The Book of Nonsense
Read this book freeEvery sentence translated, natural audio, one-tap dictionary
Edward Lear's Book of Nonsense gathers short limericks about odd people in odd places: an old man with a long nose, a young lady whose chin plays a harp, and many more. Each poem is four or five lines long, paired with a comic drawing, and built on rhyme and rhythm rather than plot. The playful invented words and simple structures make these verses excellent light reading for learners who want short, memorable practice in English sound and stress.
Learn English with The Book of Nonsense
- Suits learners around level A2: you read the original, not a simplified retelling.
- Who it suits: a short book at A2, a good first real book in English after graded readers.
- 911 distinct words, each one a tap away from your personal vocabulary list.
- Translation into Russian, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Japanese, Chinese, Turkish or Arabic, aligned to every sentence, shown under the text or beside it.
- Read-aloud audio for every chapter, with the current sentence highlighted as it is read.
- Read in English, glance at the translation under any sentence you are unsure of, and listen to natural read-aloud voices to train your ear.
How it works
- Open the book: no installation, it reads in the browser on any device.
- Read a sentence in English. Its translation sits right under it, so you never lose the thread.
- Tap a word for its meaning and save it; listen to the chapter read aloud.
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Questions about this book
Can I read The Book of Nonsense in English for free?
Yes. The first chapters of The Book of Nonsense open without an account, with the translation, audio and dictionary included. A free account unlocks the rest of the book.
How much English do I need?
The text is estimated at level A2. Because every sentence has its translation underneath, lower levels can follow along too.
Is there audio?
Yes. Each chapter can be read aloud by a natural-sounding voice while the current sentence is highlighted.
Is The Book of Nonsense available in Russian?
Yes. On Booklern the English text of The Book of Nonsense is shown with its Russian translation under every sentence, so you read the original and check the Russian whenever you need to.
Is The Book of Nonsense available in Spanish?
Yes. On Booklern the English text of The Book of Nonsense is shown with its Spanish translation under every sentence, so you read the original and check the Spanish whenever you need to.
Is The Book of Nonsense available in Brazilian Portuguese?
Yes. On Booklern the English text of The Book of Nonsense is shown with its Brazilian Portuguese translation under every sentence, so you read the original and check the Brazilian Portuguese whenever you need to.
Is The Book of Nonsense available in Japanese?
Yes. On Booklern the English text of The Book of Nonsense is shown with its Japanese translation under every sentence, so you read the original and check the Japanese whenever you need to.
Is The Book of Nonsense available in Chinese?
Yes. On Booklern the English text of The Book of Nonsense is shown with its Chinese translation under every sentence, so you read the original and check the Chinese whenever you need to.
Is The Book of Nonsense available in Turkish?
Yes. On Booklern the English text of The Book of Nonsense is shown with its Turkish translation under every sentence, so you read the original and check the Turkish whenever you need to.
Is The Book of Nonsense available in Arabic?
Yes. On Booklern the English text of The Book of Nonsense is shown with its Arabic translation under every sentence, so you read the original and check the Arabic whenever you need to.
Can I download The Book of Nonsense as a PDF or EPUB?
Not from Booklern: the book is read online, in the browser, with nothing to download or install. Your place in the book is saved to your account.
