Is a Kindle or a Nook Appropriate for an 8 Yr Old??

My son loves my tablet - I have a lenovo tablet, which I feel is far superior to nook or kindle, due to the fact that it is not tied in to either, but has the kindle app on it already. But honestly he plays with my iphone more - you could get him an ipod touch for the same price, there are so many more great games on the ipod than the kindle or a nook, and the size is just so much better for a kid

I love my Nookcolor but I wouldn't buy my 10 yr old one.
She does have an off brand e reader , called "the book" my MIL gave it to her for her birthday yr before last. You have to buy books on the computer and download them to the reader but that way she can't just buy what ever and I have complete control of what she has on it. But the nook and the kindle have accounts on either amazon.com ( kindle) or Barnesandnoble.com (nook) that are linked to a credit card.

please continue to encourage his love of reading....with books!

I think kids today have enough electronics in their lives.

Just my opinion...& I'm a dedicated book freak.

+ + I love cashing in my used books, as do my sons! I keep a bag by the front door....& we visit the used book store every couple of weeks. If you do the #s...buying books is a better bargain. :)

& I'd like to brag: my older son is 24 & reading right this minute....Sat nite 12:30am. My younger son is 15 & took a book with us when we had a short road trip this afternoon. Both sons own gaming systems...PS3 & Xbox360. Older son is covered in tattoos & headed back to college shortly!! Younger son keeps his time filled with Scouts, Track, Band, & Student Council. He's my car freak, too. Very proud of my well-rounded sons....who read every single day! :)

Ive considered it as well, but decided that my ds is still young enough at almost 9 that there are other "toys' he wants just as much, a new bike, a bag for his baseball bat and gear. more pokemon cards and backugons, and just the old fashioned books are a bit more like a Gift.

I ffigure i'll have plenty of time to give something like a nook or kindle but the time period where toys are still cool seems slim.

I'm not one for fulfilling every wish before they even wish it either. I'd rather have them really really want something and appreciate it when they get it, than to just hand it to them before they actually want it, if that makes sense.

I don't think it's inappropriate but there are some things you'd have to monitor. I wouldn't let him leave the house with so it's not appropriate. Also I wouldn't link the store to your b&n or amazon accounts for buying books. Instead, you should be able to buy the electronic version and transfer it to the product or do some research on how you have to enter the credit card number each time you buy a book. (I'm not to familiar to much on how you can do this, but I do know there is a way, just research it). Also, get the good original version that doesn't have wifi so you don't have to worry about inappropriate internet usage or unmonitored usage.

You would have to monitor it a little closer then a book, but it's not super inappropriate imo.

Since your son loves to read so much, I would continue to foster his love for BOOKS.

I, personally, don't think that everything a child is interested in should have some electronic or technological aspect to it.
I'm amazed at the number of kids who don't know how to use a phone book or a dictionary. Why bother when there is Google?
I don't see an upside to that. At all.

Sometimes, the old fashioned way of doing things is best. At least to the point where kids know how to function if they DON'T have a device to lean on.

Just my opinion.

I agree with the mom who posted that kids have enough electronics in their lives. I love my kindle (the original, not the fancy new one). Sometimes I download books on it for my 8 year old who is an avid reader, and he enjoys reading on it, but he really doesn't care if he's reading "real" books, or ebooks. I figure he doesn't need any more electronics in his life. My 14 year old is the same way. Maybe if I had kids who resisted reading then the kindle would be a way to encourage them, but with children who already love reading, I don't think they need additional electronics. JMO.

Good luck with your decision. :)

Yes-but just for reading.

You can get a simple Kindle for $79. Would not get anything more expensive than that for an 8 yo.

If it is a straight up kindle or nook (not the kindle fire or versions with the internet access and games, etc.) and it's sole purpose/ability is for reading, then I think it is okay. However, as a parent, I would rather spend that chunk of money on something else and encourage my child to explore the library - especially if he is a bookworm and goes through books like crazy...why spent the money on the new fangled books when libraries offer the same thing for free?? :-)

Use that money and the money you would save downloading books and spend it on something else - like a bike or other hobby/interest items.
It is nice to hear about kids that are "bookworms" :-) I would much rather see a child sitting reading a book rather than sitting and playing a handheld video game, which seems to be the "norm" these days! :-) Congrats on your bookworm! :-)

We have a Kindle, my daughter got it for her 16th birthday.

What will you get him when he is 16?
My personal opinion is to let them want someting for a while before they get it, and to save big ticket items for the teen years and graduations.
My 14 yo wants her ears pierced. For years she has begged for them. In our house the rule is 8th grade graduation. Now she is so excited because this is the year and next month is the month she gets her ears pierced.

Same with phones, they can have those WHEN they NEED them. My 11 yo thinks he needs one. Poppycock!! He'll get one when he is in activities that he would need to get a hold of me. His brother got one at 18, his sisters at 13 and 14. THe girls were in more activities away from home.

My 14 yo will get a computer probably next Christmas or birthday, she'll be in HS and will need it.
THe Kindle is wonderful. My daughter loves, loves, loves it. But she also loves her physical books.
Get the little guy a series, maybe Hardy Boys, where he gets more than one book to read. I still buy real books for all my kids and they love them. THen when he is older you still have the option of the newest coolest eReader and you won't run out of ideas because you got him that at 8, 9 and 10.

It depends on the 8 year-old and it depends on which version, and which features. I have an older version of the Kindle and I really like it. There is no connecting to the Internet through it. I can buy books with just one click on it, though, so you would want to see if that could be shut off or monitored.

You would want to be comfortable with the idea of him taking it places, if he's like my daughter (10), she loves to read in the car and to have a book with her always. I take my Kindle in my purse so I almost always have it with me. I'm not sure I would want her always bringing it along. So far, she's told me she's not ready to have a Kindle and likes her paper books - they mostly come from the school library. Eventually, I'm sure she'll have one, but not yet.

My kids all have the Kindle Fires. They got them for Christmas, when they were 4, 6, and 8.

Bigtime lover of the Kindle...not a fan at all of Nook.

i think its a great idea, especially if youre going to use it also.. id get it and let him use it whenever he wants but i dont know about just giving it to him and telling him its his.. is he respoinsible enough to take care of it.. not misplace it or drop it on the floor?.. if he is then go for it but if your not sure id get it and tell him that your going to hold onto it but all he has to do is ask and he can use it .. my fiances cousin has a nook and her kids are 6 and 4 and they love it.. i will say though i dont think shed ever just give it to them and say here u go.. she will let the 6 year old sit and play his book games by himself but he knows when hes done it goes right back to mommy.. the little one doesnt use it by herself only with mommy

I love my Nook Simple Touch but it is a pretty pricey way to read. I have it with me at all times and travel a fair amount and could not live without it. For a child, you may want to consider WHY you think he would like it. Will he be carrying it with him? If not, you may be better off getting him his own library card or even a book set of an author her likes. The good thing about eReaders is that you can have lots of big books with you at all times. Since he will most likely be reading at home he can just get a stack of books from the library.
If you go beyond the simple reader and get the tablets that both Nook and Kindle offer, you are talking a lot more money .$250 for the Nook tablet my husband just bought, it is basically a color computer whereas my little Nook has the black and white e-ink technology that is much easier on the eyes than an electronic screen and mine is ONLY for reading.
Both my kids (12 and 15) have an iPod Touch which has internet access, games, music and the Kindle app for reading. They listen to music and via wifi watch cartoon on it.
I guess it all depends on what you think he will do with it. With an iPod or a tablet he basically has a small computer, with the true eReaders he has a slim lightweight library with him at all time. There is also a non-apple version called the Samsung Galaxy 4 (or the 5 has a bigger screen, 5" diagonal versus 4). Some people like my sister HATE the Apple iTunes interface that you have to use with Apple products and prefer using a non-apple product that can use any media-manager that you can get for free online.

Two of my grandkids got Kindle Fires for Christmas. They are ages 3 and 4.

They love them and can do all kinds of apps. They can read books on them when they get older too. They are the best mix between a tablet and a book reader.

My son (7 yrs.) also loves reading, but he LOVES going to the library and book store and seeing the books and choosing them.

I think that reading would loose some of its magic (even for me to be honest) if it was done on an electronic device (although it is convenient).

Just my opinion, I sometimes struggle with the fact that he has a DS already, I don't think he needs additional electronics (iphone, ipad, tablets, etc) at this point.

Good luck to you!

Is he responsible enough to treat it with respect and not break it or lose it.

In my opinion I'd save it til later. Let him enjoy the real book for now. I see the Nook or Kindle as something for an older child.

my daughter ( who is 7) has a Kindle Fire. I got one used on Ebay for much cheaper. She loves it. It has some really cool apps for kids. She doesn't use it excessively at all either.

My 5 year old son has a nook color and loves it! The read to me books have really helped with his reading

My daughter loves her nook tablet.