization. Until that time, you may download in PDF format here.
Each of the 15 books features 8 to 10 stories, accompanied by exercises and activities as well as an answer key to support independent learning. A Teachers’ Guide offers ideas and suggestions for how to use the e-books with learners.
Most of the e-books are available at three reading levels. These are the symbols for each level:
- Amazing Stories
- Canada
- Canada quiz
- Indigenous Peoples of Canada
- Easy Stories – People
- Families
- Many Ways to Help
- Special Days and Holidays
- People and Jobs
- Keeping Safe
- Readers’ Stories
- Recipes
- Sports
- Word Games and Puzzles
- Your Health
- Best of The Reader Teachers’ Guide
Please contact wcr@decoda.ca if you have any questions.