Get a Kindle for $59

Amazon’s lowered the price on their Kindle to just $59! (It’s a special back-to-school offer, so it’s a “limited-time” price…) That’s more than 25% off its regular price, and it’s a great way to try Amazon’s light readers with the glare-free, black-and-white touchscreen

The discount applies to Amazon’s six-inch Kindle, but they’re also offering a discount on their “Kindle for Kids” bundle. Now just $79, Amazon’s kid-friendly Kindle ships in a colorful textured cover that protects it from damage. (And to make it even more suitable for children, this Kindle’s screensaver won’t display any advertising.) Amazon’s also offering an extended two-year warranty, so you won’t have to worry about damage to the device, and it even awards “achievement badges” for the ebooks your child is reading.

“Lighter than a paperback, holds thousands of books,” Amazon teases at the top of a recent promotional e-mail, which is touting the discount on both devices. I’m tempted to buy the $59 Kindle just to try a more recent version of the Kindle — and it weighs just 6.7 ounces! It’s got a 4-week battery life, according to Amazon’s specs, though it’s got a lower “pixel density” than the Kindle Paperwhite or the Kindle Voyage. But the Paperwhite now costs twice as much, and the Voyage is more than three times as expensive.

It’s the cheapest Kindle I’ve ever seen — and yes, it would make an awesome back-to-school gift!