With this book list, you can find nonfiction books for 12-year-olds. Many teachers and I agree that kids should read a wide range of books, including nonfiction. Hope this list will help.

Nonfiction Books for 12-Year-Olds (7th Grade)

Never Caught, The Story of Ona Judge: Young Readers Edition by Erica Armstrong Dunbar and Kathleen Van Cleve

If you're looking for a well-written narrative nonfiction book, this one is. But, to be honest, I felt sick when I read about the world Ona was born into and raised in. and that George Washington owned people. In this book, the authors set the scene and background for the world that Ona is born into. At the age of 10, Ona is Martha Washington's personal servant. Having worked for 13 years for no pay, no days off, and no freedom to feel, Ona learns that Martha plans to send Ona to Martha's unkind granddaughter as a "gift." Ona is shocked. One of the other freed slaves living in the city helps Ona get north. Angry, Washington wants to break his own law, the Fugitive Slave Act. He wants to capture and return the woman to his wife without a trial. Then again, Ona doesn't live that way, and even though she has lost many things, she is still free.

Anne Frank’s Diary: The Graphic Adaptation adapted by Ari Folman, illustrated by David Polonsky

There are diary entries and dialogue that work well together to make a graphic novel story that is well-written, well-thought-out, and insightful. When Anne talks about her daily life in hiding, which isn't always very exciting, but it does lead to a romance with the boy her age who lives there, too.

The Making of America: Susan B. Anthony by Teri Kanefield

I love this book because it made me think about all the things I take for granted. It also made me admire Susan B. Anthony, who worked tirelessly to fight for women's rights and the rights of African American people. There were very few girls who were well-educated and Quaker at the time. Anthony was raised as one of them. In fact, she even went to seminary for a short time before her family's money situation changed her direction in life. Because of her, women can own property, vote, divorce abusers, have custody of their children, and be citizens because of the efforts of Susan B. Anthony and other people who wanted to make women more equal. I hope that middle schoolers, both boys and girls, have to read this book. It's also good for kids to know how much one person can do to help the world.

Girl CEO Priceless Advice from Trailblazing Women by Ronnie Cohen and Katherine Ellison

In this book, there are 40 interesting stories about women who did great things. Your kids will be inspired to see their dreams as things that can happen. The CEO (chief executive officer) girls and women in this book are also entrepreneurs who came up with their own unique ideas for a business. I love reading about how each woman came up with a way to meet a need, often based on something they had done in their own lives. Josephine Cochrane came up with the idea for an automatic dishwasher after a few too many chipped dishes. Each featured story has illustrations, an important quote, and 3-4 pages about the woman that show how much the authors did research and talked to the women.

Survivors of the Holocaust: True Stories of Six Extraordinary Children by Kath Shackleton, illustrated by Zane Whittingham

These Holocaust survivor stories must be told, and they must be told well. This is what happened to these six kids: They started out just like any other kids who are reading their stories. They were ordinary kids who had to leave their homes and be separated from their families, be taken as prisoners, and hide from people. Graphic storytelling with unique art helps you remember the clear, compelling stories that will stay with you. A lot of these kids have had a lot of bad things happen in their lives. Even though these kids are still alive, we still feel like we've lost something even though they did. We need to read more books like this. We can't forget. Buy this book for your school and library!

Accidental Archeologists: True Stories of Unexpected DIscoveries by Sarah Albee, illustrated by Nathan Hackett

Albee always writes great nonfiction books, and this one is no exception. There are stories about accidental archaeological discoveries that are very interesting. The writing is very good, and the stories are very good, too. She adds black and white photos, informational insets, and updates for the present day. A 5300-year-old mummified body, a battle-worn golden Buddha statue, and other interesting things were found. I think you will, too!

Black Heroes of the Wild West by James Otis Smith

This is a great graphic novel that tells the stories of three African-Americans who lived in the Old West. They were not well-known at the time. Smith is a great storyteller, and you'll be sucked into the stories right away. There were many jobs in Stagecoach Mary's life, and one of them was catching a wild mustang stallion. Bob Lemmons used his skills to train the horse.

Escape from Alcatraz: The Mystery of the Three Men Who Escaped From the Rock by Eric Braun

For 12 year olds, this is a very interesting non-fiction book to read. There was no way to get out of Alcatraz. The author puts together the background and plans of each man who broke out of the prison. In the book, there are a lot of photos that make the history more real.

Issac The Alchemist Secrets of Issac Newton, Reveal’d by Mary Losure

This well-written chapter book about a person's life grabs your attention and doesn't let go of it for long. Wow, that's great! In his early years, Newton had a hard time, but his curiosity and genius were always there. It took a while for Newton to get a chance to go to the university, but in the end, he became one of the world's most well-known scientists, the father of physics. I think this is a great book for people who like to read narrative nonfiction.

Becoming RBG: Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Journey to Justice by Debbie Levy, illustrated by Whitney Gardner

With this well-written graphic novel, you can show young people the interesting life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. It shows her life from when she was a child to when she was an adult, including her family life. You'll see how women were treated differently from men and how Ginsburg, a trailblazer, had to deal with things that other people did not. She was discriminated against in person. Because some schools didn't let women go to law school, she didn't go to law school. Even though she was top of her class, she didn't get any job offers. Ginsburg became interested in civil liberties and gender discrimination because of her own experiences and desire for fairness. A lawyer and judge were not the only jobs she had. She ended up becoming an officer of the United States Supreme Court. Readers will see how Ginsburg was true to herself and her goals and kept going even when things were hard. She used her career to fight for equal rights. The book is well-written and worth reading.

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