Welcome to our monthly book recommendations for August 2026! At the start of last month we spent time posting about all the amazing bookpost we had received instead of doing a recs post, but we’re back now to share the great non-fiction books we read over the (sometimes) summery month of August.
Non-Fiction
The History Of The Bayeux Tapestry – Libby Walden and Nina Chakrabarti (pub. Nosy Crow)
With the return of the Bayeux Tapestry to England a thousand years after it was made, this is a wonderfully illustrated book that helps children understand this amazing work of art.
From explaining what the tapestry actually is, how it was made and what it was made of, it goes on to tell the reader how to ‘read it’ and the story it tells.
Covering the Norman legacy and why the Battle of Hastings was a pivotal moment in English history, this is an easily accessible and informative book that’s ideal for ages 7 years up.
Thanks Nosy Crow for our copy.
Tiny Tours Travel Guides: Ancient Egypt – Adam Thompson and Erica Harrison (pub. Messy Press)
We’re staying on the history theme, but travelling a bit further back in time for this one!
With our tour guide, Tiny (a mouse), on hand, this book is packed full of information on Ancient Egypt, all clearly laid out to make the most of your visit. Like all the best guides, there’s a helpful map (it even folds out!) at the front that leads the reader on to sections covering every aspect of daily life.
The guide then talks about where and what to eat, where to go, what to see, local customs, and even what souvenirs to take home! This is a colourful and fun way for primary school children to investigate the past.
Thank you Messy Press for our entertaining copy, and we look forward to visiting London next year!
Pyramid Boy – Satoshi Kitamura (pub. Walker Books)
Carrying on the theme of Ancient Egypt, Pyramid Boy brilliantly melds fiction with fact when a young boy follows a cat in a museum and ends up in Ancient Egypt.
There he meets Pepi, an Egyptian boy who shows him around the city, where they visit the papyrus makers and the sculptor’s studio, and ultimately join a gang working on a pyramid. The charming colour illustrations capture the ins-and-outs of the lives of the people in an almost-graphic novel style, which is a great way to engage younger readers.
This title is sure to follow the success of Satoshi’s Stone Age Boy published in 2008, which has become a classic and a popular resource in primary schools.
Five Second Science: Earth & Space – Minerva Black (pub. Wayland)
These small books are an absolute treasure trove of scientific facts for primary children.
Here the reader can find out about floating rocks, how old the universe is, how diamonds are formed and much, much more. It’s ideal for any young questioning mind, and the perfect launch-pad for deeper inquiry or to spark an interest in science subjects.
Each quick-fire fact is presented on its own page, together with a full-colour illustration in a bold, bright palette. And don’t miss the quick-fire quiz at the back to test your science knowledge! Hopefully you’ll do better than we did…
For others in the series, Five Second Science: Biology is out now, and Physics and Chemistry are coming next year!
Cryptids – Tamara Macfarlane and Valentino Lasso (pub. DK)
With stunning neon-coloured illustrations, this book will capture the interest of readers fascinated by ‘baffling beasts and curious creatures’!
It’s packed with creatures from around the world that all enjoy TWO stylish double-page spreads that cover various facts and theories, as well as sections that look at the difference between a cryptid and a mythological creature, and some of the hoaxes that have been presented to the public over the years.
We particularly enjoyed the fascinating bit towards the end where the author looks at the many creatures that seemed imaginary but have recently been found to exist, challenging what we thought we knew of the natural world and the future of cryptozoology.
This book is bound to be a massive hit for any reader interested in the strange and unexplained!
An Alien’s Guide to Dinosaurs – Myles Mcleod and Lee Cosgrove (pub. DK)
Another great title from DK, this one is a wonderful addition to the catalogue of books on dinosaurs and something very different, particularly for younger enthusiasts.
Here we join a crew of aliens from Planet Proxima, as they travel to Earth on a mission to learn about dinosaurs…only to find they became extinct millions of years ago, which leads to them travelling back in time!
The hilarious comic drawings of the crew and the many dinosaurs they meet create a fun read that’s full of facts about dinosaurs and the people involved in the development of paleontology.
Bridging the gap between a light fictional story and non-fiction information is a great way to keep kids engaged. It’s a bright and colourful journey into the past like never before!
That’s it for August’s recommendations, and thank you again to all the publishers and reps who sent us these fantastic books. Join us on Threads/Instagram, Bluesky, or Twitter/X, and let us know what you’ve been reading!
If any of the books have grabbed your attention, you can pick up a copy of them via our recommendations list below.
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If you’re looking for more book round-ups, check out our previous reviews here.
