Animal non-fiction

This is a lovely discussion book for children who have an interest in animals and the natural environment.

Did you know there are 400,000 species of beetle but only eight species of bear? Jam-packed with fun facts and figures, this is a glorious celebration of our world by non-fiction specialist Nicola Davies.

When we’re out and about, we probably walk past all manner of animal homes without even knowing it. A cute and charming board book, perfect for young nature fans at home or at school.

This delightful and very funny cartoon-style guide to food chains is a brilliant introduction to the concept, and gives young readers/​listeners some simple facts about a range of animals and their eating habits, and the natural cycle of life. 

A fascinating guide to all things toothy in this original take on the animal nonfiction book, allowing readers to get an insight into a variety of animals and their habits.

This enjoyable read is a mix of a fictional story about Libby the cat and her life with Miss Lewis, intertwined with facts and information about cats from author Dr John Bradshaw, a biologist with a special interest in cats.

This fascinating non-fiction book features a wealth of fun facts about a range of animals, along with information about some of the ingenious methods scientists have devised to study them. Packed full of colourful, amusing illustrations, it is sure to appeal to budding scientists and anyone with an interest in animals.

Discover more about strange and fascinating species and behaviours, with colour photographs and bite-size facts. Perfect for fact-obsessed children who aren’t squeamish.  

This beautifully illustrated, non-fiction picture book is packed full of interesting facts about bears. 

Three million years ago, humans had just started making stone tools. This was the beginning of the Stone Age, which only ended about 4000 years ago – not very long, in the grand scheme of things.

A fascinating non-fiction book that details everything on dogs!  

Reptiles are amazing! Find out more in this simple nature picture book with a rhyming refrain.

A beautiful book that is full of facts about birds and their amazing variety and skills.

Using the ​‘magic torch’, readers can discover things like which animal has an unusually long tongue, what a wolf might eat for lunch, and how Emperor penguins keep warm on the ice. Clearly laid-out text, bold, colourful illustrations and sturdy cardboard pages make the book engaging and accessible. 

Evolution can be defined as the way that living things change over time to suit their environment. In this rather stunning and highly informative read, real-life scientists Sarah Darwin and Eva-Maria Sadowski introduce readers to some of the amazing animals, plants and fungi that have lived on our planet, from dinosaurs to early humans, mushrooms and bacteria to monkeys and fish and beyond! 

An incredibly engaging collection of amazing animal facts, from naturalist and cameraman Hamza Yassin. 

With a double-page spread devoted to each of 20 animals, readers of all ages will be fascinated by the strange and wonderful places animals call home. A glorious book with stunning illustrations. 

Migrating animals are found in all areas of the animal kingdom: birds, fish, reptiles, crustaceans, amphibians, mammals and insects. But why do they do it, and how does it work? There’s so much to learn, from the varying migration routes of different birds (gannets can cross oceans easily as they can take breaks to swim, float and fish for food, and storks rely on thermal column or rising air) to the yearly habits of whales, who migrate from the freezing waters of the Arctic and Antarctic to warmer waters to give birth.

This illustrated non-fiction book takes the reader on a journey of discovery around the globe, identifying animals who are under threat from dangers such as habitat loss, climate change and hunting. 

From the big to the small, size is important and can tell us a lot about the animals and plants that live on planet Earth. This fascinating book zooms in on size to reveal all kinds of interesting facts about why things are the size that they are, and to give young readers a sense of scale.

A fantastic book detailing female animals across the spectrum of mammals, insects and sea creatures, and dispelling the myth of male superiority in nature.