Texas Topaz Nonfiction List for Grades K-12

Here are just some of the recommended titles for grades K-12 from the 2026 Texas Topaz Nonfiction Reading List! The purpose of the Texas Topaz Reading List is to provide children, teens, and adults with recommended nonfiction titles that stimulate reading for pleasure and personal learning. It is intended for recreational reading and is not designed to support any particular curriculum. Visit txla.org/reading-lists for the full list and lists from previous years.

Updated January 13, 2026
Lewisville Public Library
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Lighthouse ladies : shining a spotlight on hardy heroines
Coronado, Kris
Paper Book
The derring-do of Shark Lady meets the inspiration of Mae Among the Stars in the true stories of four intrepid and diverse women of history as they battle weather and waves to save sailors at sea. Kris Coronado's debut nonfiction picture book, perfect for fans of Hello, Lighthouse,...
José feeds the world : how a famous chef feeds millions of people in need around the world
Unger, David
Paper Book
One chef. One plate of food. Millions of lives changed. An inspiring true story for young readers who want to make a difference. When chef José Andrés sees disaster strike, he doesn't just watch--he shows up, ready to cook. From the smell of saffron and rice in his childhood kitchen in...
Narwhal : unicorn of the Arctic
Fleming, Candace
Paper Book
Venture to the Arctic Ocean and discover real life underwater unicorns--narwhals--in this stunningly illustrated nonfiction picture book. A HORN BOOK AND BOOKLIST BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR You are a narwhal. Shy... Swift... Small...
Tell me about Juneteenth
Nash, Kortney
Paper Book
Celebrate Juneteenth with this empowering picture book! On June 19th, 1865, the last enslaved African Americans were finally freed in Galveston, Texas. Every year, our community comes together to honor this special day. We play hopscotch, eat spice cake, and listen to music,...
We are American, too
Chase, Kristen M.
Paper Book
An exquisitely illustrated and beautifully penned picture book about Asian American history, identity, and pride. Mei is a young Chinese American girl filled with curiosity about her family's history in Washington, D.C. Delving into their tales of courage, hope, and resilience...
Whales in the city
Castaldo, Nancy F.
Paper Book
Cactus queen : Minerva Hoyt establishes Joshua Tree National Park
Alexander, Lori
Paper Book
A 2025 Bank Street College of Education Cook Prize Silver Medalist The Nature Generation's 2025 Green Earth Book Award Short List How did the Joshua Tree National Park in California come to be? Meet Minerva Hamilton Hoyt, an artist, activist, and environmentalist, whose...
The five sides of Marjorie Rice : how to discover a shape
Alznauer, Amy
Paper Book
"Writing with a storyteller's flair, Alznauer captures her audience's attention with colorful phrases and interesting facts." --Booklist (starred review) Ablaze with pattern and color, this ebullient picture book biography celebrates the intersection of art and science-...
Hurricane
Chin, Jason
Paper Book
Caldecott and Sibert Medalist Jason Chin charts the thrilling saga of an island community's brush with a category three hurricane, and the cutting-edge science that helps them prepare. It's a beautiful day on Hatteras Island, North Carolina. But while all seems calm now, a...
The world entire : a true story of an extraordinary World War II rescue
Brown, Elizabeth
Paper Book
Everyone knows Oskar Schindler and his famous list, but few have heard of Aristides de Sousa Mendes―a Portuguese diplomat who saved the lives of thousands in World War II. This magnificently illustrated picture book biography tells a moving story that resonates profoundly today. ...
The true story of vanilla : how Edmond Albius made history
Richards, Ann
Paper Book
★ "Moving and bittersweet...Discusses the reality of slavery and the racial violence and prejudice formerly enslaved individuals experienced." -- Booklist, starred review In 1841, a 12-year-old enslaved boy, Edmond Albius, made history when he discovered how to hand-pollinate vanilla...
Wish I was a baller
Shah, Amar
Paper Book
Wish I Was a Baller is part New Kid, part The Tryout, and part Dragon Hoops! Amar Shah has some story to tell! In 1995, he was a fourteen-year-old aspiring sports journalist (and basketball superfan) angling to get into an Orlando Magic team practice. He did, and it...
At last she stood : how Joey Guerrero spied, survived, and fought for freedom
Kelly, Erin Entrada
Paper Book
A Robert F. Sibert Honor Book * NCTE Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children Honor Book * An ALA Notable Book * A CCBC Choice * Rise: A Feminist Book Project List * Chicago Public Library Best Book * School Library Journal Best Book * CBC...
Death in the jungle : murder, betrayal, and the lost dream of Jonestown
Fleming, Candace
Paper Book
How did Jim Jones, the leader of Peoples Temple, convince more than 900 of his followers to commit "revolutionary suicide" by drinking cyanide-laced punch? From a master of narrative nonfiction comes a chilling chronicle of one of the most notorious cults in American history. A YALSA...

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