Building a home library for your children doesn’t have to break the bank. While new children’s books can cost $10-20 each, there are countless ways to access quality books for free or at extremely low cost.
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The key is knowing where to look and how to maximize these resources. From traditional libraries to innovative digital platforms, book swaps to community programs, this comprehensive guide reveals 14 proven methods for building an impressive children’s book collection without spending a fortune.
Why free books matter:
- Allows families to try more diverse authors and genres
- Reduces pressure on children to “like” every book
- Enables building larger home libraries for reluctant readers
- Makes reading accessible regardless of family budget
Whether you’re a new parent starting your child’s first library or a homeschooling family needing extensive resources, these strategies will help you create a rich reading environment that nurtures lifelong book lovers.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. If you’re on a tight budget, there are plenty of places you can find free children’s books. Here are my favorite ways to access free books for kids of all ages, both in print and in digital format.
Complete Guide to Free Children’s Books
Print Books:
- Your Local Library
- Friends and Family Networks
- Free Stuff Websites
- Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
- Book Swapping Sites
Digital Books:
- Libby/Overdrive
- Hoopla
- Amazon Free Kids Books
- TumbleBooks Library
- International Children’s Digital Library
- Library of Congress
- Oxford Owl
Additional Resources:
Where to Find Free Print Books for Children?
If you’re looking for physical print books for your kids to enjoy, here are some great places to start.
Head over to your local library
Your local library is your number one source for fantastic free children’s books. It’s the place where you’ll find the biggest and best selection of physical books, all for free.
Wherever you live, it’s quick and straightforward to sign up for a library card, both for you and for your kids. Then you can borrow a whole host of fantastic books, including many of the latest titles, for no cost whatsoever. Just remember to keep an eye on the lending period, so you don’t accidentally rack up any overdue book fees.
While you’re in the library, it’s worth asking if they have any book sales coming up. Libraries will often sell off their old stock to make room for new books, and there are always some great deals to be had.
Some libraries even have a selection of free books that children can take home and keep forever.
Ask your friends and family
Ask your nearest and dearest if they have any old books that they can send your way. You’d be surprised at how many people have a stash of great reads just sitting at home gathering dust.
If you’re friends with other parents, why not set up a book swap? Once your children are finished reading their current books, they can pass them onto each other, either in person or in the mail. Ask around at the school gates and put a post out on social media to spread the word. Your child is sure to have a great selection of books to read in no time.
It’s also a great way to get your kids more involved in reading. When they’re exchanging their favorite books with their peers, they can discuss their thoughts and ideas about the stories. And, of course, it’s a great way to encourage the concept of sharing, especially for younger children.
Check out free stuff websites
If you’ve not already explored freecycle.org or other sites like freestuff.com, then what are you waiting for? These websites, and many others like them, are a local network of people within your community who have free stuff to give away.
The focus is always on reusing and recycling old items, and children’s books for all ages tend to pop up pretty often. Simply send a message to the person advertising the item, and if you’re lucky enough to get in there first, you arrange a time to collect. Simple!
And while you’re at it, it could be a great opportunity to have a clear out of your own. It’s a chance to declutter and give back to the community at the same time.
It’s also worth checking out the “free” section on Craigslist. If you live in a busy area, then there’s a good chance you’ll find some fantastic free books there too.
Sign up for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is an amazing book gifting program that sends free, physical copy books to children ages 0-5 years old. The books tend to be really high quality and are handpicked to inspire a love of reading in kids.
The program operates across various towns and cities in the USA, Canada, the UK, Australia, and the Republic of Ireland. Check here to see if your local area participates.
Exchange Books with Book Swapping Sites
Book swapping sites are a great way to reuse and recycle your old children’s books without spending a fortune on new ones. There are plenty of different book swapping sites to choose from these days, but here are a couple of the best-rated ones.
BookMooch
BookMooch works on a simple points system. To gain points, you send out a book to another member in the mail. When the recipient receives them, you’re awarded points, which you can use to request a new book from other participants around the world.
PaperBackSwap
PaperBackSwap is the world’s largest online book swapping community. They have an incredible selection of over 5 million paperbacks, hardbacks, audiobooks, and even textbooks, and a large chunk of them are for children. Simply send off your old books to start receiving brand new reads that your kids will love.
BookCrossing
BookCrossing.com is a brilliantly unique concept that involves leaving books in public spaces to then be picked up and read by others. The person that picks up the book then also does the same, and so on, and so on. The aim of the movement is to “make the whole world a library.”
This free online, global book lover’s community also gives you the option to send a book to an individual member of the site, in something called a “controlled release.” It’s effectively the same concept as the book swapping sites above.
One of the most wonderful things about BookCrossing is that people can add online journal entries about a book so you can track its journey around the world.
Where to Find Free Online Books for Children?
If you’re looking for free e-books rather than print books, here are some great resources.
Libby/ Overdrive
Overdrive, and their newer app Libby, is essentially your local library, but online. More and more libraries worldwide are signing up for the program, which lets you borrow e-books and audiobooks to your heart’s content, all for free.
There’s an incredible selection of kid’s books for all ages to choose from, and the search functions are easy and intuitive. You can browse by language, theme, and age level to narrow down your choices.
If your local library isn’t already signed up for the program, why not get in touch with them to see if they’ll consider it. It’s also worth trying out their sister app, Sora, which connects to school libraries, for an even more extensive selection of digitized kid’s books.
Hoopla
Hoopla works in a similar way to Libby/Overdrive. It lets you borrow e-books and audiobooks all for free. While it’s a little less widespread than Libby, it’s definitely worth checking if your local library is participating.
The advantage of Hoopla is that unlike Libby and a regular library, everything is available on demand. There’s no waiting for popular titles to be returned before you can borrow them; you simply log in and select any book you’d like.
Hoopla also offers a service for music, movies, and graphic novels to participating libraries too.
Amazon Free Kids Books
Amazon has a surprising number of free e-books for children, over 3000 of them in fact! There are some brand new releases as well as some classic books that you might remember from your own childhood. Just type in “free children’s books” into the search bar, and you’ll be amazed at what’s on offer.
The Tumble Books Library
The Tumble Book Library is a wonderful online resource with a huge collection of animated talking picture books that are perfect for younger children who are just getting started on their reading journey. They also have tons of other fantastic digital content, including an extensive collection of e-books, audiobooks, and videos for K to 12th-grade levels.
To make the most of the Tumble Books Library, your local library or your child’s school needs to be signed up to their annual program. If they’re not already, why not send them over the details to see if they’re interested in taking part. There are so many fantastic learning resources on there, including tools for special education teachers and students, as well as ESL learners.
The International Children’s Digital Library
Originally developed by the University of Maryland, College Park, the International Children’s Digital Library is a free resource of digitized kid’s books. The idea behind the project is to encourage tolerance, awareness and respect for other cultures around the world, through international children’s literature.
There’s an exciting array of books from all over the globe, in a total of 59 different languages. Your kids don’t need to wait until they’re older to travel the world; they can start now through the power of books.
The Library of Congress
The Library of Congress offers a unique opportunity to read a great selection of classic children’s literature for free online, and you don’t even need a library card.
Their website contains full scanned pages of classic antique books for children from their general and rare collections, all with all the original illustrations. Every book in this selection was published either in the US or in England before 1924, so they’re no longer under copyright, meaning you can share and enjoy them however you’d like.
Oxford Owl
This UK based website from Oxford University Press is a great resource both for schools and for families. The site is packed with educational resources, expert advice, and an extensive free children’s library to explore. It costs nothing to sign up, and they have e-books suitable for ages 3 to 11 years old.
Smart Shopping Strategies
Even when buying books, there are smart ways to stretch your budget and build a quality collection without overspending.
Best Times to Buy:
- Back-to-school sales (July-August) often include children’s books
- Post-holiday clearances (January) for gift books
- End of summer library sales when libraries clear inventory
- Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals on popular series
Where to Find Deals:
- Thrift stores and consignment shops: Regularly rotate stock, often $1-3 per book
- Garage sales and estate sales: Especially in family neighborhoods
- Library book sales: High-quality books at fraction of retail cost
- Online marketplaces: Used book sections on Amazon, eBay, or local Facebook groups
What to Buy New vs. Used:
- Buy new: First books in series your child loves, books you plan to keep forever
- Buy used: Experimental genres, one-time reads, books to test interest
- Avoid used: Board books for toddlers (hygiene concerns), heavily damaged books
Series Strategy:
If your child loves the first book in a series, wait a few months before buying the rest—used copies often become available as other families finish the series.
Quality Control:
- Check for missing pages, excessive writing, or water damage
- Ensure covers are intact for books you plan to keep
- Don’t worry about minor wear for books that will be heavily used
Storage and Organization
A well-organized book collection encourages children to read more and helps you track what you have. Here are practical tips for managing your growing library.
Storage Solutions by Age:
- Toddlers (0-3): Low, sturdy baskets they can access safely
- Preschoolers (4-6): Forward-facing picture book displays at eye level
- Elementary (7-12): Mix of shelving and rotating basket system
- Teens: Personal bookshelves in their rooms plus family collection
Organization Methods:
- By reading level: Makes it easy to find appropriate books quickly
- By genre: Adventure, mystery, fantasy, non-fiction sections
- By series: Keep all books in a series together
- By season: Rotate books to maintain novelty and interest
Creating Reading Spaces:
- Cozy corners: Add pillows, blankets, and good lighting
- Accessible storage: Children should reach their own books
- Display favorites: Face-out display of current favorites
- Reading baskets: Portable collections for different rooms
Rotation Strategy:
Store some books away and rotate them monthly. This keeps the collection feeling fresh and helps children rediscover forgotten favorites.
Digital Organization:
- Keep a simple spreadsheet of books owned to avoid duplicates
- Track which books your children have outgrown for donation
- Note which series or authors your child loves for future purchases
- Use library apps to track what you’ve borrowed and loved
Maintenance Tips:
- Involve children in organizing—it builds ownership
- Regular decluttering sessions (every 6 months)
- Repair damaged books promptly to extend their life
- Create a “donate” box for books no longer age-appropriate
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How many books should my child have access to at home?
A: Quality matters more than quantity. A rotating collection of 20-30 books at your child’s current reading level, plus some slightly easier and harder options, provides plenty of variety without overwhelming choice.
Q: Is it safe to get used books for babies and toddlers?
A: For board books and books that will be heavily handled, consider buying new for hygiene reasons. For picture books that will be read aloud rather than chewed, used books are generally fine after a quick cleaning.
Q: How do I know if a free digital library is legitimate?
A: Stick to well-known sources like your local library’s digital collection, established sites like Project Gutenberg, or official programs like those mentioned in this guide. Avoid sites asking for unnecessary personal information.
Q: What if my child only wants to read the same book over and over?
A: This is completely normal and beneficial! Repetition helps with language development and comprehension. Gradually introduce similar books or other works by the same author.
Q: How can I get my reluctant reader excited about free books?
A: Let them help choose books, even if their selections seem unusual. Visit libraries and book sales together. Try audiobook versions of books they’re curious about. Focus on their interests rather than what you think they “should” read.
Q: Should I be concerned about the age-appropriateness of free books?
A: Always preview books before giving them to children, especially from unknown sources. Many free book sources include content descriptions or age recommendations to help you choose appropriately.
Q: How do I handle my child wanting expensive new releases when we’re trying to save money?
A: Put popular new books on your library’s hold list, check if they’re available digitally through library apps, or suggest them as birthday/holiday gifts. Many new releases become available used within 6-12 months.
Q: What’s the best way to introduce my child to classic children’s literature through free sources?
A: Many classics are available free digitally because their copyrights have expired. Start with shorter works or beautifully illustrated versions. Consider our guide to classic children’s books for specific recommendations.
Building a Rich Reading Life Without Breaking the Bank
Creating a book-rich environment for your children is one of the most valuable investments you can make in their future—and it doesn’t require a large budget. With the 14 strategies outlined in this guide, you have everything you need to build an impressive home library that will grow with your family.
Remember the key principles:
- Start with your local library: It’s your most valuable free resource
- Combine print and digital: Each format offers unique benefits
- Quality over quantity: Better to have fewer books that are truly loved
- Involve your children: Let them help choose and organize their collection
Your action plan:
- This week: Sign up for library cards and explore their digital offerings
- This month: Try 2-3 of the free book sources that appeal to your family
- Ongoing: Set up simple systems for rotating and organizing your collection
Building connections: Free books are just the beginning. Pair these resources with engaging reading apps to create interactive reading experiences, or explore our recommendations for classic children’s literature to build a foundation of timeless stories.
The goal isn’t just saving money—it’s creating a culture of reading in your home where books are treasured, explored, and shared. These free resources make it possible for every family to provide children with the gift of unlimited stories and the lifelong love of reading that comes with them.
What’s your family’s favorite source for free books? Share your discoveries in the comments below and help other families build their own book-loving traditions.
Conclusion
Books for children don’t have to cost the earth. There are so many innovative programs and community groups where you can access fantastic kid’s books for absolutely no money at all. And in many cases, swapping books means reusing and recycling, which positively impacts the planet. What’s not to love?!
Do you have any other creative ways to find free books for children? Let me know in the comments below.