Fun Non-Fiction Children's Books

Armstrong, Jennifer. SHIPWRECK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WORLD. J 919.8 A
Describes the events of the 1914 Shackleton Antarctic expedition when, after being trapped in a frozen sea for nine months, their ship, Endurance, was finally crushed, forcing Shackleton and his men to make a very long and perilous journey across ice and stormy seas to reach inhabited land. Grades 5-6.

Borden, Louise. SEA CLOCKS. J 526.6209 B
With beautifully detailed pictures, this is the story of John Harrison and his dramatic quest to invent the perfect sea clock which changed the course of seafaring forever. Grades 2-5.

Brewer, Paul. YOU MUST BE JOKING! J 818.5402 B
A collection of over two hundred jokes and riddles, grouped by subject, plus tips on writing, learning and telling jokes. Grades 2-5.

Busby, Peter. FIRST TO FLY. J 629.13 B Oversize
A look at the lives of the Wright brothers, from their childhood interest in flight, through their study of successful gliders and other flying machines, to their triumphs at Kitty Hawk and beyond. Grades 3-6.

Cobb, Vicki. SNEAKERS. J 685.31 C
Science and scientists play a major role in the design of sneakers, making them comfortable to wear, easy to grip the ground, and excel in sports. Grades 3-5.

Dahl, Roald. THE MILDENHALL TREASURE. J 936.264 D
This is the story of a British farm laborer who made a tremendous discovery when plowing a field in the 1940s. He unearthed a collection of ancient Roman silver which would have brought him millions of dollars had it not been for the sly treachery of a man named Ford. Grades 4-6.

Darling, Kathy. THE ELEPHANT HOSPITAL. J 636.9676 D
Describes the work done by veterinarians at the Elephant Hopsital in Thailand, including helping pregnant and newborn elephants, elephants injured and abused in logging operations, and elephants with illnesses and infections. Grades 4-6.

Dutemple, Lesley A. THE NEW YORK CITY SUBWAYS. J 388.4 D
This history of the subway system in New York City presents the politics involved, how it was financed, the men who build it, and the construction techniques.
Grades 4-6.

Graydon, Shari. MADE YOU LOOK. J 659.1 G
This intriguing exploration of advertising's inner workings, from the earliest roots of advertising to the marketers of the 21st century explains how advertising works and how you can be a smart consumer. Grades 4-6.

Hansen, Rosanna. ANIMAL RESCUERS. J 636.0887 H
Describes four animal heroes including Scarlett, a cat who rescued her kittens from fire and Dorado, a guide dog who led his owner out of the World Trade Center on September 11. Grades 2-4.

Harrison, David. OCEANS - THE VAST, MYSTERIOUS DEEP. J 577.7 H
Beautiful illustrations accompany this fascinating journey to the bottom of the sea to discover how oceans work. Grades 2-4.

Hoose, Phillip. THE RACE TO SAVE THE LORD GOD BIRD. J 598.72 H
Tells the story of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker's decline in the United States, describing the encounters between this species and humans, and discussing what these encounters have taught us about preserving endangered species and habitats. Grades 4 and up.

Heiligman, Deborah. BABIES: ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW. J612.65H
You might think you know all there is to know about babies. They sleep. They eat. They cry. They’re pretty cute. What else is there? This book describes some interesting things you might not know about babies. Grades K-2.

Jackson, Ellen. LOOKING FOR LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE. J 576.839 J
Have you ever wondered if there is life on other planets? This book introduces Jill Tarter, an astrophysicist who uses 21st century technology to search for extraterrestrial intelligence. Grades 3-6.

Levy, Elizabeth. WHO ARE YOU CALLING A WOOLLY MAMMOTH? J 560.97 L Join a cockroach as he explores a brief 250,000,000 years of history, from the dinosaurs to the first humans. Grades 4-6.

Myers, Jack. HOW DOGS CAME FROM WOLVES. J 591 M
Scientists probe 12 animal mysteries, including how elephants communicate with each other, whether dogs can see in color (they can but only blue and yellow) and why the Antarctic cod doesn’t freeze in the icy waters around Antarctica. Grades 4-6.

Murphy, Jim. THE GREAT FIRE. J 977.311 M
Using photographs and personal accounts, this is the story of the Great Fire of 1871 in Chicago, one of the most colossal disasters in American history. Grades 4-6.

Murphy, Jim. BLIZZARD! J 974.7 M
Personal survival stories and newspaper articles are used in this account of the massive blizzard that hit the Northeast and crippled New York City in 1888. Grades 4-6.

Nagda, Ann Whitehead. CHIMP MATH. J 529.7 N
Learn about clocks, calendars, time lines, and other ways of keeping time records by following Jiggs, a chimpanzee, as he grows from a wobbly newborn to a wild and wonderful toddler. Grades 2-5.

Navarra, Tova. THE KIDS’ GUIDEBOOK: Great Advice to Help Kids Cope. J 305.23 N
Offers advice for young people on how to handle a variety of situations when an adult might not be around to help. Grades 3-6.

Nichols, Catherine. ANIMAL MASTERMINDS. J 591.51 N
Describes four highly intelligent animals including a parrot who counts and speaks and a chimp who uses sign language. Grades 2-4.

Packard, Mary. TALENTED ANIMALS. J 636.0887 P
Describes six very talented animals including a dog who acts and elephants who paint! Grades 3-5.

Raabe, Emily. PIONEERS: LIFE AS A HOMESTEADER. J 978.02 R
Read about what life was like for pioneers during the westward expansion in the early nineteenth century. Grades 2-3.

St. George, Judith and David Small. SO YOU WANT TO BE AN INVENTOR? J 608 S
Humorously describes some of the characteristics of inventors by highlighting the inventions of some famous people such as Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Edison. Grades 2-3.

Sandler, Martin W. STRAPHANGING IN THE USA: Trolleys and Subways in American Life. J 388.4 S
An illustrated look at how the problem of moving large numbers of people within cities has been addressed through a series of vehicles and systems, from horse-drawn cars to the modern subway. Grades 3-5

Sherrow, Victoria. TITANIC. J 910.453 S
Read about the fabulous Titanic – the ship that some people called “unsinkable.” You’ll learn about its disastrous end and about the amazing discoveries in its remains. Grades 2-3.

Simon, Seymour. ANIMALS NOBODY LOVES. J 591.65 S
With striking photographs Simon reveals the truth about nature’s most misunderstood animals and lets you decide what you think of nature’s grossest, fiercest, ugliest and most fascinating animals. Grades 2-4.

Sobol, Richard. AN ELEPHANT IN THE BACKYARD. J 636.967 S
Describes how special elephants are in the village of Tha Klang in Thailand and looks at the life of one particular young elephant named Wan Pen. Grades 2-5.

Stanley, Diane and Peter Vennema. GOOD QUEEN BESS: The Story of Elizabeth I of England. JB Elizabeth I S
When Elizabeth became the Queen of England at age 25, her advisors encouraged her to marry quickly so her husband could govern the country but she did not, and became one of England’s most beloved and admired rulers. Grades 3-5.

Stirling, Janet. UFOs. J 001.942 S
Examines case studies and reports of UFO encounters, discussing famous and lesser-known incidents, including Roswell and the case of the elk abduction. Grades 4-6.

Tomecek, Stephen M. WHAT A GREAT IDEA! J 609 T
The adventure and mystery of why 45 technological advances were invented are described from the problem that needed solving to the impact of the invention. Grades 4-6.

Tomecek, Steve “The Dirtmeister”. DIRT. J 631.4 T
Everything you wanted to know about dirt, including how soil is formed, its layers, and its importance as a natural resource that living things need to survive. Grades K-3.

Wallace, Paula S. THE WORLD OF BIRTHDAYS. J 394.21 W
Describes how birthdays are celebrated in 10 countries and includes instructions for making a craft, game, or recipe from each of the countries. Grades 2 –4.