economical ereader for a kid?

[daisies]

I'm thinking about getting an ereader for my 8-year-old before a long trip overseas. She's a voracious reader and won't be able to pack many books. I'm looking basically for whatever's most economical, taking into account both the device and the downloads. No need for bells and whistles on the device, and I'm willing to buy new, refurb or used. She'll be reading kids' books, obviously -- classics as well as probably some more recent kids' books. I haven't checked into what our library system has in this realm yet but the library system is pretty good here so I assume we can borrow from them. Any recommendations?

[valcho]

Originally Posted by daisies

I'm thinking about getting an ereader for my 8-year-old before a long trip overseas. She's a voracious reader and won't be able to pack many books. I'm looking basically for whatever's most economical, taking into account both the device and the downloads. No need for bells and whistles on the device, and I'm willing to buy new, refurb or used. She'll be reading kids' books, obviously -- classics as well as probably some more recent kids' books. I haven't checked into what our library system has in this realm yet but the library system is pretty good here so I assume we can borrow from them. Any recommendations?

I think young kids (elementary school age) enjoy real books, they like colorful pictures and just turning of the real pages. If you want to go digital I thing some kind of netbook or cheap notebook/tablet will do better job then the regular boring for younger kids grayish ebook reader.

This is just my opinion

[HarryT]

Don't do it. Young children and delicate electronic devices really don't mix.

If your trip is "long", the idea of library books just wouldn't work. Library ebooks "expire" just like a loan of a paper book does.

[fjtorres]

You might want to consider a used color PDA, either PocketPC or Palm-based, and just install MobiReader (and/or MSReader). Advantage being small size, color for graphics, plus gaming and media capabilities on the side. Downside: daily recharging.

Of the eink readers you could go cheap, with the ebookwise which runs around US$100 new or the Jetbook lite which runs under US$150 and has been on sale for US$99, or you could go small/light but higher-priced, with the Sony 300, Booken Opus, or the Pocketbook 360 (my reader of choice) which comes with a smap-on hard cover to protect it. All have separate forums round these parts so you can inquire about kid-friendliness.

Alternately, you could go for one of the various MID devices running WinCE, Linux, or whatever, that feature color and internet capabilities in 5-7 in sizes for around $US200 but are likely to be more "computerish" to deal with.

Don't know if the schedule would let you wait for Nintendo's upcoming ebook collection for their DS that turns it into an ebook reader or if you'd be willing to configure a Nintendo DS to run dsLibris:
http://rhaleblian.wordpress.com/dsli...e-nintendo-ds/

When faced with a similar choice for a 10year old a couple years back, I went with the ebookwise but that was two years ago; lots more options today. Given the budget (it's hardly cheap) and the certainty that the kid would take care of it, I'd go with the pearlescent white PB360 with the (Optional) "Beauty" theme but I'm biased.
http://pocketbook-diary.blogspot.com...ocketbook.html

[Ea]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

You might want to consider a used color PDA, either PocketPC or Palm-based, and just install MobiReader (and/or MSReader). Advantage being small size, color for graphics, plus gaming and media capabilities on the side. Downside: daily recharging.

Of the eink readers you could go cheap, with the ebookwise which runs around US$100 new or the Jetbook lite which runs under US$150 and has been on sale for US$99, or you could go small/light but higher-priced, with the Sony 300, Booken Opus, or the Pocketbook 360 (my reader of choice) which comes with a smap-on hard cover to protect it. All have separate forums round these parts so you can inquire about kid-friendliness.

...

When faced with a similar choice for a 10year old a couple years back, I went with the ebookwise but that was two years ago; lots more options today. Given the budget (it's hardly cheap) and the certainty that the kid would take care of it, I'd go with the pearlescent white PB360 with the (Optional) "Beauty" theme but I'm biased.
http://pocketbook-diary.blogspot.com...ocketbook.html

If the re-charging issue can be got around, a (used) PDA would definitely be a cheap solution and with a good case, probably also best able to handle any rough handling. The e-ink screens are quite fragile (they have a thin layer of glass inside). Another alternative is the Jetbook, which is not e-ink, but reflective LCD.

I think you should definitely check the library option now, rather than after you buy anything. What kind of books are on loan, for how long, and in which formats.

[valcho]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Don't know if the schedule would let you wait for Nintendo's upcoming ebook collection for their DS that turns it into an ebook reader or if you'd be willing to configure a Nintendo DS to run dsLibris:
http://rhaleblian.wordpress.com/dsli...e-nintendo-ds/

Yes, DSi XL has bigger screens and maybe it is a good option - my older son wants it very much

[Omega]

I think whether or not to buy an electronic device for reading depends mainly on how mature your child is. Do you trust your child to be able to use it without breaking it or losing it? If not, definitely stick with paper books.

If you are confident she can take care of an electronic device, then I don't see a reason not to consider some kind of e-reader device. Since you mentioned borrowing from the library, you will probably want to find out what formats your library is using for ebooks, then proceed to find a device that can read that format.

I have a Sony PRS-300, and I am quite happy with it. It's small enough to carry in a small purse, but not as small as my iPod Touch, which I find too small for reading. However, there are other great devices out on the market, so you have plenty of choices!

[daisies]

Wow, I'm surprised at some of the responses.

This kid doesn't care about pictures -- she devours words. She likes books like the Chronicles of Narnia series and The Tale of Despereaux. She will happily read 300 pages in a day if given the time. She'll be overseas at a family member's house for a month this summer and can't pack more than a half-dozen or so "real" books. That will keep her busy for about 3 or 4 days. Then she'll REALLY miss books. I thought of this solution because I want everybody to be able to enjoy the trip. I know the library downloads expire, but I thought I'd load the thing with a good mix of library versions and regular purchases/free books. This would be a combined birthday present from me and her grandparents.

She is very careful, by the way.

Anyway, thanks for the ideas for things to look into. Had no idea that PDAs were an option, and never heard of a couple of those devices as I just started to look into this. Thanks for the suggestions.

[ficbot]

Sony Pocket Reader is around $200. I also got an Aluratek Libre retail that is about $50 cheaper. If she's reading Narnia, I don't see any issues. I would hesitate to give an ebook reader to a child that isn't yet on chapter books because they still point with their fingers and will make a mess out of the screen, but that does not sound like an issue here. Do you need book suggestions too?

[grooks]

I would say to stick with a 5" reader as this may be easier to hold.

Look at the Sony PRS-300, Jetbook, Jetbook Lite, Aluratek Libre and maybe the WISEreader. Of these, I think the Jetbook and Jetbook Lite do not read DRM files but I could be wrong. All others should be able to read library books.

[Elfwreck]

Originally Posted by daisies

Anyway, thanks for the ideas for things to look into. Had no idea that PDAs were an option, and never heard of a couple of those devices as I just started to look into this. Thanks for the suggestions.

I read on a Sony Clié for about two years before I got my PRS-505; I loved it and my kids borrowed it for both reading & games. They're no longer made, but they're always available on eBay. (There are several different models; I had both the PEG-T615C and the SJ22.)

I switched because I got tired of the battery dying mid-book and because I was having screen issues, and decided I'd just upgrade to a "real" ebook device instead of looking to repair no-longer-supported technology. But I still consider getting another one because I loved the size & general usefulness.

[BillSmithBooks]

Would a generic media player with (plain text) ebook functions work?

There are many devices with 2.5"-3.5" screens that play videos & mp3s, have a picture viewer and you can read plain text ebooks...you can get them on ebay or geeks.com for $20-30, so it's a minimal "try it out" expense.

Free plaintext ebooks can be had from manybooks, gutenberg.org, smashwords, feedbooks and numerous other sources.

Anyone have any experience with these devices?

[sianon]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Don't do it. Young children and delicate electronic devices really don't mix.

If your trip is "long", the idea of library books just wouldn't work. Library ebooks "expire" just like a loan of a paper book does.

Harry, i have to respectfully state that your comment is rubbish. Young children who are taught to respect their belongings are perfectly able to handle delicate devices with safety. My 5 year old granddaughter has an Ipod touch which she has had for a year and she also has a good digital camera. I have never known her to break any toy or device that she has handled.

To the OP, if your daughter loves reading an e-ink device would be great for her and the Kindle has to be about the cheapest of the crop.

[valcho]

Originally Posted by sianon

Harry, i have to respectfully state that your comment is rubbish. Young children who are taught to respect their belongings are perfectly able to handle delicate devices with safety. My 5 year old granddaughter has an Ipod touch which she has had for a year and she also has a good digital camera. I have never known her to break any toy or device that she has handled.

To the OP, if your daughter loves reading an e-ink device would be great for her and the Kindle has to be about the cheapest of the crop.

WOW, and I'm still rejecting my 6 year old boy's "I want Nentendo DS...!"

[snakeyez]

hi daisies

I think your daughter would love this aluratek libre ebook reader because it is cheaper it a 150 dollars compared to other expensive ebook reader in the market.This ebook reader is a 5 inch ,comes with a 100 book included in the 2gb sd card and it play music and the battery life is 24 hours and two weeks standby time.I have been using the this ebook reader for a while and i love it using it every minute of it. You can read the rest of the features on this link: http://www.aluratek.com/product_info...02&display=All