Google Play Books gets upgrades, adds free audiobook previews to YouTube

If you enjoy a good book or two, Google Play Books is getting some updates that you may be interested in. Some of these updates are geared toward avid readers, while others aim to get your kids hooked on books.

Google has announced that it is rolling out four updates for Play Books. Arguably, the most intriguing of the four is the creation of a YouTube channel. The company says it has uploaded “thousands” of free audiobook previews on this new channel, most of which appear to run between one to two hours.

Another update readers might find handy is the addition of an “Upcoming” tab in the Play Books Android app. As the firm explains, this tab was added to help users stay up-to-date on upcoming releases. On top of that, users will be able to keep track of their pre-orders in this tab as well. Pre-orders will appear on a calendar that users can filter based on a specific series or author.

As for the kid-friendly features, Play Book has added over 300 nonfiction ebooks for kids to its collection. These ebooks have a read and listen option, so kids can listen as the book is read aloud.

Meanwhile, it looks like the Play Books Android app and Google Kids Space are getting gamified with “Reading Rewards.” When reading in either app, Google says kids will receive digital stickers after they reach a reading goal or milestone. These stickers can be found in the Kid Reader toolbar under Prizes.