By clicking a retailer link you consent to third-party cookies that track your onward journey. This enables W? to receive an affiliate commission if you make a purchase, which supports our mission to be the UK's consumer champion.
E-books for kids: where can you download free ebooks?
With Christmas fast approaching, now might be the best time to invest in an e-reader for your child.
E-readers are lightweight, portable and you can download and store thousands of titles in one place - ideal if you lack the space to store lots of physical books.
Additionally, you can purchase, download and read your ebook of choice in mere minutes. Some parental settings also let you limit the amount of screen time your child gets (more on that below).
Find out where you can access the top titles (both paid-for and free) and how you can toggle parental controls on your child's e-reader to give yourself peace of mind while they browse.
Kobo or Kindle? Our tough lab tests make it easy for you to compare the best e-readers
Where to get cheap and free ebooks for kids
Ebooks tend to be cheaper than paper books and you don't have to spend a fortune to digitally access hundreds of kid-friendly titles.
There are also resources available so you can get a huge range of ebooks for free.
You can search for and download free children's books from a range of online stores and apps, such as:
- Kindle Store - stocks thousands of popular children's books, from Diary of a Wimpy Kid to The Very Hungry Caterpillar, many of which are completely free to download. You can read on Kindle e-readers, Amazon Fire, Apple and Android devices via the Amazon Kindle app, or on computers via the Amazon Kindle app or Kindle Cloud Reader.
- Kobo Store - Amazon's main rival when it comes to e-readers, Kobo books can be read on Kobo e-readers, Android or Apple devices, or via your computer (through the Kobo Desktop app). Kobo's store has a large spread of children's books for both fun and educational purposes.
- Google Play Books - sells a huge range of kid-friendly ebooks, plus you can search for books by age range or sub-genre on the online Google Play Store. Google Play Books can be read on Android smartphones and tablets, or on compatible computers.
- Apple Books - only accessible on Apple iOS devices or Macs, Apple Books offer ebooks from many popular authors, such as Roald Dahl, J.K. Rowling and Jaqueline Wilson. You can also search for authors' collections specifically.
Check out our advice on where to download free or cheap ebooks for more information.
Educational ebooks
If you're looking to download educational ebooks for kids, or they were set some reading homework, we found Oxford Owl to be a fantastic resource for more learning-centred ebook reading - plus, it's completely free.
Sign-up is quick and you'll gain access to hundreds of primary school books suitable for ages 3-11. Most of these are geared towards developing reading skills and learning phonics, and include much-loved titles such as the Biff, Chip and Kipper series.
This resource is best accessed online to be viewed on a laptop, computer or tablet. See our pick of the best tablets for kids.
Can I toggle parental controls on an e-reader?
Most e-readers will have some sort of parental control built in. This will usually be accessed via 'Settings'.
- For Kindle-users, you can set and toggle parental controls such as screen time limitations, bedtime settings, educational goals, and Smart Filters (which only allows your child to view approved content).
- For Kobo-users, a 2019 update included the option to add a 4-digit pin for users to access the Kobo Store, web browser and certain settings on a Kobo e-reader.
Limitations of parental controls
It's important to note that, although parental controls are an effective way to restrict what your child can view and access, the best way to monitor their activity is to be mindful of what they're doing.
Keep an eye out for any updates which may alter your parental controls, and change any password pins frequently in case your child has memorised it.
