*DISCLOSURE* Thank you to National Geographic Kids for providing product samples in order to facilitate this post. All thoughts are strictly my own.
I love giving books as gifts, especially when they are awesome educational books!
National Geographic Kids has a great selection of amazing books to choose from...here are some of our favorites:
Explorer Academy: The Nebula Secret
by Trudi Trueit
-- NEW FICTION SERIES! -- ($16.99, hardcover, ages 8-12)
Adventure, danger, and a thrilling global mission await 12-year-old Cruz Coronado as he joins an elite school for explorers. Cruz leaves his tranquil home in Hawaii to join 23 talented kids from around the globe to train at the Explorer Academy with the world's leading scientists to become the next generation of great explorers. But for Cruz, there's more at stake. No sooner has he arrived at the Academy than he discovers that his family has a mysterious past with the organization that could jeopardize his future. In the midst of codebreaking and cool classes, new friends and augmented reality expeditions, Cruz must tackle the biggest question of all: Who is out to get him, and why?
Readers can get in on the excitement with puzzles and codes embedded throughout and book two in this seven book series, The Falcon’s Feather, comes out this March!
This is a great series for older readers. I love that there are Nat Geo pics throughout the book!
Just Joking Jumbo 2
- GREAT STOCKING STUFFER! - (ages 7-10, paperback, $14.99) Kids will laugh their tail off with a jumbo-size, jam-packed joke book featuring 1,000 jokes and 1,000 photos. With silly facts that are strangely true, laughable lists, conversation jokes, and long-story jokes with hilarious endings, this full-color, supersize book include funny stuff about pets, technology, spooky sensations, adventures, around-the-world wonders, animals, myths and legends, dinosaurs, music, and treasure hunting. It's the perfect combination of laughing, learning, and maybe jump-starting a career in comedy!
So many fun jokes packed in this book along with amazing photos!
To the Moon and Back: My Apollo 11 Adventure A Pop-Up Book
by Buzz Aldrin with Marianne J. Dyson
Pop-Up Fun! (ages 8-12, hardcover, $32.00) -- In celebration of the Apollo 11 Mission's 50th Anniversary and punctuated by intricate pop ups and paper folds, in To The Moon and Back Buzz Aldrin shares his personal stories and reflects upon what historians call "humanity’s greatest adventure.” Never-before-published anecdotes from Aldrin and his family run the range of emotions — funny, sad, dangerous, hair raising, heartwarming and inspiring — and provide a truly unique, behind-the-scenes look at the mission to the moon.
Additionally, vivid photos, clearly marked diagrams and elaborate pop ups illustrate and explain the fascinating science behind this incredible story of human achievement and a build-your-own Apollo 11 lunar module is also included.
Fly With Me: A Celebration of Birds Through Pictures, Poems and Stories
This gorgeous book (ages 4-8, $24.99) is a family affair, created by the iconic Jane Yolen and her three adult children, Heidi, Adam and Jason Stemple. This thoughtful and beautifully curated collection of our flying, feathery friends highlights the role birds play in human life from centuries ago to present day. While it's beautiful and contains many original poems, it's also full of valuable real science about these wondrous creatures. From history and behavior to spotting and photographing, there's something for every bird fan in the flock. Young birders will learn all about migration and the importance of habitat conservation. They'll find stories about bird rescues and fun facts about the fastest, strongest, and tiniest fliers. They'll also discover the best bird nests, sweet songs to sing, ways to listen for and identify the birds around them, and more. Written by Jane and her children to honor the late David Stemple, a loving husband and father and avid birder, this treasury is sure to become a classic for bird enthusiasts of all ages. Additionally, the release of Fly with Me is timed to Nat Geo's celebration of the Year of the Bird, their 2018 initiative to bring awareness to the plight of birds around the world.
This beautiful book would make a lovely gift for bird lovers!
Dog Science Unleashed: Fun Activities to Do With Your Canine Companion
Dog Science Unleashed (ages 8-12, paperback, $12.99) shows kids how they can learn about science with the most faithful lab partner they'll ever have, their dog! Twenty-two safe and pup-friendly activities let young scientists discover how their canine companions think, move, drink, stay warm, get clean and cool off. From determining your dog’s favorite smell, to figuring out if your dog is a righty or a lefty, to making a stethoscope to listen to your hound’s heart, Dog Science Unleashed explores the science behind dogs’ senses, how they move, how they learn and much more. Each activity is paired with step-by-step instructions, clear and interesting scientific explanations, and photographs that illustrate important elements of the experiments and observations. Hands-on activities and fun information for budding scientists prompt further learning and offer a look at current, groundbreaking canine research.
Dog Science Unleashed is a Hands-on Science Book finalist for the AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science. I love that it encourages hands-on, investigative experiences.
Ultimate Predatorpedia: The Most Complete Predator Reference Ever
(ages 7-10, hardcover, $24.99) - Welcome to the amazing world of creatures who prey on others for their survival: from high-profile sharks, lions, tigers, and bears to the tiniest ants, mites, and spiders. Every animal in this book is ferocious, fierce, and fantastic in its own way! With colorful photographs and fun facts, this easy-to-use encyclopedia features profiles accompanied by Did You Know details, and fast facts (including scientific name, size, diet, and habitat), as well as thematic spreads covering topics from predatory techniques to defenses and communication, and much more. Fans of Ultimate Dinopedia, Ultimate Bugopedia, and Ultimate Reptileopedia in the same series, will want to find a place for Ultimate Predatorpedia on their bookshelves.
This book was a huge hit with my kiddos who are super interested in predator/prey relationships. Another amazing collection of pictures!
National Geographic Kids Why Not?: Over 1,111 Answers to Everything
(ages 8-12, hardcover, $19.99) - The concept is simple. Got a question? Boy, do we have answers! Over 1,111 of them. Why don't you keep growing your whole life? Check out the human body section. Why aren't we traveling by jetpack yet? Tech has your answer. Why aren't school buses red? Flip to the pop culture chapter. Why aren't dinosaurs still alive? Why can't you walk on clouds? It's all there! With hundreds of topics ranging from silly to serious, we've got the expert information in a fun Q&A format that will keep kids digging for answers. Answers include all kinds of fascinating extra info like top 10 lists, weird-but-true facts, explorer profiles, and cool activities. Now, go stump your parents!
This is a super fun resource book that would be great for road trips this holiday season!
Ultimate Secrets Revealed: A Closer Look at the Weirdest, Wildest Facts on Earth
(ages 8-12, hardcover, $19.99) -- Did you know that caterpillars liquefy when they turn into butterflies? That humans shed eight pounds of skin every year? That there's a funky forest in Poland where all the trees are mysteriously crooked? That space smells like burnt plastic? Our world is filled with strange, bizarre, and weird realities. But what do they mean? WHY are they important? And what exactly is the secret behind them? With Q&As with in-the-field experts, fantastic infographics and exciting stories, this book takes readers behind the scenes of the truly bizarre, to reveal the truth behind our planet's wildest and wackiest. Meet the mind-boggling bacteria that make Yellowstone National Park's Morning Glory Pool pop with radiant color, discover the mysteries behind the Sphinx of ancient Egypt, learn how tornadoes are so powerful, and so much more!
Another book full of amazing information and pictures!
We loved these books so much, we have partnered up with National Geographic Kids to give one lucky reader a prize pack including a copy of every single book above! That's a $152 ARV!
(U.S. only please)
Enter below: