Skybrary – Kids Books & Videos

App review by Chris Morris, Common Sense Media
Skybrary – Kids Books & Videos Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 4+

Classic reborn as fee-based e-library with great selection.

iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire Free to try Education
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Parents say

age 4+

Based on 3 reviews

Kids say

No reviews yet.

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this app.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that LeVar Burton Kids Skybrary is an app (and a site) that offers a library of books to users, themed according to a child's interests (action adventures, magical tales, etc.). Kids can choose to have a book read aloud to them or to read the book themselves. To use it beyond the one-month free trial, however, you'll have to subscribe to the app: about $5 for one month, or $40 for a year -- all on a recurring basis. Read the app's privacy policy to find out about the types of information collected and shared.

Community Reviews

familybusyness
familybusyness Adult
October 17, 2018
age 5+

content is decent, but cancelling is a nightmare

the online book library was fairly good and the interface was easy to use on a laptop and on our ipads. unfortunately, our kinds weren't very interested in the books that were available. I read other reviews that complained about having a hard time cancelling. you cannot "cancel" right away. the only option is to check a box to say "do not renew". after checking that box, your only option is to wait until the end of the month to see if Skybrary honors your request. at $5 per month, it wasn't a high priority for me to check, I just assumed that they would be honest. it took 2-3 months before I remembered that the charge should have stopped. I tried checking "do not renew" once more, but still got billed for another month. I eventually went straight to my credit card company to dispute the charge.
Mary K.
Mary K. Adult
November 8, 2016
age 3+
See all 3 parent reviews

What’s It About?

With LEVAR BURTON KIDS SKYBRARY, children can select up to five ebooks at any time (from a library of more than 300 titles) to keep in their app's backpack. As with most ebooks, kids can read the books themselves or have them read by a narrator. Books are categorized by a series of floating islands, which have a sliding list of titles. Finishing a book earns kids a sticker reward. The app also features mini-films covering a wide range of educational topics, and has a dashboard to help parents track what their kid is reading (and the time spent on each book).

Is It Any Good?

This app is a nostalgic touchstone for many of today's parents, so there's bound to be some concerns that the app can't live up to the landmark television program. In this case, those fears are unfounded, as LeVar Burton Kids Skybrary keeps the focus strictly on education and the joy of learning. Host LeVar Burton returns as a guide through the app, but lets the books and the users be the star. And the promised future enhancements, such as the "book report" feature that played heavily in the show, are another reason to get excited. Stickers help keep kids motivated, and parents can monitor how often their kids use the app.

There are a few downsides. First, the monthly subscription fee is steep. Given the large collection of books available, it's not unreasonable, but it will be a deterrent to some. Second, we'd like to see more interest areas to choose from when setting up profiles -- some kids will struggle to select three of the presented topics. And finally, we'd like to see the narration highlight words as they're read, but that's a minor quibble.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Parents can talk about the different subjects of each episode in LeVar Burton Kids Skybrary -- and use them as launching points for trips to the library or real-world locations.

  • Ask kids which stories they enjoy most, and find out why. Does the app make them more interested in reading?

  • Check out Reading Rainbow DVDs at your local library. How is reading a story different from watching it? How often do the images match the pictures you made in your mind while reading?

App Details

Our Editors Recommend

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