The 5 Best Nonfiction Book Series for Your 10, 11, & 12 Year Old Reluctant Readers
Have you recently found yourself worrying about your child’s reading when you’ve never had to worry about it before? Or has reading always been a struggle for your child? Books become longer, pictures become less common, and reading becomes more challenging as children progress through elementary school. If getting your child to read has become more difficult, try finding books they can’t resist. One of the first things I would suggest doing is finding nonfiction books they may be interested in. Many children prefer reading nonfiction texts, but they may not have access to them. Regardless of your child’s interests, there are likely a number of engaging nonfiction books to choose from. I’m sharing some of the best nonfiction book series for your 10, 11, & 12 year old reluctant readers.
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History Smashers is a relatively recent line of nonfiction books written for older kids that discusses well-known events in depth. The series earns its’ title by debunking common myths about the topic. The book includes illustrations, humor, and other elements that are sure to keep even the most reluctant readers captivated. If your child is not into history, then I’d suggest starting with the Titanic. As an experienced middle school teacher, I can tell you that interest in the Titanic is nearly universal and timeless.
The National Geographic Kids Almanac is sure to captivate children who do not think they enjoy reading. This book covers a broad range of topics and covers each one with short paragraphs that won’t overwhelm your child. The book also includes gorgeous photos, colorful illustrations and other graphics to help engage your child while they learn more about so many different topics. In addition to their annual almanacs, National Geographic Kids has so many more books that focus more on specific topics!
Biographies of athletes and celebrities are another favorite of many readers, even those who do not prefer reading. The Who Was series has over 200 books that tell the stories of a wide variety of people who have had interesting lives, including athletes, business leaders, historical figures, actors, and politicians. These are quick reads with illustrations, and you are sure to find one that will pique your child’s interest. There is also a line of books in the series that feature more recent people.
The engaging Science Comics series combines nonfiction with graphic novels and could be exactly what your child needs to start reading again. These books are rich with information about a wide variety of topics, including engines, engineering, and crows. The topics are interesting enough on their own, but the graphics are both engaging and informative. If you’re not sure which topic to start with, my middle school students always enjoyed learning about extreme weather, so I’d consider starting there
This is historical fiction, but I’m including it in this list because it is engaging and includes information at the end of each book. Kids in this age range love a survival story (don’t we all?) The I Survived book series has a variety of survival stories that will keep your child on the edge of their seat. The series covers a range as far back as Pompeii all the way up to the 2018 California Wildfires, with a variety of intriguing stories in between. Your child will immediately be engaged while reading about The Great Molasses Flood in this series.
As children get older, they are often only exposed to longer works of fiction, which many children do not prefer! As a result of this, some children who previously loved reading may believe that they don’t anymore when the truth is they just don’t have access to the right books. Grabbing any of the books from some of the best nonfiction book series for your 10, 11, & 12-year-old reluctant readers is sure to reignite your child’s spark for reading!
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