I couldn't resist commenting on this:
When I was 8, I was a hellion. I took things apart just to see how what they looked like inside, I broke my toys, my siblings' toys, and my parents refused to buy me expensive toys or gadgets of any kind.
My parents also read a lot. I learned reading sitting literally on dad's lap while he read to me, and I watched how very careful he was with all his books. So while I was breaking every thing else around me, I barely ever tore at the pages in any book I was given. If my parents had given me a Kindle and told me it was a book, I would have done my best to treat it the same way.
Kids can be taught to be careful with breakable things. That doesn't mean I'd buy an 8-year old an iPad.... but I would definitely consider a cheap refurbished eReader.