Must-Read NonFiction Books for Kids
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Grab one of these must-read nonfiction books for your kids to get them reading expository text and learning from what they read. Here you’ll find a variety of selections from true stories to high-interest topics as well as books filled with interesting experiments. Enjoy!
Must-Read NonFiction Books for Kids
My First Book of Hockey Sports Illustrated Kids A Rookie Book
I highly recommend this informative nonfiction book. Cool graphics, simple text, and full color photographs will teach young children about the game of hockey. (See more books about winter sports on my Books about the Winter Olympic Sports for Kids.) Also on: Best Nonfictin Books for 5-and 6-Year Olds.
What Do Grown-ups Do All Day by Virginie Morgand
This oversized illustrated picture book shares the jobs kids do in different places such as a hospital, a farm, the theater, a hotel, and much more. It’s an interesting introduction to the things people do.
The Navajo Code Talkers by J. Patrick Lewis, illustrated by Gary Kelley
What a story — and it’s true!! This book shares the difficult history of the Navajos and focuses on how the Navajo men used their unique language to help win WWI. The information is factual in its presentation (it could have been more emotionally charged but isn’t) which lets the readers draw their own conclusions. The illustrations perfectly depict the tone of this historical story. Very well done! Added to: Best Books for 9-Year-Olds
The Deadliest Creature in the World by Brenda Z. Guiberson, illustrated by Gennady Spirin
I knew about the mosquito but the ostrich!? This fascinating nonfiction picture book sucks in the reader with it’s amazing (and often surprising) information about the world’s most deadly creatures — and why they’re deadly. Spot on with text to picture ratio, this is a book that should be in every school library and is a great example of excellent nonfiction.
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Amazing Dogs DK Level 2 by Laura Buller
Not only is this nonfiction book relatable because of most kids interest in dogs, it’s fascinating — I learned a few things myself. What a great high-interest book for beginning readers! Added to FAVORITE DOG BOOKS FOR KIDS.
Weird But True SPORTS: 300 Wacky Facts About Awesome Athletics National Geographic Kids
I wasn’t sure what to expect but again, National Geographic outdid themselves. The facts weird (did you know professional hockey players can be penalized for tucking their jerseys into their pants?!) and come from a wide range of topics and sports. Learn crazy facts about skateboarding, ostrich races, and jetsprint boats! Highly recommended. ALSO READ: Awesome Sports Books for Kids and the Best Nonfiction Books for 8 Year Olds
Edible Science Experiments You Can Eat National Geographic Kids by Jodi Wheeler-Toppen and Carol Tennant
If you chew gum with chocolate — it dissolves. Who knew!? This food science book shares experiments for kids to do with yeast in bread, air in marshmallows, Baked Alaska, and other cool concoctions.
1st and 10: Top 10 Lists of Everything in Football Sports Illustrated Kids
Bold layouts and fascinating information fill this huge book about everything football including the fastest players, best passer-receiver duos, tricky plays, sack masters, and so much more. I’m pretty sure your football fans will spend hours reading this nonfiction keeper. ALSO READ: Awesome Sports Books for Kids
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Wild Babies: Photographs of Baby Animals from Giraffes to Hummingbirds by Traer Scott
Gorgeous photographs of American wildlife are paired with short informational text. Interesting and lovely to read.
The STEM Club Goes Exploring by Lois Melbourne, illustrated by Jomike Tejido
The kids in the STEM club at school travel around the city to learn about many different STEM careers including being a geologist, jobs at the vet office, a mechanical engineer, and others. Cartoon-like illustrations.
Time for Kids Almanac 2017
Packed with stats, photos, news, events, maps, lists, and stories — this book will mesmerize your kids, even the most reluctant of readers, on the subjects of animals, art, body, books, holidays, games, computers, countries, history, energy, entertainment, geography, inventions, science, space, sports, the U.S. This is a must-own resource that will get kids reading.
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Children Just Like Me: A Unique Celebration of Children Around the World by Anabel Kindersley and Barnabas Kindersley
Absolutely relatable, relevant, and fascinating — this book is one you’ll be pouring over for hours and days and weeks. Because learning about kids that are your own age, or close to it, and where they live, what they eat, what kind of school they attend, and all about them is SO interesting! I love this oversized book and how much you can learn about other cultures and countries.
One Minute Mysteries 65Â Short Mysteries You Solve with Science! by Eric Yoder and Natalie Yoder
These mysteries will catch your brain’s attention — and help you to learn (or practice) scientific principles about life, earth and space, physical and chemical sciences. Great for in the car or at snack time!
The Way Things Work Now From Levers to Lasers, Windmills to Wi-Fi, a Visual Guide to the World of Machines Revised and Updated by David Macaulay with Neil Ardley
You won’t believe how much there is in this illustrated 400 page informational guide to the inner workings of machines and devices! It starts with simple machines and move on to more complex machines and technology such as helicopters, digital videos, electric circuitry, automatic transmission, even the Internet. I’m thinking it would take months, if not years, to read everything in this enormous, updated book. A must own for schools and libraries.
Awesome American Time for Kids by Katy Steinmetz
This beautiful book shares so much information about the United States of America — from purple mountain majesties to scorching hot deserts, from battles to presidents, from famous Americans to famous sites, this full color book will teach you lots of information about the U.S.A.. However, I didn’t like that it called Native Americans Indians. Because, really?! Haven’t we learned where India is?! (And, if you want to get picky, I think we should say the States because the Americas are continents, not a specific country.)
Fashion Rebels: Style Icons Who Changed the World of Fashion by Carlyn Cerniglia Beccia
If you have an interest in fashion, you’ll love this fascinating book of biographies and style tips. Learn how Coco Chanel loved to visit graveyards and how to make your own Frida Kahlo style outfit. This was a hit for me because it was so engaging and well-written with fun, colorful illustrations.
Science Experiments You Can Eat Revised and Updated by Vicki Cobb, illustrated by Tad Carpenter
Even though I would prefer photos to illustrations, I like this book for the quantity (250 pages!) of interesting food-related science experiments and lessons. The topics include proteins, carbohydrates & fats, suspensions, colloids, and emulsions, solutions, enzymes and hormones, plants, microbes, and microwave cooking. What to try first!?
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Maker Lab: 28 Super Cool Projects: Build Invent Create Discover by Jack Challoner
There are a lot of books like this one — books with many similar experiments and projects. Yet, this book stands out because it’s so beautifully designed and written. Yes, we’ve seen lemon batteries in a ton of other books but I still like the way this book presents the information in a way that a kids could pick up the book and do the experiment himself as well as learn the science behind the project. So, if you’re going to buy a book of experiments for kids, this is a great choice.
The 101 Coolest Simple Science Experiments: Awesome Things to Do with Your Parents, Babysitters and Other Adults by Holly Homer, Rachel Miller, and Jamie Harrington
Like many others, this science experiment book contains projects you’ve probably seen in other books. However, I like having all these ideas in one, well-done book. The tasks are easy to follow and interesting, making this a good choice for younger scientists.