Our kid's sections are full of fun and informative nonfiction books, so if there's a kid in your life eager for every crumb of information they can find about a particular topic, we've got you covered!
Below are some new releases we particularly recommend, but if the kids are still keen for more, we have curated collections for lots of different topics, to help you find exactly what they're looking for. From trains to bugs to how volcanoes work, the wonders of the universe are packed into these books!
Animals & Insects 🐛
For those who love critters furry and cute, check out this new narrative nonfiction book, Quoll by Christopher Cheng. The beautiful illustrations by Cindy Lane will capture their interest, while the thoughtful writing sharing lots of fascinating facts about Australia's Eastern Quolls. Recommended for ages 5+.
Or, take a look at the nightlife of creatures great and small in Wonders Under the Moon, a stunning companion to Tai Smith's Wonders Under the Sun. This book not only has beautiful art, but includes info on over 200 nocturnal animals and advice on how budding environmentalists can help protect their habitats. Recommended for ages 3+.
And for the kids who don't mind creepy-crawlies, introduce them to the fascinating world of parasites with Mind-controlling Bugs by Aidan Doyle, illustrated by Astred Hicks. Looking at both the weird – jewel wasps who can turn cockroaches into zombies! – and the wonderful – ant-decapitating flies who helped protect farmer's crops in the USA – this book will both teach kids about unusual insects and capture their imagination! Recommended for ages 6+.
Find more books about animals and insects here!
Geography 🌋
Most kids are understandably fascinated by the ominous grandeur of a volcano, and with Volcano by Claire Saxby, they can learn all about the gradual and miraculous process by which underwater volcanos grow and erupt. Recommended for ages 5+.
For the kids that love playing mermaids or pretending to be pirates, give them Sarah Zambello's Wave Atlas. They'll find the answers to all kinds of unusual questions about the sea, alongside stunning illustrations from Susy Zanella. Recommended for ages 6+.
And for those who aren't quite so fixated on one kind of natural wonder, try Our World Full of Wonder for a world tour of incredible geographic phenomena. From crystal caves to pink lakes and miraculous light shows like the aurora borealis, this is an informative and inspiring journey around our planet. Recommended for ages 5+.
Find more books about geography here!
Science & Technology 🧪
Join Professor Lisa Harvey-Smith and her trusty guinea pig, Biscuit, on a journey through galaxies in Quarks, Sparks and Quantum Mysteries. This book is a perfect way to introduce kids to complex topics like quantum and particle physics, and inspire a love of science. Recommended for ages 8+.
Discover the answers to unusual questions like 'why does ice cream cause brain freeze?' and 'what does poking a brain feel like?' with this playful guide to the human brain! In Your Brilliant Brain by Philip Bunting, kids will learn lots of fascinating facts about their brains, see how our senses, memories and emotions work, and be introduced to some big questions that scientists are still trying to answer. Recommended for ages 6+.
There are lots of kids with a love of trains (and plenty of adults too) and On Track by Tom Adams is sure to fascinate all of them. This detailed book, with eye-catching illustrations by Tom Jay, is an immersive history of trains and railroads around the world, a guide to their mechanical inner workings, and a showcase of all the ways trains have impacted our lives! This will be devoured by railway fans, ages 7+.
Find more books about science here!
History 📜
For those with an interest in history, or with clothes, give them this unique book on fashion history: Get Dressed! by Katy Canales, illustrated by Erin Vanessa. Take them on a tour of world history, with fun interactive elements to help them learn about the cultures behind the clothes. Recommended for ages 5+.
To help little ones learn about more recent Australian history, give them A Loo of One’s Own by Eleri Harris, which tells the story of the decades-long fight to get women's toilets in Parliament House. This is a light-hearted introduction to equality and accessibility, which encourages readers young and old to stand up for themselves. Recommended for ages 5+.
Or, for those more interested in dinosaurs than the 20th century, journey back to prehistory with The Fossil Keeper’s Treasure by Amy Atwater. This beautiful book doesn't just have immersive full-spread illustrations by Nat Cardozo, but also embossed fossils that give kids a tactile connection to these incredible remnants of history! Recommended for ages 7+.
Find more books about history here!
First Nations history & culture ✨
Introduce children to First Nations Australian's Dreamtime stories with Adventures on the Dreaming Path by Paul Callaghan. This is a beautiful and engaging resource that includes activities to help kids understand the stories, and conversation points to help guide discussion about their signficance. Recommended for ages 7+.
Teach kids about the long history of Australia's most iconic landmark with Tubowgule by Melissa-Jane Fogarty, illustrated by Dylan Finney. This book explores the Indigenous history behind the Sydney Opera House, sharing the cultural and ceremonial significance of the land where the opera house now stands. This is both an interesting part of Australia's history that is rarely considered, and an inspiring reflection of the cultural importance of sharing music, art and culture. Recommended for ages 6+.
Finally, take a look at the incredible innovations and inventions made by Australia's first people with Design & Building on Country, by designer and artist Alison Page and anthropologist and architect Paul Memmott. Their insights into First Nations history are beautifully illustrated by Blak Douglas (an Archibald Prize winner!), to bring the stories alive for young readers. Recommended for ages 8+.
Find more Australian First Nations books here!
