Best Nonfiction Books for Teens

Encyclopedia HorrificaGee, Joshua001.9 GEE
Contains true stories of vampires, werewolves, and ghosts, accompanied by photo evidence, eyewitness accounts, and interviews.
Pick Me Up: Stuff You Need to Know031 PIC
With gorgeous full-color spreads, this title covers facts on history, geography, science, and natural history.
Today I WillSpinelli, Eileen and Jerry082 SPI
Inspired by 366 quotes from children's literature, the authors offer insight and advice for every day of the year.
I Don't Know What I Want But I Want to Be HappyKirberger, Kim158 KIR
Teen guru Kirberger shows teens what it means to be happy and how to achieve it through easy steps and a fresh way to view life.
Mythology for Teens: Classic Myths in Today's WorldHamby, Zachary292.13 HAM
Takes classical mythology to a new level by relating ancient stories to the culture, history, art, and literature of today.
American Muslim Teenager's HandbookHafiz, Dilara, Imran, and Yasmine297.5708 HAF
This guide to the basic beliefs and customs of Islam includes input from American Muslim teenagers that show the ways they show faith in daily life.
The Teen Guide to Global ActionLewis, Barbara A. 303.484 LEW
Tells the stories of inspiring change-makers and provides practical tools you can use to get involved.
Children of War: Voices of Iraqi RefugeesEllis, Deborah305.23 ELL
Iraqi children discuss how the Iraq war has affected their lives. The children are mostly refugees living in Jordan, but also a few trying to build new lives in North America.
When Elephants FightWalters, Eric305.23 WAL
Presents the stories of five children from five very different and distinct conflicts showing that it is the children who suffer most when countries wage war.
The Step-Tween Survival Guide Cohen, Lisa306.8747 COH
Advice for children of divorced or remarried parents on adjusting to life with a stepfamily.
Bro-Jitsu : The Martial Art Of Sibling Smackdown Wilson, Daniel H. 306.875 WIL
Practiced by countless siblings, mastered by few: here is the definitive guide to tormenting one's brother or sister.
Every Human Has Rights314.48 EVE
This photographic essay offers kids an accessibly written list of the thirty rights set down in 1948 by the United Nations with commentary by other kids and richly evocative photographs illustrating each right.
Declare Yourself : Speak, Connect, Act, Vote323.042 DEC
Contributors discuss why voting matters and encourages teens to think about what democracy means.
Denied, Detained, Deported Basum, Ann325.73 BAU
Examines the history of American immigration, particularly those lesser-known stories of immigrants who were denied entrance into the States or detained for security reasons.
What Color Is Your Parachute? For Teens Christen, Carol331.7023 CHR
Presents advice for teenagers on landing a dream job
Getting Away With MurderCrowe, Chris364.1523 CRO
Presents a true account of the murder of fourteen-year-old, Emmett Till, in Mississippi, in 1955.
Royal Murder : The Deadly Intrigue Of Ten Sovereigns MacLeod, Elizabeth364.1524 MAC
From monarchs murdered by their subjects to kings killed on the battlefield, the stories of ten royals are told through the blending of storytelling and historical fact.
Locked Up: A History of the U.S. Prison System Edge, Laura Bufano365.973 EDG
A history of the United States prison system and its many changes over the years.
The Dictionary of High School B.S. Beckwith, Lois373.18 BEC
Presents a dictionary of popular terms used in high school and includes humorous anecdotes for each entry.
Bound for College GuidebookBurtnett, Frank378.161 BUR
High school counselors provide answers to frequently asked questions to help students understand what they need to know about preparing for college.
VampireologyBlythe, Gary398.21 BLY
Ones Purports to be a book, written in 1900, that sheds light on what happened to three historic vampire bloodlines.
The Word SnoopDubosarsky, Ursula420.9 DUB
A tour of the English language from the beginning of the alphabet to modern text messaging and emoticons.
Write Your Own Egyptian HieroglyphsMcDonald, Angela493.111 MCD
A guide to writing Egyptian hieroglyphs.
Mythbusters: Don’t Try This at HomePackard, Mary507.8 PAC
Presents various urban legends, describes how the "Mythbusters" set out to prove the myths, explains the results, and provides instructions for how to do similar "mythbusting" at home.
Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species: A Graphic Adaptation Keller, Michael576.82 KEL
A stunning graphic adaptation of one of the most famous books of all time. Includes sections about Darwin's research, the book's initial public reception, and the most recent breakthroughs in evolutionary theory.
The Race to Save the Lord God Bird Hoose, Philip598.72 HOO
Tells the story of the ivory-billed woodpecker's extinction in the United States, describing the encounters between this species and humans, and discussing what these encounters have taught us about preserving endangered creatures.
Cool Stuff 2.0 and How It WorksWoodford, Chris600 WOO
Uses images to explain how many devices and processes of modern technology work, covering such inventions as HDTV, game consoles, robot cars, helicopters, space probes, oil rigs, mass dampers, biometric id's, and tsunami alert systems.
101 Things You Wish You'd Inveted And Some You Wish No One HadTurner, Tracey609 HOR
101 of the most interesting, most dangerous, and most unnecessary inventions.
Short: Walking Tall When You're Not Tall At AllSchwartz, John612.66 SCH
Takes a look at the marketing, psychology, and mythology behind the obsession with height, revealing that being short does not have to be a disadvantage.
Written In BoneWalker, Sally M. 614.17 WAL
Reports on the work of forensic scientists who are excavating grave sites in Jamestown, Virginia to understand the people who lived there in the 1600s and 1700s.
The Secret of The Yellow DeathJurmain, Suzanne614.541 JUR
The true story of how four American army doctors, together with a Cuban physician, risked their lives and conducted dangerous experiments on human volunteers to find the source of a dreaded disease on the island of Cuba.
My Anxious MindTompkins, Michael A. 618.9285 TOM
Offers ways for teens to improve their interpersonal skills, manage stress, handle panic attacks, and decide whether medication is right for them.
Swords: An Artist's DevotionBoos, Ben623.441 BOO
Illustrated with breathtaking intricacy, a celebration of swords and swordsmen spans history and cultures to review the ancient warriors who lived by the sword.
This Is Rocket ScienceSkurzynski, Gloria629.409 SKU
A history of rockets and rocket science, from the Chinese discovery of gunpowder to the development of nuclear spacecraft and rockets that sail on the solar winds.
Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared To DreamStone, Tanya Lee629.45 STO
Presents the story of the thirteen women who braved prejudice and jealousy to open the door for the female pilots and space commanders that would soon follow.
How To Build A Robot ArmyWilson, Daniel H.629.892 WIL
With the advice contained in this witty and informative book, readers can build their own robot army to fend off hordes of bloodthirsty foes.
Bulu : African Wonder DogHouston, Dick636.7092 HOU
Discusses how Bulu, a Jack Russell terrier born on a crocodile farm in Zambia, became a foster parent for orphaned baby animals after being adopted by Anna and Steve Tolan, former police officers who left England to live in the African bush.
Uncool : A Girl's Guide To Misfitting In Conley, Erin646.7008 CON
A guide for teenage girls provides advice for those who are not in the popular crowd, showing that individuality has positive aspects and that everyone is a little bit of a misfit.
Mysterious Messages : A History Of Codes And Ciphers Blackwood, Gary652.8 BLA
From the ciphers of Italian princes to the spy books of the Civil War to the techniques of the CIA, codes and code breaking have played important roles throughout history.
Children's Book of Art 709 CHI
Including all of the important art movements from Renaissance to Rococo as well as the great artists from these eras, this book takes readers on an international tour of the world's greatest art form.
Shojo Fashion Manga Art SchoolFlores, Irene741.51 FLO
Create fabulous shojo manga clothing and characters. Loaded with techniques and tips, this book demonstrates the Japanese comic-book practices.
Digital Art : Painting With Pixels Miller, Ron741.51 HAR
Discusses the history of digital art; techniques; image formats; its use in design, advertising, comic books, animation, and special effects; and careers in it.
Manga for the BeginnerHart, Christopher741.51 HAR
A comprehensive tutorial for aspiring manga artists uses a step-by-step format to take readers through the entire drawing process.
Learn To Speak MusicCrossingham, John782.421 CRO
A guide to help young readers learn music by revealing every nook and cranny of how it's made.
Good Brother, Bad Brother Giblin, James792.028 GIB
Most people know the name John Wilkes Booth, but few have heard of his elder brother Edwin. Learn how alike and how different they were, and how each made a lasting impression on American history.
Seize The StoryHanley, Victoria808.02 HAN
Supplemented by interviews with successful authors of teen fiction, this book presents the elements of fiction, from creating believable dialogue to executing an exciting plot.
Blue Lipstick : Concrete Poems Grandits, John811.6 GRA
15-year-old Jessie voices typical teenage concerns in this hilarious collection of poems. Her funny, sarcastic take on high school life is revealed through concrete poetry, where the poems take the shape of what they are about.
My Name Is Jason. Mine Too : Our Story, Our Way Reynolds, Jason811.6 REY
Two young men named Jason, one black and one white, use poetry and art to communicate their different perspectives.
Snapshot : The Visual Almanac For Our World Today Asbury, Jon909.83 SNA
Uses graphics to explain the facts behind today's big issues, while also spotting trends hiding beneath the surface.
The Big Book Of Dummies, Rebels And Other Geniuses Pouy, Jean920.02 POU
Introduction to 26 famous individuals from history, the arts, literature and the sciences, who were considered rebels or dunces during their early years.
Truce: The Day the Soldiers Stopped Fighting Murphy, Jim940.421 MUR
Describes the famous WWI Christmas truce that occurred along Western Front trenches in 1914.
Shattered Youth in Nazi Germany Altman, Linda Jacobs940.5318 ALT
Examines the lives of teens living in Germany before and during the Holocaust, including the rise of Nazism, growing persecution of Jews, and the Hitler Youth.
The Attack On Pearl Harbor Hillstrom, Laurie Collier940.54 HIL
Examines the attack on Pearl Harbor and the subsequent battle in the Pacific.
The Great Escape: The Longest Tunnel Meserole, Mike940.5472 MES
The spine-tingling and suspenseful true story of escape from the Nazi's Stalag Luft III during World War II.
Hitler Youth : Growing Up In Hitler's Shadow Bartoletti, Susan Campbell943.086 BAR
The story of German young people who devoted all their energy to the Hitler Youth and the youths that resisted the Nazi movement.
China : Land Of Dragons And Emperors Mah, Adeline Yen951 MAH
Provides a view of China over the last two millennia. Topics include ancient dynasties, inventions, festivals and beliefs, and major changes in Chinese society.
Unsettled : The Problem Of Loving Israel Aronson, Marc956.9404 ARO
An exploration of the history of Israel, its relationships with its neighboring countries, and questions about what Israel should be.
Signing Their Lives AwayKiernan, Denise973.099 KIE
Describes the lives of the men who signed the Declaration of Independence: who they were, their professions, and how their lives changed in the years that followed.
The Mayflower And The Pilgrims' New World Philbrick, Nat973.22 PHI
For fifty years, the Pilgrims and the Native Americans who had saved them maintained a fragile peace. But then a conflict erupted that nearly wiped out English and natives alike.
Washington at Valley Forge Freedman, Russell973.334 FRE
Washington's army nearly perished during the winter of 1777-78. But when the winter ended, the soldiers marched away from Valley Forge more determined than ever.
A Savage Thunder Murphy, Jim973.733 MUR
In 1862, two great armies faced each other across Antietam Creek. Archival photographs, maps, and firsthand accounts recreate one of America's most important battles.
FDR's Alphabet Soup: New Deal America, 1932-1939 Bolden, Tanya973.917 BOL
An exploration of Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal that discusses the arts, finance, labor, legislation, its influence on the Great Depression, and other related topics.
Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice Hoose, PhilipBIO Colvin
Based on extensive interviews with Claudette Colvin and many others, Phillip Hoose presents the first in-depth account of an important yet largely unknown civil rights figure.
Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith Heiligman, DeborahBIO Darwin
This look at Charles Darwin shows how his wife’s faith made him reconsider how the world would receive his ideas.
Anne Frank: Her Life in Words and Pictures Metselarr, MennoBIO Frank
Photos of Anne’s diary and the rooms where she and her family hid from the Nazis are compiled in this biography about the life and enduring spirit of this young girl.
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