Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

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Topic: Geography

Non-fiction

Take a tour of America’s great outdoors and discover the beauty and diversity of its most iconic and majestic national parks. Packed with maps and fascinating facts about the flora and fauna unique to each of the 21 parks portrayed , this lushly illustrated coast-to-coast journey documents in large format the nation’s most magnificent and sacred places – and shows why they should be preserved for future generations to enjoy.

Non-fiction

Meet the amazing animals of Scotland in this beautiful book, packed full of fun facts, vibrant illustrations and maps showing where to spot these wonderful creatures. Young conservationists will love exploring Scotland’s distinct habitats — sea and coast, mountains and forests, rivers and lochs, and grasslands — and learning about the incredible creatures that live there. Discover exciting facts about Scotland’s most famous and best-loved animals — including puffins, seals, red squirrels, golden eagles, otters and Scottish wildcats — and reveal the amazing secret lives of unexpected creatures such as limpets, lizards, ants, eels, water voles and sharks!

Chapter book

Jamie Creeden has always wanted to be a reporter – so when he is given a tour of the famous YORKER newspaper, he can’t believe his luck. But a chance phone call draws him into the mystery of the missing actress. Soon Jamie, along with his new friends Eve and Rose, must navigate a tense world of infamous villains, double crosses and carefully planted clues – a world in which he can trust absolutely no one. He still longs to be on the front page – but at what cost?

Non-fiction

Set in the dying days of the old west, Seton’s drama unfolds in the vast planes of New Mexico, at a time when man’s relationship with nature was often marked by exploitations and misunderstanding. This is the first graphic adaptation of a massively influential piece of writing by one of the men who went on to form the Boy Scouts of America.

Picturebook

Through artful prose and beautiful illustrations, Donna Jo Napoli and Kadir Nelson tell the true story of Wangari Muta Maathai, known as “Mama Miti,” who in 1977 founded the Green Belt Movement, an African grassroots organization that has empowered many people to mobilize and combat deforestation, soil erosion, and environmental degradation.

Today, more than 30 million trees have been planted throughout Mama Miti’s native Kenya, and in 2004 she became the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Wangari Muta Maathai has changed Kenya tree by tree-and with each page turned, children will realize their own ability to positively impact the future.

Chapter book

Eleven-year-old Solomon loves to run! The great athletes of the Ethiopian national team are his heroes and he dreams that one day he will be a gold-medal-winning athlete like them, in spite of his ragged shorts and bare feet.

When his grandfather announces that he’s going to take Solomon to Addis Ababa, Solomon cannot believe his ears. A trip to the capital? It’s unfathomable. Solomon’s joy is increased when he realizes that the Ethiopian running team will be doing a victory parade through the city that day. Maybe he’ll get a glimpse of Haile Gebrselassie or Derartu Tulu?!

But Solomon’s grandfather has other plans. As Solomon follows him through the big, overwhelming streets, he learns something he cannot believe. The strict old man is a war hero who once risked his life to save a friend and has been in hiding ever since. When grandfather collapses, Solomon knows that getting help from his village is up to him. It’s a twenty-mile run from the city to home, and grandfather’s life hangs in the balance. Can the small bare-footed runner with the big heart do it?

Non-fiction

This series offers readers an engaging and visually exciting look at some of the world’s major cities. Cityscapes draw in the reader with facts about the iconic buildings that help to shape each city’s unique identity. Data-packed pages give the essential details about each featured city, including where to go, what to do and things to eat on a visit, as well as information about the city’s history. The cities of Africa covered in the book include Lagos, Cairo, Kampala, Nairobi, Algiers, Yamoussoukro, Addis Ababa, Cape Town, Marakesh, Maputo, Tripoli, Harare, Monrovia, Las Palmas, Tunis, Windhoek, Antananarivo, and Johannesburg.

Picturebook

Award-winning author of Ghana Must Go , Taiye Selasi, reimagines the story of Anansi, the much-loved trickster, for a new generation. Kweku has grown up hearing stories about the mischievous spider Anansi. He is given the nickname Anansi by his father because of his similarly cheeky ways. On a holiday to visit his beloved Grandma in Ghana, Anansi the spider and Anansi the boy meet, and discover a magical pot that can be filled with whatever they want. Anansi fills it again and again with his favourite red-red stew, and eats so much that he feels sick. Will he learn to share this wonderful gift?

This charming retelling of a West African story teaches readers about the dangers of greed, and the importance of being kind. Tinuke Fagborun’s colourful illustrations bring the magic and wonder of the tale to life.

Non-fiction

Simon is journeying through Botswana, in southern Africa, through the wetlands of the Okavango Delta towards the open savannah and semi-desert of Namibia. The whole area is a biodiversity hotspot. Simon is documenting his journey, and there’s one animal that he particularly wants to see more than any other: a black rhino.

Picturebook

Discover the incredible life of Kamala Harris, the first woman, first Black person, and first South Asian American to be elected vice president of the USA. Little Kamala used to accompany her parents to civil rights marches in California, strapped into her pushchair so she wouldn’t get lost. From an early age, she dreamed of becoming a lawyer to help people in need. Kamala’s life was full of firsts, including becoming the first woman, Black woman, and South Asian American to be elected vice president. As Kamala stated to little girls everywhere in her speech – she may be the first but she won’t be the last. This powerful book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the politician’s life.

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Stone Girl Bone Girl

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