Later this year, Amazon plans to launch Prime Book Box, a monthly subscription service for children's books. For $ 22.99 per month, subscribers will receive a box with four cardboard books (for two years or less) or two hardcover books or novels (for ages three to 12). This is Amazon's first monthly subscription service to offer physical books, reports TechCrunch .
Prime Book Box will be available in one, two or three months, depending on which plan the subscriber chooses. The available books will be divided into four different age groups for the readers: birth to two years, three to five years, six to eight years and nine to 12 years.
Amazon Books publishers will choose books for the selected age range, from "classics" to "hidden gems," and use their Amazon shopping history to avoid including books they've already purchased. Each month, subscribers will receive an email preview of the box, and may choose to exchange some books from a short list of alternative selections before sending the box.
Although Amazon says that this is a way to "inspire a love of reading", as notes TechCrunch is also a way that the company collects more data, even from young children who do not have their own Amazon accounts. If you have more than one child, you must subscribe to obtain multiple Book Box subscriptions.
As with Amazon's previous releases, especially with its Echo products, currently the service is only available by invitation to Prime members. You can request an invitation here.
The Verge has contacted Amazon and will be updated as new information becomes available.