Novel Nonfiction

Lions and tigers and bears … and mummies and sharks and gunslingers, oh my! Each of these dramatic new nonfiction titles offers 3-D thrills and densely designed pages packed with detailed graphics, lush illustrations and fun factual information. Everything from pop-ups and posters to models and freestanding figures are included in these sophisticated offerings, making history and science come alive for kids.

Encyclopedia Prehistorica: Mega Beasts, the third and final installment in the acclaimed trilogy of titles from master pop-up artists Robert Sabuda and Matthew Reinhart, features six double-page spreads highlighting the exciting world of prehistoric creatures, from the woolly mammoth to the saber-tooth tiger and beyond. Bonus mini-spreads throughout the book feature fun facts and lots of additional extinct mammals, birds and lizards. ($27.99) Candlewick Press, Cambridge, Mass.

Tomb Hunters: Discover the Incredible Lost World of Egypt by Clive Gifford, one of several books in the Trailblazers series, takes kids on an archeological adventure across the desert and into the heart of a lost civilization. Features include flaps, photos of genuine relics and a secret drawer that pops open to reveal maps, charts, stickers, a paper pyramid model kit and the ancient Egyptian game of Senet. ($19.95) Perseus Books (Running Press Kids), New York

Alive: The Living, Breathing Human Body Book, from the award-winning science writer Richard Walker, offers an intriguing look inside the body's systems through pop-ups, flaps, pull-tabs, sound chips, acetate overlays and other interactive features. And although the text is geared toward older kids (ages 9 to 12), younger scientists-in-the-making will also delight in the book's unusual elements and eye-catching diagrams. ($24.99) Dorling-Kindersley, New York

Animal Explorers: A Swim in the Ocean, written by Dorothea DePrisco and illustrated by Robert Morton, incorporates an engaging nonfiction book with both puzzle and role play, as its 15 animal pieces either fit into their individual habitat pages or pop out of the book to stand freely. A foldout playmat is also included for extra fun with the seal, turtle, clownfish, whale, dolphin and other ocean creatures found inside. ($12.95) Silver Dolphin, San Diego

James Harpur's Warriors: All the Truth, Tactics, and Triumphs of History's Greatest Fighters showcases the awe-inspiring—and often brutal—lives and heroic deeds of some of the world's fiercest fighters and societies, from the ancient Assyrians and Spartans to the Aztecs and Zulus. Even the mysterious ninja are profiled among these pages, which are enhanced with pop-ups, envelopes with pull-out cards, and bonus posters featuring the most renowned battles, tactics and weapons. ($21.99) Simon & Schuster (Atheneum), New York

Anton Radevsky's The Wild West Pop-Up Book features a lively pastiche of popular lore, true stories and a bit of movie history in a celebration of the legendary world of the American West. Features include both complex pop-ups (everything from a complete Old West town to a pistol with working trigger to a herd of cattle) as well as freestanding models (stagecoach and horses, steam train, cowboy and more). ($24.95) Sterling Publishing, New York