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85 Great Non-Fiction Books

By Charlotte Carus | 1st November 2021

How? Why? When? What? And Where?  Kids are fascinated with the world around them and are like sponges ready to absorb details and statistics - and take great pleasure in remembering all sorts of wonderful and weird facts!

Our Non-Fiction round-up includes a wide range of titles for all ages to entertain, amuse and educate children with useful facts to help them better understand our amazing world and bring factual information vividly to life.

So whether you have a keen reader or a reluctant one, a toddler or a teenager there's something to captivate and enthrall them here. 

Scroll down for our favourite recently published non-fiction titles plus some timeless favourites that have been inspiring kids for years.

Which Food Will You Choose?

Which Food Will You Choose?

Baby and Toddler 3+ readers

Author: Claire Potter Illustrator: Ailie Busby Format: Paperback Release Date: 07/01/2021

March 2021 Book of the Month | Calling all parents facing food-related meltdowns! After introducing your food-fussy progeny to this instructive interactive picture book, you’ll never need to make a meal of meal-time again. Recommended by paediatric dieticians, it introduces children to a rainbow of delicious food through a fun family-oriented story. What’s more, the story can be lived off-the-page during real-life trips to the supermarket, helping to convince hard-to-please kids to try new foods and, as a result, it’s also certain to please parents frazzled by food-related friction.   The story begins with Mummy despairing of the food in the cupboard. “She couldn’t find anything she wanted to make for dinner… I’m so bored of beige!” she grumbles. So, after deciding that “what we need is some colour!” Mummy heads to the supermarket, where she challenges her two toddlers to pick three kinds of food, the only proviso being that they must be red. Then follows a delightfully illustrated page of ravishing red foods that invites readers to decide what they’d choose. Each day they return to the shop, where the kids are issued with a fresh challenge - pick three yellow foods, three green, three orange, three purple. By the time Saturday comes around and the kids find Mummy eating a boring beige croissant, they make her a special colourful breakfast.

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What's in the Egg?: Pop-Up Book

What's in the Egg?: Pop-Up Book

Baby and Toddler 3+ readers

Author: Maike Biederstadt Format: Hardback Release Date: 05/03/2020

April 2020 Book of the Month | A series of jaw-dropping pop-up spreads present readers with animals and their eggs, and some amazing facts too. Everyone will have their own favourite – the daddy Emperor penguins sheltering eggs and chicks on their feet; the brightly coloured clownfish keeping watch over their babies; the mighty crocodile gently carrying her young down to the river in her mouth. The illustrations and paper engineering are very impressive, and the information they help deliver is fascinating: there’ll be gasps at each turn of the page, time and again.

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William Bee's Wonderful World of Trucks

William Bee's Wonderful World of Trucks

3+ readers 5+ readers

Author: William Bee Illustrator: William Bee Format: Paperback Release Date: 29/01/2019

Irresistible for anyone mad about trucks! There’s so much to learn about the extraordinary world of trucks and truck-mad William Bee is the man to explain it all.  There are steam trucks, amphibious trucks, rescue trucks, snow plough trucks, fire engine trucks and much, much more. Gloriously bold illustrations celebrate the wonders of trucks while the texts adds some useful details.

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On the Mountain

On the Mountain

3+ readers 5+ readers

Author: Libby Walden Illustrator: Clover Robin Format: Hardback Release Date: 04/10/2018

Take the very young on a trip into the high mountains in this excellent first information book. Each page features a stunning pop-up depicting one of the animals native to the mountains, from wolf to bear, from Bald Eagle to a Rainbow Trout, particularly beautiful and dramatic in rich reds and greens.  The animals are introduced via lines of verse while elsewhere on the page short lines of text convey interesting and intriguing facts. The pop-ups are not only beautiful but sturdy enough to stand repeated readings, and this is a book to inspire the very young.

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Bug Hotel

Bug Hotel

3+ readers 5+ readers

Author: Libby Walden Illustrator: Clover Robin Format: Hardback Release Date: 08/03/2018

A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month March 2018 | Take a new look at some of the most common insects and mini-beasts around us in this fun to use information book about the habitats of  beetles, bees, spiders, butterflies and more. Lift the flaps to find the out more about these insects’ homes and how they live. 

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Big City Atlas

Big City Atlas

5+ readers 7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Maggie Li Format: Paperback Release Date: 11/06/2020

A globetrotting Penguin is the young reader’s tour guide as they explore the world and broadening a child’s horizons has never seemed more meaningful or relevant. 28 cities are explored within these pages- each city having its own double page spread.  There has a been a commendable effort too, to ensure a good global spread of locations and cultures. Children will love pouring over the detail of the map and images of famous landmarks, museums and galleries and examples of food and culture which really bring the city alive and give a flavour of its history and development. The pages are colourful, but the soft tones mean that the pages do not appear too busy and the clever design and judicious use of text boxes does not overwhelm the reader. Each city has a basic fact box detailing the country, language, currency and population which makes for interesting comparisons. Young readers will also particularly enjoy the fun quizzes and games to test their knowledge and understanding. A valuable addition to classroom collections.

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The Undefeated

The Undefeated

5+ readers 7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Kwame Alexander Illustrator: Kadir Nelson Format: Paperback Release Date: 20/02/2020

Winner of the UKLA Book Awards 2021 | Shortlisted for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2020 | Written for and about “the swift and sweet ones/who hurdled history and opened a world of possible”, for those who “survived America by any means necessary. And the ones who didn’t,” this is an inspiring ode to the author’s forebears and to the world-changing feats of unforgettable Black American figures. Author Kwame Alexander’s initial inspiration for this book came in the year his second daughter was born, the same year Barack Obama became the first African American president of the USA. As a result, Alexander wanted his daughters “to know how we got to this historic moment”, which is exactly what this stirring book does. The chained slaves who kept faith, the elite Olympians, the innovative musicians, the seminal scientists, the courageous activists - people from all walks of life are celebrated in Alexander’s poetically poised words, and gloriously illustrated by Kadir Nelson, with much for young children to ponder and ask questions about. As well as being a wonderful way for parents to explore Black American history with their little ones on a one-to-one basis, this will also work well with older children in a classroom context. Indeed, this is one of those rare and wonderful picture books that defies age boundaries - a radiant, resonant unforgettable tour de force, as befits its theme.

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Ancient Romans

Ancient Romans

5+ readers 7+ readers

Author: Joshua George Illustrator: Ed Myer Format: Hardback Release Date: 01/05/2020

This lively information book does a great job of bringing the Romans to life for children using colour illustrations and interactive flaps to convey a great deal of information. There are double pages on the Roman army and its war machines, on Roman building, gladiators and – likely to be a favourite with most young readers – Roman public toilets. There are lots of facts to learn and some wonderfully quirky bits of information too: did you know, for example, that Roman schools took place in the street, or that Roman children had pet mice? Entertaining and effective as all information books should be.

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Welcome to Our World: A Celebration of Children Everywhere!

Welcome to Our World: A Celebration of Children Everywhere!

5+ readers 7+ readers

Format: Hardback Release Date: 07/06/2018

Children all over the world are very different, but they also have much in common. From breakfasts to birthdays, cakes to clothes, and hiccups to hellos, there are so many ways to say and do things - but everyone shares a love of family, friends, food and fun. 

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It's Your World Now!

It's Your World Now!

5+ readers 7+ readers

Author: Barry Falls Illustrator: Barry Falls Format: Paperback Release Date: 02/05/2019

May 2019 Debut of the Month | This bright, busy book – the text delivered via an irresistible bouncy rhyme – presents children with lots to look at, and lots to think about too. The story is told by a parent, who excitedly details all the world has to offer, and all the potential for children to find happiness and fulfilment as they grow up. There are warnings too that it’s not always easy, but that’s followed by the reassuring reminder that whatever happens, one thing won’t change: from your head down to you toe, no matter what/ I love you so. The artwork is contemporary but the message is timeless and it’s an excellent book for parent and child to share.

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The Big Book of the Blue

The Big Book of the Blue

5+ readers 7+ readers

Author: Yuval Zommer Illustrator: Yuval Zommer Format: Hardback Release Date: 01/05/2018

Shortlisted for the UKLA Shortlist Book Awards 2019 | Nominated for the 2019 Kate Greenaway Medal | Take a tour of the oceans in Yuval Zommer’s engaging reference book. It guides us through the seas in the company of the living creatures you’d see there, from the sea turtles and rainbow schools of fish in tropical waters, to whales and tuna, shoreline dwellers and the inhabitants of the deepest, darkest waters. Each page is wonderful to look at, and answers the questions children really want to ask: how fast does a flying fish need to swim to launch itself out of the water? Who does an octopus need eight arms? How long can a seal hold its breath underwater? There’s information too on the danger to the oceans from pollution and global warming, while a page of ‘fishy-phrases’ gives children the technical language to use when describing the animals that live in the sea.  A book to inspire and entertain as well as inform.

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Once Upon a Raindrop

Once Upon a Raindrop

5+ readers 7+ readers

Author: James Carter Illustrator: Nomoco Format: Hardback Release Date: 06/09/2018

Shortlisted for the UKLA Book Awards 2020 | Via simple but elegant illustrations, and a gentle sometimes playful rhyming text, this picture book passes on all sorts of information about water and its importance, while never losing the sense of the beauty of this essential element. Words and illustrations take us back in time to the beginning of life on Earth, up hills and deep below the surface to explain that “clouds, rain, river, sea, water cycles endlessly”. Carefully placed splashes of colour underscore pages of different blues, the tinkling rhythm of the text bringing a sense of calm. It all concludes with five fascinating facts about the “world wide wet” and this is a book to savour on lots of different levels. 

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The Skies Above My Eyes

The Skies Above My Eyes

5+ readers 7+ readers

Author: Charlotte Guillain Illustrator: Yuval Zommer Format: Hardback Release Date: 16/08/2018

This is a perfect book for anyone who likes gazing up into the skies above our head and wondering … A foldout, concertina poster format allows readers to soar billions of kilometres above earth and explore our solar system; floating 380,000 kilometres up is the moon, a bit lower are astronauts and cosmonauts working hard on the International Space Station. Beneath the Karman Line, the imaginary line that marks the start of space, the skies are just as busy with man-made machines and birds flying on their journeys. It’s endlessly fascinating, Yuval Zommer’s bold, bright illustrations are full of action, storks and spaceships, meteoroids and window cleaners equally beautifully represented while Charlotte Guillain’s enthusiasm for her subjects is infectious. Eye-opening, mind-expanding!

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Every Second

Every Second

5+ readers 7+ readers

Author: Bruno Gibert Illustrator: Bruno Gibert Format: Hardback Release Date: 07/05/2020

The celebrated French author and illustrator has put together a brilliant collection of infographics that are designed to make children think about the world in a new way. Each colourful and distinctive page shows something that happens in our world every second. Every fact quoted is backed up by an impressive list of up to date sources at the end of the book. This introduces in an accessible way for young children the concept of statistics and what can be gained by collecting and analysing data. For example, the presentation on opposing pages of the £700 invested in humanitarian aid and the £46,760 spent on arms and weapons makes us all stop and think. However ,in the current circumstances that the world finds itself I,n there is another way in which the book can be of value,  as the whole discussion of “ do you think this is still happening every second?” will inevitably occur. The stark 2 deaths every second may very sadly be a larger number and the 600,000 kilometres travelled by car every second may well be considerably smaller. Other things will not be changed. The fascinating 4,500 Olympic sized swimming pools of water evaporating from the oceans every second (and we are also told that an Olympic sized pool holds 3,000,000 litres of water) and the 5,235 kilograms of sand, carried by the wind that leave the Sahara desert. Every page could be the basis of a very useful lesson in a different curricular area. Beautifully produced, this unusual book will really earn its keep in the classroom.

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A Big Garden

A Big Garden

5+ readers 7+ readers

Author: Gilles Clement Illustrator: Vincent Grave Format: Hardback Release Date: 05/03/2018

March 2018 Non-Fiction Book of the Month | Graphic novel, information book, horticultural history, A Big Garden is beautiful to look at, totally original and rather remarkable. Beginning in May, it takes readers through the year in a garden, above and below ground, describing the extraordinary amount of activity that goes on, the actions not just of the gardeners but of the plants and insects too. Detailed passages of text are full of information, e.g. listing all a gardener must do to protect his crops in June, describing the amazing methods that plants have evolved to protect themselves against threats. At times it’s philosophical – ‘put simply, gardening is all about interpreting the future and overcoming the unforeseeable’ – at other times poetic – a gardener ‘always has his hands in the soil, and looks up to the sky’. The illustrations are equally inspiring and attention-grabbing, vividly naturalistic paintings of fruit and plants set against fantastic scenes in which miniature gardeners toil away. Beautiful and inspiring, it’s a book to treasure.

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Ella Fitzgerald

Ella Fitzgerald

5+ readers 7+ readers

Author: Isabel Sanchez Vegara Illustrator: Barbara Alca Format: Hardback Release Date: 01/03/2018

Meet Ella Fitzgerald, one of the most influential jazz singers of all time! With stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, this empowering series celebrates the important life stories of wonderful people of the world. From designers and artists to scientists, all of them went on to achieve incredible things, yet all of them began life as a little child with a dream. These books make the lives of these role models accessible for children, providing a powerful message to inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world! Little People, Big Dreams series include: Ada Lovelace Agatha Christie Amelia Earhart Anne Frank Audrey Hepburn Coco Chanel Ella Fitzgerald Emmeline Pankhurst Frida Kahlo Georgia O’Keeffe Harriet Tubman Jane Austen Jane Goodall Josephine Baker Lucy Maud Montgomery Maria Montesorri Marie Curie Maya Angelou Mother Teresa Muhammed Ali Rosa Parks Simone de Beauvoir Stephen Hawking Vivienne Westwood We have a special category for the Little People, Big Dreams series. Click here to view them all.

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When the Whales Walked

When the Whales Walked

5+ readers 7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Dougal Dixon Illustrator: Hannah Bailey Format: Hardback Release Date: 18/10/2018

When the Whales Walked tackles a big, complex subject – the evolution of life on Earth – and succeeds in explaining it clearly, vividly and in way that will catch the imagination of young readers. It examines thirteen case studies, each describing the evolution of a different group of animals, from the earliest fish right up to modern Homo Sapiens. It explains the history of each group with the help of illustrations and diagrams, challenging children to spot the patterns in the ways that different animals have evolved. There’s a timeline of life on Earth, diagrams to explain the evolutionary tree and a cladogram, all there to help make the subject crystal clear. A book that thoroughly respects the intelligence and inquisitiveness of its readers and rewards their attention.

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Paper World: Planet Earth

Paper World: Planet Earth

5+ readers 7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Ruth Symons Illustrator: Bomboland Format: Hardback Release Date: 21/02/2019

There’s always something irresistible about flaps and lifting them to see what’s hidden beneath and they are put to very good use in this robust and attractive information book. Here lifting the flaps reveals facts, diagrams and illustrations all showing young readers more about our planet, from what’s under the Earth’s crust, to what’s inside a volcano or glacier, to how a tornado develops. It’s clever and well-thought out, an excellent and memorable way of conveying lots of information. Peep through cut-outs on each page make it feel even more fun and interactive.

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Usborne Book of the Brain and How it Works

Usborne Book of the Brain and How it Works

5+ readers 7+ readers

Author: Betina Ip Illustrator: Mia Nilsson Format: Hardback Release Date: 04/03/2021

March 2021 Non-Fiction Book of the Month | The Usborne Book of the Brain (and How it Works) by neuroscientist Betina Ip is a delightful science book aimed at children aged 5+. It takes young readers on a journey inside the human head to see how the brain works and what it does, looking at the main brain cells (neurons) and their connections. It uses simple terms to explain how we see, think, use our senses, feel emotions, form memories, sleep and make decisions. Using age-appropriate practical examples, such as ‘How do we decide which ice cream to have?’, the book gives young children plenty to talk about with their family, friends and teachers. There are also sections on how to look after your brain and how scientists learn about brains. With its colourful illustrations and packed full of fascinating facts, this book is perfect – and great fun – for inquisitive children (and their parents).

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Interview with a Tiger and Other Clawed Beasts Too

Interview with a Tiger and Other Clawed Beasts Too

5+ readers 7+ readers

Author: Andy Seed Illustrator: Nick East Format: Hardback Release Date: 17/09/2020

Longlisted for the UKLA Book Awards 2022 Information Books 3-14 | September 2020 Non-Fiction Book of the Month | This is a non-fiction book with a difference! Using his amazing ‘tranimalator’ machine, which, he tells us, translates animals’ sounds into words, author Andy Seed ‘interviews’ a horde or scary animals, including a tiger, a fierce honey badger and a snow leopard. He asks them some really interesting questions too and we learn all sorts of things – why humans are scared of wolves, how a massive animal like a giant anteater survives eating teeny little insects, what lionesses think of male lions (not much actually!). It’s quirky and lots of fun – some of these animal celebs have wicked senses of humour – but genuinely informative (I had no idea that jaguars eat caimans, or that giant armadillos build new dens every couple of days, or that sloths have mould growing on them!). It reminds us how many of these animals are threatened too and what we can do to help. The illustrations match the tone and it’s bright and engaging throughout. This is a book that children will be keen to share and to return to.  

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What Did the Tree See?

What Did the Tree See?

5+ readers 7+ readers

Author: Charlotte Guillain Illustrator: Sam Usher Format: Hardback Release Date: 18/02/2021

March 2021 Book of the Month | A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month February 2021 | A wonderful introduction to how a modern place somewhere in the UK will have been created over the centuries, this beautiful picture book cleverly records the history of a place as it would look from the perspective of an oak tree. Oaks are famous for the exceptional number of years that they live and their permanence makes an interesting contrast to how frequently humans change the landscape. “I first was an acorn, so tiny and round,/I fell from a branch and sank into the ground./ Then as I grew up, I turned into a tree…/ over hundreds of years! So, what did I see?” Taken together, the simple rhyming text matched by beautiful and carefully detailed illustrations offer a delightful history lesson. The book ends with a useful timeline: "What was happening in the world while the oak tree grew?". It comes right up to the present with the spreading of the Covid-19 virus!

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How Does a Lighthouse Work?

How Does a Lighthouse Work?

5+ readers 7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Roman Belyaev Illustrator: Roman Belyaev Format: Hardback Release Date: 01/03/2018

Join a group of school children on this voyage of discovery and discover the answers to lots of questions as well as fascinating facts about lighthouses and how they work. How Does a Lighthouse Work? provides a fascinating journey through the science and history of lighthouses around the world. Through history a lighthouse has been an important, in fact essential tool for sailors to navigate safely and this remains so today in order to protect all sailors from the dangerous coastlines and rocky outcrops out to sea that are found all over the world.  Modern technology may have changed the way that lighthouses work but still their USP remains the same: to deliver a light as far as possible to forewarn sailors of potential dangers.  This a terrific book to share with inquisitive children and the combination of stunning illustrations and interesting text makes this a well worthwile read both at home and to use in the classroom.

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Fantastically Great Women Who Worked Wonders

Fantastically Great Women Who Worked Wonders

5+ readers 7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Kate Pankhurst Illustrator: Kate Pankhurst Format: Hardback Release Date: 07/02/2019

February 2019 Book of the Month | Here’s another inspiring, information-packed picture book in what’s becoming something of a series (see also Great Women Who Made History and Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World). It tells the stories of pioneering women who achieved amazing things, often in the face of prejudice or downright hostility from society.  There are familiar names – Rosalind Franklin is included – plus lots that are lesser known, but just as fascinating: balloonist Sophie Blanchard for example, and Sarah Breedlove, beauty entrepreneur.  Their stories are told through lively, engaging text and pictures, it’s a treat to read.  Kate Pankhurst is something of a fantastically great woman herself, and there’s lots for all readers to marvel at and enjoy in this book.

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My Encyclopedia of Very Important Adventures

My Encyclopedia of Very Important Adventures

5+ readers 7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: DK Format: Hardback Release Date: 03/09/2020

September 2020 Book of the Month | Viking voyagers. Arctic adventurers. Female fossil-hunters. A professional pirate queen - this inspirational encyclopaedia is a feast of facts for inquisitive 5+ year-olds. Divided into sections covering explorers and discoverers, scientists and inventors, trailblazers and pioneers, builders, creators and thinkers, and daredevils and risk-takers, this covers all corners of the globe through history. What’s more, the appealing visuals (a mix of photos, drawings and funky graphics) draw young readers in and will surely spark plenty of off-the-page exploring.   There’s excellent coverage of inspirational female and BAME trailblazers, from 16-year-old Idris Galcia Welsh who embarked on an epic round-the-world driving trip in 1922, to Emily Roebling, who completed the construction of New York’s Brooklyn Bridge in the late 1800s. Then there’s Harriet Tubman, an abolitionist and political activist who risked her life helping slaves flee their owners, and dare-devil pilot Bessie Coleman, who made history when she became the first African American – male or female – to gain a pilot’s licence in 1921. All in all, this is a great gift that will keep on giving.

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You Smell!:(and so does everything else)

You Smell!:(and so does everything else)

7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Clive Gifford Illustrator: Pete Gamlen Format: Hardback Release Date: 07/10/2019

October 2019 Non-Fiction Book of the Month | This book put smell, the Cinderella of the senses, into the spotlight. It examines smelly facts about the human body, some of them really rather disgusting, as well as the power and importance of our sense of smell. It looks at how animals use smell and how plants use it too to attract insects or keep animals away. And it looks at smells and smelling through history before taking a last look at weird and wonderful odours. With unusual facts and information on every page it’s well worth a nose. I was particularly fascinated by the ‘odorous occupations’ highlighted in panels throughout the book and children will be definitely tempted to try out the smelly experiments and activities it suggests too.

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Atlas of Record-Breaking Adventures

Atlas of Record-Breaking Adventures

7+ readers 9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: Emily Hawkins Illustrator: Lucy Letherland Format: Hardback Release Date: 06/10/2020

A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month November 2020 | Nature is full of record-breaking adventures which are brought to life in the detailed and dramatic illustrations that fill every inch of the large scale book. Global in its reach, it is a gold mine of information as it takes readers on a world tour of astonishing achievements. There’s the fastest land animal – the cheetah from Botswana, the hottest place on Earth – Ethiopia, The Longest-erupting Volcano – Italy and many more. Across thirty gloriously bold spreads readers will discover wonderful and surprising facts about all kinds of aspects of the planet.

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Timeline Science and Technology A Visual History of Our World

Timeline Science and Technology A Visual History of Our World

7+ readers

Author: Peter Goes Illustrator: Peter Goes Format: Hardback Release Date: 01/10/2020

This large-format stunning book tells the history of our world. It is a beautiful celebration and visual introduction to our planet and society told through the history of our greatest inventions and the technology that has changed the world. In his signature playful style, Peter Goes illustrates the most fascinating technologies, from the first tools to the most specialized IT, from medical breakthroughs to the creation of YouTube. He includes remarkable scientists and innovators and highlights lesser-known stories. A compelling history of technology from the Stone Age to the present day, from America to the Southern hemisphere and beyond. The illustrations are just stunning and beautifully complemented by lots of fascinating facts.

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Terrifying Tudors

Terrifying Tudors

7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Terry Deary Illustrator: Martin Brown Format: Paperback Release Date: 01/02/2018

Take a look at the mad Tudor monarchs and their suffering subjects - who just couldn't help losing their heads. Discover who invited Queen Lizzie to visit his brand new toilet and what you get when you sew the front of a chicken to the back of a pig. With a bold, accessible new look, these bestselling titles are sure to be a huge hit with yet another generation of Terry Deary fans. Revised by the author and illustrated throughout to make Horrible Histories more accessible to young readers. 2018 is HORRIBLE HISTORIES twenty-fifth anniversary.

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The Sticky, Stinky Science Book

The Sticky, Stinky Science Book

7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Kris Hirschmann Illustrator: Santy Gutierrez Format: Hardback Release Date: 20/09/2018

In the name of science, this book allows children to create gloopy, magic slime; turn milk sour; and investigate their own farts. Well, you can’t say you weren’t warned: seldom has a title so accurately reflected the contents of a book. Sticky and stinky as the 32 experiments are however, they teach proper science, and each one is accompanied by a page of clear explanation of the different processes involved. There’s a page recommending further reading and a useful glossary, and the unorthodox approach could well inspire lots more science learning. Grown-ups can be reassured that amongst other things, the ‘rules of the lab’ emphasise the importance of cleaning up afterwards.

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Doctor Academy

Doctor Academy

7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Steve Martin Illustrator: Kerry Hyndman Format: Paperback Release Date: 21/02/2018

Handsomely presented and full of information, this is an excellent book for any young person interested in a career in medicine. It’s divided into three sections: People Skills – described as the most important part of any doctor’s work; General Practice, full of information on the body, the special terms and language doctors use, and ways diagnoses are made; Surgeon, which describes what goes on in a hospital, with detailed looks at X-rays and keeping germs at bay. ‘Students’ of the academy learn by completing sets of activities and there are interactive tests throughout as well as practical activities like wrapping a sprained wrist, or identifying bones on an X-ray. Once each section is complete, children add a sticker before graduating to the next task. Added extras include a press-out model of a skeleton.  ~ Andrea Reece One of a number of titles in the 'Academy' series.  To go to our special 'Academy' series category click here.

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Work It, Girl: Michelle Obama

Work It, Girl: Michelle Obama

7+ readers 9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: Caroline Moss Illustrator: Sinem Erkas Format: Hardback Release Date: 03/03/2020

Become a leader like | Not only does this lively, smartly designed book tell readers lots about Michelle Obama’s story, it also conveys brilliantly her attitude to life and work, making it thoroughly inspiring reading. Beginning with a description of her schooldays, it lists the family members, people and events that shaped her early life, and the path that led to her becoming a top lawyer and influential First Lady of the United States. Her story reinforces her message that you can do whatever you want if you’re determined, focussed and confident in who you are and what you believe. A fascinating book with something to say to all readers.

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A World of Cities

A World of Cities

7+ readers 9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: Lily Murray Illustrator: James Brown Format: Hardback Release Date: 01/10/2017

In this large format picture book 30 famous cities around the globe are brought to life through beautiful illustrations and a vast miscellany of intiguing facts. Every spread is devoted to a city and within that spread are facts which will astound and surprise. Did you know for example that San Francisco had a population of less than a million whilst Shanghai had a gargantuan 24 million? It's a book that will be equally at home as a book to share with youngsters at bedtime as it is to brighten up a coffee table in the living room.

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The Mermaid Atlas

The Mermaid Atlas

7+ readers 9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: Anna Claybourne Illustrator: Miren Asiain Lora Format: Hardback Release Date: 01/06/2020

Merfolk of the World | We are all fascinated by mermaids – whether it’s the story of The Little Mermaid, or the idea of mysterious creatures luring sailors into danger.  This beautifully illustrated book introduces readers to mermaids from all around the world – not just the UK and Europe but across the Americas, Australia and Asia too; it seems that people everywhere have always been entranced by the idea of human creatures living in the sea or deep lakes. Many of these mermaids are beautiful, some are helpful and kind, others anything but. The stories will catch the imagination, and this is a book to pore over and return to again and again. 

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Greek Gods and Heroes Meet 40 mythical immortals

Greek Gods and Heroes Meet 40 mythical immortals

7+ readers 9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: Sylvie Baussier Format: Hardback Release Date: 25/07/2018

Stylish and artfully designed, this book is jam-packed with enough information on the Greek gods and heroes to satisfy even the most inquisitive reader. Forty different characters, from Gaia, Cronus and Zeus to Electra, Achilles and Odysseus, are featured on double page spreads; boxes of text tell their stories with impressive brevity, while extra gobbets of information are conveyed via shorter text boxes or in captions that accompany the stylised, colour illustrations.  It’s a book that encourages browsing, while simultaneously making clear the timeline and interconnectedness of the various gods and heroes.  This is the latest in an eye-catching and effect series.

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Adventures on Earth

Adventures on Earth

7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Simon Tyler Illustrator: Simon Tyler Format: Hardback Release Date: 02/09/2019

December 2019 Book of the Month | Handsomely illustrated this information book is full of stories of adventure and exploration and takes readers to some of the wildest, most distant places on the planet, from the polar regions to the deepest underground caves.  Each location is brought to life through maps and the geographical vital statistics but most vividly through the stories of the men and women who were among the first to explore them. Expect to get up close to the Matterhorn, the Arabian Desert and both poles while learning too about the threats to these beautiful places from climate change.  Tyler’s striking graphic illustrations make the information even more memorable and there’s a useful glossary too.

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Health Heroes

Health Heroes

7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Emily Sharratt Format: Paperback Release Date: 06/08/2020

The People Who Took Care of the World | Every one of us has visited a doctor or nurse, or taken a trip to hospital at some point in our lives, but it took Coronavirus to make us really notice the men and women who look after us when we need it, and to recognise them as heroes. This inspiring and informative book begins with introductions to the very first doctors, nurses and surgeons (starting with Hippocrates), then comes totally up to date. Real, live ‘health heroes’ working in a range of different locations and roles tell us about their working lives, what they do and why they love it. It’s stirring stuff, many of the anecdotes and stories they share are really moving and all are fascinating. This is an excellent book for anyone interested in a career in medicine or care, but a great read too for all who’ve watched, wondered at and applauded the people who have done so much for us during these difficult times.

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Atlas of Ocean Adventures

Atlas of Ocean Adventures

7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Emily Hawkins Illustrator: Lucy Letherland Format: Hardback Release Date: 22/10/2019

A Collection of Natural Wonders, Marine Marvels and Undersea Antics from Across the Globe | The 5th title in the best-selling Atlas of Adventures series, that has now been translated into 31 languages, is a highly topical guided tour of marine wonders from each of the world’s five oceans, taking the reader from the depths of the Marianas Trench to colourful reefs, kelp forests, tropical beaches and to seabird’s rocky nesting sites. Each featured animal (and often these are often the  fascinatingly less familiar examples) is given a double-page spread with a full-colour backdrop illustrating the habitat with illuminating snippets of text invitingly laid out, including useful maps that show the locations of the animals. A stand-out feature of this series is the humorous writing which instantly engages young readers and makes the books accessible to a wide age group. The beautiful illustrations include some fun oddities too- an octopus playing the violin or a penguin with a bucket and spade, and these are listed at the back for readers to search for throughout the book. A recurrent theme is the the dangers of floating plastic and other pollution which comes together at the end in a spread titled “Oceans in Danger.” With an excellent index this is another great example from this team of an invaluable information resource that is an entertaining and absorbing book which can be dipped in and out of and read with great pleasure. A recommended addition to any school library.

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You can write awesome stories

You can write awesome stories

7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Joanne Owen Format: Paperback Release Date: 11/06/2020

July 2020 Book of the Month | There’s never been a better time to encourage children to dream up adventures and then turn them into written stories. This lively how-to book will certainly inspire them and is packed with story-writing ideas to get them started, and a wealth of really good writing advice (whatever your age). Its author Joanne Owen is herself a successful writer for children and it shows.  She shares real tips of the trade, from ways to spark ideas to techniques that will make your writing really effective. There are lots of practical exercises, all of them fun and stimulating. With space to write your stories down, young writers can get going straightaway and the lessons they learn will be useful throughout their lives. Get a copy in time for National Writing Day on 24th June, a chance for everyone to enjoy some creative writing. **** Read a Q&A with the author, Joanne Owen with tips for writing and recommendations for Summer Reading

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Planetarium Junior Edition

Planetarium Junior Edition

7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Raman Prinja Illustrator: Chris Wormell Format: Hardback Release Date: 07/02/2019

Winner of the Royal Society’s Young People’s Book Prize 2019 | A special edition for junior readers of the superb Planetarium in the Welcome to the Museum series, this book dazzles. It takes readers on a journey into space, explaining clearly and sometimes poetically, where our planet is in the Solar System, how we have found ways to look out across it, and what we have discovered about the universe. Information is conveyed though precise descriptions catching all of the awe-inspiring sense of time and distance, while Christopher Wormell’s illustrations are both beautiful and illuminating. Opening with a section on telescopes and observatories, and ending with the end of the universe, via sections on the night sky, stars and galaxies, this really is a book to treasure, and although the text has been adapted for younger readers, it will fascinate those of any age.

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Tyrannosaurus Rex Prehistoric Beasts Uncovered - King of the Dinosaurs

Tyrannosaurus Rex Prehistoric Beasts Uncovered - King of the Dinosaurs

7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Dougal Dixon Format: Paperback Release Date: 30/04/2018

June 2018 Non-Fiction Book of the Month |   Dinosaurs are endlessly fascinating for children and this new book, one of a series, uses the latest research and scientific discoveries to bring young readers right up to date on the tyrant lizard king. For example, it explains how the study of ‘muscle scars’ on T.rex bones dramatically changed our understanding of how the animal stood and moved; it includes photos of fossilised scaly skin from an adult T.rex discovered only in 2017, and examines the evidence for T.rex having feathers or bristles too; and it shows how comparing scans of T.rex skulls and brain cases with those of modern animals tell us lots about its sense of smell (good) and vision (possibly very good). A Science in Action section explains the different processes involved in excavations. Full colour throughout and with a useful glossary, this will inspire young palaeontologists.   ~ Andrea Reece A Piece of Passion from Publisher Ruth Owen:  I love science and I love dinosaurs – so it was a fantastic opportunity to work with author and palaeontologist, Dougal Dixon, to create and publish our new series. It was also fascinating to work with the artists, from around the world, who created the life-like 3D artworks of the animals featured in the series. Every year new fossil discoveries are made, or advancements in technology allow us to gather more evidence from bones that were dug from the ground decades ago. This means the books are just jam-packed with the latest information on these incredible animals. From seeing T. rex skin for the first time, to an investigation that recreated T. rex’s sinister, blood-curdling sounds, I was learning new things every day. I didn’t want the project to end and I hope that readers have as much fun reading the books as we did making them! The Prehistoric Beast Uncovered series includes; Tyrannosaurus Rex - King of the Dinosaurs Megaladon - The Largest Shark That Ever Lived Triceratops - The Dinosaur Built to Do Battle Titanosaur - The Giant Earth Shaking Dinosaur

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The Book of Animal Superheroes

The Book of Animal Superheroes

7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Camilla de la Bedoyere Illustrator: David Dean Format: Hardback Release Date: 07/11/2019

Amazing True-Life Tales; Astounding Wildlife Facts | A mix of inspiring true stories and fascinating facts and information, all presented across bright, colourful pages with striking, atmospheric illustrations, this is a terrific book for anyone who loves animals.  Amongst the animal heroes whose stories we hear are Balto, a sledge dog who helped deliver live-saving medicine in  the Alaska winter; Wojtek, the bear who became a favourite with Polish soldiers in World War 2; and Machli, a tiger who fought with an enormous crocodile to save her cubs. There are lots more too, animals who were never given names but whose actions demonstrate incredible intelligence and resilience.  As Jess French says in her introduction, there’s always something new to learn about animals, and this book proves that time and time again.

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Pets And Their Famous Humans

Pets And Their Famous Humans

7+ readers 9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: Ana Gallo Illustrator: Katherine Quinn Format: Hardback Release Date: 02/07/2020

This book offers a fun and quirky introduction to famous artists, writers and scientists, via their pets. We learn a great deal about Sigmund Freud for example through the story of his beloved chow chow Jofi, who was present in his owner’s famous treatment rooms for seven years. Similarly, it’s much easier to identify with Isaac Newton once you know about his little dog, Diamond, or Henri Matisse as you learn about his cats Minouche, Coussi and la Puce. Some of the pets of course are interesting in their own right too – the crocodiles Dorothy Parker kept in her bath, or Charles Dickens’ talking raven Grip, who stars in Barnaby Rudge and also inspired Edgar Allen Poe’s poem The Raven. There are full page illustrations of each pet and owner and opposite a page of lively, accessible information about the pair and their relationship. Unusual, handsomely illustrated and inspiring.

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Lesser Spotted Animals

Lesser Spotted Animals

7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Martin Brown Illustrator: Martin Brown Format: Paperback Release Date: 06/04/2017

Winner of the UKLA 2018 Book Award 7-11 | This is no ordinary animal book, you won’t find the usual suspects in its page, no tigers, pandas, bears here.  Instead be prepared to be amazed by animals you’ve never heard of, from the Cuban solenodon (one of the few mammals with a poisonous bite) to the stinky but useful zorilla, aka Africa’s pongiest predator. Martin ‘Horrible Histories illustrator’ Brown celebrates a host of animals that deserve to be better know, in a book that offers a refreshingly different approach to natural history. Each page is packed with fascinating information, cleverly laid out with frequent jokes and cartoon asides adding to the fun. At the same time, there’s a serious message about the threat to these creatures from humans, and habitat loss.

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Music Legends

Music Legends

7+ readers 9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: Herve Guilleminot Illustrator: Jerome Masi Format: Hardback Release Date: 25/07/2018

The history of rock is chronicled through forty world-famous artists and groups in this stylishly designed and illustrated book. It begins with Elvis Presley, whirls through the psychedelic 60s and the protest songs of the 70s, then via glam rock and reggae takes us into the punk era, new wave and hip hop, leaving us with Beyoncé and Arcade Fire. It’s clearly a personal choice (Blur but not Oasis? And where are the queens of soul and disco?) but covers a huge range of styles and movements, and gives a real sense of the evolution of popular music.  Each artist has a double page and they are represented via stylish, graphic illustrations accompanied by useful captions – dotted lines lead from Bob Dylan’s head to the words ‘Politically engaged’, while Elvis’s hips are labelled ‘provocative’. Fun, stylish and informative.

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Women in Sport

Women in Sport

7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Rachel Ignotofsky Format: Hardback Release Date: 11/01/2018

Women in Sport celebrates the success of the tough, bold and fearless women who paved the way for today's athletes. The sportswomen featured include well-known figures like tennis player Serena Williams and broadcaster Clare Balding, as well as lesser-known pioneers like Gertrude Ederle, the first woman to swim the English Channel, and Keiko Fukuda, the highest-ranked female judoka in history. 

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Stephen Hawking - Little Guides to Great Lives

Stephen Hawking - Little Guides to Great Lives

7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Isabel Thomas Illustrator: Marianna Madriz Format: Hardback Release Date: 30/09/2019

An inspiring introduction to the life of one of the UKs greatest scientist, Stephen Hawking. When he was still a young man, Hawking was diagnosed with a form of motor neurone disease which he knew would disable him and shorten his life. He was determined to achieve all he could despite this and he did. His research into black holes and the theory of the Big Bang was ground breaking and of the greatest importance to all subsequent scientific study.

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Titanic : Disaster at Sea

Titanic : Disaster at Sea

7+ readers

Author: Martin Jenkins Illustrator: Brian Sanders Format: Hardback Release Date: 01/03/2012

This fascinating book traces Titanic's history from blueprint to ocean dream and uncovers the factors that led to her tragic end. With technical diagrams, maps, passenger profiles and a timeline of the unfolding events, this 100th anniversary edition is a truly compelling account of the disaster. If you're interested in this book, you might also like: Titanic: Death on the Water by Tom and Tony Bradman The Watch that Ends the Night by Allan Wolf Titanic: An Edwardian Girl's Diary 1912 by Ellen Emerson White

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The Street Beneath My Feet

The Street Beneath My Feet

7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Charlotte Guillain Illustrator: Yuval Zommer Format: Hardback Release Date: 21/03/2017

Shortlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award | Detailed, ingenious and graphically beautiful this information book opens, as the best do, with an invitation to young readers to stop and wonder as they’re asked to think about what is going on beneath their feet. No ordinary book but a fold-out poster in book form, opening out the pages reveals a huge vertical panorama that takes us down through the different layers and right into the very core of the Earth. Friendly but information-rich text explains the features of the different layers, from the pipes and wires that support our civilisation to old bones, underground rivers, coal mines. The reverse side of the poster takes up back up through the magma, then seams of minerals, limestone, fossils and finally back into the light, this time countryside rather than city street. This beautiful book will expand readers’ knowledge and understanding and inspire them to think more about our planet. 

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Life: The First Four Billion Years

Life: The First Four Billion Years

7+ readers 9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: Martin Jenkins Illustrator: Grahame Baker-Smith Format: Hardback Release Date: 01/05/2019

Longlisted for the UKLA Book Awards 2020 | This is the story of life on earth from its earliest beginnings. With remarkable illustrations and a clear and concise text, this is a fascinating and thought-provoking discourse on the huge variety of life that had come and gone before humans ever appeared on earth.

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Everest: The Remarkable Story of Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay

Everest: The Remarkable Story of Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay

7+ readers 9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: Alexandra Stewart Illustrator: Joe Todd-Stanton Format: Hardback Release Date: 02/05/2019

May 2019 Non-Fiction Book of the Month | A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month May 2019 | Enduringly fascinating and inspiring, the story of Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay’s ascent of Everest is always worth re-visiting. This strong narrative biography matched with atmospheric illustrations brings the two men to life from their childhoods in New Zealand and Nepal respectively to their amazing feat of climbing the world’s highest mountain. Alexandra Stewart and Joe Todd-Stanton capture something about the personalities of the two and the reasons that they felt the need to take on this great challenge. Most successfully, in words and pictures they describe the extraordinary landscape of Everest and the surrounding mountains and in particular the enormous dangers and the unique magic of mountaineering - especially when you take on the challenge of the highest mountain in the world.

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Inventions: A History of Key Inventions That Changed the World

Inventions: A History of Key Inventions That Changed the World

7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Adam Hart-Davis Illustrator: Nishant Choksi Format: Hardback Release Date: 04/10/2012

TV presenter Adam Hart-Davies turns his attention to some of the key inventions which changed the world. His clear and simple explanations are supported by illustrations including flaps that lift and wheels which vividly demonstrate how toilets flush and the basic principles of the steam engine. Fun to ‘play’ with, this is also a book which will teach each young reader about the machines they use in everyday life - and take for granted.

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Wilderness - Jungle, Rain Forest, Tundra, Taiga, Savanna, and Desert

Wilderness - Jungle, Rain Forest, Tundra, Taiga, Savanna, and Desert

7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Mia Cassany Illustrator: Marcos Navarro Format: Hardback Release Date: 04/04/2019

April 2019 Non-Fiction Book of the Month | A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month April 2019 | Take an inspiring journey into sixteen very special and important landscapes each of which is brought to life in glorious large-scale illustrations. These set the scene for amazing dramas of nature that are taking place within them. From tropical rainforest to scorching deserts, these protected environments are home to rare and beautiful animals and plants which are shown here in glorious illustrations that display their finest details. While the illustrations will draw the readers in, there is also a wealth of information included in the fact file at the end making this a book that is full of value as well as beauty.

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Prisoners of Geography

Prisoners of Geography

7+ readers 9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: Tim Marshall Illustrator: Grace Easton Format: Hardback Release Date: 31/10/2019

Longlisted for the UKLA Book Awards 2021 | Maps are endlessly fascinating to children but this book will really open up the world to them. In Prisoners of Geography Tim Marshall reveals how geography has affected civilisations and how countries’ histories – and the lives of their people – have been shaped by the position of mountain ranges, valleys, rivers and coastlines. Take Russia for example: even as it grew bigger and more powerful over the centuries, it’s always been exposed to attack from the west because of the North European Plain, and still is. In another chapter he explains why it’s so important to China that it controls Tibet, and the islands in the South China Seas. By showing the ways geography, history and politics converge he makes complicated stuff – the situation in the Middle East for example – accessible and fascinating. It’s a book to get readers of any age thinking and seeing things differently.

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Humanatomy

Humanatomy

7+ readers 9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: Nicola Edwards Illustrator: Jem Maybank, George Ermos Format: Hardback Release Date: 03/05/2018

The human body is amazing, ‘the most incredible machine on Earth’ says this book, which explains exactly how it works, from the inside out. Over colourful, clearly designed pages, featuring detailed illustrations, it peels back the layers of the human body to examine the individual body systems, from the integumentary system (skin, hair and nails), through the muscular system, skeletal system, digestive system, right up to and including DNA, in a chapter What makes me who I am? Questions are asked throughout in fact, making it highly interactive and engaging, and some of them provoke the response, ‘Yuk’ (Is it true you can drink your own urine). With a neat reference guide to the body tucked inside the front cover, and useful glossary at the back, this book is well thought out and informative from beginning to end.   

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RSPB Nature Guide: Birds

RSPB Nature Guide: Birds

7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Catherine Brereton Illustrator: Kate McLelland Format: Paperback Release Date: 02/04/2020

Wherever we live, there are birds all around us and this beautifully illustrated book will enable readers to identify them and is also full of facts and information about the way our native birds live. It features 140 different birds, each one is illustrated in colour and alongside a paragraph of text are fact boxes with bullet point information on size, habitat, food and the bird’s song. It’s a good size to pop into a bag on a trip to the country or local park, or even to take out into the garden, but will make for many happy hours of browsing indoors too. Just the sort of book to inspire a life-long interest in birds. Congratulations too to Kate McLelland whose screen print illustrations of the birds are stunning.

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The Book of Time

The Book of Time

9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: Kathrin Koller Format: Hardback Release Date: 05/03/2020

A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month March 2020 | Taking a philosophical approach, this is a comprehensive look at the challenging question: What is Time?  Having posed the question, author and illustrator Kathrin Köller and Irmela Schautz take readers through the past and present stories, myths and symbols of time from around the world which help to explain some of the mysteries which we all experience. These set the scene for a detailed look at the realities of how time is recorded and counted before closing with a section on travelling through time as in across time zones and in futuristic fantasies.

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Fantastically Great Women Scientists and Their Stories

Fantastically Great Women Scientists and Their Stories

7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Kate Pankhurst Illustrator: Kate Pankhurst Format: Paperback Release Date: 04/02/2021

Written and illustrated with infectious verve, Kate Pankhurst’s Fantastically Great Women Scientists and Their Stories puts paid to any notion that women’s role in science has been peripheral. In fact, despite huge impediments, and thanks to their intellect and tenacity, this inspiring book shows how women have been at the heart of many major discoveries - from finding the cure for malaria, to spearheading revolutionary DNA research, to making monumental advances in the fields of volcanology, astronomy, botany and chemistry (and more).   Through an engaging blend of text, comic strips, fact boxes and diagrams, the book explores eight life-changing scientific innovators in detail. The fact that most of the scientists aren’t household names tells you everything you need to know about the importance of this book - these are innovators whose names should be known. Take Tu Youyou, for example, the Chinese chemist who spent months on a remote island researching traditional medicines in order to discover a cure for malaria, testing potentially dangerous preparations on herself - and all this against the precarious backdrop of the Cultural Revolution that saw her separated from her family and sworn to secrecy. Then there’s out-of-this-world Mae Jemison, an astoundingly multi-talented woman who grew up watching the first space missions during the Civil Rights Movement and went on to become the first African-American woman astronaut in 1992. Informative, inspiring and presented with passion and clarity, this is children’s non-fiction at its finest.

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Young Heroes

Young Heroes

9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: Lula Bridgeport Illustrator: Various Format: Hardback Release Date: 04/10/2018

This fascinating book tells the true stories of more than 100 inventive, positive young people who dreamed big and somehow changed the world for the better. It’s divided into seven sections: STEM, film and music, the environment, sports, business, art and literature, and politics. Some of those featured will already be well known to readers, for example, Mark Zuckerberg, Taylor Swift, Malala Yousafzai, but most of the others won’t be, yet all the stories are equally inspiring because they prove that with good ideas, determination and dedication, young people really can make a difference. Best of all it includes practical suggestions on how children can be heroes in their everyday lives. Full colour illustrations make it even more appealing and attractive.

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Holes: Discover a Hidden World

Holes: Discover a Hidden World

9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: Jonathan Litton Illustrator: Thomas Hegbrook Format: Hardback Release Date: 14/06/2018

July 2018 Book of the Month | This clearly written visually stunning book will have children jumping in to learn all about a wide variety of topics – history, nature, science, medicine, even philosophy: who’d have thought that holes could contain so much? They are a passion of the author and his enthusiasm spills onto the pages. Whether he’s looking at natural holes, manmade holes, holes in humans (mouth, nose, eyes, bottom), or the ways holes have been described in maths and philosophy, the information presented is fascinating and often dramatic. The painterly illustrations match the text for depth, and are often quite beautiful to look at.  Like the best non-fiction, this is full of answers but will leave readers ready to ask more questions.

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Strange but True

Strange but True

9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: Kathryn Hulick Illustrator: Mr. Gordy Wright Format: Hardback Release Date: 01/10/2019

We all love strange stories and bizarre, unexplained events: do aliens exist? Are ghosts real? Is the Bermuda Triangle really a thing? Was there actually a curse on Tutankhamun’s tomb? This book examines these four questions, plus another six equally mesmerising, but challenges readers to use logic, intelligence and the facts to determine the truth. Author Kathryn Hulick presents thoroughly researched accounts, packed with information because, as she empahises, evidence is the most important thing.  She ensures that the sources are reliable and then encourages readers while keeping an open mind to consider everything really carefully.   It makes for a great read, especially when some of those mysteries – the Kraken – turn out to be strange but true.  A book that glories in mystery, but also the power of science and human intelligence.

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The History of Everything in 32 Pages

The History of Everything in 32 Pages

7+ readers 9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: Anna Claybourne Illustrator: Jan Van der Veren Format: Hardback Release Date: 05/10/2020

A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month October 2020 | Starting with a timeline that stretches from the ‘Big Bang’ to ‘The Modern Age (1940- the present day)’ this is a largely pictorial history covering physical and social developments in big, bold outlines which convey the main messages which are then fleshed out in much greater depth through detailed, fact-filled captions. The topics covered in each of the double-page spreads include ‘Our Home in Space’, ‘The Dinosaur Age’ , ‘Cities, Civilizations and Empires’ and ‘Technology’. The illustrations that convey them determinedly simple which gives the book a welcome, distinctively different look.     Find out more about Anna and another of her books, The Mermaid Atlas, in this Q&A.

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Veggie Power

Veggie Power

7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Annette Roeder Illustrator: Olaf Hajek Format: Hardback Release Date: 04/03/2021

A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month March 2021 | Filled with curious and intriguing illustrations and with an original text filled with unusual and fascinating facts, this handsome, large format picture book takes a completely new look at vegetables. Accompanying each vegetable, or sometimes a pair of vegetables as with a carrot and a parsnip which are similar although they are described as ‘an odd couple’, there is an elegant text telling something of the history of how each one comes to be on our tables, something of how each one grows and something about the traditions about how we eat them. The delights in this book are perfect for sharing for all ages.

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The Humans

The Humans

9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: Jonny Marx, Charlie Davis Format: Hardback Release Date: 03/09/2020

Shortlisted for the Blue Peter Book Awards 2021, Best Book with Facts | This highly-illustrated reference book celebrates the incredible achievements of various ancient civilisations, exploring their lifestyles, discoveries and inventions, many of which have influenced modern-day society. A brief introduction outlines how humans evolved from apes several million years ago, and explains that homo sapiens, who originated in Africa, are the only species of human alive today. Maps on each page help children to visualise the location of the different civilisations, while a useful timeline at the end places them together in chronological order. Stylish, full-page illustrations provide a colourful and informative backdrop to the wealth of facts contained within this marvellous book.

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Dosh

Dosh

9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: Rashmi Sirdeshpande Illustrator: Adam Hayes Format: Paperback Release Date: 20/08/2020

Longlisted for the UKLA Book Awards 2022 Information Books 3-14 | Given that we are looking down the barrel of the worst recession since records began, this book could not be more topical, or of more interest to young people and will no doubt teach adults, like me, a thing or two (about Bitcoin for example!). The author tells us she loves to take big ideas and make them accessible and she has fulfilled that ambition with flying colours and created a book that should be in every school as an invaluable tool for teaching financial literacy. There have been many books which have covered the history and origins of money, but nothing which has dealt so clearly with the ‘why it matters’ and encouraged us to think about needs versus wants, the concept of value and, even more importantly, why it matters how you use your money and how you can use it to do good. When you have successfully grown your money it also explains why you should give some of it away.  Brilliantly illustrated and designed with ‘in a nutshell’ sections and quizzes, real life stories and a lively, witty and accessible style that explains, but never patronises and uses examples that make sense in a children’s world. So, for example, when you understand the ‘superhero sweetie’ of compound interest, you will never make the common error of picking a ‘1 million today’ prize instead of ‘1p which doubles every day’ (making 5.3 million in just 30 days) Perfectly pitched yet sophisticated and challenging enough to intrigue teens as well as tweens, this is a superb information text that I cannot recommend highly enough.

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Lots

Lots

7+ readers

Author: Marc Martin Illustrator: Marc Martin Format: Hardback Release Date: 23/02/2017

A stunning big format hardback picture book which takes you on an incredible journey around the world. The book is a gathering of beautiful illustrations, facts and observations of places right across our Earth - cities, forests, deserts and oceans.  Each double page spread celebrates a different place across the globe, celebrating what makes them different, what makes it special, and with lots of new words and fascinating facts, that will enthrall the most curious of children. You can't help but pore over the pictures and dive right in, noticing something different on every single read.

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Britannica All New Children's Encyclopedia

Britannica All New Children's Encyclopedia

7+ readers 9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: Christopher Lloyd Format: Hardback Release Date: 01/10/2020

Longlisted for the UKLA Book Awards 2022 Information Books 3-14 | If ever there was a book to inspire curiosity and the joy of learning, it is this sparkling new edition of that old stalwart, the Encyclopedia Britannica. Thoroughly updated for the 21st century and making a welcome return to print, it has been edited by Christopher Lloyd of What On Earth Wallbooks fame and his delight in discovery and knowledge infuses every one of its 400+ pages.  It is divided into eight sections covering life on earth, from the formation of the universe to the development of man through to peeks into our future, and each of these sections includes hundreds of different topics, the information carefully and thoughtfully presented through clear text panels supported by colour images, photos and diagrams. All of the information comes from named experts, who are not above confessing when they’re not sure of something or acknowledging ‘known unknowns’, and in another clever touch, there are Q&A features with some of these at the end of each section, where they explain how their passion for their subjects began. The book is fabulous to look at and, whether you are dipping in to follow a particular thread or reading through it from beginning to end, it will answer thousands of questions while sparking thousands more, just as the very best sources of information always do. Highly recommended.

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Maps of the United Kingdom

Maps of the United Kingdom

7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Rachel Dixon Illustrator: Livi Gosling Format: Hardback Release Date: 04/10/2018

This fascinating and highly pore-overable book maps the United Kingdom not via contours or motorway networks, but through its people, habits and history. It takes readers on a journey round our green and pleasant land region by region, packing colour double page illustrations of the relevant bit of sceptred isle with representations of notable people who were born or lived there, of important things that happened there, of notable places and quirky local customs – well-dressing in Nottinghamshire, bog snorkelling in Llanwrtyd Wells, the spring cuckoo festival in Marsden. It lists each area’s favourite dish too, in short giving readers a true flavour of Great Britain. The text is lively and thoroughly engaging and the pictures are equally energetic.

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Kay's Anatomy

Kay's Anatomy

9+ readers 11+ readers 13+ readers

Author: Adam Kay Illustrator: Henry Paker Format: Hardback Release Date: 15/10/2020

A Complete (and Completely Disgusting) Guide to the Human Body | This is an information text that will be read with great pleasure and is actually as unputdownable as a novel. It is very apparent that the multimillion-copy selling author and medical doctor has never grown out of his gleeful fascination with the human machine and has a real knack for presenting complex facts both clearly and concisely while making the reader laugh out loud. Similarly, the illustrations by Henry Parker combine accurate explanatory diagrams and zany amusing cartoons, often on the same page. Much of the humour is, of course, derived from the more disgusting aspects of the internal and external body and to making fun of the complicated language and terminology doctors and scientists use, but nonetheless using and explaining all those terms. Indeed the book concludes with a brilliantly educative glossary (and even the jokes are indexed!) A running gag is Clive and the ‘naming committee’ responsible for naming body parts, as is the continued references to the author’s dog Pippin, but always in a way which enhances an explanation or a description and develops understanding. Chapters cover all the organs and systems of the body as well as reproduction, life and death and germs (including COVID-19) and include Kay’s Kwestions (another running gag about needing a replacement Q on his keyboard) and True or Poo  sections which answer the sort of questions inquisitive children will be dying to ask and expose the myths, misinformation and old wives tales that you might have heard. He does not shrink from difficult topics or giving unpopular advice – junk food, smoking and drinking really are bad for you and washing your hands properly is important. As genuinely useful as any textbook or revision guide, I would suggest multiple copies will be needed to satisfy demand in any school library.

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Albert Einstein's Theory of Relativity

Albert Einstein's Theory of Relativity

7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Carl Wilkinson Illustrator: James Weston Lewis Format: Hardback Release Date: 14/09/2020

November 2020 Non-Fiction Book of the Month | Congratulations to Carl Wilkinson and James Weston Lewis who achieve something remarkable in this huge, beautiful information book: they explain Einstein’s theory of relativity to general readers, specifically young readers. They do it carefully, step by step, in bite-sized chunks and with lots of illustrations and diagrams to keep things accessible, starting by introducing Einstein himself and his early influences, before explaining the scientific theories and discoveries, from gravity to light waves and his understanding of space and time, that eventually provided the building blocks for the famous E =MC² equation. The text is always clear and concise, while the images do much of the hard work of explaining complex ideas and laws of physics. Einstein’s work deserves to be represented in illustrations that are full of movement, drama and wonder, and Weston Lewis gets that exactly right. Every reader will close the book fully aware of the enormity of Einstein’s achievement and his brilliance, and understanding his ideas and the process that led to them too. And find out a bit about the author's fascination with science and space in our Q&A with Carl Wilkinson.

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book of the month
Blue Planet II

Blue Planet II

7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Leisa Stewart-Sharpe Illustrator: Emily Dove Format: Hardback Release Date: 05/11/2020

Discover all there is to love about our Blue Planet, the stories of its inhabitants, and realise how you can help protect this wilderness beneath the waves. In collaboration with BBC Earth, this illustrated non-fiction book captures the wonder, beauty, and emotion of the landmark Blue Planet II TV series. Find out more about Blue Planet II in this interview with Leisa Stewart-Sharpe and Emily Dove 

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Climate Crisis for Beginners

Climate Crisis for Beginners

9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: Andy Prentice, Eddie Reynolds Illustrator: El Primo Ramon Format: Hardback Release Date: 07/01/2021

Longlisted for the UKLA Book Awards 2022 Information Books 3-14 | Full of clearly presented facts and figures, plus useful advice on ways they can make a difference, this is an excellent introduction to the climate crisis for young readers. The language is simple and backed up throughout by illustrations making complex issues easy to understand and digest. Broken into five different chapters, the book explains the basics – the greenhouse effect and the danger from burning fossil fuels; introduces the IPCC and spells out why we are sure there is a crisis; talks about what we need to do, and why we’re not doing it faster; and finishes by listing things individuals can do now to make a difference, no matter their age. The conclusion reassures readers that having read the book, they will have the tools to imagine the future they want as well as ideas about how to get it. As always in Usborne’s reliable information books, it directs readers to websites where they can find out more via the special Quicklinks (usborne.com/Quicklinks). A stimulating, informative, expertly targeted, and positive guide to the major issue of our time.   This would be good to read in conjunction with Josh Lacey’s new Hope Jones series which looks at climate change and what to do about it through the eyes of a fictional character.

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You Can Save The Planet 101 Ways You Can Make a Difference

You Can Save The Planet 101 Ways You Can Make a Difference

9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: J. A. Wines & Clive Gifford Illustrator: Sarah Horne Format: Paperback Release Date: 28/11/2019

This little volume is just the right size to fit into a pocket or backpack and it’s well worth young readers keeping it to hand at all times as it’s packed with advice on ways to be more green.  Chapters include ‘Do You Live in a Green House?’, ‘Shopping for the Planet’ and ‘Stop Polluting the Planet’ and after describing the impact of the ways of life we all take for granted, they list things we can easily do to make a difference. These ‘over to you’ sections are practical, do-able and empowering. There’s a list of websites to visit at the end to find out more, as well as Planet Pledges to sign – one for the reader, one for the reader’s family. Accessible, informative and positive, this is a great book for anyone who cares about the future of our planet and highly recommended.

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The Extraordinary Life of Katherine Johnson

The Extraordinary Life of Katherine Johnson

7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Devika Jina Illustrator: Maggie Cole Format: Paperback Release Date: 06/06/2019

‘In her thirty-three years at NASA Katherine was a pioneer who broke the barriers of race and gender, showing generations of young people that everyone can excel in math and science, and reach for the stars’. That’s President Barack Obama on Katherine Johnson, his quote one of many contemporary sources that bring her extraordinary achievements to life in this concise but information-packed biography. The book covers Johnson’s life from childhood and early signs of her fierce intelligence through to the years at NASA where her calculations helped put Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the moon. It’s inspiring stuff, and the book is designed to appeal to a wide readership, with frequent illustrations, diagrams and information boxes. This is one of a number of titles in a well-thought-out new series. For further reading on this theme visit our special feature - 50th Anniversary of the Moon Landing.

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Flower Power: The Magic of Nature's Healers

Flower Power: The Magic of Nature's Healers

9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: Christine Paxmann Illustrator: Olaf Hajek Format: Hardback Release Date: 05/03/2020

Read this book and you will see flowers with quite different eyes.  That’s its intention, as laid out in the introduction, and one it achieves quite brilliantly. Seventeen flowers are featured, most familiar to us all (dandelion, thistle, poppy, marigold), full colour, full page illustrations opposite a page of text. The text gives us size and appearance, where the plant grows, but also includes bits of history and folklore plus information on medicinal properties and how the plant has been used to heal over the centuries. Fascinating stuff, and you get a strong sense of the author’s expertise and enthusiasm. The illustrations are just as special, stylized, folk-art inspired images of the flowers with figures or birds and insects. Beautiful and mind-expanding. 

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The Colours of History

The Colours of History

7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Clive Gifford Illustrator: Marc-Etienne Peintre Format: Paperback Release Date: 19/04/2018

Winner of the Blue Peter Book Awards 2019, Best Book with Facts | | A fascinating information book, The Colours of History takes readers to different places at different times to show how humans have used colour in art, politics and trade. They’ll learn how indigo, made from plants that grow in Asia, began to be traded round the world in the 15th century, how hundreds of years later it was used to colour a type of cloth in Nîmes, which eventually became known as ‘denim’. It explains how pink has been regarded as a ‘boy colour’ and a ‘girl colour’, and why, in the US in the early 20th century, margarine was pink. And it describes how the discovery of a new mineral in a Russian gold mine transformed Van Gogh’s paintings. It’s an unusual and vivid way to demonstrate how interconnected the world has always been, and mankind’s endless ingenuity too. 

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I Am Not a Label

I Am Not a Label

9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: Cerrie Burnell Illustrator: Lauren Mark Baldo Format: Hardback Release Date: 07/07/2020

July 2020 Non-Fiction Book of the Month | In this important new resource, author Cerrie Burnell has put together a fascinating collection of inspiring stories. As she says in her introduction when she was growing up as a child born with just one hand  “there just weren’t enough books with a disabled protagonist” and “Everyone deserves to see someone like them in a story and achieving something great” Her own achievements are themselves inspirational and she has long been a disability rights campaigner as well as much loved CBeebies presenter and children’s author and so the whole book is infused with authenticity and passion. A double page spread for each of the 34 role models and two special sections on mental health and “invisible disabilities” are all evocatively illustrated by comic artist and graphic designer, Lauren Baldo capturing the time and spirit of the featured individual  and giving real context to the highly readable and fascinating life stories. Starting in 1770 with Beethoven and finishing in 2001 with the birth of black, transgender disabled model superstar Aaron Philip, the life stories are commendably international and wide ranging, challenging our preconceived ideas of what is possible. From the familiar Helen Keller and Stevie Wonder to the less well known like break dancer Redouan Ait Chit, mountaineer Arunima Sinha, lawyer Catalina Devandas to celebrities like Lady Gaga,whose disability was a complete surprise to me, these stories will open eyes and minds. A comprehensive glossary and helpful discussion of language choices around disability and representation throughout add even more usefulness to this essential and attractive resource.

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book of the month
Shark Super Powers

Shark Super Powers

9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: Jillian Morris & Duncan Brake Illustrator: Steve May Format: Paperback Release Date: 04/06/2020

Here’s a great book for young shark aficianados, full of facts, figures and neatly presented information. Written by experts Duncan Brake and Jillian Morris, founder of Sharks4Kids, it introduces fourteen different types of shark, from everyone’s favourite (surely?) the great white, to lesser known but equally extraordinary creatures such as the swell shark, which can glow in the dark, and the cookie cutter shark, with its jutting teeth. Mixing illustration with photos and making good use of fact boxes, the book also emphasises the importance of conservation, setting up young people to be successful advocates for these endlessly fascinating creatures.

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Journeys

Journeys

7+ readers 9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: Jonathan Litton Illustrator: Leo Hartas, Chris Chalik, Jon Davis Format: Hardback Release Date: 05/04/2018

This fine, beautifully illustrated book does everything an information book should. Its subject is the amazing expeditions taken by men and women over the centuries. Some subjects will be familiar – Shackleton, Marco Polo, Amelia Earhart – while others will be less well known, such as Ibn Battuta who travelled though Africa, Central Asia, Afghanistan and India in the 1300s. Travelling, he’s quoted as saying, ‘turns you into a storyteller’, and the stories told in this book are proof that truth is at least as gripping as fiction. Young readers will be left not just informed but inspired to find out more, and with a bigger view of the world. ~ Andrea Reece 360 Degrees is a non-fiction imprint of the Little Tiger Group. Each book is unique in subject and presentation style. 360 Degrees’ main objective is to create accessible and unique non-fiction books, ensuring the highest production values and attention to creative detail.

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Survivors

Survivors

9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: David Long Illustrator: Kerry Hyndman Format: Hardback Release Date: 20/10/2016

Winner of the Blue Peter Book Award 2017 - Best Books with Facts In a nutshell: jaw-dropping true stories; survival against the odds  |    Proof that true stories can be every bit as remarkable as the most fantastic fiction, David Long recounts twenty plus astonishing true life adventures; from different times, starring different types of people, and set in different parts of the world, they are all stories of incredible bravery, resilience and the strength of the human spirit. Those who managed to survive against the odds include Antarctic explorers, including Shackleton; people shipwrecked or stranded during the second World War; individuals caught in  natural disasters; plus the remarkable girl who survived falling from a plane two miles high.  Both terrifying and inspiring, the stories make compulsive reading and will leave young readers gasping. Kerry Hyndman’s colour illustrations make this handsome to look at too. ~ Andrea Reece On his Blue Peter win David Long said: he was “overjoyed” not least because he too grew up watching Blue Peter. “My sons never missed an episode, and now I’m going to visit the studio and meet the team. It’s fantastic news,” he said.

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ebook of the month
Absolutely Everything! A History of Earth, Dinosaurs, Rulers, Robots and Other Things Too Numerous to Mention

Absolutely Everything! A History of Earth, Dinosaurs, Rulers, Robots and Other Things Too Numerous to Mention

7+ readers 9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: Christopher Lloyd Illustrator: Andy Forshaw Format: Hardback Release Date: 04/10/2018

Longlisted for the UKLA Book Awards 2020 | This is a historical treasure-trove of information about, pretty much, everything and everywhere. It is almost impossible to put down, with fascinating stories tumbling over each other. Its crisp and clear writing plays well with the photographs and illustrations. It is destined to become a favourite for curious young minds.

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Politics for Beginners

Politics for Beginners

7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Kellan Stover Illustrator: Kellan Stover Format: Hardback Release Date: 08/02/2018

This book certainly gets my vote! Any young people who think politics is boring or nothing to do with them will likely have their minds changed by this excellent book. Over bright pages, liberally illustrated with attractive and informative cartoons, it breaks politics down, explaining government and political systems, elections and voting, political change and ideologies, and finishes by posing some big questions, on subjects including war, human rights, feminism, the environment. Various experts have contributed, including John Pienaar, Rachel Reeves MP and Nick Clegg MP, and this is extremely well thought out and well presented. Watch out for the suggestion that school is just a bit feudal, and encourage everyone to look at the section called ‘How to argue’. 

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Rise Up

Rise Up

9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: Amanda Li Illustrator: Amy Blackwell Format: Hardback Release Date: 19/09/2019

Longlisted for the UKLA Book Awards 2021 | Winner of the Blue Peter Book Awards 2020, Best Book with Facts | Young people looking for inspiration will find it in the true stories told in this book. In punchy, direct text and eye-catching illustrations it introduces 29 young people who have each done something extraordinary and overcome the challenges facing them. Some of them are famous already, their names known across the world: Malala Yousafzai, Greta Thunberg. Other names are less well known but their stories are just as inspirational: Ayesha Farooq, Pakistan’s first female fighter pilot; young Malawian inventor William Kamkwamba. Alongside their stories are tips for readers on how to get your voice heard or, accompanying stories of amazing physical feats, how to push yourself beyond what you think is possible. It’s a book to show just how much can be achieved with courage and determination.

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The London Underground: 50 Things to See and Do

The London Underground: 50 Things to See and Do

9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: Geoff Marshall, with Vicki Pipe Format: Paperback Release Date: 06/02/2020

Millions of people use the underground in London every day, but how many of them know the secrets and facts revealed in this fascinating book? Did you know, for example, that you could walk for fifteen minutes through the corridors at Bank station without going over the same steps? Or that there are 49 – 49! – abandoned and disused stations? Or that you can walk between some stations faster than the train? It concludes with various tube challenges, including the ultimate: visit all 270 stations in one day. The record for that is fifteen hours, forty-five minutes and thirty-eight seconds apparently ... All this plus underground history and peeks into the future. A quirky and unputdownable guide to the lines beneath our feet.

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Amazing Women 101 Lives to Inspire You

Amazing Women 101 Lives to Inspire You

9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: Lucy Beevor Illustrator: Sarah Green Format: Hardback Release Date: 08/02/2018

In a Nutshell: Trailblazers, campaigners, pioneers and creators A beautifully illustrated, empowering and inspiring collection of the extraordinary achievements of over 100 amazing and inspirational women of our time who have become trailblazers, campaigners, pioneers and creators including the likes of JK Rowling, Rosalind Franklin, Beyonce Knowles, Marie Curie, Malala Yousafzai, Angela Merkel and Serena Williams. A beautiful package that rejoices in the remarkable and crucial contributions women have made to our society.

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Dr Maggie's Grand Tour of the Solar System

Dr Maggie's Grand Tour of the Solar System

9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: Maggie Aderin-Pocock Illustrator: Chelen Ecija Format: Hardback Release Date: 05/09/2019

The Sky at Night presenter Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock was bitten by the space bug as a kid and does an excellent job of passing on her passion in this inspiring book. She encourages us to copy Einstein in his ‘thought experiments’ and follow her on an imagined journey through space to the very edge of the Solar System. The book features amazing NASA photos alongside full colour illustrations and is packed with up-to-date information presented in blocks of text or via charts and diagrams. It does exactly what books like this should: answering all the questions readers will have, while inspiring them to future journeys of discovery.

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Space Maps

Space Maps

9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: Lara Albanese Illustrator: Tommaso Vidus Rosin Format: Hardback Release Date: 03/09/2020

Your Tour of the Universe | Armed with the maps in this large-format, attractively illustrated book, young readers can embark on a tour of our solar system, discovering a wealth of information along the way. It opens with a series of maps of the night skies, demonstrating how their appearance differs depending on where the viewer is, and at what time. It also provides an equatorial map of the sky and illustrates the way different cultures mapped what they could see, comparing the outline created by the ancient Greeks with that drawn up by those in ancient China and the San in South Africa too. Thoroughly inspired, their interest piqued, readers can then explore the Milky Way, the sun and the planets in our solar system and even go beyond that, with the help of the Hubble Space Telescope.  Some of the most fascinating and beautiful pages provide close ups of the Large Magellanic Cloud and the Crab Nebula, Tommaso Vidus Rosin’s illustrations photographic in their detail but rich too with a sense of awe and wonder. It concludes with a section on humans in space, from first steps on the moon to the International Space Station. Perhaps some of the young people who will read and be inspired by this mind-expanding book will be travellers in space one day too.

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The Virus

The Virus

9+ readers 11+ readers 13+ readers

Author: Ben Martynoga Illustrator: Moose Allain Format: Paperback Release Date: 30/07/2020

September 2020 Book of the Month | Less than one year ago, until November 2019 in fact, SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus hadn’t infected a single person and was completely unknown to nearly all of us. Now it has changed our whole world, yet most of us still have only a hazy idea of what viruses are, which is where this brilliant little book comes in. The Virus tells you everything there is to know about viruses including of course COVID-19. It explains what viruses are, what they look like and do, why they are so successful at making us ill, what we can do to combat them, and why some of them actually help us. If this sounds a bit technical or heavy going, think again: it’s fascinating stuff and presented in a way that makes it really easy to read and understand. The story of coronavirus as told here is an adventure, full of heroes and villains, facts and figures that will stop you in your tracks, and some good jokes too. I can’t think of a more interesting or relevant book for our times – everyone needs to read this!  If you're interested in science you can find many similar titles in our Best Non-Fiction collection.

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book of the month
Big Ideas For Young Thinkers

Big Ideas For Young Thinkers

9+ readers 11+ readers 13+ readers

Author: Jamia Wilson Illustrator: Andrea Pippins Format: Hardback Release Date: 03/03/2020

Shortlisted for the UKLA Book Awards 2021 | This book was designed with bright, curious readers in mind and serves them really well. Author Jamia Wilson was just such a child, never happier than when asking questions about the hows and whys of the world (one of them being why most of the big thinkers in her schoolbooks were white European men). She sets out here to get young people thinking and debating too, posing big questions like ‘is God real?’ and ‘what is the imagination?’. She outlines the beliefs of different thinkers to provide a history of thought – often including quotes and short biographies – but emphasises that everyone picking up the book is a philosopher with equally meaningful, important views. Bursting with ideas, this will start all sorts of conversations and discussions, and open up a world of debate.

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Secrets of the Witch

Secrets of the Witch

9+ readers 11+ readers 13+ readers

Author: Elsa Whyte & Julie Légère Illustrator: Laura Pérez Format: Hardback Release Date: 04/08/2020

September 2020 Book of the Month | Opening with a heartfelt “Dear sister” address that invites aspiring witches to step into its beautifully-designed pages, this compendium dispels many myths about spell-makers as its modern-day witch authors seek to “retell and reclaim our identity”. One such myth is the distinction between “white” and “black” magic – the authors note that “magic is magic and the only difference lies within our intentions and how we choose to use it.” But what is magic? They point out links between nature and magic, and share information about ancient priestesses and oracles who read signs in nature and understood the power of plants and the planets.   Moving through history, readers will discover that distrust of magic emerged in the Middle Ages, which led to the persecution of female practitioners of magic and the murderous witch-hunts of the 15th-17th centuries. After learning about the positive revival of witches in the twentieth-century (such as ecology-oriented Wiccans, and feminist activist witches), the book explores witches in popular culture, magical symbols, and concludes with practical guidance on herb magic, stone magic, crystal magic and making your own talisman.   This is a perfect primer for girls interested in magic and witches, and gorgeously-presented too, with a gold-foiled cover, red ribbons and evocative illustrations on every page.

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The Book of Time

The Book of Time

9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: Kathrin Koller Format: Hardback Release Date: 05/03/2020

A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month March 2020 | Taking a philosophical approach, this is a comprehensive look at the challenging question: What is Time?  Having posed the question, author and illustrator Kathrin Köller and Irmela Schautz take readers through the past and present stories, myths and symbols of time from around the world which help to explain some of the mysteries which we all experience. These set the scene for a detailed look at the realities of how time is recorded and counted before closing with a section on travelling through time as in across time zones and in futuristic fantasies.

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Birds

Birds

9+ readers 11+ readers 13+ readers YA readers

Author: Miranda Krestovnikoff Illustrator: Angela Harding Format: Hardback Release Date: 20/02/2020

Explore their extraordinary world | Life during lockdown has prompted lots of us to take a close look at the birds in the skies above and this strikingly illustrated book will inspire even more study and affection. Over sixty pages it introduces birds from across the world, birds of prey, seabirds, tree dwellers, passerines (perching birds) and more. Passages of text explain the many ways in which they are extraordinary while beautiful illustrations – colour and black and white – by Angela Harding give us a real sense of the bird in the wild. A book for readers of all ages, and one to treasure.

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The Silk Roads A New History of the World - Illustrated Edition

The Silk Roads A New History of the World - Illustrated Edition

11+ readers 13+ readers

Author: Peter Frankopan Illustrator: Neil Packer Format: Hardback Release Date: 04/10/2018

Adapted for a younger readership from the author’s celebrated adult book of the same name, this illustrated history of the Silk Roads, bound in a majestic gold and blue package, is the perfect present for fledging historians. The book’s journey leads armchair adventurers along thrilling, far-reaching roads, taking in the history of ancient Persia, Constantinople, Rome, Attila the Hun, the emergence of Islam, Viking slavery, Genghis Khan, Columbus - and more - from a holistic perspective. “You might even think of the Silk Roads as the world’s central nervous system, linking all the organs of the body together”, the author suggests in the introduction, and his engaging exploration of the interplay between politics, science, religion and trade certainly gives this book far greater tang than your standard textbook. Indeed, generously spiced with exquisite illustrations and maps that inform as they enthrall, young history buffs will undoubtedly devour this pitch-perfect treasure, and grown-ups will get much from it too.

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Young, Gifted and Black

Young, Gifted and Black

11+ readers 13+ readers YA readers

Author: Jamia Wilson Illustrator: Andrea Pippins Format: Hardback Release Date: 01/02/2018

This inspiring, illuminating, stylishly accessible anthology invites young readers to discover and celebrate phenomenal forebears and contemporary catalysts, while encouraging them to blaze their own inimitable trails. Taking its name from a Nina Simone song, and written as “a love letter to our ancestors, and to the next generation of black changemakers,” this exuberantly illustrated book presents a plethora of outstanding individuals who’ve realised amazing achievements in their respective fields. Among the fifty-two figures we meet are household names from contemporary culture (Michelle and Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey and Beyoncé, for example), and hugely important historical heroes and heroines. While some will be familiar – Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, and Rosa Parks, for example – lesser-known pioneers are also presented, among them Wangari Maathai, the Kenyan environmental activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, and Mae Jemison, the first African-American woman to travel in space. In their introduction, the author and illustrator issue an emboldening statement about the importance of representation – “all children deserve to see themselves represented positively in stories”. And, with such a dazzling diversity of talents portrayed here (from writers, musicians, dancers and visual artists, to sports people, scientists and politicians), this book has much to inspire a real range of young readers. 

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Questions I Am Asked About the Holocaust

Questions I Am Asked About the Holocaust

13+ readers YA readers

Author: Hedi Fried Format: Hardback Release Date: 27/01/2019

Shortlisted for the UKLA Book Awards 2020 | “There are no stupid questions nor any forbidden ones, but there are some questions that have no answers.” So writes Heidi Fried, an Auschwitz survivor, in this wise, personal and deeply humane reflection on one of human history’s most troubling periods. It is marked out by the respect and empathy she shows in her responses to the questions young people ask her. An important book-her message could well help navigate the challenging time we are living through.

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Feminists Don't Wear Pink

Feminists Don't Wear Pink

13+ readers YA readers

Author: Scarlett Curtis Format: Paperback Release Date: 20/02/2020

(and other lies) Amazing women on what the F-word means to them | Published in partnership with Girl Up, the UN women’s foundation, Feminists Don't Wear Pink (and other lies) is an exhilaratingly empowering anthology of essays by 52 women written in response to the question: what does the F word mean to you? The contributors’ answers are as varied and individual as womankind itself, with the book innovatively divided into sections covering Epiphany, Anger, Joy, Poetry Break, Action and Education, followed by helpful Further Reading recommendations and rousing Last Words essays.   Often amusing, and always honest, edifying and powerfully personal, contributors from the world of screen and stage include Keira Knightly, Emma Watson, Lolly Adefope, Kat Dennings and Amy Trigg, while activist authors include anti-FGM campaigner Nimco Ali, Amika George, creator of the #FreePeriods campaign, and Alice Wroe, founder of Herstory.   Readers beginning their feminist journey will find Claire Horn’s ‘A Short History of Feminist Theory’ especially useful, summarising as it does the movement’s origins, multi-stranded history and contemporary incarnations. Diverse, empowering, and united by a spirit of sisterly solidarity, these essays are a motivational, supportive rallying call to young women.

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Why You Should Read Children's Books, Even Though You Are So Old and Wise

Why You Should Read Children's Books, Even Though You Are So Old and Wise

13+ readers YA readers

Author: Katherine Rundell Format: Hardback Release Date: 08/08/2019

A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month August 2019 | Award winning author Katherine Rundell is as passionate about reading children’s books as she is about writing them. In this brief but and perfectly structured handbook she encourages all readers to think about the particular qualities of children’s books and about the special experience of reading as a child – which she remembers clearly. Drawing on her deep knowledge of children’s stories and supporting her arguments with endorsing quotes from writers of all kinds she sets out her defence of the book’s title in brief sections. She is as much at home in the factual – ‘On how children’s fiction came to be’ and ‘On children’s fiction today’ as the more personal which reflect her own views including ‘On wild hunger and heroic optimism’ and ‘The galvanic kick of children’s books’.

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Comments (93)

Susan B - 2nd April 2021

Every time I read this excellent lost I find more books to buy!

Bethany I - 25th March 2021

Some great recommendations here

Fiona K - 15th March 2021

Thanks for the great list of non-fiction books. There ar3e so many books now that weren't around when my own children were young.

Susan B - 15th March 2021

Another amazing list. There are so many excellent titles I hardly know which ones to choose to put on my bookshelf!

Debbie B - 15th March 2021

fabulous collection a fantastic way for children to learn and something for all ages

Sheri D - 13th March 2021

A great choice of books

Alison A - 13th March 2021

Which Food Will You Choose? Looks a great introduction to non-fiction reading and food choices

Anthea H - 13th March 2021

Thank you for this lists - so useful for my grandchildren to read some of these.

Elizabeth B - 12th March 2021

Great selection of books

Rebecca B - 10th March 2021

so many here that I would love to ready as well as my kids wanting to read them!

steven y - 10th March 2021

Amazing selection of books

Elaine S - 10th March 2021

Love this site, so informative, and the insight into books is so valuable, love that we can read extracts of books, so engaging

Helen S - 7th March 2021

A very good selection!

lynda s - 5th March 2021

Just love having a LONG list with pics, ideas, help, means no excuse for no ideas of 'what next' !!!!!!!

Ameera A - 5th March 2021

Fantastic range of books, really love this site for selecting children's books. Would highly recommend.

Debby B - 4th March 2021

An interesting and varied selection of titles where there really is a book for everyone. It is obvious that a lot of time and thought has gone into these great choices - children are lucky to have so many options on all sorts of topics - these types of books will raise the next generation of librarians, teachers, explorers naturalists, botanists, adventurers, scientists, engineers, authors etc

Jo B - 25th February 2021

So many books I want in this list.

YOLANDA D - 24th February 2021

I like the sound of The Bug Hotel.

Nicola B - 24th February 2021

Excellent range of books for various ages. One thing I truly adore about having children is introducing them to books and story times together.

Laura C - 23rd February 2021

My son loves non fiction books, he really enjoys reading books about space.

Bethany I - 23rd February 2021

What a fantastic range of non-fiction books. I love including non fiction book in collection and there are so many here to pick from

Sarah W - 23rd February 2021

What a great way to learn about the world - much better than just googling things and then forgetting again!

Mary L - 23rd February 2021

Great selection of books

Susie W - 19th February 2021

Big Ideas For Young Thinkers looks like a great book!

Nicola B - 18th February 2021

I want all of these for our school library!

Sally C - 18th February 2021

Fabulous selection of books!

Chrissy L - 14th February 2021

These books make learning fun

Brenda H - 13th February 2021

Fab bundle of books

Gill W - 13th February 2021

A fab selection of books for children of all ages. You make it so easy for me to choose books for all my Grandchildren.

Donna S - 12th February 2021

This list is really useful, I think my son would like How does a lighthouse work?

Marion G - 12th February 2021

This is a wonderful selection of books for young people. There are several on there that I shall be buying for my grandchildren. One that stands out as particularly is Fantastically Great Women Scientists and their stories.

Susan B - 12th October 2020

If I had a spare few hours, I would gladly browse all these wonderful non-fiction books. As always, very grateful for the comprehensive list with suitable ages included.

lynn n - 11th October 2020

I would lovve to spend a day looking through all these amazing books!

Michael O - 11th October 2020

Wonderful selection of books

Anthea H - 10th October 2020

What a super collection of non-fiction books - my grandchildren would love these especially The Book of Birds.

Sean E - 8th October 2020

Some great recommendations something for everyone

Leah T - 1st October 2020

Great selection of books for kids who want facts.

Fiona K - 25th September 2020

This list is great and will help me when I am trying to buy informative non-boring non-fiction for my granddaughter.

fiona c - 24th September 2020

Some fantastic, informative books that will make learning fun.

Karen P - 24th September 2020

Lots to interest our p[upils of all ages here

Victoria J - 23rd September 2020

What a great variety of non fiction books I love the look of the Big Book of the Blue and The Street Beneath my Feet

James H - 23rd September 2020

A great selection and variety of books.

Pippa A - 22nd September 2020

Such a fabulous list, I'm definitely adding some of these to my children's wish lists.

Sarah W - 8th September 2020

Not all children love fiction - some are much more engaged with reading factual books, plus it's a great way of learning interesting facts!

lynda s - 7th September 2020

A good place to start for old or new books, to get ideas wonderful

Susie W - 7th September 2020

There's some brilliant books in the collection, I'd love to read Questions I Am Asked About the Holocaust

Bryan M - 7th September 2020

There are some really interesting books here

Gill W - 7th September 2020

A fab selection of Non Fiction books suitable for all ages.

kim w - 7th September 2020

A wide slection of books availale

Tracy B - 29th August 2020

Fantastic selection of non fiction, something for all ages and reading abilities. There's a few I wouldn't mind reading myself.

Leanne T - 29th August 2020

lovely selection of books :)

Susan B - 28th August 2020

As a committed non-fiction reader, I really enjoy and appreciate your lists as a way of discovering what books are out there for the family.

Sheri D - 27th August 2020

What a wonderful selection of books

Jacqui G - 21st August 2020

This is an excellent selection of non-fiction books, appears to have the proverbial something for everyone.

Philippa W - 20th August 2020

What an amazing range of books. There is something for everyone, whatever their age. I will certainly use this page to help choose presents. I could even get ahead of my Christmas shopping!

Rosemary T - 14th August 2020

Fantastic selection - so many more books to add to my 'wanted' pile..!

helen w - 13th August 2020

Great range of subjects Dinosaurs are a favourite in our house

Margaret G - 11th August 2020

Love my non fiction - would keep all the family happy for months

Marion G - 11th August 2020

Wow! What a fantastic selection of books. I particularly like: I Am Not A Label, and shall be buying this to share with my grandchildren.

fiona w - 11th August 2020

I think its great how many new non fiction books are being published

Vesta P - 11th August 2020

What a fantastic range of non-fiction books. Our son loves learning about the world, nature and history so would be spoilt for choice.

Christine L - 10th August 2020

What a great selection, I have some ideas now for pressies for he grand-kiddies - I love buying books as gifts

Miss G - 6th August 2020

This website is absolutely incredible, I don't know where to start!

lisa a - 6th August 2020

William Bee's Wonderful World of Trucks looks like great fun for my nephew who is fascinated with trucks

Siobhain Y - 5th August 2020

Such a great list of books I am not sure which one to buy first

MARIA R - 5th August 2020

Great selection many thanks!

Ruth H - 5th August 2020

ooh, what a loopvely selection! we'll definitely be keeping an eye out for these x

Susie W - 5th August 2020

I'm a big fan of non-fiction, I have a well-rounded knowledge base from reading it as I was growing up

lynda s - 4th August 2020

always a good place to find relevant and varied information

Tricia W - 3rd August 2020

Such a great way to discover quality books to support a wide range of interests and learning

Jeanette L - 3rd August 2020

A fantastic choice of books

Andi G - 3rd August 2020

Great mix of books, some amazing titles especially like the look of The Street Beneath My Feet

sandra r - 3rd August 2020

some great sounding books here for various ages ,

Anthea H - 1st August 2020

What a super selection - I particularly like the one about bugs and insects.

Gill W - 31st July 2020

A great selection to choose from for my Grandchildren's birthdays.

Pippa A - 30th July 2020

Such a great non-fiction selection here. I'm definitely going to be sharing this list with my three children

YOLANDA D - 25th July 2020

Great selection here. My favourites are The Bugs Hotel and The Big Blue

M H - 23rd July 2020

When information these days is only a click away, a beautiful non fiction book it a total joy. There’s still nothing like holding one and pouring over the pages. These days it is a pure indulgence and delight.

Margaret G - 23rd July 2020

Ooo la la - spoilt gor choice - now to work my way through them all

cath i - 22nd July 2020

Great selection. It seems to be the boys in our family that much prefer nonfiction reads

Judy S - 22nd July 2020

Great selection of books - Amazing Women my granddaughter

Jessica F - 22nd July 2020

Great selection

Katherine H - 22nd July 2020

This is a lovely list to choose from. My son loves non fiction books and there are some really interesting-looking ones here.

Fiona K - 18th July 2020

thansk for the great list of non-fiction books for children and young adults. Lots of books that I'd love to get for my granddaughter.

Nicola H - 18th July 2020

I was recommended the Lovereading4kids website from a professional development course as a teacher. I can't wait to recommend it to all the children in my class and their families. Such a great way to find a range of age appropriate reading material in various genres.

Naomi O - 15th July 2020

Awesome selection of non-fiction. The RSPB birds book is just what I need!

Alison T - 15th July 2020

It's nice to find a great selection of non-fiction books in one place, where there are reviews which may help with a reader choosing a book

lynn n - 14th July 2020

AA great selection here but my favourite is the maps of the United Kingdom!

Jacqui G - 6th July 2020

Wonderful selection of non-fiction books.

Marion G - 6th July 2020

Lots of books that my 8 year old granddaughter and seven year old grandson, would love! Doctor Academy looks fab and is just up their street.

Dave C - 4th July 2020

It’s always difficult to find good quality non-fiction. ✔️

amy f - 3rd July 2020

Some great books here x

Tina S - 31st May 2020

This is a brilliant selection of non-fiction books, something for all ages and all interests. Excellent to see recommendations for those who prefer non-fiction reads as so many reviews, blogs etc are fiction-heavy and don’t offer as much to the fact lovers. Some titles here to entice hardened fiction addicts too!

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