14 Great Geography Books for Kids
I earn a commission from products purchased through links in this post.
My kids know a surprising amount of geography considering they have never completed a formal geography curriculum. Most of their geography knowledge comes from the geography activities I wove into our days. The rest comes from geography books and a road trip or two.
I began using this approach when they were in early elementary school. Children’s books and fun activities made a traditionally boring subject fun. Young readers might need a bit of help from their parents, but these books can be used during family read-alouds.
There are titles for each continent as well as world geography and map skills.
Geography Books for Kids

This is How We Do It: One Day in the Lives of Seven Kids From Around the World by Matt Lamothe
- Amazon Kindle Edition
Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Geography isn’t just the study of country statistics, borders, and geographical features. It also includes learning about other cultures.
I like that this book shows how seven children around the world live. It begins by introducing the children and then shows many parts of their daily lives such as their home, who else lives in their home, their clothing choices, the foods they eat, and the games they play.
This is a delightful book that shows children that we have a lot in common.
Children’s Illustrated Atlas by DK
- Hardcover Book
Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
An illustrated atlas is a great geography book to keep on hand for kids to reference. An atlas is essentially one large map of the world, but there are also pages with different regions of the world.
This version covers the entire world and is well organized. I particularly like the various keys for each country. They depict more than just major cities or geographical features. At least one of the keys shows where various types of produce are grown in a country.
Geography: An Illustrated A – Z Glossary: An Introduction to Earth’s Geological Features for Kids by B.C. Lester Books
Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
This book isn’t the kind of book you will likely curl up on the couch reading with your kids. It is still a useful geography book for kids to see, though. Geography terms, such as archipelago, bay, delta, plateau, etc are all illustrated and defined. Illustrations can really help visual learners understand the different words.
Swift Walker: A Continental Journey: Geography Books for Kids! by Verlyn Tarlton and Candace E. West
Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Swift Walker tells the fictional tale of a young boy who walks all over the world. He sees great places on his journey to all of the continents. Younger kids will love this book!
Learning About North America by Christine Petersen
This informative book is perfect for children who want to learn about North America. Kids will read about the country names that are included in this continent. They will also read about major cities, North America’s mountains, landforms and climates, natural resources, various cultures, and economies.
Discovering Geography of North America with Books Kids Love by Carol J. Fuhler
Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
This book is a great resource for teaching North America geography to children. It focuses on regions of the United States but does have a section on Canada and another on Mexico.
Each chapter offers a variety of books, activities, and lessons to help kids learn about the geography of the U.S.
The regions covered include:
- The Pacific Coast states
- The Mountain states
- The Southwestern states
- The Heartland
- The Great Lakes states
- The New England states
- The Mid-Atlantic states
- The Appalachian Highlands
- The Southeastern States
- Alaska and Hawaii
ABCS of Countries: South America by Des O’Gorman
Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
This ABC alphabet picture book provides a brief overview of South America for kids. Each letter is connected with at least one place or thing. There is a sentence or two that provides a short discussion.
Picture books like this are great to pique interest. It is impossible to teach children every single aspect of a continent, so it makes sense to focus our efforts on things our kids find interesting. Some of the facts are just interesting tidbits they learned while we dive deeper into other topics. All of the information offers opportunities for making connections with the world around us.
Europe (A True Book: The Seven Continents) by Joana Costa Knufinke
Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Kids who enjoy impressing people by spouting random facts will enjoy this book. They will learn all of the standard information about Europe, but they will also learn things like that the country of Greece has over 2,000 islands.
The topics covered focus on:
- Land and Climate
- Plants and animals
- An Overview of History
- Life in Europe Today
Learning About Asia by Andrea Wang
The book quickly explains the geography of Asia in a kid-friendly way. The text on each page is fairly short so kids won’t get bored. It will hold their interest while they learn about the landforms, resources, and people of Asian countries.
Africa, Amazing Africa: Country by Country by Atinuke
- Hardcover Book
Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
This book is both informative and beautiful. Africa is a very large continent with many different countries, but the book has a good flow because it is broken down by region:
- South
- East
- West
- Central
- North
Readers get a brief overview of every country and different cultures, but it is written in a way that makes you want to learn more.
Australia and Oceania (A True Book: The Seven Continents) by Barbara Somervill
Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
There are not many geography books for kids about Oceania. This might be because Oceania is the smallest continent on Earth. It is made up of Australia and many small islands.
This book explains all of the traditional geography facts about this continent with the addition of other interesting facts. Kids might be interested to know that the vast majority of Australian citizens live within 31 miles of the ocean.
Life in Antarctica by Baby Professor
Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
This book teaches elementary students about Antarctica. They will learn about the plants and animals that survive this harsh climate.
Follow That Map! by Scot Ritchie
- Amazon Kindle Edition
Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Readers will learn all about how to interpret various types of maps and map keys while they search for a cute puppy and cat. The animals are hidden within every picture, which is sure to keep kids engaged and wanting to keep turning the page. There are even instructions about how to create a map of a bedroom.
Me on the Map by Joan Sweeney
Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Me on the Map is a classic book used to teach map skills. I had an earlier version of this book in my kindergarten book center almost twenty years ago! I liked using it for little ones because it starts with the main character, a little girl, and expands outward. This is how young children learn about the world. It starts with the little girl and expands to her bedroom, then her house, and so on. Maps are shown all along the way.
Children’s books can be a great tool to teach geography. They make learning fun and still provide plenty of information. Add these titles to your book lists and reserve them from your local library.
Keep reading . . .
- Geography Games for Kids
- Create a Geography Curriculum Your Kids Will Love
- How to Make a Rice Krispies Map
- Let’s Go Geography Review
- A Fun and Easy US Geography Curriculum
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
