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15 Of The Best Places To Find Free Books Online

Nikki VanRy

Nikki VanRy is a proud resident of Arizona, where she gets to indulge her love of tacos, desert storms, and tank tops. She also writes for the Tucson Festival of Books, loves anything sci-fi/fantasy/historical, drinks too much chai, and will spend all day in bed reading thankyouverymuch. Follow her on Instagram @nikki.vanry .

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Want to get your eyes on MILLIONS of free books online?

If you’ve been following along, you already know that you can find free audiobooks online  (woop woop!). We talked about options like LibriVox and MindWebs that are offering readers free audio books and short stories.

Now, we’ve got 15 more sites where you can read free books online when earbuds aren’t an option. You’ll get beyond the classics (though those are cool too), with free YA books, graphic novels, fanfiction, children’s books, and more.

And all together these sites have a lot of great books. A lot. Like, in the millions. Seriously. Your TBR list may be crying, but at least your wallet is happy?

Where can I download free books Online?

We give more details about each one below, but the following sites all offer (or curate a collection with) free books online:

1. Goodreads’ Free Shelves

While many of the books on the following websites are classic books and out of copyright, you can find more contemporary online books for free at Goodreads’ free eBooks shelves (either full or excerpts) or with the “ free-online ” tag.

2. International Children’s Digital Library

If you’re looking for free children’s books online, the ICDL is a nonprofit organization with a mission to: “promote tolerance and a respect for diverse cultures by providing access to the best of children’s literature from around the world.”

You can read freely and anonymously on their site, or create an account to keep an ongoing bookshelf. And there are books from all over the world (you can even search by countries on the globe). Look for great free books online like:

Related: 25 Free Amazon Prime Audiobooks

3. Internet Sacred Text ARchive

Dedicated to religion, mythology, and folklore, the ISTA online collection provides access to hundreds of sacred texts online. It also promotes religious diversity, tolerance, and scholarship baked into its mission (which is pretty rad of course).

You’ll find versions of the  Bible,  as well as the  Talmud ,  Vedas,  and more.

4. ManyBooks

Just as the name implies, ManyBooks has loads and loads of online books for free. Over 30,000 in fact. The majority of their eBooks work for Kindles, Nooks, iPads, and other readers.

You’ll find thousands of books, both classic and contemporary here, such as:

5. Open Culture

Open Culture connected readers with a curated list of free audiobooks, and they’ve created something similar for free eBooks. You’ll find 800 free and downloadable eBooks through their site, ready to download for iPads, iPhones, Kindles, or to read in your browser directly.

Some knockouts include The Stranger  by Albert Camus and poems from Charles Bukowski.

6. Open Library

Open Library offers over 1.7 million free eBooks online to users. It’s part of the Internet Archive, which also allows users to contribute (and correct!) books. They both offer free versions of full books and links to access paid books elsewhere.

Books to read online include  Sherlock Holmes  by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle or  Matilda  by Roald Dahl.

7. Overdrive

The Libby App by OverDrive connects you with your local libraries to check out eBooks on your personal devices. You only need a library card and you’ll be able to check out classic and contemporary eBooks for free, anywhere and anytime. They host a catalog of over two million eBooks, as well as audiobooks. And, they’ve recently made it easier to transfer books onto your device.

Of course, since it’s connected to your library, you’ll also see free bestselling YA eBooks and other more recent bestsellers and other classics.

8. Project Gutenberg

Project Gutenberg continues to be a fantastic resource for classic novels and obscure older texts alike that are already in the public domain. The organization is run entirely by volunteers who digitize and then also proofread works. In all, they’ve added over 50,000 free books online.

Whether you’re reading them online or downloading them to your device, you can dig into classic books like:

9. Read Print

Read Print is a user-friendly website that allows users to read classics online. It also has a fancy bookshelf widget where you can track books read and books (so many books) that you want to read.

You’ll find free classic books like:

10. Riveted

Riveted offers YA books for free online, either full books or excerpts on a time-limited basis.

By signing into the site from Simon & Schuster and becoming a member, you’ll be able to read some sweet free books, download them to any device, join in giveaways, and discuss your YA favorites.

If you love all things science fiction and fantasy, check out Tor’s eBook club and weekly newsletters .

The publisher releases weekly original short stories from some of the biggest sci-fi/fantasy authors. And, seriously, receiving a smashingly fantastic short story in my inbox every week has been such a joy and has helped me find great new authors.

They also release the eBook of the Month club where you can get free access to one pick each month.

12. WikiSource

Got a jonesing for some original source material? Even if you’re not in academia, Wikisource is the ultimate place to do a deep dive on a topic. The site hosts almost 400,000 texts in English, with user-generated submissions allowed.

You can find texts from 1846 to 1941, from authors like Rudyard Kipling and Marie de France, on werewolves specifically. Or, discover new worlds with texts from Jules Verne and Philip Dick.

13. World Public Library

The World Public Library’s online Millennium Collection isn’t free, but for less than $10 a year for *ahem* millions of free books in over 300 languages, it’s basically free. They also offer free memberships for physically disabled or special needs members. You’ll find eBooks from all over the world, including:

Some of their knock-outs include  1984  by George Orwell,  Siddhartha  by Hemann Hesse, and  The Mahabharata  translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli.

Seriously, even more Free Books Online

These are mostly websites that share free books online that have at one time been traditionally published and disseminated. But, um, there’s the internet which means there’s more books available out there than you’ll ever have time to read.

Check out WattPad for stories by independent authors, historical fiction, fanfiction, and more. There’s also a huge active community over there to talk about books with. Here’s your beginner’s guide .

FanFiction.net is a hub for short story and novel length spin-offs of your favorite fictional worlds.

Phew, we’re not done yet.  BookRix is also a community of independent authors who publish free eBooks in any of your favorite genres. We’re talking fantasy, romance, sci-fi, children’s and more.

The Library of Congress also has a small collection of classic children’s books.

Finally, also make sure to follow your favorite authors on social media. They’ll often share links to eBook deals, excerpts to upcoming novels, giveaways, or free shorts set in the same universe.

Want To Find Cheap Books?

Other cheaper options ($10 a month or less) include Kindle Unlimited , some of the books on the Google Play store, Unlimited Library , and Scribd .

You can also follow along with Book Riot’s Deals of the Day “ Book Deals ” emails where you’ll get alerts about absurdly cheap eBooks and audiobooks.

Read Next: 50+ Ways to Get Free Books

It makes my heart swell a little bit that there are SO MANY places to find free books online. That’s a lot of literature, all with a simple internet connection.

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“ killer in the willows ” by kajsa ohman.

🏆 Winner of Contest #236

KILLER IN THE WILLOWSJust do it, so the T-shirts say. Just pick up the gun, pull the trigger—but maybe aim first, aim at the upper sternum and then pull the trigger, congratulating yourself that at last, in your long, passive life, you have shot somebody dead. So she did, and thus she became a murderer. She slipped through the night after that and disappeared into the willows to wash off any blood that spattered onto her clothing. The willows were thickl...

“ The Lantern of Kaamos ” by Jonathan Page

🏆 Winner of Contest #233

The melting Arctic is a crime scene, and I am like CSI Ny-Ålesund. Trond is the anonymous perpetrator leaving evidence and clues for me to discover, like breadcrumbs leading back to him. “Jonna,” he had said, the day we first met at the research institute, “If you are going to make it up here, don’t lock your doors.” It seemed like a life philosophy, rather than a survival tip.It is ironic. Out on Kings Bay, the coal miners came first, then the science outposts. Trond was already out here mining the Arctic when I was sti...

“ No Junior League ” by Mary Lynne Schuster

🏆 Winner of Contest #232

You are sure you want to do this?   Running away. Starting over.  It’s not as easy as people think. You have to give up everything.  Oh, that part’s easy. Everyone thinks we are all traceable, that you can’t really hide. But, see, everything is tied to your identity. Your papers. If you change those, you are a different person.  Fingerprints? If they’re in the system, if yo...

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“ objects in space ” by angelica sophia.

Submitted to Contest #246

They say the moon controls our emotions. E-motion as invisible and real as electrons, protons, and neurons. That stuff life’s made out of, built on. The little things under the surface that collectively make and move masses bit by bit.  Elisa considered her feelings as the shadows around her began to collect and shift. A shadow for the shadow, doubled, darkness magnified. The eclipse was starting. That moment when the moon covers the face of the sun.  But, what was it to her? Why did she care? “C’mon everyone, let’s go outside,”...

“ Like Christmas ” by Samantha Fenton

Note: contains sexual and physical violence.LIKE CHRISTMASThe eclipse came and so did my relatives, in a fashion similar to the Fourth of July or Easter. Casseroles, potatoes, pie. Tin foil. It was not like Christmas. I will explain why.My cousin, Melony, came last, and put a greasy bag of gas station JoJos into my hands. Said curtly, “Muffins burnt up.” Shot a withering glance at her new husband, who refused to meet it.“I’ve been craving these anyway. We should get together more often,” I said.“Of course.”This was the stilted talk of those ...

“ No Mere Mortal ” by Myranda Marie

“The eclipse has come and gone, and I for one am so grateful.” “And why is that?” “People like me are often affected by celestial occurrences. This one was intense.” “How so?” “It started about a week ago; low energy and high anxiety battling for dominance. Have you ever wanted nothing more than to sleep, but couldn’t turn your thoughts off long enough to nod off? When I would finally pass out from sheer exhaustion, the vivid apocalyptic dreams would infiltrate like a jolt of frantic energy, causing me to awaken abruptly with no chance of fa...

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“ all of them ” by ester segal.

“You AT LEAST have to admit that it would make you get out of bed. Even if it was just for the 8 ½ minutes.”“Oh take a hike Charlie. You act like it matters anyways-” He paused to exhale a loud, empty breath, “whether or not I get out of bed.”“For Christ’s sake, Seth, I don’t even like you and I think it matters.” Charlie plopped himself down on the bed and went on, “You’ve been keeping yourself hostage in this room- which smells like absolute horseshit by the way- for the past goddamn MONTH. Because of what? Because of all that student...

“ Lunacy ” by Jeremy Burgess

Standing in the cold stone hallway of Castle Halgar, the High Priestess Assanda assessed Prince Cordus, her amber eyes finding him wanting. "Now that you have returned to court, you will need to do as I say should you wish to remain breathing," she said. She was an imposing woman of generous frame and voluminous robe, white  braided with gold, as was customary for the Church of the Sky. Around her neck hung the holy sigil, a polished stone black circle with a thin gold rim, and a point of silver in the middle. She wore no makeup of any ...

“ Miss Purdy Sees ” by Tanya Humphreys

Though her coat was black, Miss Purdy was predominantly Siamese. When she stretched in the patch of early morning sun, her body was a long, sleek, torpedo, her glossy fur shone like rich satin. Miss Purdy was taking it a bit easy, catering to the needs of eight three-week-old kittens was exhausting.The kittens were safely sheltered in a box tucked into a closet. The closet was in an office high on one of the top floors of a building. Miss Purdy did not know exactly how tall the building was, but from the woman’s desk she could see nothing bu...

“ The Brighter the Light, the Deeper the Shadow ” by Christina Santoro

Thyra surveyed the water around her, diligently waiting for a minnow to reveal itself between the soft glints of reflected sunlight. Her long skirt was knotted around her waist, serving two purposes – keeping it dry and holding in place her bilberry-laden pouch. A faint ripple appeared beside her left foot. Without hesitation, Thyra deftly plucked a small silvery fish from the brook. She had four now, which wasn’t a lot, but with a portion of bread and a handful of berries, it would be sufficient. Cadoc wasn't expected home for another few d...

“ Marbles ” by PJ Town

The children formed a circle in the clearing, chattering and jostling to get as near as possible to Elder Jakintsu. His long white beard and hair spoke of ancient wisdom, but the youngsters were more interested in the stories he told, which were invariably fun. At a loud clap of his hands, all fell silent.“Little ones, you are no doubt wondering why we are gathered here on this rest day, when you might normally be playing,” Jakintsu said. He took a cloth bag from his lap and plonked it at his feet. It made a clinking sound.Sitting opposite h...

“ The Night the Sky Fell ” by Jennifer Fremon

CharlotteWhen Charlotte was 11 years old, she met a boy named Jimmy by the lake. Jimmy had blond hair and blue eyes, and a smile that was as bright as the sun. He was carrying a stick with a fishing line and a hook attached to it. It was not a fishing rod, as those were expensive, for the families who owned the boats docked by the larger lake over in town. The big lake people lived here year round, had winterized homes and generators for the months where the entire town was buried underneath three feet of snow. The people at Smoke Rise Campg...

“ The Red Mirror Project ” by Scott Christenson

Elena waited anxiously at the meeting point in front of the Yuantong Temple gate. Standing outdoors on the high plateau that Kunming is situated on, the refreshing coolness of the breeze brought her senses alive. It was a stark contrast to the relentless heat of San Francisco, where stepping outdoors felt like entering an oven. In Kunming, despite it being the middle of July, the temperature was a comfortable 90F.  Even more exciting than the cool weather was that Kevin was due any minute. She hadn’t seen Kevin, her ex-boyfriend, since ...

“ Avraám & his Sons ” by A.J. Williams

Note: A.E. (After-Event) refers to the new dating system in-universe. In the year 2012, a massive solar flare hit the Earth, sending the human race back into the Dark Ages. A Second Dark Ages. City of Athens, Greek Union of Cities August 17th, 2145 (133 A.E.) "Iakovos, please bring the feather and ink. Tonight's sky is clear, and we need to begin documenting the stars," ordered Avraám, the Star-Gazer of Athens, a respected role held in high regard by the Greek community. "Of course, Father," replied his son. "The Council and the King requi...

“ The Morning Star ” by Nicholas Thomas

      My husband lies in the hallway as a mangled corpse, and only I would ever know why. It is with this morbid knowledge that I am sitting here now, against the wall, preparing to blow out my own brains, out of fear that I should meet the same fate as him.           It was April 8th, the day of the solar eclipse. My husband – John – myself, and our dog, Edgar, sat on the hill behind our house. Edgar chewed happily at a stick he found while John and I sat o...

“ Cassiopeia ” by Elise G

Around the corner of a run-down building, where the red brick is grey with dust and the blinds hang to the windows by a thread, is a large new street, crisp and black, sloping down a gentle hill. Follow that big bright street, turn a few more corners, and there, tucked beside an ice cream store and a parking lot, is a market, running without fail every Saturday evening, popping up at lunch and gone by the time the sun is down. For a few hours each Saturday, it no longer smells of sticky asphalt and cigarette smoke, but popcorn jumping in lar...

“ The Grave Diggers' Karma ” by Mickey Platko

Warning: Contains mention of a death.Archie Duchesne irritated the shit out of me and probably did so to every person he met. And true to form, his body turned up during the biggest event our little horticulture group had ever hosted, thus grabbing the attention that should have gone to our greatest achievement.Our group’s unique hybrid Corpse Flower was blooming. The Grave Diggers, as we called ourselves, had been cultivating this strain for nearly a century. Not the current members, of course, but our group had been breeding these delightf...

“ The Moon Mare ” by Cece Tarbie

There are ponies in the sky.Every day they play and tear up the heavens, making all the colours in the sky bleed and run. Over the mountain tops they come, following the path made by the sun, painting the world according to their wants, their desires.They are free. Wild Welsh things with no master.Sometimes the horses look up to the ponies in the sky whilst grazing in the paddock at home. I wonder if they dream of a past life when they were free."You are nothing, a worthless merch," my Pa tells me every day.I look at the sky with them and wo...

“ She’s Right ” by Jonathan Baldie

“So what?” Vijay said. “It’s an eclipse. It gets dark. What’s the big deal?” Robin took a sip from her drink, trying to look anywhere but at Vijay. The taste of strawberries from her daiquiri was a welcome reprieve from this loser.  “People like it,” Robin said as politely as she could. “It brings people together, don’t you think?” Vijay shoved another handful of peanuts into his mouth. Robin watched him munch on them. She imagined kissing that salty mouth, and winced.  “I guess,” Vijay said with a shrug. “So how many of these thin...

“ The Great Hunter ” by Christine Hamilton

The great hunter, Orion rose in the Southern sky as night fell; Winter was coming. The mountain peaks tipped with snow earlier than usual; wind-chilled nights chased away the warmth of the day in camp. Falling amber leaves drifted to the ground and the berry crop had ended.   It was time to move to the Great Plains in the warmer South away from the winter shadows cast by the mountains.As night fell the tribe gathered around the roaring fire to prepare for the migration ahead. The last of the food had been dried ...

“ How We Forgive is Different for Everybody ” by A.R. Eakle

Out on 9, as the locals call it, the highway runs parallel to a flat plain that runs the stretch of road over ten miles. Lines of wire fences, not noticeable from the roadway unless you’re looking for them, block off the plots of land every few hundred yards. Every so often a row of power lines cut gently through the fields. The farm-kept bison and horses catch any traveling eye. Cows, destined for slaughter and dairy production, dot several farms with modest houses on them. There are small ponds and marshes off the side of the road from the...

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Complete | Solo | English

The Life of Josiah Henson, Formerly a Slave, Now an Inhabitant of Canada, as Narrated by Himself

Josiah Henson (1789 - 1883)

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Charles Zachary Barnett (1813 - 1849)

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George MacDonald (1824 - 1905)

Five Little Peppers in the Little Brown House

Margaret Sidney (1844 - 1924)

Spacemen Lost

George O. Smith (1911 - 1981)

A Land without Ruins

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Posted on January 1, 2024

Happy New Year! A new year brings fresh starts, a chance to try something again or to go for something entirely new. Get inspired with 10 gems from our catalog. Let’s start at the beginning – of humankind. C. H. Robinson follows the development of human society from the discovery of fire and working all […]

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Posted on December 1, 2023

So many celebrations this month! Whether you celebrate Christmas, the winter solstice or just the end of the year, get in the mood with 10 gems from our catalog. Every year, kids anxiously await Christmas. “How many days left” can be easily deduced from an Adventskalender counting down the days with little daily gifts. This […]

The World of Men

Posted on November 1, 2023

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Posted on October 1, 2023

World Animal Day on October 4 seeks to protect animals and their habitats. Learn about all sorts of beings that live among us with 10 gems from our catalog. Before there were humans, strange animals roamed the planet. George Langford weaves palaeontological research about prehistoric elephants, squirrels or horses into his Stories of the First […]

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The House Without Windows

Barbara newhall follett.

Description

A young girl named Eepersip lives with her parents in a cottage, but she feels trapped within its confines, so she leaves civilization and seeks a free and carefree life in nature.

After leaving her parents, she founds a home in the outdoors, rejecting both the society of adults and the comforts of civilization; she initially is content to live in the meadow, but she grows restless and seeks a new place to live in both the sea and the mountain. In time, she reaches a higher form of life.

Follett started writing the novel in 1923 at the age of 9, but the first draft was lost in a house fire, which led her to rewrite the entire work. It was eventually published to critical success in 1927, when she was just 12 years old.

This ebook is thought to be free of copyright restrictions in the United States. It may still be under copyright in other countries. If you’re not located in the United States, you must check your local laws to verify that this ebook is free of copyright restrictions in the country you’re located in before accessing, downloading, or using it.

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The Pottering Pig

Author: Rohit Kulkarni Illustrator: Priya Kuriyan

Categories: Age 2-5 Years , Age 6-9 years , All FKB Books , Animals , Beginner English , Creative Commons , Grade 1 to Grade 3 , Grade K and Pre K , Humour , Storyweaver-Pratham , Toddlers

The pottering pig causes all sorts of chaos, but did she break the potter’s pots? A cute whodunnit, when the Pottering Pig is accused of a crime she may or may not have committed. Sample Page from The Pottering Pig:  

Three Billy Goats Gruff – CKF

Core Knowledge Foundation

Categories: Age 2-5 Years , All FKB Books , Animals , Children , Core Knowledge Foundation , Creative Commons , Editable Files , Fable , Grade 1 to Grade 3 , Grade K and Pre K , moral , Toddlers

This classic tale is told with some beautiful imagery combined with some comprehension questions. Creator: Core Knowledge Foundation See more from CKF on FKB here: https://freekidsbooks.org/publisher/core-knowledge-foundation/ This book is also available in an editable version (created using Open Office): https://freekidsbooks.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Three_Billy_Goats_Gruff-Landscape-Book-CKF-FKB.odt Sample Page from Three Billy Goats Gruff:    

Snowy Owl – Haiku for older children

Gabriel Rosenstock

Categories: Age 10-13 years , Age years 13+ , All FKB Books , Gabriel Rosenstock , Grade 4 to Grade 6 , Grade 7+ , Intermediate English , Older Children , poetry , Young Adult

Gabriel Rosenstock is back with a great collection of inspiring bilingual Haiku set to thought provoking artwork and photographs, including some issues on child labour in the US. Sample Page from Snowy Owl Gabriel Rosenstock See more from Gabriel Rosenstock on FKB For more about Haiku, see here: https://vcbf.ca/event/about-haiku/. It is noted that while Japanese …

Monster’s Day Out

Danielle Bruckert

Categories: Age 2-5 Years , Age 6-9 years , All FKB Books , Beginner English , Children , Creative Commons , Danielle Bruckert , Free Kids Books , Grade 1 to Grade 3 , Grade K and Pre K , Monsters , Toddlers

A sequel to the popular There’s a Monster this book explores, in rhyme, a day at the playground with Monster. Sample Page from Monster’s Day Out See also: There’s a Monster eBook More by the Author – Danielle Bruckert And, more books about Monster’s on FKB  

Happy Train

Author: Humayan Rashid Illustrator: Mehedi Haque

Categories: Age 2-5 Years , All FKB Books , Creative Commons , Grade K and Pre K , Intermediate English , Room to Read , Toddlers , Trains , Transport

A train travels through the country side, first she is very happy, but then getting farther and farther from home and seeing strange people and animals she becomes worried and scared. Fortunately someone comes to help. A great story about exploring emotions. Author: Humayan Rashid Illustrator: Mehedi Haque Sample Page from The Happy Train: Another …

Croak – the tale of a frog

Author: Kavitha Punniyamurthi, Illustrator: Ekta Bharti

Categories: Age 6-9 years , All FKB Books , Animals , Children , Creative Commons , Grade 1 to Grade 3 , Humour , Intermediate English , Storyweaver-Pratham

There’s a frog in the classroom, but can Masterji see it? Or does he think the children are pulling a prank on him? Find out in this beautifully illustrated story ideal for early grades. Author: Kavitha Punniyamurthi, Illustrator: Ekta Bharti Originally published by Pratham Books on their Storyweaver Platform. Sample Page from Croak  

A Day at the Carnival

Author: Syamphay Fengsavanh, Illustrator: Nivong Sengsakoun

Categories: Age 2-5 Years , All FKB Books , Animals , Beginner English , Family , Grade K and Pre K , mouse , Room to Read , Toddlers

Three brothers, Little Mouse, Littler Mouse, and Tiny Mouse go out for a day to the carnival, they have a really great time, but safety must come first, and it’s important to look out for each other. Luckily they are keeping track! Author: Syamphay Fengsavanh, Illustrator: Nivong Sengsakoun, Translator: Alisha Berger Originally published by Room …

Supercow IV – In a Minute…

Kiwi Opa and Danielle Bruckert

Categories: Age 6-9 years , All FKB Books , Animals , Behaviour , Children , Creative Commons , Danielle Bruckert , FKB Make a Difference , Free Kids Books , Grade 1 to Grade 3 , Intermediate English , Kiwi Opa , Read along video

A little girl and her mother walk through the park, but her mother is very distracted. Can Supercow help? Another book in the popular Supercow series. By Kiwi Opa and Danielle Bruckert Sample Page from Supercow IV – In a Minute… Other books in the Series: The Adventures of Super Cow Supercow Volume II: The …

Books for Benjamin

Author R.G. de Rouen, Illustrator Uliana Barabash

Categories: Age 2-5 Years , Age 6-9 years , All FKB Books , Children , Grade 1 to Grade 3 , Insects , Intermediate English , Toddlers

A worm yearns for reading, will he find the answer to his passion? Sample Page from Books for Benjamin         This book is also available in hard cover, paperback, and kindle edition on Amazon Author R.G. de Rouen Illustrator Uliana Barabash See more from the author at R.G. de Rouen’s Website. Books …

Rat Cat – Early Reader

Author: Dropti Sharma Illustrator: Rajeev Verma 'Banjara'

Categories: Age 2-5 Years , All FKB Books , Animals , Beginner English , Cats , Early Reader , Grade K and Pre K , mouse , Toddlers

Rat Cat is a very short book with cute illustrations featuring Cat and Rat. Perfect for building confidence in early readers! Sample Page Author: Dropti Sharma Illustrator: Rajeev Verma ‘Banjara’ See more Eary Readers on FKB in our Early Readers Section    

Hippo Naughty Hippo

Adaption Danielle Bruckert, Illustrations Megan Andrews

Categories: 5 minutes or less bedtime stories , Age 2-5 Years , All FKB Books , Animals , Creative Commons , Danielle Bruckert , Free Kids Books , Grade K and Pre K , Toddlers

What is Hippo doing? And is she really naughty? Find out in this cute, beautifully illustrated text for young children. Repetition and simple language can also be useful for learn to read age. See also Elephant, Naughty Elephant in this series. Sample Text from Hippo, Naughty Hippo What is Hippo doing, can you guess? Hippo, …

Hungry on the Steps – Early Learning

Author: Nandini Nayar, Illustrator: Nirzara Verulkar

Categories: Age 2-5 Years , All FKB Books , Animals , Cats , Counting , Creative Commons , Dogs , Early Reader , Grade K and Pre K , Read along video , Rhyming , Storyweaver-Pratham , Toddlers

Count with a hungry family, trekking up the stairs to their house, and someone else is hungry too – join in, in this cute interactive story featuring repetition, rhyme, and counting, perfect for early learning. Sample Text from Hungry on the Stairs “I am hungry!” Pranav shouts. “Hurry, then!” Amma says. “But why?” “You are …

Friendship with the Toothbrush

Categories: Age 2-5 Years , All FKB Books , Behaviour , Neha Jain , Read along video , Toddlers

A cute rhyming story encouraging brushing teeth, including a star chart at the end. Also available in Hindi Sample page from Friendship with Toothbrush Read along with the video – read by Kiwi Opa  

Peepre in the Postbox – the story of a letter

Author: Aditi De, Illustrator: Samrat Halder

Categories: Age 6-9 years , All FKB Books , Beginner English , Children , Grade 1 to Grade 3 , Insects , Read along video

Peepre wanders out onto a leaf in the bright sun, WHOOSH! He is blown into a post box, and there his adventure begins. A cute look at how a letter gets to its destination. This book was brought to us by Pratham Books and their Storyweaver platform. Read the full book by selecting one of …

Gorillas Go to the Beach

Categories: Age 2-5 Years , All FKB Books , Animals , Beginner English , Creative Commons , Grade K and Pre K , Read along video , Storyweaver-Pratham , Toddlers

What would gorillas do if they went to the beach? A beautifully illustrated short children’s story for young children, also suitable for learn to read age. Author/Illustrator: Jemma Jose See more books about animals in our Animals Category. See more books like this in our Toddlers Category Download or read online the full book by …

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Don't break the bank with your reading habit: Here's where to buy cheap books near you

Have you caught the reading bug from BookTok ? Looking to check out a viral series ? Getting into reading is all fun and games until you realize new releases can run you about $30 a hardcover. 

But you don’t have to ask for a raise to finance your reading habits – there are many online platforms dedicated to making reading an accessible and even free experience. Libraries are a go-to, but there are also options for those who want to own a physical copy to build up their bookshelf.

Where to buy cheap books

The art of low-cost book buying lies in the unexpected gems. You might find a book you’ve been dying to read with a cover that's a little worse for wear or a cheap read you’ve never heard of. Searching for inexpensive books can be a great way to expand your reading palate.

Get into the habit of checking out sale sections as well. Many bookstores have a discount table or sell used books for only a few dollars. 

Check out: USA TODAY's weekly Best-selling Booklist

Buy cheap books online

While you can find cheap, used books on Amazon or eBay, you may also have luck at e-commerce platforms that specialize in low-cost books. Check out one of these sites to make your next read a steal:

• ThriftBooks
• Better World Books
• Half Price Books
• Awesome Books
• Book Outlet

Swap books with another reader

Why not kill two birds with one stone? You can donate a book and get a new one with a trusty book swap, either through friends or at an online retailer like Paperback Swap or Book Mooch .

Check for local sales

Some libraries raise funds by selling second-hand books. Find the closest public library to you using this U.S. map created with data from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and ask your librarian if they have a "for sale" table.

Independent bookstores may let you trade your old books for store credit that you can use to snag a new one. Thrift stores and consignment shops also typically sell used books.

Another place to scour is Facebook Marketplace. You never know who is doing a closet cleanout and wants to get rid of their old books for a few dollars. 

How to read books for free

You don’t have to shell out any money to become well-read – a library card is all you need to unlock a world of literature. Start by visiting your local library . You typically only need proof of address to apply for a library card.

Little Free Library’s take-a-book, leave-a-book model is also a great place for finding new free books. These outdoor pop-up hutches are all over the country. Check out Little Free Library’s map of registered libraries across the U.S. to find one near you.

You can also try e-reading. The Libby app lets readers borrow e-books, digital audiobooks and magazines with your library card.

Audiobooks are another low-cost way to access books and popular platforms like Audible , Libro.fm , B&N Audiobooks and Audiobooks.com let you listen at your leisure with a monthly subscription fee. Spotify recently unveiled a new audiobook program as well where eligible Spotify premium subscribers can enjoy 15 hours of monthly listening from over 200,000 audiobooks.

Where to donate books

You can donate books at many of the same locations where you purchase or borrow them, like libraries, donation centers, bookstores and community centers. If you’re doing some spring cleaning, check out USA TODAY’s comprehensive guide to donating and selling your books .

Keep up with the reading trends: How to find book recommendations on BookTok

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USA TODAY is exploring the questions you and others ask every day. From "How to play Solitaire" to "What is my love language?" to "Do dogs smile?" – we're striving to find answers to the most common questions you ask every day. Head to our Just Curious section to see what else we can answer for you.