Best YA Nonfiction (61 books)

Add and vote for your favorite YA/teen nonfiction books. Anything in the YA or YA-crossover market that is nonfiction -- essays, biography & memoir, how-to, nonfiction anthologies, etc -- is eligible for this list.

flag

All Votes Add Books To This List

1	The Secrets of Filming Swallows & Amazons (1974) by Sophie Neville (Goodreads Author) 4.40 avg rating — 67 ratings score: 1,700, and 17 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
2	Chasing Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson 3.84 avg rating — 12,432 ratings score: 697, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
2	Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin 4.14 avg rating — 21,013 ratings score: 697, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	Instruction Manual for the 21st Century Samurai by Alexei Maxim Russell (Goodreads Author) 3.94 avg rating — 98 ratings score: 500, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	To See Far: Conflict and Cooperation on the Space Frontier by Jim Van Laak 4.92 avg rating — 13 ratings score: 500, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
6	Once Upon a Road Trip (Once Upon a Road Trip, #1) by Angela N. Blount (Goodreads Author) 3.70 avg rating — 466 ratings score: 400, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
7	Can I See Your I.D.?: True Stories of False Identities by Chris Barton (Goodreads Author) 3.39 avg rating — 289 ratings score: 396, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
8	Master of Deceit: J. Edgar Hoover and America in the Age of Lies by Marc Aronson (Goodreads Author) 3.69 avg rating — 450 ratings score: 393, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
9	They Called Themselves the K.K.K.: The Birth of an American Terrorist Group by Susan Campbell Bartoletti 3.85 avg rating — 2,923 ratings score: 390, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
10	True or False: A CIA Analyst's Guide to Spotting Fake News by Cindy L. Otis (Goodreads Author) 4.01 avg rating — 1,094 ratings score: 299, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
11	The Upstairs Room by Johanna Reiss (Goodreads Author) 3.84 avg rating — 12,116 ratings score: 297, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
11	The Cat I Never Named : A True Story of Love, War, and Survival by Amra Sabic-El-Rayess 4.51 avg rating — 2,895 ratings score: 297, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
13	Dear Teen Me: Authors Write Letters to Their Teen Selves by E. Kristin Anderson (Goodreads Author) (Editor) 3.69 avg rating — 643 ratings score: 296, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
13	Shakespeare: The World as Stage by Bill Bryson 3.82 avg rating — 48,954 ratings score: 296, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
15	Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman 3.65 avg rating — 7,160 ratings score: 295, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
16	The Nazi Hunters: How a Team of Spies and Survivors Captured the World's Most Notorious Nazi by Neal Bascomb (Goodreads Author) 3.96 avg rating — 5,726 ratings score: 294, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
17	The Look Book by Erika Stalder 3.77 avg rating — 52 ratings score: 293, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
18	Drawing Words and Writing Pictures by Jessica Abel (Goodreads Author) 4.09 avg rating — 1,738 ratings score: 287, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
19	The Pigman & Me (The Pigman, #3) by Paul Zindel 3.75 avg rating — 1,023 ratings score: 200, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
20	Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream by Tanya Lee Stone (Goodreads Author) 3.99 avg rating — 1,922 ratings score: 198, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
21	Janis Joplin: Rise Up Singing by Ann Angel 3.85 avg rating — 497 ratings score: 195, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
21	For the Good of Mankind?: The Shameful History of Human Medical Experimentation by Vicki Oransky Wittenstein 3.72 avg rating — 199 ratings score: 195, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
23	Hidden Gold: A True Story of the Holocaust by Ella Burakowski (Goodreads Author) 4.35 avg rating — 325 ratings score: 194, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
24	I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed the World by Malala Yousafzai (Goodreads Author) 4.34 avg rating — 36,343 ratings score: 193, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
25	Bootleg: Murder, Moonshine, and the Lawless Years of Prohibition by Karen Blumenthal (Goodreads Author) 3.68 avg rating — 1,072 ratings score: 192, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
25	How I Resist: Activism and Hope for a New Generation by Maureen Johnson (Goodreads Author) (Editor) 3.85 avg rating — 1,916 ratings score: 192, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
27	The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba (Goodreads Author) 4.24 avg rating — 11,731 ratings score: 190, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
28	Tim & Tigon by Tim Cope 4.08 avg rating — 90 ratings score: 186, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
29	Pure Grit: How American World War II Nurses Survived Battle and Prison Camp in the Pacific by Mary Cronk Farrell (Goodreads Author) 4.19 avg rating — 645 ratings score: 183, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	Zlata's Diary: A Child's Life in Sarajevo by Zlata Filipović 3.76 avg rating — 12,414 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	Chew on This: Everything You Don't Want to Know About Fast Food by Eric Schlosser 3.76 avg rating — 5,002 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	21 Teen Devotionals...For Girls! (True Beauty Books Book 1) by Shelley Hitz (Goodreads Author) 3.91 avg rating — 34 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	Journey By Starlight: A Time Traveler's Guide to Life, the Universe, and Everything by Ian Flitcroft (Goodreads Author) 4.32 avg rating — 215 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	Grunge Childe by Michael Kanuckel (Goodreads Author) 4.50 avg rating — 2 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	Gettysburg: The True Account of Two Young Heroes in the Greatest Battle of the Civil War by Iain C. Martin (Goodreads Author) 3.84 avg rating — 19 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	Legacy of Rescue: A Daughter's Tribute by Marta Fuchs (Goodreads Author) 4.27 avg rating — 26 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	I am Enough: Journal Affirmations for Girls by Elizabeth D. Gray (Goodreads Author) 3.81 avg rating — 53 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	Shark Lady: True Adventures of Eugenie Clark by Ann McGovern 4.06 avg rating — 509 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	Reflections of El: In Search of Self by Lloyd A. Green (Goodreads Author) 3.88 avg rating — 8 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	Yoko's Diary by Paul Ham (Goodreads Author) (Editor) 3.95 avg rating — 372 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	The Total Deconstruction of Chloe Wilson by Rebecca L. Carpenter (Goodreads Author) 3.43 avg rating — 14 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	What Does it Mean to be White in America?: Breaking the White Code of Silence, A Collection of Personal Narratives (2LP EXPLORATIONS IN DIVERSITY) by Gabrielle David (Goodreads Author) 3.74 avg rating — 23 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	To the Survivors: One Man's Journey as a Rape Crisis Counselor with True Stories of Sexual Violence by Robert Uttaro (Goodreads Author) 4.03 avg rating — 191 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	Cleopatra Rules!: The Amazing Life of the Original Teen Queen by Vicky Alvear Shecter (Goodreads Author) 3.61 avg rating — 246 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	My Dearest Diary: Five Years in the Life of Cathy Cornellia by Cathy Cornellia 4.36 avg rating — 11 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	Are Men the Weaker Sex? by Josette Sona (Goodreads Author) 3.52 avg rating — 21 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	The Power of Style: How Fashion and Beauty Are Being Used to Reclaim Cultures by Christian Allaire 4.05 avg rating — 423 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds 4.46 avg rating — 54,313 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
49	Mystery monsters of the deep by Gardner Soule it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 4 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
49	Alexander the Great Rocks the World by Vicky Alvear Shecter (Goodreads Author) 4.16 avg rating — 50 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
49	Only Remembered by Ian Beck (Goodreads Author) (Illustrator) 4.10 avg rating — 80 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
52	Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story by Gregg Lewis 4.38 avg rating — 2,731 ratings score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
52	How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous by Georgia Bragg 4.08 avg rating — 6,600 ratings score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
52	Stories of World War One by Tony Bradman 3.74 avg rating — 57 ratings score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
55	Witches: The Absolutely True Tale of Disaster in Salem by Rosalyn Schanzer 3.63 avg rating — 3,433 ratings score: 97, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
55	The Best Little Girl in the World by Steven Levenkron 3.68 avg rating — 5,518 ratings score: 97, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
55	Every Falling Star: The True Story of How I Survived and Escaped North Korea by Sungju Lee 4.30 avg rating — 7,652 ratings score: 97, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
58	Recyclo-gami: 40 Crafts to Make your Friends GREEN with Envy! by Laurie Goldrich Wolf 2.57 avg rating — 23 ratings score: 96, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
58	The Dark Game: True Spy Stories from Invisible Ink to CIA Moles by Paul B. Janeczko 3.38 avg rating — 409 ratings score: 96, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
60	Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty by G. Neri (Goodreads Author) 3.99 avg rating — 6,940 ratings score: 95, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
60	The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism & Treachery by Steve Sheinkin 3.83 avg rating — 5,328 ratings score: 95, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars