Classic Books for Children Online
A Website Listing for Free Ebook Downloads for Children
A handy guide to accessing free full text classic books for children online.
An increasing number of children's classics are in the public domain now and are available in full text on the Internet.
E-books are an excellent tool allowing educators and librarians to preview books, parents to introduce children to the classics inexpensively, and children to explore the world of classic books.
Below you will find links to exceptional websites providing free access to full-length classic books for children, some of which include illustrations and audio. It’s like having a personal library right at your fingertips!
Electronic Text Center at the University of Virginia Library
The Electronic Text Center provided by the University of Virginia Library provides a unique collection of free E-books for young readers. The site includes general fiction, non-fiction, poetry, drama, letters, newspapers, manuscripts and illustrations from 1500 to the present.
Project Gutenberg
Project Gutenberg is the oldest producer of free E-Books on the Internet. Search by title or author to explore a wide selection of E-books from classic authors from Alcott to Twain.
The Baldwin Project
The Baldwin Project offers a broad collection of resources and online texts of children’s classic literature including works from the period from 1880 to 1922. With 221 books and 4605 stories provided in a variety genres and age ranges, this is an excellent guide for parents and teachers who strive to present classics to today's children.
Classic Reader
Classic Reader offers a large collection of free classic books for younger readers. The site includes author biographies and is searchable by author and title, with new works added on a regular basis. Classic Reader also includes a discussion forum.
Free-Books.org
Free-books.org provides over 100 classic children’s E-books to choose from. Read the text and listen to audio! Selections include everything from The Call of the Wild, to the Adventures of Pinocchio, to Pollyana. Free-books.org is formatted in Ewriting style to enhance readability. The site also includes related curriculum and tests.
Children’s Books Online: the Rosetta Project
The Rosetta Project offers hundreds of full text, illustrated antique and classic children’s books online. This volunteer-powered organization includes hundreds of classics indexed by age or interest reading levels.The Rosetta Project also offers books in multiple languages and a super index which allows users to search for stories, poems, rhymes, chapters, and illustrations.
Wired for Books: Kid's Corner
If you love the work of Beatrix Potter, experience nine of Potter's stories in text, RealAudio, streaming media, and multimedia slideshows in a variety of languages. Wired for Books also features Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, A Christmas Carol, selected fairy tales from the Brothers Grimm, and Just so Stories by Rudyard Kipling in Real Audio.
*Full text books are available online only if the copyright holder has given permission, or the book is in the public domain (the copyright on the material has expired).
