I need Kindle help

[TravellingSpoon]

So am going to buy DD (11) a KIndle for her Christmas present.

The Kindle Fire is on sale for £29.99 and that seems great. But is it rubbish or will DD be able to read books on it, does she need a membership or something to do that, and if so, how much is that?

I have never had a kindle before although I do have Prime. Dont want to buy this as her main present and it's rubbish or she cant use it without loads more money being spent.

You need to pay individually for books. Some library's let you borrow ebooks though.

The kindle fire is more a tablet than an ereader

Kindle fire is a tablet rather than a reading device. Does she want it for reading only or to play on too?

There's kindle unlimited which is a monthly subscription, but I've no idea how much it is, I'm afraid, possibly about £8 pcm? It has books, audio books, magazines included (but not sure if any children's magazines included in their range! She might not appreciate Ideal Home and Country Life )

If you have prime, some books are "free" (I think you can choose one per month to keep, the Kindle unlimited is like a library- I don't think the books stay on your device???)

As others have said, kindle fire is a tablet but you can read books via the app as you can on any other smart phone or tablet.

If you buy a kindle ereader, you can borrow books for free from some libraries, or loads are free if you have Prime membership.

I’ve had a fire for years and it’s fine as an e-reader although my paperwhite is the one that goes out with me.

Your prime subscription allows you to read a limited number of books for free through First Reads and Prime Reading but they are mostly adult books. I had an offer for 3 months of kindle unlimited recently and there was loads of choice. It’s normally £7.99 a month but you can have a free trial.

Hi TravellingSpoon. You're mixing up the Kindle with the Fire - there isn't such thing as a Kindle Fire.

The Kindle is just for books and is perfect to use on the go. It's very lightweight and there are a few different versions. I'd recommend the Paperweight as it's waterproof and has a backlight. There's another one which is cheaper with a light - good for reading at night or in dim conditions.

The Fire is a tablet which can be used for books, movies, games, internet etc. The version that's £30 isn't very good and will be quite slow. It's fine for reading but not ideal.

The Unlimited books aren't much good. You're better off buying the actual books that your daughter wants to read.

I would buy a kindle paper white for the readability and because it’s much safer for eye sight providing it’s mainly fiction she will be reading.
I was in doubt about the benefits of splashing out on a stand alone kindle and downloaded some kindle books onto my iPad to read (all you need is the free kindle app) and I was happy with that.
My son then bought me a paper white and immediately I noticed the difference in brightness and eye fatigue, especially when reading in bed. There are other benefits such as the size (to slip into a pocket) and more important, the weight, both of which make it much more comfortable to use. Also, the functionality of changing text size, font and portrait/landscape layout are a bonus on the kindles.
Once you sign up for a kindle account you can use the app to access your e-books on several appliances at no extra cost.
The only books I prefer to view on my iPad are non fiction books as they are in full colour so much nicer to browse and travel guidebooks on my phone as I can screenshot maps of walks, recommended restaurants etc. when I’m on holiday.
It’s worth signing up for kindle daily deals as there’s always 3 books on sale around 99p - you may have to wait a while for chosen authors to come up but there’s always monthly and seasonal deals too.

If she likes classics like Anne of Green Gables, Little Women etc, you can usually get them free because they’re out of copyright.

If it's just for reading there is currently a kindle kids edition with case for £59.99.

I love mine. I mainly use it to read, but I can watch stuff on it if I want. Kindle unlimited is 7.99 a month, I'd skip it. It's not great.
If you have prime, register the kindle as Travellingspoon fire 1, and she can borrow some books for free, or buy books on offer (with your permission). I bought my mum one, she can't buy on my amazon account, but I can send books to Rosere 2 for example. She can also watch your movies etc on it.

It would mainly be for books, she is a big reader and reads 5-6 books a month so paying a small monthly fee would probably be a saving, I was just worried it would be the same price as an actual book.

If you look on Amazon, you can se what sort of titles are on Unlimited and whether they would be suitable. It's not the latest most popular books. Sometimes Kindle books are cheaper than print, sometimes they are more expensive.

I have the normal kindle and I love it! It's really small and lightweight and I can take it anywhere.

If I were you I would buy that and maybe a kindle voucher (£20 could go pretty far as lots of titles for 99p changing every month)

I also have a kindle fire and on that read through the borrow box app which I get free from my local library and has lots of free ebooks/audiobooks to rent. I would check what your local library offers as many you can join online and lots offer borrowbox or similar apps to members. I must say the reading experience isn't as nice though. Of course you can download the kindle app onto the fire and read books on their too.

I also wanted to say I have had unlimited in the past and didnt use it. I am sure they do several months free for new members though

I have a kindle paperwhite. I also have unlimited and use it alot. Ebooks are generally cheaper than paper ones in my experience.
I mainly bought a kindle as I hated packing books for travelling. I use it every day and love it!

I’ve got a paperwhite and love it. I like it because I can get my next book instantly and as long as it’s not flat I always have something to read.
It does tie you into Amazon though. Like others have said I didn’t find u limited all that useful, but then I tended to want certain books rather than browsing for something that took my fancy - and those books weren’t on unlimited!!

I buy individual books for the kindle, usually for 99p (but then I’m a skinflint).

Also, check your local library. Some provide free books for Kindle.

risers, you sound knowledgable... can I send books I've bought previously to a second kindle (i.e.if I buy one for my child)?
Just don't want to have to hand over my paperwhite, which I adore, or pay twice for stuff. Thanks

I sometimes read the same book on different devices linked to my Amazon account at the same time @bsc

Yes you can send books to different devices. You go to 'manage your content and devices' and then you can send it to compatible devices (including phones and tablets that have the kindle app)

Kindle fire is better for library books than a paperwhite. I love my paperwhite but cant borrow from local libraries on it. I have to use kindle ap onmy phone to read them.

You have to buy the books individually but keep an idea on the daily/monthly deals to keep costs down. Also check out BookBub, not sure if they do it for children’s books but I get a daily email with recommendations for books I may enjoy that are reduced

I also have a paperwhite, it is brilliant when on hols or in the back garden, no problem reading in the sun, and it has a backlight, so you can read in bed without disturbing your sleeping partner, should you have one!

But I have now moved to Borrow Box from the Library for FREEEE!

Brilliant, but it doesn't work on Kindle only on tablets and phones, still ......free audiobooks and reading books are right down my street!

Will load a couple of books on Kindle before hols so I can read in bright light/sun.

Best of luck everyone, great to see readers still about!