Best history books for kids

Are you a budding historian? Do you love all things history, from ancient kingdoms all the way to the world's latest mind-fizzing inventions?

With this fantastic selection of books all about history, you can explore anything about history you love! Go back in time to uncover secrets from ancient history with Tales of Ancient Worlds and The Silk Roads, or unleash your inner feminist with Herstory and Little Leaders! If you want a challenging read, you can check out The Diary of Anne Frank and if you are a reader that prefer a humourous read, you can start collecting some of the Horrible Histories!

We've covered the Far East, Black British history, women in history, WW2, the history of cities, inventions, history book series, humour and more!

On this list, there is a book for all readers of all ages that might want to know more about how we've shaped the world we live in today. These reads are not only informative, but many of them are packed-full of bold and bright illustrations with extra little details to spot from history!

Georgina Atwell

Toppsta

2022-12-08

2022-12-03

Best history books for kids

Tales of Ancient Worlds

What links shipwrecks, Egyptian treasure, and fossilized Viking poo? They've all been discovered by archaeologists! Dig inot the world of archaeology in this book by YouTuber Stefan Milosavljevich. Read about incredible finds such as the terracotta army that hid underground for 2,000 years and the mysterious Ice Age temple made from mammoth bones. Along the way see if you have what it takes to be an archaeologist and meet the pioneering women and men who have brought the past back to life.

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The Silk Roads: The Extraordinary History that created your World - Illustrated Edition

Set your sails east with this stunningly original new history of the world. Peter Frankopan, number one bestselling author and historian explores the connections made by people, trade, disease, war, religion, adventure, science and technology in this extraordinary book about how the east married the west with a remarkable voyage at its heart - the journey along the Silk Roads. From ancient world laws laid down by King Hammurabi and the mighty Persian empire, to terrifying huns, the rise of Europe, two world wars and politics today, The Silk Roads moves through time and history sewing together the threads from different peoples, empires and continents into a phenomenal history of the globe. With stories from each and every corner of society, Frankopan's magnificent brand new text based on his literary triumph The Silk Roads, sumptuously illustrated by Neil Packer, is a must-have world history.

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Lands of Belonging: A History of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Britain

Publishing for the 75th anniversary of the Partition of India in August 2022, this book is a unique exploration of the rich and complicated history of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Britain.

There are many ways of telling the same story, and how you tell it depends on your point of view. Some stories are so complicated, or difficult to explain, that they're not often told at all. Like the story of how a company ended up running a country, or how one man drawing a line on a map could change the lives of millions of people forever.

This book aims to piece together the interesting, surprising, and sometimes very sad story of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Britain, and how these countries have shaped one another over the centuries. From exploring the vast empires and amazing inventions of ancient India, to revealing the challenges faced by South Asian migrants to Britain - or celebrating the amazing culture, innovations, inventions, and achievements of British people of South Asian heritage today - this book shows how the past, present and future of these four countries will always be intertwined.

Written by Donna and Vikesh Amey Bhatt who were inspired to write this book for their two young sons, with consultancy by Rajbir Hazelwood , historian of South Asia and Modern Britain, Lands of Belonging includes an exploration of the impact of British rule over India (India, Pakistan and Bangladesh were all one country at the time), from the foundation of the East India Company to India's involvement in supporting Britain during both World Wars, to India's fight for independence and the British government's decision to Partition the country, resulting in the largest migration of people in history.

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HerStory: 50 Women and Girls Who Shook the World

One of The Guardian's Best New Children's Books for Summer 2018.

Longlisted for the North Somerset Teachers' Book Award.

Instead of just studying history, let's think about HerStory too! In this uplifting and inspiring book, children can learn about 50 intrepid women from around the world and throughout history. Telling the stories of their childhood, the challenges they faced and the changes they made, each gorgeously illustrated spread is a celebration of girl power in its many forms. With a range of pioneering careers - from astronauts to activists, musicians to mathematicians and many more - young readers will be inspired to follow their own dreams and to make the world a better place. Compelling, motivating and brilliantly illustrated in equal measure, this is the perfect introduction to just some of the amazing women who have shaped our world.

List of women featured: Elizabeth I, Joan of Arc, Indira Gandhi, Theresa Kachindamoto, Empress Wu Zetian, Harriet Tubman, Boudicca, Hatshepsut, Isabella I of Castile, Sacagawea, Frida Kahlo, Beatrix Potter, Coco Chanel, Billie Holiday, Anna Pavlova, Mirabai, Maya Angelou, Georgia O'Keeffe, Emily Bronte, Sarah Bernhardt, Florence Nightingale, Helen Keller, Anne Sullivan, Mary Seacole, Shirin Ebadi, Maria Montessori, Mother Teresa, Wangari Maathai, Elizabeth Blackwell, Eva Peron, Marie Curie, Rachel Carson, Ada Lovelace, Hypatia, Rosalind Franklin, Mary Anning, Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Hodgkin, Dian Fossey, Valentina Tereshkova, Malala Yousafzai, Rigoberta Menchu, Amelia Earhart, Hannah Szenes, Rosa Parks, Noor Inayat Khan, Emmeline Pankhurst, Cathy Freeman, Sophie Scholl, Anne Frank.

This is a lush non-fiction collection with beautiful illustrations, photos and interesting facts. Herstory celebrates fearless women from all over the world, and is sure to inspire young girls and women everywhere.

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Timelines of Everything: From woolly mammoths to world wars

Explore 13 billion years of history in the comfort of your own home! Journey through time and discover how some of the world's greatest events unfolded.

From the Big Bang all the way through to the digital age, this incredible visual encyclopedia for children shows you just about everything that has ever happened in history.

Witness history come alive as you travel through more than 130 stunning timelines. Discover an unprecedented collection of history timelines and a wealth of knowledge about the world, packed with fantastic photographs and illustrations, along with informative text and fun facts. The history book covers the rise and fall of empires to ground-breaking scientific breakthroughs and inventions that changed our lives.

This educational book is an imaginative way of illustrating world history for children aged 8 and over. Throughout the pages, your child will get to meet the most bloodthirsty pirates of all time and discover what happened during the storming of the Bastille. It's a fantastic book for young readers with a natural curiosity about history around the world.

Find your place in the world and understand where you fit in. Whether you want to discover the history of cinema or fashion, aviation, or espionage. There's something for everyone in this glorious guide through global history!

The History of Everything - Ever

This fascinating reference book tells the story of a diverse range of subjects throughout history in an easily digested graphic format. After your kids dive into this book, you'll never hear them use the words "history" and "boring" in the same sentence again.

Take a trip back in time! This history book for kids covers the following eras:
- Prehistory: Before 3000 BCE
- The Ancient World: 3000 BCE - 500 CE
- The Medieval World: 500 - 1450
- The Age of Exploration: 1450 - 1750
- The Age of Revolution: 1750 - 1914
- The Modern World: After 1914

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Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History

I made up my mind to try. I tried and I was successful. - Bessie Coleman

Meet the little leaders. They're brave. They're bold. They changed the world.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Did you know the treatment for leprosy was developed by a young scientist called Alice Ball?
And Josephine Baker- world famous cabaret singer and dancer- was also a spy for the French resistance?

Featuring 40 trailblazing black women in the world's history, this book educates and inspires as it relates true stories of women who broke boundaries and exceeded all expectations.

Debut author/illustrator Vashti Harrison pairs captivating text with stunning illustrations as she tells the stories of both iconic and lesser-known female figures of black history, including:

Nurse Mary Seacole
Politician Diane Abbott
Mathematician Katherine Johnson
Singer Shirley Bassey

Inspire your own little leader with the stories of these amazing women.

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The Diary of Anne Frank (Abridged for young readers)

The Diary of a Young Girl abridged for younger readers and published in memory of Anne Frank, who died 70 years ago, just weeks before the end of World War II. Sensitively edited and with a connecting commentary by editor, Mirjam Pressler, the abridged edition of The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank gives younger readers their first introduction to the extraordinary diary of an ordinary girl who has long become a household name. This abridged edition has a short prologue written by the editor, Mirjam Pressler, as well as a connecting commentary. There are beautiful line drawings, family photographs, and an Afterword to explain why the Diary ends so abruptly. This shorter edition is suitable for younger children who want to read Anne's diary for themselves.

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British Museum: A History of the World in 25 Cities

A stunningly illustrated book of extraordinary city maps, telling the story of human civilisation throughout history.

A gorgeous, large-format gift hardback with a stunning neon cover, A History of the World in 25 Cities features 25 beautifully illustrated city maps from all over the world, from ancient history to the present day.

Co-authored by award-winning children's authors Tracey Turner and Andrew Donkin in consultation with specialist curators at the British Museum , readers can visit cities from every inhabited continent on Earth, from the walled city of Jericho built over 10,000 years ago, to the modern-day metropolis of Tokyo, the most-densely populated city in the world today.

Featuring vibrant, beautifully detailed artwork from Libby VanderPloeg , each carefully researched map takes readers on a city tour at a unique moment in time - from exploring Athens in ancient Greece during the birth of democracy, to walking the beautiful lamplit streets of medieval Benin, deep in the West African rainforest. Readers can even visit China's long-lost capital city of Xianyang - a city for which no original map exists, which was brought to life with support from the British Museum 's fantastic team of experts.

Each map is followed by two gorgeously illustrated pages of fascinating information about what life was (or is ) like for the inhabitants of each city, including a bite-sized look at each city in numbers. Packed with countless facts for curious readers to return to again and again, this is a perfect gift for children who want to explore history from around the world.

Cities featured include Jericho, Memphis, Athens, Xianyang, Rome, Constantinople, Baghdad, Jorvik, Benin City, Tenochtitlan, Granada, Beijing, Venice, Delhi, Cuzco, Amsterdam, Sydney, Paris, London, Bangkok, Saint Petersburg, New York City, Berlin, San Francisco and Tokyo, plus an exploration of Cities of Today and Cities of Tomorrow.

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You Are History: From the Alarm Clock to the Toilet, the Amazing History of the Things You Use Every Day

From the alarm clock to the toilet, discover the incredible history all around you in this hilarious and fascinating book from popular historian and podcaster Greg Jenner.
Thought history was only in museums? Think again! Join Greg Jenner as he takes you on a trip through the amazing history hidden in the things you use every day. Did you know that the first TV was made out of biscuit tins and knitting needles? Or that the humble paperclip helped lead an anti-war movement? Or that a few hundred years ago it was fashionable to style your hair with cat poo?! Find out the delightful, daft and downright deadly history of your everyday life that your teachers won't tell you about. Bursting with humorous illustrations and entertaining true stories, this is history - but not as you know it!

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Black and British: A short, essential history

Winner of the Book of the Year, Children's Illustrated and Non-Fiction at The British Book Awards, 2021

Shortlisted for Waterstones Book of the Year 2020

A short, essential introduction to Black British history for readers of 12+ by award-winning historian and broadcaster David Olusoga.

When did Africans first come to Britain?

Who are the well-dressed black children in Georgian paintings?

Why did the American Civil War disrupt the Industrial Revolution?

These and many other questions are answered in this essential introduction to 1800 years of the Black British history: from the Roman Africans who guarded Hadrian's Wall right up to the present day.

This children's version of the bestseller Black and British: A Forgotten History is illustrated with maps, photos and portraits.

Macmillan Children's Books will donate 50p from every copy sold to The Black Curriculum.

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