Almost every child I’ve ever met has been fascinated by animals. I’m a firm believer no home-school library is complete without a good selection of animal non-fiction books! Whether just to satisfy your child’s endless curiosity or to support your next science/nature study, this booklist is a feast for the eyes!
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information.
Below is a compilation of over 40 of the best (in my opinion) animal books covering everything from animal adaptations, behaviours, anatomy, lifecycles and much much more. There is truly something for everyone!
If you have much younger learners, check out my ‘Best Toddler Animal Books’ blog post.
As much as I’m grateful for our local library and utilise it heavily for books I may only read once or twice. For us at least, having a variety of animal non-fiction on hand whenever we need it is invaluable. We come back to them time and time again and I wouldn’t want to be without them. I’ve been lucky enough to manage to score lots of these books second-hand through Amazon pre-used or from local charity shops, so if you’re on a budget, I’d recommend looking there.
Size and scale:
I adore both of these books! Aside from being simply beautiful, they give real size information on many different animals, with pictures displaying real scale animal parts, my kids love to compare their hands to that of a gorillas or their eyes with a giant squids.
Jenni Desmond book series:
Jenni Desmond is the author (and I believe – illustrator) of some simply gorgeous books, I own two and would love to get my hands on the blue whale too! She writes in a way that is relatable to children, such as describing an animal size compared to that of a human child and her illustrations are pure art!
Nicola Davies animal collection:
Nicola Davies books are written in such a way that it almost appears to be storytelling however the information is all factual. I love this style of work and find them to be surprisingly in depth about each particular animal!
Animal adaptations:
The following books explore the mysterious realm of animal adaptations from the most beautiful to the truly weirdest adaptations in the animal kingdom, there is something for everyone to learn!
Animal migration books:
Migration is such an intriguing topic, the stealth and stamina of some animals is truly incredible. The books below detail the most astounding animal migrations, including distances, how they prepare and what makes them unique!
Animal habitat books:
This selection of beautiful books study the amazing diversity of habitats that animals across the world are able to thrive it! Complete with stunning illustrations, the topic is sure to captivate your children.
DK and Chris Packham’s ‘Habitats’ is definitely set for a slightly older audience with lots more information per page, it goes pretty in depth, but I couldn’t not include it. Covering everything from coast, ocean, desert, rainforest, grassland habitats and much more, it would be perfect for a nature lover of any age!
Miscellaneous:
Rachel Ignotofsky’s books are written so cleverly, the way the page is displayed allows for bite-size digestible chunks of information. You can choose to read just a little on each page or absolutely everything!
Discover both past and present animal giants with this gem of an book by Jules Howard! Containing measurements and fun facts throughout, MEGA is sure to be a hit!
‘Animal sidekicks’ covers the topic of symbiotic relationships, which is actually quite difficult to find material on, so it’s definitely appreciated. Learn how animals work together to benefit both parties in this beautifully illustrated read.
The ‘who will win‘ series is fascinating and perfect for all ages. Even my other half loves these, after catching him watching animal battles on YouTube I saw these in the charity shop and jokingly decided to buy them for him. Well who’d of thought that they would end up a firm family favourite!
Sad Animal facts is great if you fancy a chuckle. With little illustrations of each animal and a funny or bizarre fact that goes along with it, it makes a great addition to a meal time or a morning basket for a little family learning.
Beautiful reference books and encyclopaedias:
These books make an excellent addition to any home library. Most of these you’ll want to revisit time and time again with information to inspire curiosity for the whole family.
Ben Hoare makes a stunning collection of nature based anthologies. Complete with a gorgeous golden spine, they definitely have a touch of luxury to them. The clever mix of photography and illustrations along with simple, factual paragraph on each double spread make for a great book to explore a few pages a time for adults and children alike.
The ‘magic and mystery or nature’ series by DK is amazing! The titles delve into the incredible world of ocean creatures, bugs and birds.
Dieter Braun authors another wonderful series, each double page spread is 75% full with charming illustrations, with just a few lines of factual text. I adore books that are heavily illustrated and my children are enchanted with them too.
The adventure atlas series features a double page spread for each incredible animal and interesting facts scattered throughout. Making for a brilliant open and go reference for any animal study.
Reference books for slightly older kids:
Perfect for older children, the ‘Welcome to the museum’ series do a beautiful job of breaking down each topic and the illustrations are out of this world. They make for the perfect springboard for any nature based study and the diagrams are wonderful to inspire your next nature journal entry. A timeless addition to any home-school bookshelf. I was lucky enough to scoop them up for £2 each at the charity shop, what a steal!
Last but definitely not least, I’d like to recommend ‘Natural World’. It covers a broad spectrum of topics related to animals and the natural world including adaptations, habitats, species, food chains and so much more. Plus, the dust cover folds out into a gorgeous poster!
The collection above give you a well rounded non fiction collection covering almost every animal topic you could dream of. Hopefully I’ve given you some solid inspiration for your home-school library or your next animal based nature study. Let me know of any of your own recomedations in the comments!
You may also enjoy: ‘The Best Toddler Animal Books for Your Little Nature Lover’
and ‘Enchanting Read Alouds – The Best Chapter Books for Children’
3 comments
Comments are closed.