Buying an e-reader for your Tween this Christmas?

[C.S. Einfeld]

Hi, I'm curious...how many peeps out there intend to buy an e-reader for that tween (age 8-12), in their life for Christmas this year?

It is, after-all, the gift that keeps on giving.

What do you think?

[Harry Shannon]

Yes, because my daughter keeps borrowing mine 

[BarbraAnnino]

I'm getting one for my godson. I always get him books, so this is the natural progression, I guess! I wish I could pre-load it though.

[caseyf6]

I actually am giving my 11-year-old my K2, and I have a K3.  I purchased the K3 3 months ago and have been stealthily setting up the K2 for her.  (Transferring books off it, transferring classics and other books on it for her...)

[C.S. Einfeld]

Haha, always stealing yours!  Then, it's definitely time to invest in one of his own.  

[Fantasm08]

I like this idea. I think it would be a good way to get more tweens interested in reading. Books might freak them out, but they may be more comfortable with a digital device.

[B-Kay 1325]

I didn't answer your survey as I purchased 3 Kindles for Christmas last year for my 3 oldest GD's (ages 11, 12 & 13 at the time).  I really think this is the perfect age for a Kindle, They are set up on the same account so they can share books and this has really worked out very well for them.  Just a suggestion to check out the free books for Children on Amazon, lots of good choices.

[C.S. Einfeld]

Fantasm08, I totally agree.  You can't find a tween anywhere, these days, who isn't 'plugged in' to some sort of electronic device.  It's like The Matrix, out there!

So, why not plug them into to something enriching?  

[mayfire]

I was considering handing down my year-old K3 3G to my 11-year-old niece and upgrading myself to Touch or Fire, but her uncle on mom's side announced he was buying her an iPad. Geesh. Talk about being blown out of the water. My opinion is that iPad is a bit overboard for that age, but it's not my decision to make. At least, I can buy her Kindle books now or share some of mine with her.

[C.S. Einfeld]

Good suggestion B-Kay, and has anyone heard much about the new Lending Library?  I received something about it today.  Looks interesting, but I need more info.  

I'll have to sit down with a strong pot of coffee in the morning and go over it all.  

[kindlegrl81]

I already bought my 10 year old one so I won't be getting one for her this Christmas but I might get her a Fire for her birthday.

[Ann in Arlington]

***friendly reminder:  we're in Let's Talk Kindle so promotion of your own work is not allowed ***

[C.S. Einfeld]

I really think that, for kids, the Fire is the way to go.  16 shades of grey-scale just doesn't cut it for kids, imo.

Although....there is such a huge price difference between ebooks and print that I suppose you could make the arguement that more books (even in greyscale) is better.   

You can pretty much get 10 ebooks (or more!) for the price of one glossy print book!

[Annie]

I'm getting one for my 9 year old brother for Christmas. I'm extremely excited because I think it's a practical gift, rather than just another toy he'll outgrow or some video game that won't enhance his learning. Giving the gift of reading is far better than any other gift for kids these days, IMHO.

[mom2karen]

My 12yo has an iTouch with Kindle app and reads on it, but yesterday was looking for a copy of one of her e-books at the library.  She said she wanted to read it with more words on one page since she has to do too many page turns on the small screen.  Now I'm tempted to give her my K2 and get myself the Kindle touch. 

[KTaylor-Green]

We bought our 12 yr old grandson a K3 for his birthday in Sept. We have 11 grandkids to buy for, for Christmas, so no kindles for that. But we have 2 who are turning 10 this yr and we are getting them kindles for their birthdays.
The 12 yr old went from a boy who read once in a while to a boy who is an avid reader! We are loving that!

[C.S. Einfeld]

You know, I think that's the thing:  whatever it takes to get them to read.  My nephew was a reluctant reader until I introduced him to graphic novels.  He's simply more visual, and so he enjoys  them.  I think it's great.

[rla1996]

We bought TWO kindles to give to my (by then) 12 year-old twin nieces.  As the only other kindle in the family is mine, and I read a lot of stuff that just IS NOT appropriate for kids that age (suspense, MDK, and romance novels), they have been set up with their own account to share.  This will allow us to buy one copy of each book and they will both be able to read it, as they like to read the same stuff.  Then in the future if we want to get kindles for the smaller kids (when they get the right age) they can be added to the account and share, or contribute to the same library.  As for whether or not I would buy a kid a Fire as of right now I say NOT.  A Fire has WAY more freedom to it, I'd be concerned about what they could use it to access, just Facebook alone is scary.  Plus they have the option to play games on it rather than read.  A lot of kids would choose the game option rather than read.  Plus the back-lit screen is still a turn off to me.  We want them to read for extended amounts of time.   After a while reading on a back-lit screen, makes me go cross-eyed I'm guessing it would them too.  Plus we have one that is prone to headaches and I think the back-lit screen would aggravate that. So no Fires here.

[TraceyC/FL]

My true tween has one already, but I just bought a k4 for the 7 & 15yo to share. They will get books loaded and then I will deregister it and limit the wifi.

I'm bummed it can't do audible books, but we have an iPod touch for that anyway, so it wasn't worth the $20. I'm also probably not going to load any of the games we have on it, I really just want it used for reading.

My 7yo will be the most excited, she says she is saving her money to buy her own!

[rla1996]

I'm also probably not going to load any of the games we have on it, I really just want it used for reading.

I thought this too, but there are a LOT of word games out there.  I try to encourage the kids to play those because they help with spelling skills and vocabulary. 

[TraceyC/FL]

I thought this too, but there are a LOT of word games out there.  I try to encourage the kids to play those because they help with spelling skills and vocabulary. 

We have them on the K3 we have, but for the two kids who will be using this one the games are very distracting! I will have to ponder based on what we have that will work on it.

Now though to sort out some books that my 7yo can read on it, the other two were easy to buy for, but she hasn't moved on to chapter books yet so it isn't as easy.

[C.S. Einfeld]

My 7yo will be the most excited, she says she is saving her money to buy her own!

How cool is that?!   

[CrystalStarr]

Not buying one this year. But my 6 year old is asking. I told him if he started reading lots, and I mean LOTS of paper books then Santa and I would talk about it for next year. So just about every day now for a month or two he goes out of his way to show me he is reading. I can deal with that!

[TraceyC/FL]

Not buying one this year. But my 6 year old is asking. I told him if he started reading lots, and I mean LOTS of paper books then Santa and I would talk about it for next year. So just about every day now for a month or two he goes out of his way to show me he is reading. I can deal with that!

Awesome!!!

I send my kids to clean up and they always fight over the bookshelves so they can sit there and read!!! It is quite an accomplishment for my younger two - they've both struggled with phonological awareness and language processing issues, so reading didn't just happen for them (which is why my 7yo is in 1st grade instead of 2nd, she just wasn't ready).

I set it partially up this morning, I think I decided I'm going to buy her the rainbow fairies set of books she really wants from scholastic. Some of what I wanted wasn't available, so I have time to finish sorting it out too! LOL!!

[C.S. Einfeld]

Ah, lovely.

All girls love a good faerie story, don't they?   

Actually, I've found that we never really out-grow them! 

[HappyGuy]

Just think, in a couple of years it will be All American Girl, Little House on the Prairie and Anne of Green Gables. After that ...

[TraceyC/FL]

So my 7.5yo (first grade) DD came in and snuggled with me this morning.... And reiterated that she wanted a kindle for Christmas. I pointed out to her she hadn't put it on her list!

I pondered changing who was getting what and just giving it to her, but threw that out and will stick with plan A. If it works out that the sharing thing isn't working she has a birthday in July!

But it is still awesome that she wants to read!!!

[C.S. Einfeld]

Just think, in a couple of years it will be All American Girl, Little House on the Prairie and Anne of Green Gables. After that ...

Anne of Green Gables is one of my all time favorites!  I'm lucky enough to live just a few miles down the road from the actual 'Green Gables'.  It's pretty amazing.  They've done a lovely job of preserving LM Montgomery's memory here.  All the tourists in summertime sporting straw hats with red pig-tails is pretty cool, too.

[StephanieJ]

My daughter is 13, I got her a Kindle last year and she LOVES it.  I'm not answering the poll since she isn't a tween but I wanted to point out what I think is a great thing - she now spends her money on books and saves for accessories for her Kindle instead of other random stuff.  She reads at least six books a week so I wind up spending some $$ and finding free books.  But it THRILLS me to see her pouring over which Coyle Cushion to buy instead of lipstick or junk food!!

[busy91]

I gave my 12 year old my K2.

I would not buy her a new one. She's  not very careful.