30 days. 26 posts. 37 nonfiction picture books! This year involved a lot of research in finding new nonfiction picture books as worked my way from A to Z. I hope you take a minute to click on a few posts to learn about more books to add to your own library or to request from your local library. In the comments, I would absolutely LOVE for your to share your favorite book listed below.

And just like that...the 2025 A to Z Blog Challenge has come to an end. Thank you for reading and I hope you found a couple new nonfiction picture books to share with the little (and big) readers in your life. The World Is Not a Rectangle: A Portrait of Architect Zaha HadidWritten & Illustrated by: Jeanette Winter As a young girl, Zaha loved the different shapes found in nature.

The Sequoia Lives OnWritten by: Joanna CookeIllustrated by: Fiona Hsieh A whimsical book filled with facts and beautiful illustrations that showcase the majestic sequoia trees which can be found at Yosemite National Park. This would be a great book for children to see the life cycle of a tree. "Sequoia leaves take in that sunlight and also air. Exhale and your breath could come food for a sequoia." …

Ok...so aXidental isn't spelled like that, but I really wanted to share this book and couldn't find another X themed nonfiction picture book that I wanted to share. The Boo-Boos That Changed the World: A True Story About an Accidental Invention (Really!)Written by: Barry WittensteinIllustrated by: Chris Hsu Ever wonder how band-aids were invented? Earle and Josephine were newly weds in 1917.

Wild Places: The Life of Naturalist David Attenborough Written by: Hayley RoccoIllustrated by: John Rocco A beautifully illustrated picture book that is a celebration of our beautiful planet. David loved learning about the wild world around him as a young boy. He then shared with others the beauty of nature through television programs and worked to promote ways to take care of our planet together.

Ada's Violin: The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of ParaguayWritten by: Susan HoodIllustrated by: Sally Wern Comport This is a beautiful book filled with hope through music. Ada grew up in a town built on a landfill. A music teacher wanted to teach children how to play instruments but realized he only had a few to loan. The community was poor and children could not be walking around town with expensive instruments.

How Do You Spell Unfair? MacNolia Cox and the National Spelling BeeWritten by: Carole Boston WeatherfordIllustrated by: Frank Morrison MacNolia loved words and actually read the dictionary! In 8th grade she won her school spelling bee and advanced to a state competition. She then went to Washington D.C. for the National Spelling Bee. It is here that we see racism and segregation.

Are We There Yet?: The First Road Trip Across the USA Written by: Stacy McAnulty Illustrated by:Elizabeth Baddeley It's 2025 and I am uninterested in driving across the country...just to say I did it. Imagine a drive from California to New York in 1903! It took 63 days! This book is sure to be a hit with children as they see the lack of roads, bridges, windshields, seat beats, maps, GPS, etc.

Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean's Most Fearless Scientist Written by: Jess KeatingIllustrated by: Marta Alvarez Miguens From a young age, Eugenie loved the sharks at the aquarium. Her mother gave her, her own small aquarium and she read everything she could about sharks. She became known as "The Shark Lady" for studying them and being the first to train a shark to gage intelligence.

Mister Rogers' Gift of Music Written by: Donna CangelosiIllustrated by: Amanda Calatzis Fred Rogers spent time alone in his room watching kids play outside his window due to severe asthma. His mother played the piano to cheer him up. "Music was sunshine." He used music to share his feelings and eventually share his music with the world through his television show.

Queen of Physics: How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom Written by: Teresa RobesonIllustrated by: Rebecca Huang Wu Chien Shiung was born in 1912 in China. Her parents wanted to give her the best education and actually opened a school for her and girls in the area. She continued learning and found atoms fascinating. Through careful experiments and studying, she was able to help unlock the secrets of the atom.

Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura BelpreWritten by: Anika Aldamuy DeniseIllustrated by: Paola Escobar A stunning story of the importance of representation in books and libraries. Pura is a storyteller from Puerto Rico who moves to Manhattan. Stories from her country, with characters who looked like her family, were missing from the shelves. She started telling her stories at the library, used puppets and wrote her own books to share important stories of her culture.

One Wish: Fatima al-Fihri and the World's Oldest University Written by: M.O. YukselIllustrated by: Mariam Quraishi Fatima loved learning and dreamed of building a school for all. She faced hardships in her country due to war and loss. She persevered and built a school for all over 1,000 years ago. The university is still operating today. "Fatima knew her school was like planting a single seed that would continuously bloom with each student who studied there.

Not Yet: The Story of an Unstoppable SkaterWritten by: Zahra Lari & Hadley DavisIllustrated by: Sara Alfageeh Whimsical illustrations show young Zahra wanting to learn to skate. The repeated phrase of "not yet" is filled with determination and the power of yet! The authors note is absolutely lovely. "I am happy to say that although I was the first skater to compete in a hijab, I'm not the last."

Malala's Magic Pencil Written by: Malala YousafzaiIllustrated by: Kerascoet Malala's story about her passion for learning and school. Her fear of girls being unable to attend school due to dangerous people. The power of her words to share her story. "I knew then that if I had a magic pencil, I would use it to draw a better world, a peaceful world." …

The Great Lakes: Our Freshwater Treasure Written by: Barb RosenstockIllustrated by: Jamey Christoph A perfect book for anyone who has ever visited The Great Lakes or anyone wanting to learn more. The book walks us through how The Great Lakes were formed, fresh vs. salt water and what we can all do to protect our precious fresh water. A Line Can Go Anywhere: The Brilliant, Resilient Life of Artist Ruth Asawa…

Knut: How One Littler Polar Bear Captivated the World Written by: Juliana, Isabella, and Craig Hatkoff and Dr. Gerald R. Uhlich The story of a polar bear cub born in a zoo and taken care of by a man named Thomas, his foster father. Children will appreciate the photographs of the cub. They will also relate to stories of him learning to swim and having his teeth come in.

Joan Procter, Dragon Doctor: The Woman Who Loved Reptiles Written by: Patricia ValdezIllustrated by: Felicita Sala In the early 1900's, from a young age, Joan loved reptiles. As a young woman, she worked in a Natural History Museum where she students reptiles and published her findings. Eventually, she took over and was known for creating beautiful exhibits that had what the reptiles needed.

The InterpreterWritten by: Olivia AbtahiIllustrated by: Monica Arnaldo This stunning story, while not true nonfiction, was inspired by the author's life growing up and can be true for many children. Young Cecilia was a kid...but also an interpreter for her parents. This book skillfully shows the challenges a family faces when English is not their first language. It shows the beauty of a child helping with things that most children do not help their parents with.

Ho'onani Hula Warrior Written by: Heather GaleIllustrated by: Mika Song Inspired by a true story, Ho'onani is a ukulele loving girl in Hawaii who identifies more with simply her name than kane (boy) or wahine (girl). She auditions for a typical male role as a hula warrior and is truly herself. "Strong, sure, and steady." This behavior bothers her sister...until her sister sees her perform.

The Girl Who Heard the Music: How One Pianist and 85,000 Bottles and Cans Brought New Hope to an Island Written by: Marni Fogelson with Mahani TeaveIllustrated by: Marta Alvarez Miguens On the island of Rapa Nui, Mahani learned to love music and play piano. She traveled far away to study music. When she returned, more tourists visited the island, along with a lot of floating trash.

Fighting with Love: The Legacy of John LewisWritten by: Lesa Cline-Ransome Illustrated by: James E. Ransome Written and illustrated by a wife and husband team, this book shines a light on the power of fighting with love to do what is right. "Hold only love, only peace in your heart, knowing that the battle of good to overcome evil is already won." …

Extraordinary Magic: The Storytelling Life of Virginia Hamilton Written & Illustrated by: Nina Crews A story told through poetry about Virginia's life as a child, loving writing, growing up through adversity and realizing her words held power. "Virginia traveled across the US and around the world. But her most extravagant trips were in her mind. Extraordinary magic born from dreams. Stories about young people struggling to understand their place in a complicated world.

Digging for Words: Jose Alberto Gutierrez and the Library He BuiltWritten by: Angela Burke KunkelIllustrated by: Paola Escobar One Jose is a young boy who looks forward to Saturday each week. Another Jose is a garbage collector who rescues books and opens his special library on Saturdays only. This book celebrates the joy of reading and power of imagination.

Cactus Queen: Minerva Hoyt Establishes Joshua Tree National Park Written by: Lori Alexander Illustrated by: Jenn Ely A powerful story about perseverance and determination. Minerva saw the beauty in the Joshua trees that people were removing from the desert in the 1920s. She had a goal and a dream to turn the desert into a National Park. Through grit, perseverance and the help of others, we have Joshua Tree National Park.