12 Easy Ways to Get FREE Children’s Books
Reading is an essential skill for children, and providing them with access to books is crucial for their development. Fortunately, there are many easy ways to get free children’s books. From local libraries to online resources, there are a variety of options available for parents and caregivers looking to build a library for their children without breaking the bank.
This post may contain affiliate links that earn me a small commission, at no cost to you. As always, I only recommend links I personally use and love!
Reading has so many benefits for children. It helps their cognitive skills, improves their language skills, and helps them do better in school. It also helps them later in life to become more knowledgeable as adults. Not only that, it’s fun!
With so many known benefits, there are tons of places out there and online that will give you free books because they want to make sure all children have access to books. So check out the list below, get a book, and start reading today!
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a book gifting program that aims to foster a love of reading among children from birth to age five. The program sends a free, age-appropriate book every month to enrolled children, regardless of their family’s income. Started in 1995 in Sevier County, Tennessee, where Dolly Parton grew up, the Imagination Library has since expanded to communities across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. As of 2021, the program has distributed over 160 million books to children around the world. The Imagination Library aims to improve early childhood literacy and promote lifelong learning by providing children with access to books and encouraging parents to read to their children.
PJ Library
PJ Library is a non-profit organization that provides free Jewish children’s books to families with young children. The program is available to families raising Jewish children between the ages of six months and twelve years old, regardless of their level of observance or affiliation. Every month, PJ Library sends out a carefully curated selection of high-quality, age-appropriate books that highlight Jewish culture, values, and traditions. The books are chosen by a team of experts and are designed to engage and educate children about Jewish heritage, holidays, and customs. Through PJ Library, families can build a strong connection to Jewish life and community, while also promoting a love of reading and learning in their children.
Free Children’s Book Downloads
Download Free PDFs from this online library of children’s books. They have TONS of books for toddlers all the way up to young adults. These would be great to read on an iPad or tablet and most are full color with illustrations.
Read Conmigo
Read Conmigo is a bilingual literacy program that provides free children’s books in English and Spanish, educational apps, and literary resources for children in preschool through 5th grade. This one is available to people who live in California, Florida, and Texas. Sign up and you can get a book in the mail every four months.
Little Free Library
Free Little Library is a grassroots movement that promotes literacy and community engagement through a network of free book exchanges. Little Free Libraries are small, outdoor cabinets or boxes filled with books that are available for anyone to take, with the expectation that they will return or replace the books they have taken with others. These libraries are typically located in public spaces, such as parks or sidewalks, and operate on an honor system. The goal of Little Free Library is to increase access to books, promote a love of reading, and build community connections through the sharing of knowledge and stories. With thousands of Little Free Libraries across the world, the movement has become a symbol of community generosity and the power of books to bring people together.
Your Local Library
You can always get free books at your local good old fashioned library. You can sign up for a library card and borrow some books, but sometimes they give away old books they no longer need. make sure to ask the librarian if they have any. Plus if you have a library card you can use services like Hoopla to borrow movies and more online.
Project Gutenberg
Project Gutenberg is a digital library that offers over 60,000 free eBooks, including a vast collection of children’s books. The site features classic and contemporary literature, educational materials, and works in many different languages. Children’s books available on Project Gutenberg range from picture books to young adult fiction and cover a wide range of subjects and genres. All of the books on Project Gutenberg are in the public domain, meaning that they are no longer under copyright protection and are free to use and share. This makes Project Gutenberg an excellent resource for parents, teachers, and librarians looking to access high-quality, age-appropriate reading materials for children at no cost. The site is easy to use and allows users to search for books by author, title, and subject matter, making it a great tool for discovering new books and authors.
Amazon Lending Library
Amazon Lending Library is a program that allows Amazon Prime members to borrow one free eBook per month from a selection of over 800,000 titles, including many children’s books. The program offers a variety of popular titles and bestsellers, as well as a selection of lesser-known works. Members can read the borrowed books on their Kindle device or through the Kindle app on their smartphone or tablet. The program is a convenient way for families to access new and popular children’s books without having to purchase them outright. Amazon Lending Library is included with Amazon Prime membership, which also includes other benefits such as free two-day shipping, streaming of movies and TV shows, and access to exclusive deals and discounts.
Free eBooks
There are Free ebooks all over the web and they are fun and easy to read on your PC or tablet. There are several sites you can use to find free kids ebooks
Lola’s Books
Lola’s Book Tours lets you get FREE books in exchange for a review. They basically exist to help new authors get exposure for their books. They usually have tons of books for kids, young adults, and adults. If you request one, you’ll need to leave a review on a site like Amazon, Goodreads or Barnes & Noble.
Enchanted Book Promotions
Here is another free book in exchange for a review site. In order to review all you need is a blog or an Amazon account so you can post the review there. They have books for all ages as well.
Paperback Swap
Paperback Swap lets you your trade books. Just post a book you’d like to swap on the site. Once a book is requested, mail it to the member. Then, you may choose from 1,509,624 available books! Books you request are yours to keep, or swap again!
More From Guide2Free
Fun Doesn’t Have to Cost: 11 Free Activities for Kids
Explore our curated list of the top 11 free activities suggested by the online community.
Zero-Cost Fun: 10 Creative Ways to Have a Blast Without Spending a Penny
Zero-Cost Fun: 10 Creative Ways to Have a Blast Without Spending a Penny
Discover the joy of zero-cost fun with our list of creative ways to entertain yourself without spending a penny.