Nonfiction book selections for grades 2-5, wide variety focusing on what my students love.
Sections
5
History
Science
biographies and autobiographies
Sports
Other Nonfiction
History
History of any kind, events or places.
Graphic novel history books
History Smashers: The American Revolution
These books have a variety of resources about tons of topics and things
What Was? Series
Relates history to student's life making it fun
You Wouldn't Want to Be Cleopatra!: An Egyptian Ruler You'd Rather Not Be ...
Great graphic novels
Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales 3-Book Box Set
True stories are fun for students to explore.
The Mona Lisa Vanishes: A Legendary Painter, a Shocking Heist, and the Birth ...
Great look at life inside internment camps.
Baseball Saved Us
Great graphic novel looking at life inside an internment camp in the USA during WWII.
They Called Us Enemy
Amazing Award-winning book.
Separate Is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez and Her Family's Fight for Desegregation
Award winning beautiful book. 5 stars
The 1619 Project: Born on the Water
Science
Learn about Science, in a fun way.
Science books in graphic novel format
Science Comics: Rocks and Minerals: Geology from Caverns to the Cosmos
These books put features of animals on students so it is very relatable
What If You Had Animal Feet? - Sandra Markle
These are engaging and cover a lot of subjects. I am putting it in science but it has other topics in them as well.
National Geographic Kids Almanac 2026 (B&N Exclusive Edition)
If it's gross the kids love it. The book looks at why some things happen and uses science to explain it.
The Big Book of Barf: A Spewnami of Sick Science, Hurled History, and Body ...
Great graphic novel look at immunizations.
A Shot in the Arm!: Big Ideas That Changed the World #3
These books are hilarious, gross humor to some but kids LOVE them!
Butt or Face? by Kari Lavelle, Hardcover
biographies and autobiographies
Life and times of famous or influential people. There's only a few autobiographies on here.
Great autobiography
The Diary of a Young Girl: The Definitive Edition by Anne Frank, Paperback
Who was or is series full of people students want to learn about
Who Was? Book Series
Famous people who are still living
Who Was? Book Series
Sports stars are always popular
biography current sports stars
Graphic novel versions
Who Is the Man in the Air?: Michael Jordan: A Who HQ Graphic Novel
These are very popular with my 2nd grade through 4th graders
Ordinary People Change the World Gift Set
Great Elvis biography
Elvis Presley|eBook
These are collections of small biographies. Great if you want an encyclopedia type book to look for several people at once.
Women Who Dared: 52 Stories of Fearless Adventurers
Many time minorities are forgotten in history, this book looks specifically at women scientists.
The Lost Women of Science|Hardcover
This biography is a favorite of my students.
How Do You Spell Unfair?: MacNolia Cox and the National Spelling Bee: (A Picture Book Biography of an African American Girl in the Era of Segregation - For Kids Ages 7-10 in Grades 2-5)
Wonderful true story.
Fight for the Right to Read: Samuel Wilbert Tucker and the 1939 Sit-Down Strike for Library Reading Equality
This book is amazing and in her own words.
Coretta: The Autobiography of Mrs. Coretta Scott King
I love biographies that are for not so well-known people. My students love them.
Galaxy Mapper: The Luminous Discoveries of Astrophysicist Hélène Courtois
Sports
Nonfiction sports selections, mainly focusing on teams or rivalries.
Great for the sports lover of any age.
LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan: Who Wins?
This series has a book to focus on each sport.
Everything Basketball (Everything Sports)
There's a book for each major sports league. Statistics as well as biographies of players and teams.
It's a Numbers Game! Baseball: The Math Behind the Perfect Pitch ...
This book could be in sports of biographies.
Unbelievable Stories of Kobe Bryant: Decoding Greatness For Young Readers (Awesome Biography Books for Kids Children Ages 9-12) (Unbelievable Stories of: Biography Series for New & Young Readers)
Other Nonfiction
Any other kind of non-fiction.
The story of books look at brands that are loved, many vintage that have become popular again recently.
Mythology books are great for any Percy Jackson lovers, but it is also covered in Social Studies and History classes.
Mythology
Famous Places
Where Is? Series
These books cover a variety of topics. My students love them and quiz each other the facts after reading them.
5000 Awesome Facts (About Everything!): Updated and Expanded! (B&N ...
These are popular every year. Students read them until they fall apart. I love that there's a new one each year.
Guinness World Records 2025
Beautiful pictures that showcase our beautiful country and world. These books are wonderful.
Our World in Pictures: An Encyclopedia of Everything by DK, Hardcover
Students love globes and atlases. The ever-changing world of maps and boundaries makes an atlas a must have for the student that loves to explore the world.
World Atlases & Maps
My students loved this book and compared it to the community gardens in our area.
Saturdays at Harlem Grown: How One Big Idea Transformed a Neighborhood
Great money smarts
The Survival Guide for Money Smarts: Earn, Save, Spend, Give
