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When I decided to improve my English a couple of decades ago, I went with books (originals or translations) that I had already read in my native language. The familiarity with the story helped me to "grasp" what was going on better and allowed me to "guess" the meaning of words and sentences that I didn't understand. It made for more fluid reading.
If I were to do this now, as a native English speaker (which I'm not), I would pick up the first German translation of Lord of the Rings. Yes, I'm actually serious. The initial translation (from the sixties, I believe) is almost better than the original and reads smoothly. I read it at age fourteen, and I wasn't the most patient individual back then. The newer translation (eighties?), however, is as overdone as the original (a blasphemous statement, I know!) .
If this idea doesn't appeal, then I'd recommend the books and short stories by Erich Kästner. Mostly written for children, but nevertheless excellent.
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