The $179.99 Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Kids for 2024 stands out as a remarkable device. It takes the already popular $159.99 Kindle Paperwhite and enhances it with a colorful case, six months of the Amazon Kids+ subscription service, a two-year replacement warranty, and an ad-free experience. All of this is offered at a lower price than purchasing each component separately. This ensures that kids can enjoy a seamless reading experience without the worry of ads or technical issues.

Unlock a World of Reading with the Kindle Paperwhite Kids

Design: Whimsical Covers

The key distinction between the regular Kindle Paperwhite and the Kids version lies in its colorful case. Unlike the bulky cases of Amazon's Fire HD Kids tablets, the Paperwhite Kids case closely resembles standard ones. It features a book cover-like opening and comes in kid-friendly motifs. For instance, you can choose the Starfish cover with an underwater starfish scene or Cyber City, a futuristic city in purples and blues. There's also an option with characters from "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" for an extra $10. I received the Starfish cover, which is showcased in this review.(Credit: Sarah Lord)The case is preinstalled on the device, adding a bit of size and weight but providing excellent protection against bumps and scrapes. With the case, it measures 7.0 by 5.2 by 0.5 inches (HWD) and weighs 11.6 ounces. This is wider, thicker, and heavier than the case-free Paperwhite (7.0 by 5.0 by 0.3, 7.4 ounces). The 2024 Paperwhite Kids is slightly taller and heavier than both the 2021 version (6.91 by 5.09 by 0.53 inches, 7.2 ounces) and the new Kindle Kids with its 6-inch display (6.3 by 4.5 by 0.53 inches, 9.03 ounces).(Credit: Sarah Lord)Similar to other Kindle cases, the top and bottom expose the device's edges while protecting the rest of the body. The interior of the cover is finished with a soft felt to keep the screen clean, while the rest feels plastic and slippery. It doesn't have the same premium design as the fabric or faux-leather covers of Amazon's regular models. However, the ocean-themed Starfish cover is cute and colorful and doesn't attract fingerprints.(Credit: Sarah Lord)A USB-C port for charging and a power button are located on the bottom edge of the Paperwhite. The button makes a pleasant clicking sound when pressed, and since the cover automatically puts the device to sleep when closed and wakes it up when opened, you won't need to press it often.The Paperwhite Kids has 16GB of storage and a 7-inch display with a pixel density of 300 pixels per inch (ppi). Amazon doesn't disclose the actual resolution, but the grayscale of the E Ink looks just as crisp and easy to read as on other models. There are warm and cool lights that can be adjusted independently, and like all new Kindles, the Paperwhite Kids version can reach up to 94 nits of brightness. However, the lighting is a bit more uneven than in past models. There's a slightly yellow tint to the entire display, with some more distinct uneven yellow tones at the bottom of the screen, even when the warmth light is set to zero. It's only slightly distracting, and I got used to it after a while. I'm sure many people won't even notice it. This is also the case with the regular Paperwhite's display.(Credit: Sarah Lord)The Paperwhite is fully waterproof and has an IPX8 rating, making it ideal for kids. It can withstand spills and can even be used in the bath.In addition to the Paperwhite and case, Amazon provides a USB-C cable in the box. You need to purchase or provide your own power adapter.

Performance: Quick Page Turns and Long Battery Life

The 2024 Kindle Paperwhite Kids performs exceptionally well. You can effortlessly swipe through and search for content on the Amazon Kids+ app, and the pages of your books turn instantly when you swipe the screen. Amazon doesn't disclose the type of hardware used in the device but claims that it can turn pages 25% faster than the previous model. All the controls work quickly and smoothly. In fact, it might be a bit too easy for kids to accidentally swipe a page ahead without realizing it.(Credit: Sarah Lord)With 16GB of non-expandable storage, you have more than enough space to download any of the books available on Amazon Kids+. The service comes with a selection of Audible books that take up a lot of space, but you can easily remove the ones you've finished if you need more storage. You can always download them again from the cloud if you want to listen again.Battery life remains outstanding. Amazon notes that the Paperwhite should last up to 12 weeks on a single charge, although it doesn't disclose the actual battery size. Your child's battery life will depend on how often they read and for how long. Amazon's estimates are based on half an hour of reading per day with the lighting set to level 13. I don't like reading with that much light on the screen, so my battery lasts a long time. In heavy testing over four days, the battery only depleted by 8%.The Paperwhite doesn't have cellular connectivity, so you need to be connected to Wi-Fi to download books. It supports dual-band Wi-Fi.It's important to note that while Amazon says the Paperwhite Kids is for ages 3 to 12, none of its ebook readers support Whispersync for Immersion Reading. Immersion allows kids to listen to an audiobook while viewing the ebook on the screen, with the words highlighted as they are read. This popular feature is only available on Fire tablets and in the Kindle app. You can definitely read along with your child on this device, but it's best suited for kids who can already read on their own.The Paperwhite Kids also lacks speakers and a 3.5mm headphone jack, so you'll need Bluetooth headphones to listen to Audible content.

Software: Amazon Kids+ Is Included, Ads Are Not

The Paperwhite Kids requires an adult for the initial setup. Amazon makes it easy by allowing you to do it via the Kindle App on your phone or tablet. It takes about two minutes to link your existing Amazon account with the Paperwhite. If you don't already have one, you'll need to add a kid profile to your account. This is best done on a phone, tablet, or computer. Amazon gives you full control over your child's device, including the ability to set daily goals, set a specific bedtime (after which your child can no longer access content), add books, approve access to the Kindle Store, and view your child's reading progress. Some settings, including bedtime, can only be managed on an app or web browser.(Credit: Sarah Lord)Once your child's profile is set, you need to create a PIN on the Kindle itself to launch Amazon Kids. Then, you just tap your child's name and hit Start Reading.Navigating the user interface is easy. There are two tabs at the bottom: Home and Recent. The Home page shows a selection of Amazon Kids+ books downloaded to the device, along with rows of suggested content. There are Popular Book Series, Books You Might Like, Award Winning Books and Authors, and more. The Recent tab only shows the books and audiobooks you've downloaded to the device.You can find content using the search bar at the top of every tab. You can browse through Reading Awards, Vocabulary Builder, Your Bedtime, and other settings in the four-dot menu to the right of the search bar. You can also exit Amazon Kids from this menu, but you'll need to enter the parental PIN. Swiping down from the top of the screen brings up the Quick Settings menu, where kids can access Airplane Mode, Bluetooth, Dark Mode, Sync, and All Settings. They can also adjust the brightness and warmth of the light from here.(Credit: Sarah Lord)Reading menus on the Paperwhite Kids are the same as on the regular Paperwhite. Tapping on the top of the screen brings up buttons for font and line-spacing adjustments, the table of contents, highlights and notes, bookmarks, and a book-wide search. The bottom of the screen shows the book page, the estimated time left until you reach your reading goal, and the percentage of where you are in the book.The Amazon Kids+ service was not designed specifically for reading, and this is evident when using it on a reading-only device. On a tablet, kids can access a wide selection of apps, games, and videos, as well as books on Amazon+. Here, they have a surprisingly small collection of mixed-aged books to choose from. There are many picture books like "Otis P. Oliver Protests," but they don't look their best on the small, grayscale display. Comics fare slightly better as you can activate Panel View by double-tapping on the page. The Paperwhite will then give you a visual overview of the page, while subsequent page turns will display close-ups of each individual panel. This makes reading all the Marvel comics on Amazon Kids+ easier, but they still lack color. You can read in color on the $279.99 Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition, but it doesn't have a kids' version.(Credit: Sarah Lord)You can read some popular book series on Amazon Kids+, like Harry Potter, Artemis Fowl, and Diary of a Wimpy Kid. But there's no Roald Dahl, Percy Jackson, Hunger Games, or many other classic children's literature. There aren't enough books in any specific age range or reading level to keep children engaged for long, and there's no easy way to see a list of the available books. Amazon Kids+ is a good starting point for young readers, but you'll definitely want to supplement the selection with books purchased elsewhere. The Libby app isn't supported, but parents can send DRM-free epubs via the Send to Kindle feature. And, of course, you can always buy books from Amazon.A year's subscription to Amazon Kids+ costs $48 if you have an Amazon Prime membership or $79 if you don't. The initial trial subscription expires after six months.As mentioned, the Paperwhite Kids doesn't display ads on the lock screen, which is a nice feature. It costs an additional $20 to remove ads on the regular Paperwhite, which brings it to the same price as the Kids model.

Verdict: A Strong Value for Young Readers

The 2024 Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Kids is sure to appeal to both children and their parents. It's essentially an ad-free Paperwhite with a protective case, six months of Amazon Kids+, and a two-year warranty. All of these features would cost much more than $179.99 if purchased separately. And the Paperwhite is an excellent ebook reader on its own, with a waterproof build, smooth performance, and a sharp E Ink screen. This makes it the Kindle we highly recommend to adults and children alike and earns the Paperwhite Kids our Editors' Choice award.