10 educational books for children

Books are brilliant. Full stop. Feed your children’s imaginations and their desire for information via a great read. And don’t forget that reading with your children is a wonderful bonding experience. Need we say more?

‘12 Ways to Get to 11’ by Eve Merriam

The number 11 has gone missing. Is it in the magician’s hat? Or the mailbox? Or hiding in the jack-o-lantern? Perhaps it’s in the barnyard, where the hen is waiting for her new little chicks to arrive? Wherever it is, your child will find it – with the help of Eve Merriam and Bernie Karlin, they’ll embark on a counting adventure, which takes you through 12 witty and imaginative ways to get to 11.

‘Dyslexic Legends Alphabet’ by Beck Feiner

From Albert Einstein to Agatha Christie, Pablo Picasso to JFK, Dyslexic Legends Alphabet presents an eye-opening and motivational A to Z of legends with dyslexia who have made their inspirational mark on our world. This book is a must- read for any child who may be struggling at school or feel like their dyslexia is holding them back from achieving greatness.

‘Britannica All New Children’s Encyclopedia: What We Know and What We Don’t’ edited by Christopher Lloyd

Covering a wide range of child-friendly topics with text, illustrations, infographics, and photography, this new-look Britannica is undoubtedly designed with children in mind. Each spread highlights some of the most intriguing unsolved puzzles in science, archaeology, history, and engineering, covering topics like ‘Universe’, ‘Living World’, ‘Ancient Civilizations’ and ‘Today’s World and Beyond’.

‘If You Were a Triangle’ by Marcie Aboff

If you were a triangle, you would have three straight sides. You could be a slice of pizza, a yield sign, or a musical instrument. What else could you be if you were a triangle? This charming book by author Marcie Aboff offers a fun and memorable introduction to shapes – specifically, triangles – for children. The best part is, you can move on to the other books in this in-depth series once you’re finished!

‘Sapiens: A Graphic History’ by Yuval Noah Harari

This phenomenal bestseller has been adapted for children, telling the story of humankind through gorgeous full-colour illustrations and bite-sized nuggets of wisdom. Once upon a time, one hundred thousand years ago, at least six species of humans inhabited Earth. Homo sapiens survived, but what happened to the others? And what may happen to us?

‘Sir Cumference and the First Round Table’ by Cindy Neuschwander

Join Sir Cumference, Lady Di of Ameter, and their son Radius for wordplay, puns, and problem solving. King Arthur was a good ruler, but now he needs a good ruler. After calling all his strongest and bravest knights together to defend the kingdom, he finds that his conference table causes more problems than the threat of their enemy. With the help of the carpenter, Geo of Metry, Sir Cumference and his family design the perfect table conducive to discussing the perfect plan for peace.

‘P is for Pterodactyl: The Worst Alphabet Book Ever’ by Raj Halder and Chris Carpenter

Turning the traditional idea of an alphabet book on its head, this book introduces children to the crazy world of silent letters and absurd homophones. Whimsical and unique, this book takes silent letter entries like ‘K is for Knight’ a step further with ‘The noble knight’s knife nicked the knave’s knee.’ Lively illustrations provide context clues, and alliterative words help readers navigate text like ‘a bright white gnat is gnawing on my gnocchi’ with ease.

‘Terry Denton’s Really Truly Amazing Guide to Everything’

A mini book of facts packed with maximum humour! Sure to engage anyone from the ages of 8 to 80 (and beyond), this is a funny, fascinating whistle-stop tour of the history and science of the universe, life on Earth, the ins and outs of biology, geography, geology and the weather, how life evolved and how it works, and how people use chemistry and the forces of nature to create amazing things. There’s even a chapter on time! Get ready to laugh and be amazed.

‘Our World: A First Book of Geography’ by Sue Lowell Gallion

Children are invited to identify and experience the Earth’s amazing geography through rhyming verses and lush illustrations: from rivers, lakes, and oceans deep, to valleys, hills, and mountains steep. Dive a little deeper with detailed, curriculum-focused facts that make the reading experience personal yet set within a global backdrop. This informative homage to Earth is sure to inspire readers to learn more about their planet – and to engage with the world around them.

‘Fractions in Disguise’ by Edward Einhorn

When a valuable fraction goes missing, George Cornelius Factor (a.k.a. GCF) vows to track it down. Knowing that the villainous Dr. Brok likes to disguise his ill-gotten fractions, GCF invents a Reducer—half ray gun, half calculator— that strips away the disguise, reducing the fraction to its lowest common denominator and revealing its true form. With the Reducer in hand, George seeks out Dr. Brok in hopes of retrieving the missing fraction.

Read our backyard games for the whole family recommendations for some fun ways you can bond with your children!