Free reading websites for middle school kids need to look cool and have relevant, good-quality reading material on offer. These reading websites make the grade: 1. OverDrive Install the OverDrive app on your phone, PC, tablet or eBook reader and get instant access to everything your local library has on offer digitally – without leaving your house (or even getting off the sofa). Using OverDrive makes it incredibly simple to browse the library catalog and borrow eBooks. In just a few clicks you have a book on your device. If you don't like the first few pages, just try another one. To use OverDrive you first need a library card (which is usually free or at a reduce rate for children and teenagers). Download the OverDrive app on your computer or other device and then search for and log into your library online. Get started with OverDrive here. 2. Non-fiction and news websites for middle schoolersCheck out these websites specially written for preteens and teens:
3. Choose-your-own-adventure story based in Ancient EgyptMaybe you remember those "choose your own adventure" books from the 1980s and 1990s? I spent many hours reading and cheating my way through the “Fighting Fantasy” books by Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson. These have have recently been reissued for a new generation of readers and are worth checking out for ages 11 and up, especially if you have reluctant readers in your house. This online adventure will resonate with kids who like puzzles. You, the reader, wake up in a spooky pyramid back in Ancient Egypt. How will you escape? 4. Graphic novels onlineWebtoons is a website and also a free app for phones. It offers a huge number of free graphic novels and comics online (frequently you can only read the latest episode for a small fee but it is easily possible to stay 2 weeks behind and read for free). Webtoons is primarily aimed at aged 13 and up but a lot of content is suitable for younger audiences and any mature content is labeled as such. However, parents should take a look before letting their kids loose on it. Browse "Genres" to get started: Drama, fantasy, comedy, action, slice of life, romance, superhero, sci-fi, thriller, supernatural, sports, historical. 5. Free access to comicsGoComics is a great website that gives you access to thousands of free comic strips from The Far Side, Calvin and Hobbes, Big Nate, Garfield, Peanuts and many more. Honorary mentions (because not really free)Talking of subscriptions, an honorary mention goes to Amazon, the biggest presence on the market. There are indeed free eBooks on Amazon but you need to put in effort to find them (my experience was that it looked free but then cost 1 or 2 dollars when I clicked further. This might be because I live outside the US, I really don‘t know, but my tolerance for frustration was expended after about 20 minutes of looking with nothing to show for it). Still, Amazon does offer two ways of reading eBooks for a small-ish fee: Prime Reading For this you need to have an Amazon Prime subscription. If you don't have one, you can take advantage of the free 30-day trial to see if you like it. Prime Reading gives you access to around 1000 eBooks. Kindle Unlimited For a monthly fee of just under 10 dollars you get access to over one million available books and also comic books, audiobooks, and popular magazines. There is also a free 30-day trial offer. Both of these Amazon programs make books available on any mobile device via the Amazon Kindle app. TakeawaysThe best long-term solution to getting free access to books is to become a member of your local library. Children are often free (although that depends on your location). Adding OverDrive gives you direct access from home to read eBooks on your devices.
Don't forget second-hand book shops and the book section of charity and thrift stores. In the UK, Oxfam Book Shops are often as well-stocked and well-sorted as a library with great prices and a constantly changing content. If you have an Amazon Prime subscription, hand over the tablet and see what your middle schooler finds interesting. For shorter content, there are some great online comics and webtoons. Keep reading.
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