Nature non-fiction booklist (older children)
Non-fiction books about nature are great for older children, from engaging reluctant readers to inspiring budding environmentalists.
Full of factoids, true stories and stirring journeys, these books are sure to get any inquisitive young mind hooked.
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How Do Meerkats Order Pizza?
Author: Brooke Barker
Interest level: 6-11
Reading age: 8+
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How Do Meerkats Order Pizza?
Author: Brooke Barker
Interest level: 6-11
Reading age: 8+
This fascinating non-fiction book features a wealth of fun facts about a range of animals, along with information about some of th…
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Earth Shattering Events: Volcanoes, Earthquakes, Cyclones...
Author: Robin Jacobs Illustrator: Sophie Williams
Interest level: 6-11
Reading age: 7+
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Earth Shattering Events: Volcanoes, Earthquakes, Cyclones...
Author: Robin Jacobs Illustrator: Sophie Williams
Interest level: 6-11
Reading age: 7+
In any given year, there may be hundreds of large-scale geological or meteorological disasters on earth – and they’re becoming mor…
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Wild Lives: 50 Extraordinary Animals that Made History
Author: Ben Lerwill Illustrator: Sarah Walsh
Interest level: 6-11
Reading age: 7+
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Wild Lives: 50 Extraordinary Animals that Made History
Author: Ben Lerwill Illustrator: Sarah Walsh
Interest level: 6-11
Reading age: 7+
In this fascinating book, children can learn about 50 courageous creatures from around the world and throughout history. There is …
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Atlas of Adventures: Wonders of the World
Author: Ben Handicott Illustrator: Lucy Letherland
Interest level: 9-11
Reading age: 8+
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Atlas of Adventures: Wonders of the World
Author: Ben Handicott Illustrator: Lucy Letherland
Interest level: 9-11
Reading age: 8+
From the Eiffel Tower to Angkor Wat, Death Valley to Easter Island, this edition of the beautiful and information-packed Atlas of …
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Earth Clock the history of our planet in 24 hours
Author: Tom Jackson Illustrator: Nic Jones
Interest level: 9-11
Reading age: 8+
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Earth Clock the history of our planet in 24 hours
Author: Tom Jackson Illustrator: Nic Jones
Interest level: 9-11
Reading age: 8+
The Earth’s history – all 4.5 billion years of it – presented in a captivating, hugely informative large-format book. With brillia…
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Weird and Wonderful Nature
Author: Ben Hoare Illustrator: Kaley McKean
Interest level: 6-8
Reading age: 8+
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Weird and Wonderful Nature
Author: Ben Hoare Illustrator: Kaley McKean
Interest level: 6-8
Reading age: 8+
Discover more about strange and fascinating species and behaviours, with colour photographs and bite-size facts. Perfect for fact-…
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The Story of Life on Earth - Extinct: Hainan Gibbon
Author: Ben Garrod Illustrator: Gabriel Ugueto
Interest level: 9-11
Reading age: 9-11
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The Story of Life on Earth - Extinct: Hainan Gibbon
Author: Ben Garrod Illustrator: Gabriel Ugueto
Interest level: 9-11
Reading age: 9-11
Part of a series of eight full-colour volumes featuring the causes and effects of the extinctions of iconic animals (including the…
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The Bluest of Blues: Anna Atkins and the First Book of Ph...
Author: Fiona Robinson
Interest level: 6-8
Reading age: 6+
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The Bluest of Blues: Anna Atkins and the First Book of Ph...
Author: Fiona Robinson
Interest level: 6-8
Reading age: 6+
Fiona Robinson’s beautifully blue book about the life of 19th-century born Anna Atkins is an inspiring testament to a father’s com…
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Hidden Planet
Author: Ben Rothery
Interest level: 6-11
Reading age: 7+
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Hidden Planet
Author: Ben Rothery
Interest level: 6-11
Reading age: 7+
A self-confessed wildlife obsessive, Rothery’s book isn’t just a collection of his gorgeous illustration but rather a study of the…
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A Year of Nature Poems
Author: Joseph Coelho Illustrator: Kelly Louise Judd
Interest level: 9-11
Reading age: 9+
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A Year of Nature Poems
Author: Joseph Coelho Illustrator: Kelly Louise Judd
Interest level: 9-11
Reading age: 9+
This beautifully illustrated portrait of one year in nature is put together by poet Joseph Coelho, with each month assigned a rele…
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Go Wild in the Woods: An Adventure Handbook
Author: Goldie Hawk Illustrator: Rachael Saunders
Interest level: 7-11
Reading age: 7+
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Go Wild in the Woods: An Adventure Handbook
Author: Goldie Hawk Illustrator: Rachael Saunders
Interest level: 7-11
Reading age: 7+
This fantastically comprehensive handbook for young woodland explorers is packed full of ideas about how to make the most of the g…
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The Book of Bees
Author: Piotr Socha and Wojciech Grajkowski Translator: Agnes Monod-Gayraud
Interest level: 7-9
Reading age: 7-9
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The Book of Bees
Author: Piotr Socha and Wojciech Grajkowski Translator: Agnes Monod-Gayraud
Interest level: 7-9
Reading age: 7-9
This glorious book will introduce you to the bee world. It is fantastically illustrated in a cartoonish style that is big, bold an…
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Wild Animals of the South
Author: Dieter Braun
Interest level: 5-11
Reading age: 6-10
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Wild Animals of the South
Author: Dieter Braun
Interest level: 5-11
Reading age: 6-10
Dedicated to the animals in the southern hemisphere, this large, beautiful hardback takes us on a journey from tropical regions to…
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Highest Mountain Deepest Ocean: A Pictorial Compendium of...
Author: Page Tsou
Interest level: 6+
Reading age: 7+
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Highest Mountain Deepest Ocean: A Pictorial Compendium of...
Author: Page Tsou
Interest level: 6+
Reading age: 7+
Did you know that the Blue Whale's tongue weighs as much as an elephant, and its heart as much as a small car? Or that the Hercule…
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The Curiositree
Author: Amanda Wood and Mike Jolley Illustrator: Owen Davey
Interest level: 10-16
Reading age: 10+
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The Curiositree
Author: Amanda Wood and Mike Jolley Illustrator: Owen Davey
Interest level: 10-16
Reading age: 10+
Natural World is an extremely beautiful reference book that explores the way that habitats, plants and animals are connected, and …
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National Trust: Ned the Nature Nut's Nutty Nature Facts a...
Author: Andy Seed Illustrator: Sarah Horne
Interest level: 7-9
Reading age: 7-9
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National Trust: Ned the Nature Nut's Nutty Nature Facts a...
Author: Andy Seed Illustrator: Sarah Horne
Interest level: 7-9
Reading age: 7-9
What has 100 legs but no sense? A sillipede! What do clouds put on after a shower? Thunderwear! Ned the Nature Nut is our guide th…
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The Earth Book
Author: Jonathan Litton Illustrator: Thomas Hegbrook
Interest level: 7+
Reading age: 9+
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The Earth Book
Author: Jonathan Litton Illustrator: Thomas Hegbrook
Interest level: 7+
Reading age: 9+
Learn about the inner workings of our earth, including earthquakes, volcanoes, thunderstorms and tsunamis; animal life on earth; t…
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Our Amazing Planet: The World in Infographics
Author: Jon Richards and Ed Simkins
Interest level: 9+
Reading age: 9+
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Our Amazing Planet: The World in Infographics
Author: Jon Richards and Ed Simkins
Interest level: 9+
Reading age: 9+
Bold images, glorious graphics and oodles of information about our wonderful planet guarantee that children will love learning abo…
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Mad About Monkeys
Author: Owen Davey
Interest level: 7+
Reading age: 7
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Mad About Monkeys
Author: Owen Davey
Interest level: 7+
Reading age: 7
Proving just how stylish and attractive illustrated children's non-fiction can be, this informative book is sure to leave readers …
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What's the Difference?
Author: Emma Strack Illustrator: Guillaume Plantevin
Interest level: 8-11
Reading age: 8+
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What's the Difference?
Author: Emma Strack Illustrator: Guillaume Plantevin
Interest level: 8-11
Reading age: 8+
Ever wondered what makes a mandarin different from a clementine? A nectarine from a peach? A tornado from a cyclone? Then this is …
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Wild Animals of the North
Author: Dieter Braun
Interest level: 5+
Reading age: 7+
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Wild Animals of the North
Author: Dieter Braun
Interest level: 5+
Reading age: 7+
This special book takes us on an animal journey through North America, Europe and Asia. It is ideal for an animal-loving child, yo…
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Illuminature
Author: Rachel Williams Illustarted by Carnovsky
Interest level: 8+
Reading age: 8+
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Illuminature
Author: Rachel Williams Illustarted by Carnovsky
Interest level: 8+
Reading age: 8+
Ten of the world's most fascinating and unusual natural habitats are explored here, from The Simpson Desert in Australia to the We…
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My Book of Birds
Author: Geraldo Valerio
Interest level: 5+
Reading age: 7+
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My Book of Birds
Author: Geraldo Valerio
Interest level: 5+
Reading age: 7+
A gorgeous palette of colours and some clever design makes each page a joy. A great gift for any bird or design enthusiast.
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Smart About Sharks
Author: Owen Davey
Interest level: 4-12
Reading age: 7+
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Smart About Sharks
Author: Owen Davey
Interest level: 4-12
Reading age: 7+
Presenting an ever-popular topic, this fantastic, high quality illustrated book is fascinating and attractive.
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The Street Beneath My Feet
Author: Charlotte Guillian and Yuval Zommer
Interest level: 6-9
Reading age: 6-10
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The Street Beneath My Feet
Author: Charlotte Guillian and Yuval Zommer
Interest level: 6-9
Reading age: 6-10
Young readers will enjoy taking an underground journey through the layers of the earth in this attractively illustrated, artistic …
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Everest
Author: Sangma Francis & Lisk Feng
Interest level: 7-10
Reading age: 8+
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Everest
Author: Sangma Francis & Lisk Feng
Interest level: 7-10
Reading age: 8+
Children will love this beautiful and fascinating introduction to Everest, and it’s a particularly useful resource for primary sch…
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The Ways of the Wolf
Author: Smriti Prasadam-Halls Illustrator: Jonathan Woodward
Interest level: 7-11
Reading age: 8+
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The Ways of the Wolf
Author: Smriti Prasadam-Halls Illustrator: Jonathan Woodward
Interest level: 7-11
Reading age: 8+
A big, stunning hardback that pays tribute to a misunderstood animal: the wolf. There's a nice middle-ground, conservational …
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Deadly Diaries
Author: Steve Backshall
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Deadly Diaries
Author: Steve Backshall
Interest level:
Reading age:
In his first ever Deadly Diaries Steve Backshall shares what it means to him to film the world's top predators. Learn how it feels…
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The Wolves of Currumpaw
Author: William Grill
Interest level: 8+
Reading age: 10+
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The Wolves of Currumpaw
Author: William Grill
Interest level: 8+
Reading age: 10+
In New Mexico in the late 1800s, the wolves that had once roamed the landscape of the Old West were becoming scarce because of the…
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Destination: Planet Earth
Author: Jo Nelson Illustrator: Tom Clohosy Cole
Interest level: 10-13
Reading age: 10+
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Destination: Planet Earth
Author: Jo Nelson Illustrator: Tom Clohosy Cole
Interest level: 10-13
Reading age: 10+
This beautifully illustrated introduction to physical geography takes the reader on an adventurous journey around Planet Earth.&nb…
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Outside: A Guide to Discovering Nature
Author: Maria Ana Peixe Dias and Ines Teixeira do Rosario Illustrator: Bernardo P Carvalho
Interest level: 8+
Reading age: 8+
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Outside: A Guide to Discovering Nature
Author: Maria Ana Peixe Dias and Ines Teixeira do Rosario Illustrator: Bernardo P Carvalho
Interest level: 8+
Reading age: 8+
Amphibians, birds, rocks, oceans and clouds: they're all explored in this large and stylish hardcover guide to nature for children…
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