Skybrary

The Kids Reading App with 100+ Free Books for Kids | Reading Is Fundamental

BENEFITS OUR USERS HOW IT WORKS ISLANDS FAQs

Skybrary: The Kids Reading App That Makes Learning Fun

Skybrary is Reading Is Fundamental’s (RIF) interactive, ad-free kids reading app, which inspires the joy of reading by providing access to endless literary adventures. With virtual field trips, standards-aligned content, offline access, and 100 free books for kids, including the option to upgrade to over 1,000 expert-selected titles, Skybrary nurtures curiosity and encourages reading frequency. Enjoy a diverse library of stories, islands, and fun with RIF’s new digital platform specially designed for young users.

Our Mission

Skybrary helps parents and educators find free books for kids that inspire curiosity and build reading confidence. At RIF, our mission to ignite a passion for reading in all children involves providing access to books and reading resources. Connecting students to their own stories builds strong reading habits and desires to become lifelong readers. Learn more about how you can help us encourage accessible learning here.

What are the Benefits of Access to Free Books for Kids?

Disrupting the Literacy Crisis

25 million children in the U.S. cannot read proficiently
69% of 4th graders read below grade level
70% of 8th graders read below grade level

Literacy rates have been steadily declining for decades, contributing to a wider gap in reading ability and literacy skills between groups of children. By ensuring that all students have access to books from an early age, Skybrary works to address existing disparities, leading to empowerment and opportunity.

Educational Performance

Children with access to books are more likely to become confident, fluent readers who demonstrate stronger interest in learning about all subjects. Enhanced cognitive development, literacy, and language skills build passion and excitement in the classroom.

Encouraging the Joy of Reading

Providing the ability to choose among titles that each student uniquely feels interest in builds motivation, turning reading into an act of self-expression and exploration. Books act as transportation to new worlds, reinforcing the joy of storytelling, imagination, and love of discovery.

Our Users: Lifelong Learners and Curious Minds

For Children: Why Kids Love This Reading App

Students can now enjoy a kids reading app designed to meet their abilities and interests. Engaging features include:

Kid-friendly navigation and design: calming visuals and age-appropriate interactions, as well as no ads, to ensure alignment with child development
Video field trips: over 150 virtual field trips to connect students with literary landscapes
Themed reading islands: 7 different islands inspire kids to explore themed stories and videos

For Parents: A Kids Reading App Parents Trust

Parents can use Skybrary as a fun, interactive method for building their child’s love of reading at home. Family features include:

“Read-to-Me” narration: audio attached to stories supports young readers
An offline backpack: children can read from anywhere with their downloaded titles
A parent dashboard: track reading progress, completion, and favorites
Recommended titles and discussion prompts

For Educators: Bring Free Books for Kids into the Classroom

Educators can use Skybrary to implement reading programs in the classroom. Classroom friendly features include:

Standards-aligned lesson plans
Teaching guides
Every book tagged by Lexile® level and Accelerated Reader quiz codes
A subscription model, or school plan
Teacher management tools: rosters, progress reports, reports of time spent reading and watching
One-click Clever rostering

For Communities: Free Books to Support Literacy

Libraries and other shared spaces can use Skybrary to increase literacy access in their community. Utilize Skybrary as:

A digital reading station to provide free books for kids
A tool for summer reading programs or literacy challenges
A supplement to library programming with 1,000 diverse titles

How Skybrary Works

Profile

Access Skybrary online or as a mobile app.
Choose your account type:
- Family
- School/Classroom
For family accounts, choose your plan type:
- Free
- Annual
- Monthly
For school accounts, choose your plan type:
- 30-day free trial
- School plan
- Classroom plan
Set up child profiles with details including name, age, and reading level.

Select Adventure

Browse the themed islands. Each island includes book selections, video field trips, and optional animations or sound effects.
Islands include:
- Magical Tales
- National Geographic Kids
- Music Mountain
- My Friends, My Family
- Genius Academy
- Awesome People
- Animal Kingdom

Read, Watch, Explore

Explore Skybrary’s collection, including hundreds of free books for kids. Once a title is chosen, children can read independently or utilize “Read-to-Me” narration, where the text is read aloud and words are highlighted as they’re read.
After finishing a book, children can answer discussion questions, add the book to their “favorites,” or return to the main islands.

Virtual Field Trips

Through a series of over 150 short, educational videos, often 2-5 minutes long, children can “visit” locations and learn about history that connects with book topics.
Examples include:
- Take a tour of a submarine after reading about the ocean
- Explore the National Museum of American History after reading about dinosaurs
- Hear stories from a diving coach, a classical singer, and a wolf rescuer after reading about careers
- Watch how a snake is measured and learn about its properties after reading reptiles

Track Milestones

In family accounts, access a dashboard which includes books read, time spent reading, favorite topics and progress, and discussion questions.
In classroom accounts, access a classroom dashboard which allows monitoring of reading time and completion, assignment of specific books and themes, downloading of usage reports, and grouping of students by reading level.
In child accounts, access a dashboard which includes history spent reading and watching, and a virtual customizable backpack which stores up to 5 books.

Skybrary Islands

What are Skybrary Islands?

Skybrary invites children on an unforgettable reading adventure across seven fantastical islands, each offering its own collection of engaging books and educational videos. Islands are thoughtfully curated around unique themes that spark curiosity and inspire learning. Children pilot hot air balloons to journey from island to island, exploring new worlds, meeting characters, and uncovering exciting ideas along the way.

	My Friends, My Family My Friends, My Family Island explores stories that dive into feelings, friendship, fairness, and focus, all based on social-emotional learning (SEL) topics that support children’s growth. Video field trips expand further, demonstrating teamwork, creativity, and shared traditions.
	Awesome People Awesome People Island celebrates amazing people and the incredible things they do. Readers can engage with inspiring figures from government, business, and community life, as well as everyday heroes. Kids can take part in video field trips, including the “I Love My Job” series, where they meet real people doing fascinating work.
	National Geographic Kids National Geographic Kids Island takes readers into the wilderness, featuring books that traverse jungles, oceans, and deserts. Learn about the environment, ecosystems, conservation, and all of its inhabitants with Skybrary’s field trip videos.
	Magical Tales Magical Tales Island invites readers into realms beyond imagination, where stories sparkle with wonder and adventure. Journey through enchanted kingdoms, soaring dragons, and mysterious pirate ships with Skybrary’s field trip videos.
	Animal Kingdom Animal Kingdom Island invites young explorers to discover the amazing creatures that share the world, from the deepest oceans to the tallest treetops. Kids can dive into books that bring the world to life, learning about habitats, behaviors, and the ways animals adapt and survive in nature.
	Genius Academy Genius Academy Island teaches fascinating topics to young explorers with STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) themed books and video adventures. Learn about bugs, trees, space, and more.
	Music Mountain Music Mountain Island illustrates stories of musicians and dancers, inviting all to explore dramatic flair while igniting creativity. In this imaginative zone, rhythm, movement, and stage-magic come alive, encouraging readers to learn about the art of performance.

Skybrary FAQs

Who is Skybrary for?

Skybrary is aimed at children approximately ages 3-9, or grades pre-K through grade 3, but may suit older or younger readers depending on their comprehension level.

Is Skybrary safe for kids?

Skybrary is designed as a kid’s reading app and follows the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. Persons under the age of 13 are not allowed to create user accounts, and the app does not knowingly collect, maintain, or disclose any personal information from children under the age of 13. 

What is the best free kids reading app?

While there are many educational-based apps for reading, Skybrary offers exceptional benefits:

Over 1,000 expert selected titles
Over 150 educational field trip videos
Standards-aligned content and lesson plans
Offline access
Dashboards for tracking milestones
Multiple users on single accounts

Can my child read offline on Skybrary?

Yes! Users can opt into Offline Mode, where free books for kids can be accessed anywhere. Reading progress will sync once they reconnect.

Does Skybrary offer educational books for kids?

Skybrary’s platform includes over 1,000 eBooks that are selected by experts, paired with over 150 educational videos that supply additional lessons and concepts.

How do I sign up?

Visiting https://www.skybrary.org/free-books allows anyone access to 100 free books for kids.

If you wish to use the web app, you have the option to sign up for the following:

The Skybrary Free Forever Plan grants access to 100 free books in the app experience, with no credit card entry required.
Users may sign up for a 30-day free trial, which gives unlimited access to Skybrary's complete library of books and videos for 30 days. After the trial ends, users are automatically opted into the free plan.
Paid subscriptions are available, either monthly at $6.99/month, or a discounted annual plan for $49.99/year.

Can I use it on multiple devices or for multiple children?

Yes, users may log into their Skybrary account on supported devices. A single Skybrary subscription allows up to 5 individual child profiles, which include customized backpacks and story tracking.

How is Skybrary used in the classroom?

Teachers can utilize standards and Common Core aligned content with materials that support ELA, science, and social studies instruction. Several books have extended educator-created comprehension questions and downloadable activities, as well as teacher guides which include vocabulary, discussion prompts, and extension ideas.

What kind of books are on Skybrary?

Skybrary’s library includes hundreds of high-quality children’s books. Books involve professional narration, accompanied by a highlighting tool as words are read. A selection of books is available in Spanish.

Download Skybrary Today!

Access Skybrary today to begin your reading journey! Join RIF’s interactive, ad-free kids reading app in nurturing curiosity, imagination, and motivation for literacy in young readers by turning screen time into story time. Register here!