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Quick answer: If your child loves Who Would Win?, try National Geographic Kids Almanac, Weird But True!, DK Eyewitness Shark and Guinness World Records. All are fact-filled, picture-packed books for curious kids who love animals and strange comparisons.
Jerry Pallotta's Who Would Win? series pits animals against each other, such as a lion and a tiger or a shark and a giant squid, with bright illustrations and easy facts. Children love the comparisons and the stats. The books below offer similar animal facts, amazing records and quick reading for ages six to ten.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Geographic Kids Almanac | National Geographic Kids | Ages 7-12 | all-round facts |
| Weird But True! | National Geographic Kids | Ages 7-12 | quick facts |
| DK Eyewitness: Shark | DK | Ages 7-12 | detailed guide |
| Guinness World Records | Guinness World Records | Ages 7-12 | records |
| Ripley's Believe It or Not! | Ripley Entertainment | Ages 8-12 | strange but true |
| National Geographic Kids Ultimate Dinopedia | Don Lessem | Ages 7-12 | dinosaur facts |
| National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Dinosaurs | Catherine D. Hughes | Ages 4-8 | young readers |
| The Magic School Bus Inside the Human Body | Joanna Cole | Ages 6-9 | science adventure |
| Frogs | Nic Bishop | Ages 6-10 | close-up photography |
| The Bad Guys | Aaron Blabey | Ages 6-10 | villains turned good |
| Dinosaurs Before Dark | Mary Pope Osborne | Ages 6-9 | adventure |
| The Wild Robot | Peter Brown | Ages 8-12 | robot and animals |
| Dog Man | Dav Pilkey | Ages 6-10 | graphic novel |
| Diary of a Wimpy Kid | Jeff Kinney | Ages 8-12 | comic diary |
| What If? | Randall Munroe | Teen | hypothetical science |
1. National Geographic Kids Almanac by National Geographic Kids
A colourful yearly book of animals, science and world facts. Packed and fun.
Best for: all-round facts.
2. Weird But True! by National Geographic Kids
Hundreds of odd facts with photos. Short and silly.
Best for: quick facts.
3. DK Eyewitness: Shark by DK
A photo-rich guide to sharks. Clear and thorough.
Best for: detailed guide.
4. Guinness World Records by Guinness World Records
The yearly book of extremes and records. Fun to flick through.
Best for: records.
5. Ripley's Believe It or Not! by Ripley Entertainment
A collection of odd facts and photographs. Weird and fun.
Best for: strange but true.
6. National Geographic Kids Ultimate Dinopedia by Don Lessem
An A-to-Z guide to dinosaurs. Big and detailed.
Best for: dinosaur facts.
7. National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Dinosaurs by Catherine D. Hughes
A simple, photo-filled book about dinosaurs. Friendly.
Best for: young readers.
8. The Magic School Bus Inside the Human Body by Joanna Cole
A class shrinks to travel inside a body. Fun and informative.
Best for: science adventure.
9. Frogs by Nic Bishop
Stunning photographs of frogs with simple text. Beautiful.
Best for: close-up photography.
10. The Bad Guys by Aaron Blabey
A wolf, snake, shark and piranha try to be heroes. Hilarious.
Best for: villains turned good.
11. Dinosaurs Before Dark by Mary Pope Osborne
Jack and Annie travel to the age of dinosaurs. The start of Magic Tree House.
Best for: adventure.
12. The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
A robot washes up on an island and learns from its animals. Gentle.
Best for: robot and animals.
13. Dog Man by Dav Pilkey
Half dog, half police officer, Dog Man fights crime. Silly and quick.
Best for: graphic novel.
14. Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
Greg Heffley records his awkward middle-school adventures. A giant of reluctant-reader fiction.
Best for: comic diary.
15. What If? by Randall Munroe
Munroe answers absurd questions with real science. Funny and smart.
Best for: hypothetical science.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Who Would Win: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
How to Choose
For animal facts choose National Geographic Kids Almanac, Weird But True! or DK Eyewitness: Shark. For strange records read Guinness World Records or Ripley's Believe It or Not! For dinosaurs pick the Dinopedia or Dinosaurs Before Dark. For funny fiction try The Bad Guys or Dog Man. Who Would Win? is built for browsing, so these picks suit readers who like to flip around. Pallotta's books are popular in classrooms because the comparisons spark debates, and the series has dozens of titles, so children can read many without running out. Libraries usually keep them near the animal non-fiction.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Who Would Win?
A series of non-fiction books that compare animals and decide who would win.
Who wrote it?
Jerry Pallotta, with illustrations by Rob Bolster and others.
What age is it for?
Roughly ages 5 to 10.
How many books are there?
Dozens. Check current listings.
Are the books accurate?
They use real facts and give a fun verdict.
Are they good for reluctant readers?
Yes, the format is quick and visual.
Do they have a winner?
Yes, each book gives a result.
What should we read next?
Try National Geographic Kids Almanac or Weird But True!
Which book here is best for records?
Try Guinness World Records by Guinness World Records, which suits readers looking for records.
Which book here is best for young readers?
Try National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Dinosaurs by Catherine D. Hughes, which suits readers looking for young readers.
Which book here is best for villains turned good?
Try The Bad Guys by Aaron Blabey, which suits readers looking for villains turned good.
Which book here is best for graphic novel?
Try Dog Man by Dav Pilkey, which suits readers looking for graphic novel.