When you’re studying a foreign language, a frequent suggestion is to immerse yourself in books and other media products created in the vernacular. For the most part, any type of material is better than none. Ideally, though, you want to surround yourself with book, films and other media that will complement the level of your advancement in the language.
For beginners, we always recommend starting with elementary reading materials. Books designed for young readers are typically more effective for students during the early stages of language learning compared to other options, such as songs, music and film.
Children’s books, especially those with pictures, are almost always the best starting point, as they typically pair simple words with basic sentence construction. As such, you will be able to practice your reading and comprehension skills designed specifically for those on the lower-end of their language abilities.
Apart from that, many books designed for children are also filled with pictures and illustrations, which can be very helpful when trying to glean the context of certain statements. Instead of having to use a dictionary to look up points of confusion, you can simply use the images to help clue you in on what is being talked about.
Of course, you will likely use these materials on a temporary basis, with their usefulness waning considerably as you progress in your familiarity with the new language. As such, we don’t recommend you buy these “practice” material the same way that you invest in a language software. For the most part, you should either try sourcing them from a library (try the local consulate of the country whose language you are studying) or look for digital versions online.