Amazing Nonfiction Children’s Books
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Non fiction children’s books are exploding on the publishing scene with so many new and wonderful titles for homes and classrooms. I’m so impressed with the quality of the following titles. They’ll get your kids devouring informational text.
Amazing Nonfiction Children’s Books
Wild Animals Animal Bites (Animal Planet)Â by Laaren Brown
Kids will pour over the stunning photos and visually appealing information in this nonfiction children’s book. They’ll learn about habitats, animal behaviors, baby animals, conservation, and more in bite sized (kid-friendly) chunks. Fascinating!
The Blobfish Book by Jessica Olien
I LOVE how creative this book is with a cartoon-like blobfish with a big personality who interjects said personality during the book’s photograph and textual information about life in the deepest parts of the ocean. Perfect text to picture ration (aka. not too much!) makes this a nonfiction home run! (This book is on my BEST CHILDREN’S NONFICTION BOOKS OF 2016 list.)
  
Write Your Own Book by DK
Easy to lay flat because it’s spiral-bound, this is a open-ended writing prompt book designed to be attractive for children. I love how the DK designers use visuals and fonts to make the prompts fun enticing.
What’s an Apple? by Marilyn Singer, illustrated by Greg Pizzoli
This is a whimsical look at the many uses of an apple will make you smile. Because you knew about giving an apple to the teacher, but did you know you could juggle it, too?
Helen Thayer’s Arctic Adventure: A Woman and a Dog Walk to the North Pole by Sally Issacs, illustrated by Iva Sasheva
At age 50, Helen will walk to magnetic north pole —  a harrowing journey with ice storms, polar bears, and a lack of food. She and her dog, Charlie, take it day by day and make it. This is a well-written, exciting true story adventure of courage and determination.
Awesome 8: 50 Picture Packed Top 8 Lists by Jen Agresta & Sarah Wassner Flynn
From the top 8 fearless foods (raw octopus is #1 and SO gross) to the top 8 craziest cars (a land shark crystal covered Mercedes Benz?), this non fiction children’s book will get kids reading and gasping in amazement. Because whoa! These aren’t your everyday, run of the mill facts — these are unique and amazing facts you don’t come across too often.
Pink is for Blobfish: Discovering the World’s Perfectly Pink Animals by Jess Keating
Pink animals are amazing! These aren’t your princess pink variety of animals. No. In fact, these are gelatinous blobfish, hairy tarantulas, naked mole rats, and they just happen to be pink. Great writing pairs perfectly with photographs and cartoons. I love this book! (This book is on my BEST CHILDREN’S NONFICTION BOOKS OF 2016 list.)
Ada’s Violin: The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay by Susan Hood, illustrated by Sally Wern Comport
Ada lives in a South American slum next to a landfill of garbage. When Ada’s grandmother learns about free music lessons, she signs Ada up but there aren’t enough instruments to go around for all the kids. Fortunately, the adults are creative and invent instruments from everyday things — water pipes into flutes, packing crates into guitars, and so on. Ada chooses to play a paint can and wooden crate violin. She practices and gets good, becoming one of the star musicians of the Recycled Orchestra. This is an inspiring true story of hope and the power of the arts with evocative illustrations. For more information visit recycledorchestracateura.com.
Can I Eat That? by Joshua David Stein, illustrated by Julia Rothman
I dig this funky picture book. The set up is a child asks interesting questions about what to eat and so much more — and the very conversational narrator answers them all. “If there is . . . ketchup, is there . . . ketchdown?” Things that make you say, hmmm.
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Roy’s House by Susan Goldman Rubin, illustrated by Roy Lichtenstein
Tour famous artist Roy Lichtenstein’s house and become familiar with his bold, eye-catching style of art.
  
DK LEGO Star Wars Chronicles of the Force
If you love Star Wars, this is an excellent introductory guide to the sci-fi series as reenacted by LEGO. From the light side to the dark side, you’ll read about important characters, plot lines, time lines, space ships, weapons, and much more. Plus, this non fiction book includes a special minifigure.
The Toad: The Disgusting Critters Series by Elise Gravel
Visually captivating with interesting, just-right text that is informative and sometimes hilarious. I’m a fan of this kid-friendly nonfiction book series! (also read: The Worm, The Fly, and The Rat)Â (This book is on my BEST CHILDREN’S NONFICTION BOOKS OF 2016 list.)
  
DK Level 1 Jungle Animalsby Camilla Gersh
In a word, perfect. This little book packs a big punch with the perfect balance of colorful visuals (photographs) and leveled, informational text!
50 Things You Should Know about the Vietnam War by Chris McNab
This is one of those wars we’d probably like to forget — but, it’s part of our history in the U.S. and must be remembered and learned from. This impressive nonfiction children’s book, like the other books in the series, because it successfully balances information and visuals in a kid-appealing way. I highly recommend this book.
Hi Melissa, the article you have shared for nonfiction kid’s book is fabulous. I liked your ideas and tips. Nonfiction is a great way for kids to develop critical thinking and analytical skills and, you guessed it, the ability to read and understand complex texts. The illustrations and the factual text give the child the information in a straight forward, easy to understand way. Studies show that children are not reading sufficiently, not comprehending what they read, and are not reading enough non-fiction. The only way to succeed with developing good reading habits and ensure comprehension is to read a lot.
thanks, Perine!