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Nonfiction Books Our Kids Couldn’t Put Down
Nonfiction doesn't have to mean boring! We're sharing the best nonfiction books for kids that our own families have read and loved.
Whether your kids are into biographies, history, science or just quirky facts, there's plenty on this list to keep them reading and learning. Check out our historical fiction book picks for more parent recommendations, too.
What children's nonfiction books has your family loved? Add a new pick to the list, or comment with your reviews!
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National Geographic Kids Ultimate U.S. Road Trip Atlas
Shila said: This book acts as an atlas for kids, with easy-to-read, simple road maps, roadside attractions, national parks and more for each state. I like that kids can learn where we're going, and how to map it. The book also includes fun facts & really beautiful pictures. I think this atlas really helps kids soak in all that's great about traveling & being "on the road."
Guinness World Records
Kristy Pepping said: I remember checking this book out as a child from the school library so I thought this would be a fun nonfiction book for our fifth grader. She likes to learn about real-life events and also tends to like books with images to break up the text. The book's broken up by various categories so kids can flip to a particular section like science or just read through the various records currently held.
Listified!
Alexandra F. said: If your kids like collecting and sharing weird or random facts (and I have yet to meet a kid who doesn't!), this will be a fun addition to their bookshelf. The book presents fun facts for kids in list format, often with a silly twist, and they’ll get a kick out of learning things like which 10 dinosaurs were the largest (and how much they weighed in cats) or which 10 breeds of dog are the smartest.
Who Would Win? Series
Kelly R. said: These fun nonfiction books for kids explore matchups between different animals based on facts about their anatomy and behavior, and decide which one would win in a fight. Walrus or elephant seal? Triceratops or spinosaurus? My kids really enjoyed these around second or third grade.
Something Rotten: A Fresh Look at Roadkill
Shila said: An interesting science nonfiction book for kids that shows how much there is to be learned from the unfortunate animals we cross on the side of the road.
Britannica All New Kids' Encyclopedia
Alexandra F. said: This isn't your parents' old multi-volume encyclopedia set! A visually captivating collection of interesting facts about the things that fascinate kids - space, bugs, the deep sea, animal facts and so much more - with plenty of infographics, images and lists to capture and maintain their interest!
This Is How We Do It: One Day in the Lives of Seven Kids from around the World
Shila said: This Is How We Do It is a lovely picture book that depicts the lives of seven kids from around the world: Peru, Italy, Russia, Uganda, Iran, India, and Japan. Readers get to observe general similarities and differences in homes, family structures, food, culture, sports, and more. Not only is this a great nonfiction book for kids, it is an excellent book that celebrates diversity too.
The Thrifty Guide Series
Shila said: A funny spin on travel guides, these nonfiction books for kids share tips for visiting important times in history, like Ancient Rome or the American Revolution.
Presidential Pets: The Weird, Wacky, Little, Big, Scary, Strange Animals That Have Lived In The White House
Kelly R. said: From Andrew Jackson's foul-mouthed parrot to John Quincy Adams' bathtub alligator, this book about the animals that have called the White House home brings our presidents to life in a whole new way. My 3rd and 6th graders both loved it! We enjoy entertaining and fact-heavy nonfiction books for kids like this one that can be picked up for a few minutes at a time to learn something new.
Team Moon: How 400,000 People Landed Apollo 11 on the Moon
Shila said: This is one of the best nonfiction books for kids who want to learn more about the first-ever successful moon landing. Others tend to focus primarily on the astronauts and mission control, but this award-winning book pays homage to the greater team. From seamstresses and suit testers to the launch pad engineers, thousands of people worked to achieve this. The book also uses actual photos and vivid imagery from space to bring readers back to that epic mission.
What If?
Kelly R. said: A truly funny, informative and amazingly well-researched nonfiction book featuring real science-based answers to ridiculous questions. My 8th grade son read it cover-to-cover in a couple days and still flips back to some of his favorites, like "How fast can you hit a speed bump while driving and live?"
Book of Bones: 10 Record-Breaking Animals
Kelly R. said: This is a fun nonfiction book that teaches about the world record holding skeletons of different animals, with textured touch-and-feel bones. It's a fun one to pick up for Halloween and keep going back to all year.
Drowned City: Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans
Shila said: Don Brown has written a few nonfiction books for kids that depict the real-life events before, during, and after major US national disasters. From The Great American Dust Bowl to Hurricane Katrina, the pages are nicely illustrated in a way for kids to conceptualize how and why the disaster happened, and its implications on our environment and people.
Human Body Theater
Shila said: One of the most entertaining nonfiction books for kids on human anatomy and physiology. Science textbook meets graphic novel to explain all sorts of things about how the human body works in an easy-to-understand way (including detailed information about human reproduction).
Neo Leo: The Ageless Ideas of Leonardo da Vinci
Kristy Pepping said: I find my kids asking Alexa all the time, "who invented what?" So I got this book for my youngest child to focus on reading and to actually get the answers she was seeking without turning to technology. This book talks about how Leonardo da Vinci actually invented many things. For example, bridges, contact lenses and helicopters really all date back to ideas da Vinci had.
Primary photo: Kindel Media on Pexels
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