Best Nonfiction Books for 5 Year Olds (2026): 5 Compared

Five-year-olds ask why about everything, and the best nonfiction books for 5 year olds answer with pictures. We compared five books by author, length, reading age, grade level and publisher, using only what each listing publishes, from a 224-page encyclopedia to a 48-page math adventure.

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The picks

#	Product	Shelf Score	Buy
1	VHC First Encyclopedia	9.6/10	Buy
2	First Big Book of How	9.5/10	Buy
3	The Big Book of Airplanes	9.4/10	Buy
4	Pebbles and the Biggest Number	9.4/10	Buy
5	The Day the Crayons Came Home	9.3/10	Buy

1

VHC First Encyclopedia

DK·9.6/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A 224-page encyclopedia in Eric Carle's style, with over 250 illustrations, for ages 2 to 5.

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Pros

• 224 pages from DK Children, 2022
• Over 250 illustrations, per the description
• Reading age 2 - 5 years and grade level Preschool - 2 are stated

Cons

• Reading age tops at 5, so older kids may outgrow it fast
• Science and space facts may date as fields advance
• 224 pages is long for one sitting

2

First Big Book of How

Jill Esbaum·9.5/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A 128-page National Geographic book answering how-things-work questions, for ages 3 to 7.

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Pros

• 128 pages from National Geographic Kids, 2016
• Over 100 photos, per the description
• Reading age 3 - 7 years and grade level Preschool - 2 are stated

Cons

• Published 2016, the oldest of the reference books
• Only 128 pages versus the 224-page encyclopedia
• No grade level beyond 2 is stated

3

The Big Book of Airplanes

DK·9.4/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A 32-page DK book on aircraft, from jumbo jets to seaplanes, for ages 3 to 8.

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Pros

• Reading age 3 - 8 years and grade level Kindergarten - 4 are stated
• Each plane type gets its own spread, per the description
• 32 pages from DK Children, 2016

Cons

• 32 pages is the lowest page count of the reference books
• Aircraft only; no other topics
• Published 2016

4

Pebbles and the Biggest Number

Joey Benun·9.4/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A 48-page STEM picture book about big numbers, for ages 4 to 8.

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Pros

• Reading age 5+ years and grade level 2 - 3 are stated
• Glossary, number visualizer and online activities, per the description
• 48 pages from 2023, the newest of the five

Cons

• Math only; a single topic
• Grade level starts at 2, so 5-year-olds may need a read-with-me adult
• 48 pages is short

5

The Day the Crayons Came Home

Drew Daywalt·9.3/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A 48-page illustrated sequel about crayons asking to come home, for ages 3 to 7.

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Pros

• 48 pages, illustrated, for ages 3 to 7
• Glow-in-the-dark neon ink, per the description
• Reading age 3 - 7 years and grade level Preschool - 3 are stated

Cons

• A fiction sequel, so the weakest nonfiction fit here
• 48 pages is short
• Published 2015, the oldest here

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More picks to compare

• Lonely Planet Kids How Trains Work24 pages, lift the flaps, ages 4 to 8Check on Amazon
• Dolly's Kindness Journey44 pages, interactive kindness story, ages 4 to 6Check on Amazon
• Sadie Soars into Space28 pages, solar system facts, ages 2 to 6Check on Amazon
• Confidence Building Stories For Kids122 pages, 20 five-minute stories, ages 4 to 8Check on Amazon

Compare the picks

Book details as published on each listing, collected 18 October 2026.

How we scored them

The Shelf Score weighs fit for a five-year-old seeking facts, contents and edition, value, and the listed reading age or level. Every one of the five lists a reading age or level from customers. How we pick explains the weights.

Scores run from 9.2 to 9.8: each book’s point total is placed on that range, so more points always means a higher score. Reading age or level counts on a list where at least one listing gives one, and a book whose listing gives none then scores zero on it. Where no listing gives one, the score is taken over the other 85 points. Books carry no warranty, so warranty is not scored.

How to choose the best nonfiction books for 5 year olds

Match the reading age

The Very Hungry Caterpillar encyclopedia lists ages 2 to 5, the National Geographic book 3 to 7, the Big Book of Airplanes 3 to 8, and Pebbles 5 and up. The Day the Crayons Came Home lists 3 to 7. For a five-year-old reading alone, Pebbles matches exactly; for reading together, any of the others.

Pick the topic

For how-things-work questions, the National Geographic book answers why questions. For breadth, the Very Hungry Caterpillar encyclopedia covers science, space, animals and the human body. For planes, the DK book. For math, Pebbles. For more, see our picture books lists.

Check the length

The encyclopedia is 224 pages, the National Geographic book 128, the Big Book of Airplanes 32, and Pebbles and the Crayons book 48 each. Longer books suit browsing; shorter ones suit one sitting. See all kids and teens books for more formats.

Before you buy

• The Day the Crayons Came Home is a fiction sequel, not a fact book.
• Only Pebbles targets 5 and up exactly; the others cover 5 within a wider range.
• The Very Hungry Caterpillar encyclopedia tops at age 5, so older kids may outgrow it fast.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the longest book?

The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Very First Encyclopedia at 224 pages.

Which targets age 5 exactly?

Pebbles and the Biggest Number lists reading age 5 and up.

Which are true fact books?

The National Geographic book, the Big Book of Airplanes and the Very Hungry Caterpillar encyclopedia. Pebbles mixes facts into a story, and the Crayons book is fiction.

Still deciding? Our top pickVHC First Encyclopedia

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Related lists

See every picture books list and all kids and teens books.

More lists: science books for 5 year olds, space books for 5 year olds.