Thousands of free pdf children’s picture books and books pdf download for older kids, in 40+ subject collections online. Also audiobooks, poetry, reading guides for parents, and books by age group.
Children’s books can often be found within ‘collections’ on other pages of this site, in both fiction and nonfiction.
Table of contents
Search by Author
Search for an Author’s Books
Try searching for books by author. In the search bar in this link, in the creator field, replace LAST, FIRST with the author’s name. Save books you like to your Internet Archive account by clicking “Favorite” while logged in.
Collections of Children’s Books by Subject
Children’s Library – Collection
About 3,300 free online books for children from around the world, as recommended by several major libraries. You may wish to use the “Topics & Subjects” filter in the left column.
See the Menu at the top of every page for Directories of Free Online Fiction and NonFiction Books, Magazines, and more, on 400 pages like this at Century Past
Children’s Literature Collection
About 3,700 free online books for kids. This collection includes many anthologies of classic children’s stories and books in several languages from various cultures.
Newbery Medal Winners – Collection – Free Children’s Books PDF Online
The John Newbery medal is a literary award given every year since 1921 to the author of “the most distinguished contributions to American literature for children”. All of the winners since 1921 are listed here, with links to free online versions of most of them at the Internet Archive. Free children’s picture books pdf download.
See our Magazines on Hobbies & Crafts
Top Children’s Books of the Past 100 Years
This Internet Archive blog post from October 2013 contains links to most of the top 100 Children’s books of the last 100 years, according to a list published by the New York Times newspaper in 2013.
International Children’s Digital Library – Free Children’s Picture Books PDF Download
“A Library for the World’s Children”. Free online library of about 4,000 books in many languages. One can search by language, format, genre and several other ways. Free children’s books pdf online.
Student Library Pre-K to Grade 12 – Collection
Thousands of free online books arranged by grade level, for readers from Preschool to 12th grade. Collection organized by Open Library at Internet Archive.
See our Audio collection of Records, Talking Books, Old Time Radio, and Modern Radio Dramas
Juvenile Classic Books – Collection
Free children’s classic books. Some book titles: 101 Dalmatians, Dracula, various Dr. Seuss stories, The Iliad, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, 20th Century Children’s Book Treasury, Stuart Little, Pippi in the South Seas, Anne of Green Gables, Clifford stories, Mother Goose, Wizard of Oz, Peter Pan, The Secret Garden, The Little Red Hen, Madeline in London, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Lassie Come Home, Heidi, A Bear Called Paddington, Pinocchio, Black Beauty, The Night Before Christmas, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, Little Women, The Call of the Wild, King Arthur and His Knights, The Three Little Pigs, Alice in Wonderland, Snow White, Pollyanna, more.
Universal School Library – Leveled Reading Books for Grades 4-8
About 650 books from the Universal School Library’s Internet Archive collection. This collection was curated by a national advisory group of school librarians, librarian educators and researchers. Fiction and non-fiction books for reading levels of grades 4-8.
Universal School Library – Cultural Literacy and Humanities – Reading Levels Elementary to Adult
Free books from the Universal School Library’s Cultural Literacy and Humanities Collection. This collection was curated by a national advisory group of school librarians, librarian educators and researchers. This group includes fiction and non-fiction books for reading levels ranging from elementary school grades to adult.
See our Old Photographs collection
American Children’s Stories – Collection
Thousands of free short stories online for kids in free books at the Internet Archive. Includes: The Cat in the Hat, The Stinky Cheese Man, 30 Tales to Give You Goosebumps, Disney Scary Storybook Collection, Beverly Cleary Henry Huggins, Nancy Drew Ghost Stories, Goosebumps Monster Edition, Encyclopedia Brown, Dare to Be Scared, Double Dork Diaries 2, Disney’s Christmas Storybook, The Hardy Boys Ghost Stories, Scary Stories for Sleepovers, Your Favorite Seuss, Scary Stories for Stormy Nights, and more. Short stories for children, short stories middle school.
African American Children’s Books – African Americans YA Books – Collection – Free Children’s Picture Books PDF Download
About 600 free online Juvenile African Americans Fiction books.
African American Children’s Books – Collection
About 150 African American books for kids free.
For more info about using Century Past or our books, see our FAQ page
Black Girl Books – Collection – Free Children’s Books PDF Online
About 300 novels featuring black girls as the main character. The collection appears to include books for readers of all ages from early elementary to adult.
Animal Fiction – Collection
Free juvenile animal fiction books.
Find Free Books at the Internet Archive
Girls and Women Juvenile Fiction – Collection
Free online Girls & Women juvenile books. Free children’s picture books pdf download.
Wit and Humor Books – Collection
About 1,100 free online books on children’s wit and humor. Some authors: Jeff Kinney, Lincoln Pierce, Sue Townsend, Gordon Korman, Graeme Base, David Lewman, Jack Handey, Mo Willems, Llana Weitzman, Jonathan Peter, Peggy Parish, Jacqueline Wilson, Megan McDonald, Janet Ahlberg, Terry Pratchett, Charles Keller, many more authors of Juvenile Wit and Humor.
Visit our page of English comics books pdf free download
Humorous Stories – Collection
About 4,200 free online humorous stories books. Some authors: Jeff Kinney, Roald Dahl, Sid Fleischman, Julia Donaldson, Rachel Russell, Lincoln Pierce, Thea Stilton, Robert Lawson, Marc Brown, Geronimo Stilton, Astrid Lindgren, Judith Viorst, Jon Klassen, Douglas Adams. Free children’s books pdf online.
Humorous Fiction – Collection
About 500 humorous fiction books. Some titles: The Three Frilly Goats Fluff, Mrs. Noodlejugel and Drooly the Bear, I’m an Alien and I Want to Go Home, Apes a-go-go, Rumpled Stilton Skin, Teddy Mars, Pirates are Stealing our Cows, Aaron is a Good Sport, Rapunzel and the Prince of Pop, Fake Snakes and Weird Wizards, The Pirates on Holiday, Kattie Friedman Gives Up Texting, The Schnoz of Doom, How to Behave at a Dog Show.
Books Featuring Horses – Collection – Free Children’s Picture Books PDF Download
Free books about horses or featuring horses in the story. Some authors: Mary O’Hara, Bonnie Bryant, Kristin Earhart, Allison Hart, Janet Beeler Shaw, Walter Farley, Julia Donaldson, Patricia Polacco, Jessica Burkhart, Ben M. Baglio, Will James, Kate Di Camillo, Marilyn Halvorson.
Books about Pets – Collection
Free books about pets at the Internet Archive. Some authors: Dr. Seuss, E. B. White, Gwendolyn Hooks, Tedd Arnold, Marc Brown, Stan Berenstain, Caroline Mockford, Bernard Most, Mercer Mayer, Peter Brown, Angela Johnson, Jessica Burkhart, Daisy Meadows.
Books about Farm Life – Collection
Free books about farm life at the Internet Archive. Some authors: E. B. White, Betsy Byars, Stan Berenstain, Willa Cather, Robin Lee Hatcher, W. Nikola-Lisa, Christophe Loupy, Karen Barss, Mary Wormell, Dick King-Smith, Elizabeth Enright, Carol Wallace, Sid Fleischman.
See our books on How to Do Research in a Library
Books about Magic – Collection – Free Children’s Books PDF Online
Free books about magic for kids. Kids fiction books, books about magic for kids.
Books about Parent & Child – Collection
Free children’s books about parent and child.
See our TV PDF books
Family Life Fiction – Collection
About 2,400 family life fiction books at the Internet Archive . Some family life fiction authors here are: Jeff Kinney, S. E. Hinton, Beverly Cleary, Veronica Roth, Judith Kerr, Benjamin Alire Saenz, MacKenzie Bezos, Janet Tashjian, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Anna McQuinn, Annabel Pitcher, Lois Lowry, Jill Murphy, Anne E. Schraff, Robert Kimmel Smith, John Peterson, Stan Berenstain. Free children’s picture books pdf download.
Superheroes Books – Collection
Free children’s superhero books. Comics & graphic novels, superheroes books online.
Books about Witches – Collection
About 750 free kids’ books about witches. Kids fiction books, kids books about witches.
We have short stories in the public domain
Action & Adventure Books – Children & Young Adults – Collection –
Action & Adventure books online for children and young adults.
Conduct of Life Books – Children & Young Adults Collection – Free Children’s Picture Books PDF Download
About 880 Conduct of Life books free for children and young adults.
Read a biography online here at Century Past
People with Disabilities Fiction Books – Children & Young Adults Collection
Free books about people with disabilities for children and young adults.
Fantasy Fiction for Kids – Young Adult Fantasy Books – Collection/h3>
Fantasy and Magic books free for children and young adults. Fantasy and magic books for kids.
Friendship Stories – Children & Young Adults Collection
About 5,300 free children’s and YA books about Friendship. Digital books for kids free, young adult books about love and friendship.
Hispanic Americans Fiction for Kids – Hispanic Americans YA Books – Collection
About 80 free Hispanic Americans books for children and young adults.
Civil War Collection – YA Historical Novels – Historical Fiction for Children – Free Children’s Books PDF Online
Free historical fiction books about the Civil War for young adults and children. Digital books for kids free.
Legends, Myths & Fables – Collection
Free books about legends, myths and fables for kids and YA.
Fiction about Middle School – YA & Childrens Books Collection –
Free books about Middle school for kids and YA.
Mystery and Detective Fiction – Children & Young Adults Collection
Free mystery and detective books for children and YA, YA mystery books.
Children’s Books about Music – YA Books about Music – Fiction Collection
Free fiction books about music for children and young adults. Free children’s picture books pdf download.
Nancy Drew Books – Detective Books for Children & Young Adults Collection
Free Nancy Drew mystery stories for children and young adult readers.
Pioneer Books for Kids – Books about Frontier Life – YA & Childrens Books Collection
Free novels on pioneer life or frontier living for kids and YA readers. Free children’s books pdf online.
Time Travel Fiction – Children & Young Adults Collection – Free Children’s Picture Books PDF Download
Free fiction books on Time Travel for kids and YA.
Books about Voyages & Travels – Children & Young Adult Fiction Collection
Free novels online about voyages and travels for kids and young adult.
Collections by Age Group
First Grade Books – Second Grade Reading Books – Collection – Stories PDF Download
Free books for children in grades 1 and 2. 1st grade reading books online, 2nd grade reading books online.
See our Books for Teens
Story Books for Children Age 4-8 – Collection
Free books for children ages 4-8. Kids fiction books.
Children Age 9-12 Fiction – Collection
Free children’s books for ages 9-12.
Universal School Library – Leveled Reading Books for Grades 4-8 – Free Children’s Books PDF Online
About 650 books from the Universal School Library’s Internet Archive collection. This collection was curated by a national advisory group of school librarians, librarian educators and researchers. Fiction and non-fiction books for reading levels of grades 4-8.
See our Fantasy Fiction collection
Universal School Library – Cultural Literacy and Humanities – Reading Levels Elementary to Adult
About 800 books from the Universal School Library’s Cultural Literacy and Humanities Collection. This collection was curated by a national advisory group of school librarians, librarian educators and researchers. This group includes fiction and non-fiction books for reading levels ranging from elementary school grades to adult.
Children’s Audio Books
Children’s Adventure Books – Audio Collection
About 110 children’s adventure audio books from the Internet Archive Librivox collection of public domain books. Titles include: Pony Rider Boys in Montana, The Young Crusoe, The Outdoor Girls at Ocean View, The Tale of Cuffy Bear, The Bobbsey Twins on the Deep Blue Sea, Aunt Jane’s Nieces in Society, The Adventures of Chatterer the Red Squirrel, Tom Swift and His Motor Boat, The Rover Boys at School.
Audio Books for Children and Young Adults – Collection
About 1,150 free online audio books at the Internet Archive. This collection includes many classic books for young people. Internet Archive books are recorded by volunteers. Free children’s books pdf online.
Librivox Children’s Short Works – Collections in Audio
Here are 39 online audio books, each containing a collection of about 15 short works for children in the public domain, read in English by volunteers.
Children’s Poetry Audio Books – Collection – Free Children’s Picture Books PDF Download
About 110 audio books with poetry for children from the Internet Archive Librivox collection of public domain books. Titles include: The Posy Ring, Sugar Plums, A Little Freckled Person, The Christmas Tree, A Mother’s Song, Laughable Lyrics, Goops and How to Be Them, Verses for Children, A Visit from Saint Nicholas.
Children’s Poetry
Children’s Poetry Collection
Free online children’s poetry books.
Children’s Poetry – American Collection
Free online children’s American poetry books pdf. Free children’s picture books pdf download.
Children’s Poetry – English Collection
Free children’s poetry books. Free online library for kids.
Nursery Rhymes Collection
Free online books of nursery rhymes.
Children’s Poetry Audio Books – Collection – Free Children’s Books PDF Online
About 110 audio books with poetry for children from the Internet Archive Librivox collection of public domain books. Titles include: The Posy Ring, Sugar Plums, A Little Freckled Person, The Christmas Tree, A Mother’s Song, Laughable Lyrics, Goops and How to Be Them, Verses for Children, A Visit from Saint Nicholas.
Reading Guides for Children’s Fiction
Children’s Core Collection
Fiction and Story Collection
Corsaro, Julie, et al.
Wilson 2015
The Guide to Fiction and Story Collections has thousands of books recommended for children from pre-school through Grade 6, containing review sources and professional aids for librarians. H.W. Wilson has been a major publisher of reference works for librarians for more than a century.
Dictionary of American Children’s Fiction: Recent Books of Recognized Merit, 1960-1984
– 1985-1989
– 1990-1994
– 1995-1999
Helbig, Alethea and Perkins, Agnes Regan
Greenwood 1986-2002 Dewey Dec. 028.5
With its companion volume, this book effectively provides descriptions and evaluations of award-winning American fiction for children over the last 125 years. The compilers provide clear, insightful, and critical evaluations. Despite its title, the bibliography lists fiction for both children and young adults. . . . These two volumes, likely to become reference mainstays, are recommended for academic libraries that support children’s and young adult literature or teacher education, and for public libraries and media centers.
Something about the Author (Volumes 1-238)
Kumar, Lisa, ed.
Gale 1971 – 2012
“Facts and Pictures about Authors and Illustrators of Books for Young People” – Publisher.
100 Best Books for Children – Free Children’s Picture Books PDF Download
Silvey, Anita
Houghton Mifflin 2004 Dewey Dec. 016
The author’s “long experience as a book reviewer and editor makes her list pretty much spot-on… . Each title gets a short essay that not only discusses the book and what it has meant to its audience but that also supplies wonderful behind-the-scenes information. … A helpful list, ‘Beyond the 100 Best,’ points parents in the right direction for more good reads.” -Booklist.
The Best Children’s Literature: A Parent’s Guide
Trachtenberg, Ellen
Parent’s Guide Press 2003
“With more than 1,000 titles represented, this book comes complete with developmentally appropriate recommendations and an extensive subject index that enable children, parents, caregivers, and educators to find books that are appropriate for particular skills and levels of interest. Also included are interviews with parents and children about their favorite books, a list of awards and their recipients, featured author profiles, and discussions on developing children’s love of reading in this age of multimedia.” – Publisher. Free children’s picture books pdf download.
Vintage Reading Guides for Children’s Fiction
VINTAGE BOOKS – Young People Reading Guides
List of Series and Sequels for Juvenile Readers (Useful References Series)
Wead, Katharine H.
Faxon 1923.
The volume lists all the books in each of more than 100 series for children and teens.
Children’s Catalog of Thirty-Five Hundred Books: A Guide to the Best Reading for Boys and Girls
Based on fifty-four selected library lists and bulletins; arranged under author, title and subject; with analytical entries for 700 volumes
Wilson, H.W.; Bacon, Corinne, comp.
Wilson 1917
Kids fiction books pdf. Free children’s books pdf online.
Children’s Catalog Supplement: A Guide to the Best Reading for Boys and Girls – Free Children’s Books PDF Online
Four Hundred and Fifty Books chosen chiefly from books published between June 1, 1916, and January 1, 1918; arranged under author, title and subject; with analytical entries for 78 volumes
Wilson, H.W.; Bacon, Corinne, comp.
Wilson 1918
Includes children’s American historical fiction books.