Children’s Book Lists

Set sail on the seven seas with this book about the most fearsome pirates the world has ever seen from Katie Nelson and Olivia Meikle.

In this collection of daring deeds and awesome adventures from history prepare to be flabbergasted by:

• The time Julius Caesar was kidnapped by pirates
• Ching Shih, the Chinese woman who was the most successful pirate of all time
• The Russian river pirates who lay siege to medieval towns!

Tales of Pirates includes sagas of famous pirates like Blackbeard, Ching Shih and Francis Drake, as well as stories of buccaneers you might not have heard of, such as Grace O’Malley, who went to sea disguised as a boy and Sayyida al Hurra, a Moroccan queen turned privateer.

Alongside the gripping stories you’ll also learn about pieces of eight, different pirate flags, and even spend some time in Nassau in the Caribbean, the short-lived capital of the Republic of Pirates!

You’d better read it, or you’ll be walking the plank...

This ultimate guide to Earth takes 7 to 9 year olds on an exploration of our planet through stunning illustrations, photographs, and fascinating information.

This spectacular reference book for kids aged 7-9 explores our home planet, Earth, and how it fits into our solar system. Be launched on a mission around our blue planet, starting with how Earth is seen from space and landing in a chapter all about the Earth's atmosphere.

This wonderful Earth book for kids offers:

• In-depth information, backed up by space and satellite photography and fun illustrations.
• Easy-to-digest sections about Earth, each filled with incredible facts and visuals.
• A unique perspective, comparing Earth to other planets and looking at it from space and satellites.

Did you know that Earth's gravity is completely different than other planets in the solar system? Or that Jupiter experiences solar eclipses just like us?

Discover Earth and space in incredible detail in this STEM-friendly space encyclopedia for kids. Packed with beautiful illustrations by artist Dawn Cooper, combined with up-to-date images from space agencies such as NASA and ESA, information panels, and diagrams, young space enthusiasts will adore this essential guide to Earth.

At DK, we believe in the power of discovery. So why stop here?

If you like Planet Earth, then why not complete the collection? Take a trip into space and discover the mysteries of Earth's closest neighbor with The Moon, or explore Earth's surrounding neighbors with The Solar System.

A beautiful field guide to the stars featuring notes, spectacular photos, and colorful illustrations of all 88 constellations.

A compact version of DK's bestselling anthology series, An Anthology of Stargazing is perfect for young astronomers and stargazers ages 7-9 to take on the go and uncover the secrets of the stars.

An Anthology of Stargazing will be your child's guide through the stars, teaching all about the intricate star patterns, the brightest stars, fascinating asterisms, and the legends woven through the night sky, from both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

This stunning book about stars and constellations for kids offers:

• The next book in the new compact spin-off of the bestselling Children's Anthologies series.
• A magnificent collection of all 88 constellations recognized by the International Astronomical Union, and asterisms.
• A quality gift book, with metallic foil and striking imagery on every page.

An Anthology of Stargazing features mesmerizing images, beautiful illustrations by the artist behind DK's bestselling Anthology series, and captivating, highly informative content on how to identify, where to find, and what to know about the different constellations and asterisms.

More in the series

An Anthology of Stargazing is part of the beautiful, new, and compact Anthology spin-off series. Complete the series and nurture your child's curiosity as they explore shells from all across the world in An Anthology of Shells, meet beautiful and delicate creatures in An Anthology of Butterflies and Moths, or forage for mushrooms with An Anthology of Fungi.

This kids' how-to art book lets the inquisitive child experience a cute spooky world through drawing. Each spread--drawn in Angela's trademark playful style--offers a step-by-step guide to drawing adorable witches, vampires, bats, ghosts, monsters, and so much more!

A lively introduction to some of North America's most troublesome invasive species—and to the industrious dogs and handlers working to stop their spread!

Meet Fenton and Frost; Seuss and Deisel; and Hilo, Fagen, and Dia. These intrepid environmental detectives are on the frontlines of the fight to stop the spread of invasive species—and all of them are dogs!

Pervasive and often difficult to locate, invasive species, and the economic and environmental harm they cause, have posed a continued challenge to scientists worldwide who dedicate their time to ecosystem conservation. Now, environmental scientists are harnessing the amazing olfactory abilities of working dogs to meet this challenge head-on. 

Ecologist Alison Pearce Stevens’ engaging and accessible narrative writing showcases three ongoing conservation projects that use working dogs to tackle serious invaders in the U.S. and Canada. Readers will learn more about the threats posed by these species, and about the way scientists and handlers work with dogs to locate and eliminate them.

The book features extensive full-color photographs of detective dogs in action, taken onsite by the author as she accompanied conservation groups out into the field in Manitoba, Wyoming, and the Hudson Valley. Informative backmatter includes an index and bibliography.

A lyrical picture book featuring the eight lunar phases of the moon and how they affect wildlife on Earth told from the perspective of the moon.

★ “This is a beautifully rendered piece of science, with enough poetic expression to draw in readers, but never growing sentimental or fantastical with the facts. The paintings are meant to be pored over, and this is likely not a book for reading once. It will certainly enliven story hours with its combination of repose and activity, all in one moon cycle....A generous view of the phases of the moon, written with great care, pacing, and illumination.”—School Library Journal, Starred Review

“This beautifully illustrated picture book not only presents the eight phases of the moon but also how animals from various habitats adapt during these phases....Fitting dark backgrounds with luminous light that showcase nature’s nighttime vibrancy set each scene....[an] attractive STEM selection.”—Booklist Magazine

Some of Earth's most extraordinary creatures have fascinating connections to our elegant and mysterious friend, the Moon. Did you know that the low glow of a waxing crescent moon helps dung beetles scurry home? Or that coral spawns when the Moon is full?

Wild Moon sheds light on the fascinating behavior of some of the Earth's most extraordinary creatures in this whimsical nonfiction picture book, perfect for fans of MOON! Earth’s Best Friend and Bedtime for Bo.

​● California Reading Association Gold Award Winner
Portraits of Indigenous children and their communities from around the world in a stunning presentation emphasizing community and a connection to the land and the environment 
We are all one. We all inhabit the same planet, and we all have a common human origin.
This is the core theme of this important book. Each double-page spread presents a contemporary and fascinating look at more than 20 Indigenous peoples from across the globe. These first nations were the first humans to inhabit their territories, which are under threat today from "civilization" that seeks to profit from them and their lands.
In these societies, a sense of community life prevails, based on reciprocity, solidarity, mutual aid, avoiding excess, and honoring what nature provides. Indigenous peoples are also the guardians of 80 percent of terrestrial biodiversity--they are the first conservationists of the natural environment.
Franco-Uruguayan author Nat Cardozo has created a unique book with beautiful illustrations that blur the lines between humans and their environment and present a wide variety of ways of life from little-known cultures. In addition to collecting 22 first-person stories, this informative book is about the past and present of Indigenous peoples, recounting a long history of struggle and resistance and of defense--not only of their territories but also of their languages and traditional ways of life.
This book provides a unique opportunity to acknowledge our common origin and reflect on how we might create a new unity for humanity to reconnect us to living things and bind us together again as one.

Native tribes featured in the book are from all five continents and include: !Kung, Orang Rimba, Inuit, Tuareg, Moken, Anangu, Bijago, Evenki, Bribri, Cherokee, Mosuo, Uru Chipaya, Tz'utujil, Ngati Hau, Wayuu, Q'ero, Sami, Mbuti, Juchiteca, Gitxsan, Dongria Kondh, Yanomami

This lyrical picture book biography of beloved American poet Mary Oliver shows young readers ages 7 - 10 how her love of nature and sense of wonder inspired her art.

Young Mary Oliver was enthralled by nature. In the forest, she wondered about the birds and the lilies and the water in the stream—about all the things that cannot speak yet somehow spoke to Mary. She wondered, too, about poetry, about how words pieced together filled her with light and how some poems felt like they were written just for her. How could this be? 

Author Erin Frankel shows how Mary Oliver held on to that sense of wonder from her childhood, channeling it into some of the most beloved poems of the past hundred years. Illustrator Jasu Hu’s lush nature scenes beautifully complement Frankel’s soulful writing about the creative process. Together text and art honor Mary Oliver and her astonishing poetry.

Go exploring with Barbara Hillary, the first Black woman to set foot on both the North and South Poles in this thrilling and inspiring picture book biography about perseverance, imagination, and following your dreams.

As a young girl, Barbara Hillary imagined a life of adventure. Despite facing hardships in her childhood and illness as an adult, she never gave up on her dream: to travel the world and explore hard-to-reach places. So, at age seventy-five, she became the first Black woman to set foot on the North Pole. Less than four years later, she did the same at the South Pole.

Barbara loved everything the world has to offer. During her travels, she discovered that the remote places she cared so much about were threatened by climate change. From then on, she dedicated herself to saving the planet for future generations. She never let her age—or anything else—stop her until she stood at the top of the world!

Myths! Lies! Secret mummy curses? Grab your head lamp, the award-winning History Smashers are headed to Ancient Egypt to dig up the truth about this incredible early civilization—and the many myths that will be buried once and for all.

In 1922, explorers opened King Tut's tomb and a nasty hex was placed on everyone present. RIGHT? Not so much. Okay, but aliens did soar in on a space craft and build the Pyramids, right? WRONG!

The discovery of King Tutankhamun's tomb taught historians a lot about ancient Egyptian culture. But no one incurred the wrath of a mummy. And this early civilization had the money, power, and smarts to build the Pyramids--along with a host of other impressive structures! 

Join the History Smashers 

Ready to bust new myths? Check out more titles in the History Smashers series:
 

• History Smashers: The Mayflower
• History Smashers: The Titanic
• History Smashers: Pearl Harbor
• History Smashers: Plagues and Pandemics

Serve up tennis history with Billie Jean King and discover the unmatched story of women's tennis, featuring beautifully illustrated, inspiring biographies of 20+ trailblazing women in the sport. Ideal for young readers who dream big.

Celebrate the incredible achievements of women in tennis with this beautifully illustrated collection of biographies. Young readers will be captivated by the stories and inspiring records of trailblazing athletes like Serena and Venus Williams, Billie Jean King, Naomi Osaka, and many more.

This young reader's edition is packed with real facts about the history of tennis and features brand-new illustrations by the renowned artist Alexandra Badiu.

Through a powerful blend of art, history, and inspiring stories, this book aims to educate, inspire, and empower readers to chase their dreams and achieve their goals.

Featured Tennis Icons Include:

• Billie Jean King
• Serena Williams
• Venus Williams
• Naomi Osaka
• Diede de Groot
• Ash Barty

and many more!

The bigger the cats, the bigger the fun! Learn about leopards, lions, and more in this vibrantly-illustrated guide-and what you can do to protect their species. 

Padded paws! Extended claws! Readers are in for a roaring good time as they explore the world of cool cats and conservation.

Animal-lovers will devour this sensory romp, learning how big cats see, smell, hear, touch, and taste. Complete with detailed diagrams and resources for helping to protect big cats and their habitats, this brightly-colored nonfiction picture book is as ferociously fun as it is environmentally-conscious.

With hundreds of thousands of books sold, nonfiction master Gail Gibbons' signature simple text and striking illustrations celebrate the majestic power of big cats and continue her tradition of bringing science to curious children.
 

We've got spirits, yes we do! Haunted USA is a terrifying treasure trove of supernatural scares from each of the 50 states, from the vengeful witch of New Hampshire, Goody Cole, to Missouri's unlikely icon, Momo the swamp monster.

In this illustrated compendium drawing on fact, folklore, mythology and urban legend, you'll shine a light on ghosts, ghouls, cryptids, and even a haunted carousel. Some tales will give you chills--like that of Rue, the unfortunate daughter of an Oregon lighthouse-keeper who even today wanders the forlorn tower's guest rooms--while others--like the friendly ghost of Dr. Justina Ford who guides visitors around her old Colorado home--prove that some phantoms still hold on to that friendly American spirit.

Some are downright strange. Have you ever heard of the chocolate-loving ghost of Iowa, or Delaware's specter who can't stand sneezing? Still others are older than the USA itself, from Hawaii's Night Marchers to the ancient Sleeping Buffalo Rock of Montana (which may not be quite so asleep after all).

When you've read all you can handle, turn to the back of the book for a glossary of ghoulish terms and even expert advice on going ghost-hunting yourself!

Whether you're after a campfire fright, a slice of local lore, or a traditional tale to sink your teeth into, Haunted USA is a rich anthology from the land of the really, really brave. With stories that are carefully chosen and sensitively told for 9-12-year-olds, it's perfect for those cozy evenings around Halloween, or for adding a sprinkle of spookiness to a summer road trip.