Reading about the real world can be a lot more thrilling than fictional stories, especially if you find the right books. Stories of real-life heroes who've shaped the world we live in today... Incredible scientific discoveries... The multitudes we can find within ourselves by exploring our mental health... These are just some of the topics non-fiction books for readers aged 13 and 14 delve into.
So, if you'd like to uncover all the mysteries of our planet, get informed on social and political matters and even understand the entire history of humanity itself, take a look at our list of non-fiction series below. There is something for every area of interest for young, curious minds!
Georgina Atwell
Toppsta
2025-06-03
2024-09-10
Best Non-Fiction Books for Teens
SAPIENS: A GRAPHIC HISTORY Series
Based on the success of Yuval Noah Harari's Sunday Times #1 bestseller Sapiens, and illustrated by David Casanave, this graphic novel series is a brilliant introduction to the history of humanity for young readers aged 13+. Starting from the beginning of time, these full-colour illustrated comic books tell the story of humankind's creation and evolution, exploring the ways in which biology, agriculture, power and history have defined us. Sapiens challenges young readers to reconsider accepted beliefs, connect past developments with contemporary concerns, and view specific events within the context of larger ideas. Featuring easy-to-understand text and full colour comics, the books are only about 256 pages long each, making them a brilliant read even for reluctant readers.
From the historian and author of the multi-million bestselling Sapiens, Yuval Noah Harari, comes an incredible new story of the human race for younger readers aged 13+, illustrated by the brilliant Ricard Zaplana Ruiz. We humans aren't strong like lions, we don't swim as well as dolphins, and we definitely don't have wings! So how did we end up ruling the world? This book answers just that very question, telling the story of how us humans got here from hunting mammoths to flying to the moon. By exploring our innate ability to tell stories and use our imagination, Yuval Noah Harari gets to the bottom of how we're truly unstoppable, whether that is a good or a bad thing. The books are packed with fun facts, including how fire shrank our stomachs, how our ancestors spoke to animals and what football can tell us about being human. But the core message is that we have the ultimate power to mould and shape our world.
If you're on the hunt for some support with secondary school STEM subjects, we could not recommend the Big Fat Notebook series more. Each title covers a different area of STEM, from computer science and coding to chemistry, geometry and algebra. The books are constructed as if they were the notebook of the best student in class, and all the information you will need to pass texts and exams is presented in an accessible, relatable way. Any important vocabulary words are highlighted in yellow, related terms and concepts are written in blue pen and clear step-by-step examples and calculations are supported by explanations, colour coding, illustrations and charts. These books are fantastic companions to textbooks and make studying that much easier, especially when you hit crunch time!
You Mind Matters is a book series designed to support teenagers in understanding and managing mental their health, written by Honor Head and illustrated throughout by Roberta Terracchio. Each book delves into a topic related to our mental health, whether that be social media's influence on our sense of self, managing stress and anxiety, looking after our health (both mental and physical) and understanding our feelings. The books are full of hints and tips to use in everyday life, advice from experts in the field, as well as links to further resources.
Written by brilliant experts of different activist, anti-bias and anti-racism fields, and illustrated by the fabulous Aurelia Durand, the Empower the Future series is one we find ourselves recommending time and time again to teenagers who want to walk in the world with awareness. Each book is designed to empower young people to stay informed and make the change they wish to see in this world. Written by experts in their field, including Tiffany Jewell, an anti-bias, anti-racist educator and activist, Jamia Wilson, the former director of the Feminist Press, and Tia Bell, a community leader and gun prevention expert, the books investigate our climate crisis, racism and what it means to live in a racialised world, as well as sexism and other forms of bias.
Here's a series for all our teen history buffs! The Adventures in Time series explores real-life adventures from the past, whether lived through famous historical figures or the people of everyday life, each book between 300 and 400 pages. From the stories of Alexander the Great and Cleopatra, to the lives of Henry VIII's six wives and female factory workers of WW2, the books in this series are truly adventurous and totally true. While some of the titles hone in on one single person's story in detail, others take you on a journey through the eyes of many different people who lived during tumultuous times, uncovering their challenges, anxieties and all the change they witnessed in their years. We highly recommend these books to all history lovers, as well as fans of any action-packed adventure.
Whether you're a complete beginner, an avid student or an armchair expert, you'll find plenty of food for thought in this series that simply explains pretty much anything you might want to learn about. The books use creative design and innovative graphics along with straightforward and engaging writing to make complex subjects easier to understand. With over 7 million copies worldwide sold to date, these award-winning books provide just the information needed for students, families, or anyone interested in concise, thought-provoking refreshers on a single subject. From the basics of philosophy and theology to economics, politics and business, the books are packed with short, pithy explanations that cut through the jargon and step-by-step diagrams that untangle knotty theories.
