100 Must Read Non-Fiction Books for Kids
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This comprehensive list of non-fiction books for toddlers, preschoolers, elementary aged kids, tweens, and teens gives you the best books to capture your kid’s interest in science, history, biographies, and more!
I’m a huge nerd when it comes to books, and so are my kids. We love reading all genres and encouraging other readers.
I can’t possibly list every non-fiction book that’s great for kids in a list of just 100 things so there will be many I’ve left out. We own many of these and the library has introduced us to the rest. I bet your kids will find some new favorite books here!
I chose these books based on my kids’ experience reading the book, a book in the same series, and from reviews online. The list is split into categories starting by age, then by genre. Some do overlap, but I’ve only listed them once in the 100 Things list.
Non-Fiction Books for Babies, Toddlers, and Preschoolers
1. Sharks (Science for Toddlers)
2. Our Solar System (Science for Toddlers)
3. National Geographic Kids Look and Learn: Dogs
4. My Big Dinosaur Book (Board Book)
6. Hello My World! Solar System
7. Hello My World! Backyard Bugs
9. Dinosaur A-Z
10. My Big Animal Book (Board Book)
11. First 100 Trucks and Things that Go
12. My First 100 Words and Sticker Book
13. Numbers and Shapes (First 100)
14. First 100 Animals Sticker Book (First 100)
16. Touch and Feel Fire Engine
18. First Numbers, Colors, Shapes Sticker Book (First 100)
21. Noisy Farm
22. Baby Touch and Feel Animals
24. National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Why
25. Big Science for Little People
Non-Fiction Books for Elementary and Middle School
Science
26. The Everything Kids Science Experiment Book
28. Science LEGO: A LEGO Adventure in the Real World
29. National Geographic Readers: Storms!
30. Science Encyclopedia: Atom Smashing, Food Chemistry, Animals, Space, and More!
31. Forces: Physical Science for Kids
33. National Geographic Animal Encyclopedia
36. Energy: Physical Science for Kids
37. Science: A Visual Encyclopedia
38. Albert Einstein and Relativity for Kids
40. The Skeleton Book: Get To Know Your Bones, Inside and Out.
41. Waves: Physical Science for Kids
42. Bugs: A Stunning Pop-Up Look at Insects, Spiders, and Other Creepy-Crawlies
43. Ultimate Oceanpedia: The Most Complete Ocean Reference Ever
44. The Wondrous Workings of Planet Earth: Understanding Our World and Its Ecosystems
45. National Geographic Kids Everything Rocks and Minerals
46. My Book of Rocks and Minerals
47. The Elements Book: A Visual Encyclopedia of the Periodic Table
48. National Geographic Kids Everything Weather: Facts, Photos and Fun that will Blow you Away!
Biographies
53. Frank Lloyd Wright for Kids: His Life and Ideas with 21 Activities
54. Time for Kids: Thomas Edison: A Brilliant Inventor
55. I Am Jane Goodall (Ordinary People Change the World)
56. Rising Above: How 11 Athletes Overcame Challenges in their Youth to become Stars
58. Issac Newton and Physics for Kids: His Life and Ideas with 21 Activities
59. DK Biography: John F. Kennedy: A Photographic Story of a Life
60. Alexander Graham Bell for Kids: His Life and Inventions with 21 Activities
61. George Washington (TIME for Kids, Non-Fiction Readers)
62. Anne Frank: A Light in the Dark (TIME for Kids Non-Fiction Readers)
63. Martin Luther King Jr. (TIME for Kids Non-Fiction Readers)
64. DK Biography Gandhi: A Photographic Story of a Life
65. Susan B. Anthony (Time for Kids Non-Fiction Readers)
66. Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls
67. Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls 2
Geography
Ancient Civilizations
70. DK Eyewitness Books: Ancient Greece
71. You Are There! Ancient China 305 BC
History
72. Locomotive
73. Native American History for Kids: With 21 Activities
74. DK Eyewitness Books: North American Indian: Discover the Rich Cultures of American Indians
75. Little Readers: Bold Women in Black History
76. The Youngest Marcher: The Story of Audrey Faye Hendricks: A Young Civil Rights Leader
77. DK Eyewitness Books: Civil War
78. National Geographic Kids Everything WW1
80. History Year by Year: A History of the World, from the Stone Age to the Digital Age
81. American Civil War: A History from Beginning to End
82. Her Right Foot
83. A Kid’s Guide to the American Revolution
Must Read Chapter Books for Tweens and Teens
85. Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl
86. I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed the World
Fun, Funny, Gross and Weird Non-Fiction Books
89. The Kid Who Invented the Popsicle and Other Surprising Stories about Inventors
90. Weird History: A Twisted Tour of America’s Bizarre Past
91. Food Fight: A Mouthwatering History of Who Ate What and Why Through the Ages
92. Gross Facts about the Middle Ages
93. Gross Facts about the American Colonies
94. Gross Facts about the U.S. Civil War
96. That’s Gross!: Icky Facts that will Test your Gross-Out Factor
97. America’s Horrible Histories#1: Who are you Calling a Woolly Mammoth? (Funny by True History)
Pre-Teen and Teen Motivation and Inspiration
98. Chicken Soup for the Soul:Just for Preteens: 101 Stories of Inspiration and Support for Tweens
99. The Success Principles for Teens: How to get from where you are to where you want to be.
100. Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul
Tell me about your favorite non-fiction books for kids in the comments!