2026 Blogging A to Z Challenge: eXplore
Probably the hardest letter of the whole alphabet – the Letter “X”. For this year’s 2026 Blogging A to Z Challenge, I cheated just a little bit and went with the word, eXplore! And with this word, I chose nonfiction board books. And you may be thinking, “Nonfiction, in a board book? That’s got to be so boring!” But, I promise you, nonfiction for kids is so fun now! It’s filled with interesting facts, fun, new vocabulary, and lots of bold splashes of color.
Nonfiction board books are great for toddlers who ask a lot of questions, it’s great for caregivers who are passionate about specific topics and want to share that info with little ones and it’s a great place for the family to explore new topics of interest. So, whether you’re interested about animals, outer space, scientists, the water cycle, or the jobs of big trucks, there’s a little bit of everything for everyone on this list!
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2026 Blogging A to Z Challenge: eXplore
Frog by Maggie Li
From a tiny, vulnerable spawn to a tadpole swimming away from hungry fish, Frog evolves before readers’ eyes in a fun, informative board book that explores the life cycle of a frog. A die-cut throughout the book emphasizes how nature is full of changes—and how a frog’s life is full of excitement!
Maisy Loves Water by Lucy Cousins
We all need water for drinking, washing, growing—and jumping in puddles, like Maisy! But where does it come from, and where does it go? Join the curious mouse as she explores wildlife living in ponds, drops a stick in a stream to watch it float away, and follows a stream all the way to the ocean, where she and her friends can play, swim, and snorkel. There’s so much to see under the water! In the Maisy’s Planet series, each sturdy board book celebrates a different feature of the natural world, with bold colors, clear language, and a fun spread to open out at the end. Kids love to love our planet with Maisy!
One Little Seed by Becky Davies, illustrated by Charlotte Pepper
Children love to explore the outdoors. This engaging board book introduces young readers to the process of how flowers grow, encouraging them to get outside and explore their own outdoor world. They’ll read about where to find flowers, and even learn how to plant a seed of their own. Through simple facts, prompts, and activities, children will discover what different flowers smell like, what kinds of bugs use flowers for food and a place to live, how to find those bugs, and much more. This sturdy board book, which includes shaped lift-the-flaps and peek-through pages throughout, is the perfect nonfiction book to inspire a love of nature in young readers.
Sadie Soars into Space by Arezu Sarvestani, illustrated by Floss Pottage
What are comets made of? Which planet is the hottest? Which one is the coldest? Join Sadie and her cat, Buckles, on a daring journey through the solar system to answer these questions and more. In this delightful tale, Sadie visits each planet, marveling at comets, asteroids, and more along the way. And with each stop, young readers are introduced to fascinating facts about outer space, sparking curiosity about the wide expanse of our universe. Sadie Soars into Space is an engaging and educational addition to any toddler’s library.
This Little Scientist by Joan Holub, illustrated by Daniel Roode
Asking why.
Then making a guess.
Asking how.
Then proving with tests.
Little scientists make great big discoveries.
In this follow up to This Little President, This Little Explorer, and This Little Trailblazer now even the youngest readers can learn all about great and empowering scientists in history! Highlighting ten memorable scientists who paved the way, parents and little ones alike will love this discovery primer full of fun, age-appropriate facts and bold illustrations.
Whose Big Rig? by Toni Buzzeo, illustrated by Ramon Olivera
This nonfiction follow-up to Whose Truck? features six kinds of specialized rigs used to construct a light-rail system—a tunnel borer, an excavator, a bulldozer, a tie dragon, a tamping machine, and a bucket truck—with five different parts of each rig properly labeled. The answer to each inquiring refrain of “Whose rig is this?” is revealed under a gatefold, engaging the reader in an informative guessing game about construction machines and their operators.
Whose Nest Is Best? by Heidi E. Y. Stemple, illustrated by Gareth Lucas
A cup-shaped nest
made of twigs, grass, and mud,
holds a light blue surprise.
Can you guess who’s inside?
From robins to owls to orioles and more, birdwatchers of all ages can learn about egg colors, nest building, and the joyful quirks of the avian world that takes flight right outside our windows.
Whose Prints? by Kari Allen, illustrated by Kim Smith
Who tiptoed across the snow? Who scurried and skittered? Who slink-slink-slinked along? Little readers will love looking at different tracks in the snow and figuring out which animal made each one.
Who’s Egg Is That? by Darrin Lunde, illustrated by Kelsey Oseid
Written by a mammalogist at the Smithsonian, this clever preschool page-turner pairs seven eggs with information about the animals’ survival mechanisms, asking kids to guess which animal laid which egg. Whose Egg Is That? reveals the animals–ranging from penguins to platypuses–in their own habitats.
2026 is my eleventh year participating in the Blogging A to Z Challenge! This year, my theme is Board Books for Babies with a focus on providing book suggestions that parents and caregivers can share with, of course, babies, but also toddlers and preschoolers! Each letter of the alphabet will focus on a different subject and will provide nine titles for each subject. While there are dozens of classic board books out there, this list includes titles published in the past 5-6 years, so you’ll get to learn about new titles, authors, and publishers! Stop by daily to check out the new books and other posts that I’ll be sharing in April.
