Book Creator
Parents say
Based on 32 reviews
Kids say
Based on 2 reviews
Book Creator
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this website.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Book Creator is a bookmaking tool. Users pick images, place text, draw, choose backgrounds, and link to multimedia content while assembling their books. They can create in a variety of formats, including comic strips. Users can also include images from their device's camera roll, and images can be resized and repositioned, text attributes can be changed, and books can have as many pages as needed. This review is for the web version, which offers a free account with one library and 40 books. A subscription allows more access but is geared toward classroom use rather than home use. Book Creator is also available as a paid app. Once users are finished with a book, it can be shared, published, or downloaded. Read the developer's privacy policy for details on how your (or your kids') information is collected, used, and shared and any choices you may have in the matter, and note that privacy policies and terms of service frequently change. Under the CCPA law you have the right to protect your personal information. Make a Do Not Sell request to Book Creator.
Community Reviews
Stick With Word
Report this review
Fun with Book Creator!
Report this review
What’s It About?
Take the BOOK CREATOR Getting Started tutorial to learn the basics, and then tap the "+" or New Book icon on the main screen. Choose a book shape, theme, or template, and tap the "+" button to add photos, video, text, and sound to the cover page, first page, and so on. If you want to draw but aren't super confident in your skills, you can try the Google AutoDraw for predictive drawing. Then you can move your content around the page, and resize or rotate it as desired. Under the "i" tab, find many options for adjusting or deleting items, changing themes, or adding backgrounds. Every time you want to add something, just tap "+" again. Tap Pages and Edit to reorder or delete pages. When the book is done, share it, download it, publish it, make it available for collaboration, and more. Find the Read to Me button for text to speech to hear your book read out loud. It's possible to translate content into 10 languages.
Is It Any Good?
This amazingly easy-to-use digital bookmaking tool is accessible even to kids in early elementary school grades. Using Book Creator, they can produce and publish their own simple books or comics with images, videos, and audio. That said, given the options for adding images and multimedia, even older kids won't feel limited. Plus, book creation itself gets kids using critical-thinking and organization skills as they brainstorm, plan, and make creative decisions about their books. There's a lot kids can do with Book Creator, so before creating that first book, it's helpful to do the basic tutorial.
The options really are impressive, with the ability to link to an unlimited amount of multimedia content. Though the website is geared toward classroom use, it's all easily adaptable for home use. Even the school subject-based sample books and ideas can be great inspiration for parents and kids at home. Book Creator offers lots of opportunity and flexibility, but because it's easy to create a book, kids are not distracted from the app's main purpose: meaningful multimedia content.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Book Creator can be helpful to get a creative process started. Does it feel different to create on the computer versus with a paper and pencil? What can you do with each format that you can't do with the other?
Write a book for your emerging readers, using words they're familiar with (including their names and photos) to help build reading confidence and interest.
Encourage kids to create books that tell stories about something they've done -- like a family vacation -- or something that interests them.
Website Details
- Subjects: Language & Reading: speaking, storytelling, writing
- Skills: Thinking & Reasoning: decision-making, Creativity: imagination, making new creations, producing new content, Self-Direction: effort, self-assessment, Communication: conveying messages effectively, multiple forms of expression, Tech Skills: digital creation, using and applying technology
- Genre: Educational
- Pricing structure: Free to try (Free version supports one library and 40 books. For $10 per month, this expands to unlimited libraries with 200 books each.)
- Last updated: May 27, 2021
Our Editors Recommend
-
Pictello
Make storybooks sing with your own photos and text.
-
Strip Designer
Simple, exciting way to create comic books using own photos.
-
Puppet Pals HD
Free but limited animation app; full experience costs money.
-
Toontastic 3D
Same great easy animated story creator, new 3D graphics.
-
Storybird
Fun, free way to be creative; writing help may cost more.
For kids who love storytelling apps and digital creation
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate