6 Great Reading Apps for Kids

These phone and tablet apps will enrich storytime at home or on the road.

By Dominic Umile

In this swiftly changing techy era, it's tough to sort through what apps are must-have. When it comes to sharing (or creating!) books with your kids, we've got you covered. Dig into this list of nifty and distinctive phone and tablet apps.

1. Tikatok StorySpark. From book behemoth Barnes & Noble, Tikatok StorySpark is aimed at your family’s pint-sized publisher. Kids write and illustrate their own books, using a catalog of art or their own photos or digital drawings for the backgrounds. When it’s ready, books are “published” under a chosen pen name and posted online at Tikatok.com. iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, Android; app is free, books are $3 each.

2. Bookster. Young readers can find new literary faves with helpful narration from kids their age. Your little ones will also learn new vocabulary words and can record themselves reading the books when they’ve finished! iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, Android; free with first e-book.

3. Tales2Go. A Parents’ Choice Gold Award-winner that streams on-demand, unlimited access to more than 1,000 stories. Scroll through and sort by reader age, genre, and more. Bookmark and build a favorites list for easy return visits! iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch; $10 per month.

4. A Story Before Bed. More than 300 stories in this app’s library for an interactive read-along experience with your child. Record video of storytime so that your little one can watch it again in the morning, while paging through and following along! iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch; $10 per month.

5. TouchyBooks. Quirky sounds, animation, and flip-book usability offer a realistic experience and a touch of magic for toddlers and tweens. Use the easy star voting system to rate your favorites on this multilingual platform. iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, Android, Windows Phone; free with two free books.

6. MeeGenius. Highlight words for review and use the MeeGenius audio playback to keep your little bookworms engaged. Give the personalization element a try, where a child can substitute his or her own name for that of a favorite character in the book! iPad, iPhone, Android, Google TV; free with book selection.