Amazon today announced Reading Sidekick, a new Alexa feature that requires an Amazon Kids+ subscription and reads books along with kids.

“Reading Sidekick is a fun, new Alexa learning experience that helps young readers build fluency and foster a love for reading,” an Amazon representative told me. “To get started with Reading Sidekick, a child with an Amazon Kids+ subscription can pick up a compatible physical book or eBook and say ‘Alexa, let’s read’ to any Amazon Kids-enabled Echo device. The child then tells Alexa the book’s title and Alexa asks how much do they want to read: a little, a lot, or taking turns.”

According to the Reading Sidekick website, this new Alexa feature lets Amazon’s voice assistant take turns reading with your child. She will listen, help if your child struggles, and encourage when they succeed, Amazon says. It works with any Echo Kids device an Echo device with Amazon Kids enabled.

Amazon Kids+ costs $2.99 per month or $24.99 per year and provides unlimited access to thousands of kid-friendly books, movies, TV shows, educational apps, games, and premium kid’s Alexa skills. Reading Sidekick works with hundreds of children’s books for ages 6 to 9.

Tagged with Amazon Alexa