12 Beautifully Illustrated Nonfiction Picture Books To Get Lost In
by Margaret Kingsbury
While picture books combine prose with visual storytelling, these twelve nonfiction titles take that blend of story and art to the next level. From intricate explorations of sea life to innovative cut-paper pop-ups and vibrant homages to folk artists, these books show that learning new things is a beautiful experience. Nonfiction children’s books thrive when they have beautiful illustrations, allowing young readers to explore topics visually in addition to reading the text.
Many of the following picture book illustrators have won awards for their art and have other nonfiction children’s books to check out. While several of these titles are geared toward ages 8-10, older and younger readers will also find them appealing. These books also make excellent gifts for holidays and special occasions.
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The Universe in You
Available from:Caldecott Award-winning author and illustrator Jason Chin focuses on the microscopic in this gorgeous STEM picture book. From the tiny Calliope hummingbird to skin cells and bacteria, Chin depicts the importance of life’s smallest building blocks through his stunning watercolor and gouache illustrations and accessible text. Back matter includes more details about the building blocks of life. This nonfiction picture book provides a thought-provoking introduction to microbiology.
(Ages 8 — 12)Also available from: -
One World: 24 Hours on Planet Earth
Available from:This nature-themed title follows two sisters as they travel through various time zones, exploring ecosystems and the fragile connection between nature and humanity. At 8:00 PM in Pantanal, Brazil, a tiger sneaks up on a caiman, while at 6:30 AM on the Gaoligongshan National Nature Reserve in China, gibbons greet the morning with a song. Each full-page spread depicts a stunning scene from nature through mixed media. It’s an unparalleled, lyrical nonfiction book for young animal lovers.
(Ages 6 — 9)Also available from: -
Cool Green: Amazing, Remarkable Trees
Available from:A granddaughter asks her abuelo about his passion for trees in this poetic arboreal celebration. The grandfather then describes many reasons he loves trees in lyrical verse, from towering redwoods along the coast to the symbiotic relationship between mother trees and fungi. Delacre collected twigs, bark, and leaf specimens from trees mentioned in the text to create mixed-media collages and phenomenal graphics. The text contains some Spanish, and a fully Spanish edition is available: Verde fresco: Árboles asombrosos y extraordinarios.
(Ages 4 — 8)Also available from: -
Behold the Octopus!
Available from:This gorgeous nonfiction picture book pairs lyrical text with breathtaking, full-page illustrations to examine octopuses’ deep-sea life. Each page provides two stories: a poem celebrating the type of octopus pictured and a paragraph giving more details about the octopus and its behavior. The richly textured and warm illustrations will capture the reader’s imagination and fully immerse them in the octopuses’ lives. Extensive back matter gives even more details about octopuses.
(Ages 4 — 8)Also available from: -
Oceanarium
Available from:The Welcome to the Museum series offers a glimpse into scientific topics with visually stunning illustrations. Oceanarium pairs marine biologist Loveday Trinick with naturalist artist Teagan White as they explore the ocean. The undersea world comes to life in Teagan’s gorgeously rendered, intricate illustrations. Reading this is like visiting an aquarium — each page provides fascinating information about the ocean, from arthropods to jellyfish and seabirds, and the realistic art makes the subjects leap off the page.
(Ages 8 — 12)Also available from: -
The Weather
Available from:Innovative cut-paper pop-ups explore five weather patterns in this cleverly illustrated picture book. The pop-ups show a boat rocking on a stormy sea, a tornado decimating a barn, rain streaming from clouds creating a rainbow, and more. Biederstadt opens the book with an explanation of what causes weather and closes with information on climate change's effects on weather. It's an informative and fascinating read.
(Ages 7+)Also available from: -
Serengeti
Available from:This lyrical picture book depicts animal life in the East African Serengeti with realistic, up-close illustrations, from gazelles nibbling grass to rock rabbits darting across fields. Each page includes a verse and several facts about the animals depicted on that page. Bulion uses the Swahili poetic form utendi for her poems, which work beautifully with the illustrations to show the interconnectedness of life in this unique ecosystem. Extensive back matter includes a description of the utendi, a glossary, and organizations protecting life in the Serengeti.
(Ages 8 — 12)Also available from: -
Birds Everywhere
Available from:The latest addition to the Animals Everywhere nonfiction picture book series centers on birds, and Britta Teckentrup’s vibrant illustrations give readers plenty to explore visually. The book examines big-picture topics like the history of birds and flight and more focused subjects like barn owls and love birds. Bird breeds are labeled in each illustration, where readers can find fun facts and hidden images. It’s a must-have for all bird lovers.
(Ages 6 — 9)Also available from: -
No World Too Big
Available from:Each page spread in this biography collection profiles a young environmental activist through a poem, a paragraph-long biography, and a beautiful illustration by Jeanette Bradley. Children’s book author and member of the Cherokee Nation Traci Sorrel (We Are Grateful) writes an acrostic poem about the Brazillian human rights activist Artemisa Xakriabá. Rajana LaRocca (Where Three Oceans Meet) writes a free verse poem about Maanasa Mendu, who invented a light source so rural Indian children could have light to study by. The profiles are inspiring and as beautifully written as they are illustrated. It’s a powerful collection.
(Ages 5 — 9)Also available from: -
You Gotta Meet Mr. Pierce!
Available from:This picture book biography spotlights African American woodcarving artist and barbershop owner Elijah Pierce. When a boy steps into a barbershop for a haircut, he isn’t expecting to see any art. But Elijah Pierce’s barber shop displays his unique woodcarvings, and he tells the boy how he became an artist. Mack-Watkins’s illustrations use mokuhanga print-making techniques and mixed-media collages to emulate Pierce’s woodcarvings. It’s a wonderful tribute to the folk artist, and the back matter includes more information about Elijah Pierce, his art, and how his art speaks to the authors and illustrator.
(Ages 4 — 8)Also available from: -
Jackie Ormes Draws the Future
Available from:Jackie Ormes was the first African American woman with a nationally syndicated cartoon, and the vibrant pop-art illustrations in this picture book biography are the perfect homage to her artistic style. Ormes was born in 1911 and started telling stories through art at a young age. She later became a journalist in Pittsburgh, reporting on racism, the Great Migration, pollution, and more. She eventually developed the child character Patty-Jo for a series of politically charged cartoons for the Chicago Defender. This picture book provides a captivating glimpse into Ormes’ life and art.
(Ages 4 — 8)Also available from: -
The Women Who Make History Collection [3-Book Boxed Set]
Available from:This set compiles three uniquely illustrated biography collections: Women in Science, Women in Sports, and Women in Art. Each book contains one-page biographies of 50 groundbreaking women in these fields paired with Ignotofsky’s detailed and fascinating illustrations. She uses a monochromatic palette with pops of color for each profile and includes fun facts in the margins. This series is a fantastic reference for children and is perfect for classroom and home libraries.
(Ages 10+)Also available from:
![The Women Who Make History Collection [3-Book Boxed Set]](https://images.penguinrandomhouse.com/cover/9781984861740)