Non fiction

Kids Shelf Help Natural World

Sometimes, as they say, truth is stranger than fiction. If you enjoy reading real-life stories and books about facts, explore our fantastic non-fiction collection.

Art, craft, games and coding, animals, the natural world, history, real stories about real people, and more.

 

Amazing animals (and dinosaurs!)

Kids Shelf Help Dinosaurs Australia's extraordinary animals by Frances Payne

Fauna: Australia's most curious creatures by Tania McCartney

The illustrated encyclopaedia of dangerous animals by Sami Bayly

The illustrated encyclopaedia of ugly animals by Sami Bayly

Guinness world records: Wild things edited by Ben Hollingum

Don't let them disappear: 12 endangered species across the globe by written by Chelsea Clinton

Incredible living things by Rob Colson

Humanimal: Incredible ways animals are just like us! by Christopher Lloyd

The ultimate animal alphabet book by Jennifer Cossins

 

DINOSAURS 

My book of dinosaurs and prehistoric life: Animals and plants to amaze, surprise, and astonish by Dr Dean Komax

Dinosaurs and other prehistoric life by Chris Barker and Darren Naish

Super dinosaur by Chris Barker

Dinosaurs: A children's encyclopedia

Natural world

Kids Shelf Help Natural World Life cycles: Everything from start to finish by Steve Setford

I ate sunshine for breakfast: A celebration of plants around the world by Michael Holland

The magic and mystery of trees by Jen Green

Awesome matter and materials by Rob Colson and Jon Richards

A hollow is a home by Abbie Mitchell

Natural world: A visual compendium of wonders from nature by Amanda Wood and Mike Jolley

What's out there?: Amazing plants, rocks, creatures and cultures that make Australia extraordinary by Nicole Stewart

Amazing evolution: The journey of life by Anna Claybourne

Phenomenal plants by Rob Colson and Jon Richards

The Mysteries of the Universe by Will Gater

Climate change and life on Earth by Chinwe Onuoha

Climate change by Izzi Howell

Elemental Earth series by William Anthony

  • Air
  • Earth
  • Fire
  • Water

Real stories about real people

Kids Shelf Help Little People Big Dreams.jpg Daring Women series

  • 25 women who thought of it first by Jill Sherman
  • 25 women who dared to go by Allison Lassieur
  • 25 women who fought back by Jill Sherman

 

Little people, big dreams series by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara

  • Amelia Earhart
  • Audrey Hepburn
  • Charles Darwin
  • Coco Chanel
  • David Attenborough
  • David Bowie
  • Ernest Shackleton
  • Greta Thunberg
  • Muhammad Ali
  • PeleĢ
  • Rosa Parks by Lisbeth Kaiser
  • Stephen Hawking
  • Steve Jobs

 

Stories for boys who dare to be different 2: Further true tales of amazing boys who changed the world without killing dragons by Ben Brooks

Stories for kids who dare to be different: True tales of boys and girls who stood up and stood out by Ben Brooks

Super scientists: 40 inspiring icons by Anne Blanchard

Eco heroes: Lives in defense of the planet by Federica Magrin

Philosophers by Susanna Wright

I am not a label: 34 disabled artists, thinkers, athletes and activists from past and present by Cerrie Burnell

 

JUNIOR BIOGRAPHY

The extraordinary life of Neil Armstrong by Martin Howard

Harry Houdini by Kjartan Poskitt

A computer called Katherine: How Katherine Johnson helped put America on the moon by Suzanne Slade 

Martin Luther King Jr. by Laurie Calkhoven

The extraordinary life of Freddie Mercury by Michael Lee Richardson

Malala: My story of standing up for girls' rights by Malala Yousafzai

Incredible history

Kids Shelf Help History

AUSTRALIA

Young dark emu: A truer history by Bruce Pascoe

The upside-down history of down under by Alison Lloyd and Terry Denton

The story of Australia by Robert Lewis, in association with National Museum of Australia

 

GENERAL

The story of people: A first book about humankind by Catherine Barr and Steve Williams

First history encyclopedia: A first reference book for children by Philip Wilkinson

The apartment: A century of Russian history by Alexandra Litvina

China through time: A 2,500 year journey along the world's greatest canal edited by Edward Aves and Abigail Mitchell

Ancient Egypt by George Cottrell

 

A Timeline of ... series

  • Adobe shelters to steel skyscrapers: a timeline of building
  • Counting pebbles to writing code: a timeline of mathematics and computers
  • Foraging to supermarkets: a timeline of food
  • Hieroglyphics to hypertext: a timeline of the written word
  • Leeches to lasers: a timeline of medicine
  • Smoke signals to smartphones: a timeline of long-distance communication
  • Stargazing to space travel: a timeline of space exploration
  • Wooden spears to military drones: a timeline of warfare

Games, coding and STEM

Kids Shelf Help Robots Leonardo's science workshop: invent, create, and make STEAM projects like a genius by Heidi Olinger

Creative coding in Python: 30+ programming projects in art, games, and more by Sheena Vaidyanathan

More hands-on science: 50 amazing kids' activities from CSIRO edited by David Shaw, Jasmine Fellows and Kath Kovac

Robots by Max Wainewright

How to be a coder by Kiki Prottsman

Astonishing atoms and matter mayhem by Colin Stuart

Australia's amazing inventions by Frances Payne

Cutting-edge stem series:

  • Cutting-edge 3D printing by Karen Latchana Kenney
  • Cutting-edge artificial intelligence by Anna Leigh
  • Cutting-edge robotics by Karen Latchana Kenney

Game on! series by Kristy Holmes

  • Action-adventure games
  • Building virtual worlds
  • Co-ops, teams, & MMOs
  • Platform games
  • Speed racers
  • Strategy games

Emotions and feelings

Kids Shelf Help Feelings Just feel: How to be stronger, happier, healthier, and more by Mallika Chopra

Life skills: Creativity; problem solving, mindfulness, empathy, teamwork by Keilly Swift

All about feelings by Felicity Brooks

Hey warrior by Karen Young

Decoding the mind series:

  • Why we laugh: the science of giggles by Pamela Dell
  • Why we cry: the science of tears by Matt Lilley
  • Why we love: the science of affection by Matt Lilley
  • Why we rage: the science of anger by Melissa Mayer
  • Why we worry: the science of anxiety by Melissa Mayer

 

My body is growing: A guide for children, ages 4-8 by Dagmar Geisler 

Let's talk about body boundaries, consent and respect: A book to teach children about body ownership, respectful relationships, feelings and emotions, choices, and recognizing bullying behaviors by Jayneen Sanders

Art, craft and making

Youth HSC resources Visual arts Leonardo's Art Workshop: Invent, Create, and Make STEAM Projects Like a Genius by Amy Leidtke

Busy Little Hands: Art Play! Activities for Preschoolers by Meredith Magee Donnelly

Super Slime!

Recycled art by Emily Kington

The LEGO® neighborhood book: Volume 2 - Build your own city! by Brian Lyles and Jason Lyles

Easy origami woodland animals by John Montroll

Art for Little Kids: 26 Playful Projects for Preschoolers by Susan Schwake

ARTrageous!: more than 25 drawing, painting and mixed media projects for adults and children to create together by Jennifer McCully