Amazon launches self-publishing platform for children’s authors

4 Sep 2014

Authors of children’s books can now avail of a new tool from e-commerce behemoth Amazon called KDP Kids that will allow them to publish and promote illustrated chapter books in Kindle Stores worldwide.

Children’s book authors can use Amazon’s new Kindle Kids’ Book Creator tool to create illustrated children’s books that take advantage of the Kindle e-reader’s features, such as text pop-ups.

Once the book is ready, authors can upload it to KDP in a few steps, and use KDP’s category, age and grade range filters to target their work to just the right audience.

Amazon said authors can earn royalties of up to 70pc, keep their rights and maintain control of their content.

Authors can also enroll their books in other Amazon subscription services.

Russ Grandinetti, senior vice-president, Kindle, said no one should have to be a computer programmer to create a beautiful, illustrated Kindle book for kids.

“Kindle Kids’ Book Creator makes it easy,” Grandinetti said.

“In addition to helping authors craft their books, we’re helping customers find them.”

Young reader image via Shutterstock

Tina Costanza was a journalist and sub-editor at Silicon Republic

editorial@siliconrepublic.com