Kids Nonfiction for Reluctant Readers

Pique your child's interest in reading by introducing books about topics aligned with their curiosities and pursuits.

Updated June 9, 2026
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I survived the attack of the grizzlies, 1967
Tarshis, Lauren
Paper Book
New York Times bestselling author Lauren Tarshis tackles the historic grizzly bear attacks in Glacier National Park in this latest installment of the groundbreaking I Survived series. No grizzly has ever killed a human in Glacier before . . . until tonight. Eleven-year-old Melody...
I survived the shark attacks of 1916
Tarshis, Lauren
Paper Book
Based on true events! It's the summer of 1916 and the Jersey shore is being terrorized by a Great White shark. Can 10-year-old Chet and his friends survive a swim in the local creek? Chet Roscow is finally feeling at home in Elm Hills, New Jersey. He has a job with his uncle Jerry...
Shark lady : the true story of how Eugenie Clark became the ocean's most fearless scientist
Keating, Jess
DVD
The true story of Eugenie Clark, a woman whose scientific contributions and passion for sea life led to her being nicknamed 'Shark Lady.' Includes read-along subtitles.
Minecraft : the unlikely tale of Markus "Notch" Persson and the game that changed everything
Goldberg, Daniel
Paper Book
A few years ago, 32-year-old Markus Notch' Persson of Stockholm was an unknown and bored computer programmer. Today, he is a multi-millionaire international icon. Here, the creator of Minecraft opens up for the first time about his life. About his old Lego-filled desk at school. About the first...
Pokémon big book of facts : with hundreds of facts about the pokémon world.
Beecroft, Simon
Paper Book
Discover more than 1,500 facts about all things Pokémon in this must-have guide Become a Pokémon expert with this fact-packed book full of need-to-know info from the Pokédex. Covering the different Pokémon types, regions, habitats, and more, the Pokémon Big Book of Facts...
Butt or face? : ador-a-butts!
Lavelle, Kari
Paper Book
Are you ready for round four of the hilarious guessing game picture book? Discover fascinating facts about adorable animals while guessing if you're looking at a butt or a face! Butt or Face? Volume 4: Adora-Butts continues the entertaining challenge with a new set of (cute!) animals from...
Donner dinner party : a pioneer tale
Hale, Nathan
Paper Book
In author-illustrator Nathan Hale's Donner Dinner Party, discover the shocking and true story of the ill-fated expedition in this Hazardous Tale from the New York Times bestselling graphic novel series. In the spring of 1846, a group of...
A hundred billion trillion stars
Fishman, Seth
Paper Book
A Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book * Winner of the Mathical Book Prize Perfect for curious children, classrooms eager for STEM content, and readers who have devoured Ada Twist, Scientist and How Much Is a Million?, this nonfiction picture book is an excellent...
Video games : design and code your own adventure, with 17 projects
Ceceri, Kathy
Paper Book
Catch a glimpse inside a school bus and you'll see lots of kids looking down. What are they doing? They're deciding on strategy, building cities, setting traps for monsters, sharing resources, and nurturing critical relationships. Over 90 percent of kids ages 2-17 play video games....
First big book of how
Symes, Sally
Paper Book
A compendious and stunningly illustrated fact-filled book for children who have endless questions about how the world works. How do scientists see into space? How do polar bears keep warm? How do keys open locks? How do fireworks explode? Featuring more than 150 compelling questions...
Weird but true! USA : 300 fascinating facts about the fifty states
Paper Book
It's weird. It's true. And now, it's red, white, and blue! Explore the wonderfully wacky side of the United States of America Weird But True! style. Calling all patriots! Get ready to explore wacky wonders, facts, stats, tidbits, and trivia about America's 50 states and...
Counting on Katherine : how Katherine Johnson saved Apollo 13
Becker, Helaine
Paper Book
The bold story of Katherine Johnson, an African-American mathematician who worked for NASA during the space race and was depicted in the film Hidden Figures. You've likely heard of the historic Apollo 13 moon landing. But do you know about the mathematical genius...
What fish are saying : strange sounds in the ocean
Pendreigh, Kirsten
Paper Book
Perfect for curious kids ages 4-8, parents, and educators seeking fun and educational reads! Did you know that fish grunt, shellfish crackle, and some sea creatures even burp and boop to communicate? Dive into a fascinating underwater adventure as one little shellfish guides...
A journey under the sea
Foster, Craig, (Filmmaker)
Paper Book
From the creator of the Oscar-winning documentary My Octopus Teacher and his diving partner comes a best-in-class photographic picture book about the wonders of the sea. Here's an ode to the mysteries of the ocean, the animals who share our planet, and the healing power of...
Stomp, soar, dino roar
Amato, Max
Paper Book
A romping, rhyming, onomatopoeic tale of Terri the Triceratops and the world of dinosaurs! Terri the Triceratops's world is full of strange sounds, from crawling critters and shaking trees to scorching volcanoes and stormy seas. As she embarks on a journey through the Late Cretaceous...
How tall was a T. Rex?
Limentani, Alison
Paper Book
Explore everyone's favorite dinosaur in this graphically striking and innovative picture book from an extraordinary new talent.   Everyone's fascinated by T.rex and wants to know what this big, fearsome creature was really like. ...
Why do elephants have big ears? : questions--and surprising answers--about animals
Jenkins, Steve
Paper Book
Fascinating "Why" questions about animals, and plenty of new ones, take centre stage in the latest book by Caldecott Honor-winning duo Steve Jenkins and Robin Page. Do you know why a camel has a hump? A Zebra has stripes? Or why...
Toes, teeth, and tentacles : a curious counting book
Jenkins, Steve
Paper Book
This latest book by the Caldecott Honor-winning team of Steve Jenkins and Robin Page highlights the numerous strange and fascinating features and appendages from teeth to toes to tongues of all kinds of animals. Did you know... a praying mantis only has one ear?...

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