Malaysian tertiary students are reluctant readers of English texts, a condition which can impede the development of their English proficiency. In any ESL/EFL reading programme, particularly programmes for lower proficiency students, it is essential to provide materials that students can comprehend without difficulty. This paper discusses the respective roles of authentic and simplified texts in ESL/EFL settings, and observes students' perceptions towards the use of graded readers. 28 Malaysian undergraduates (remedial English language learners) read a series of graded readers from the Oxford Progressive English Readers collection, and questionnaires were utilised to record their perceptions. Primarily, it was found that: 1) perceptions regarding the graded readers were encouraging, and 2) using suitable reading materials can be beneficial, particularly in terms of developing a more positive attitude towards reading in English. The findings provide better direction for the implementation of reading programmes, and are relevant to both language teachers and course planners.