This picture book series invites young children to imagine what it would be like to have certain animal characteristics or live in animal habitats. Adorable illustrations of children with different parts (like a little girl with koala ears) accompany color photographs of each animal. With 28 books in the series, young children will have fun learning about animals while using their imaginations.

This bestselling picture book biography series gives young children an introduction to some of history’s most notable people. Jane Goodall, Gandhi, Neil Armstrong, Billie Jean King, John Lewis, and Dolly Parton are just a few of the “ordinary people” featured in this 32-book series.

These early readers from National Geographic are filled with colorful pictures, engaging infographics, and interesting facts that will capture curious kids’ attention. The books cover a wide variety of topics, from science concepts to animals to architecture and more, and are a perfect introduction to nonfiction books for younger elementary-aged readers.

The Magic Tree House Fact Trackers are a great resource for kids to learn more about the topics they encounter in their favorite Magic Tree House adventures. Each of the 42 Fact Tracker books is filled with fascinating information, photos, illustrations, and fun facts from Jack and Annie.

Business-minded kids will love this inspiring nonfiction series that delves into the world of business and entrepreneurship by exploring some of the world’s biggest companies: Disney, Nike, Lego, and Google. Using engaging visuals and infographics, these books make business concepts more accessible and interesting for young readers.

Fly Guy Presents is a spin-off nonfiction series featuring the perenially popular Fly Guy and his buddy Buzz. These fun books for emerging readers give kids a closer look at popular topics, such as dogs, firefighters, space, sharks, and more. Minimal text, eye-catching illustrations, and real photography make Fly Guy Presents a perfect first nonfiction series.

This popular biography series features profiles of the most important individuals, locations, and events in history. From the Three Stooges to Mr. Rogers and Fidel Castro to Ralph Lauren, these biographies provide intriguing details about their subjects and illustrate how each person contributes to the larger scope of history. With over 250 books and counting, there’s sure to be a Who Was? that will pique the interest of any young reader!

Guided by the “Truth Sleuth,” this series invites readers to learn about topics in a unique way–by having them spot the lie among the facts! Each book is organized in an interactive question-and-answer format. Once the lie is revealed, the book elaborates on the facts. These books boost reading confidence, develop critical thinking skills, and encourage kids to become active participants in their learning.

“Weird But True!” was the most popular section of National Geographic Kids magazine, so they decided to turn it into a series of bestselling books covering topics like food, birthdays, ancient Egypt, Star Wars, government, and more. These books are a must-read for anyone who loves quirky facts, silly trivia, and captivating photography. Our family has bought several copies as gifts–they’re always a hit with readers of any age!

Young readers can unlock their inner genius with these interactive books by Jeopardy champion Ken Jennings. Featuring illustrations, trivia questions, and fun quizzes, these books make learning about U.S. presidents, outer space, geography, and the human body much more captivating.

Did you know that the biggest dog in the world weighed 343 pounds? Or that eating a lot of carrots can actually turn your skin orange? This series features hundreds of hilarious facts about topics like food, animals, and science. Each book is narrated by A.J. and Andrea, fictional characters from the bestselling My Weird School chapter book series. Kids new to chapter books will love sharing the “weird” facts they learn from these books!

“Myths! Lies! Secrets!” This series “smashes” history by weeding through the myths and misconceptions to give kids an accurate picture of historically significant events such as the American Revolution and Pearl Harbor. Conversational language, intriguing facts, and details behind “hidden truths” will convince kids that history is far from boring!

This popular almanac is filled with amazing photos, lots of fun facts, National Geographic exclusives, games, activities, and interesting features about animals, science, nature, technology, and more. Although not part of a series like the other books on this list, my son eagerly looks forward to getting a new almanac every January. They are definitely a must-have for any curious kid.

These eight nonfiction books are perfect for young historians who are fascinated by famous disasters. Readers learn all about the impact of several huge catastrophes: the Titanic, Pompeii, the San Francisco Earthquake, Hurricane Katrina, the Hindenburg, the Great Chicago Fire, and Pearl Harbor. Each book is heavily illustrated, and while shocking, the information is age-appropriate for middle grade readers.

This highly entertaining series is designed to pique the interest of children who are fascinated by all the gory aspects of history. Whether delving into the world of the “Rotten Romans” or exploring the stories behind the “Terrifying Tudors”, these books present the truly gruesome parts of history in a memorable way.

The Science Comics series is a highly popular nonfiction graphic series for kids who want to delve deeper into a specific subject. Each volume provides a comprehensive introduction to a topic, such as coral reefs, dinosaurs, engineering, electricity, and the brain. Currently, there are 28 books in the Science Comics series, with more titles on the way.

History Comics is a newer nonfiction series from the publishers of Science Comics. Each volume in this 12-book series focuses on a historical topic that will interest middle grade readers–even those who think history is “boring”! The series uses colorful graphics and engaging storylines to cover topics such as the Great Chicago Fire, the Transcontinental Railroad, and the creation of America’s national parks.

This captivating nonfiction series about real FBI cases invites aspiring sleuths to “solve” actual crimes. Presented in a graphic novel format, the series combines comic panels with reproductions of documents from real FBI files and photographs from the investigations. The book is highly visual, yet the author manages to include numerous details and information, making this series a compelling read. Young readers who enjoy spy mysteries and puzzles will be intrigued by the suspenseful cases presented in this series.

This book series introduces philosophy from history’s greatest thinkers. Socrates’ Children is written by a former college professor who always wanted a beginner’s philosophy text that was interesting, accessible, and funny. Since he couldn’t find one, he decided to write it himself! These books are perfect for older teens who want an introduction to the “great conversations” among history’s most influential thinkers.

Books in the Big Fat Notebooks series are study guides covering various middle- and high school subjects– English, Science, History, and more. My 12-year-old has several of these books and references them often–he says they help him understand concepts presented in class and give him a heads up on future topics.