Are your students animal lovers? Budding artists? Fascinated by history? Enthralled with astronauts and space? We suggest the following Smithsonian books about art, science, history, and adventure for after-school reading.

Celebrate America in Poetry and Art
By Nora Panzer

This diverse collection of poems explores our nation’s history, landscape, people, pastimes, cities, and farms. Illustrations include paintings, sculpture, drawings, and photographs from the Smithsonian American Museum of Art. Writers and artists include Maya Angelou, Robert Frost, Langston Hughes, Winslow Homer, and Thomas Hart Benton. For ages 9–12. (Order now)

The Official Guide to the Smithsonian
By the Smithsonian Institution

Planning a visit to the Smithsonian? This official guide to the Smithsonian’s 16 museums and the National Zoo offers a fully illustrated, gallery-by-gallery tour. It will put the treasures of the Smithsonian at your fingertips! For all ages. (Order now)

Animal: The Definitive Visual Guide to the World's Wildlife
by Don E. Wilson and David Burnie

Explore the incredible range of creatures that make up the animal kingdom. This reference book brings more than 2,000 animal species to life through full-color photographs, maps, charts, and illustrations. It’s essential reading for animal lovers of all ages! (Order now)

Smithsonian Kids' Field Guides: Birds of North America East
by Jo S. Kittinger

Get out your binoculars! This easy-to-follow guide shows children how to look for birds based on color, size, shape, song, habitat, and behavior. It features more than 1,000 full-color pictures of more than 140 species of birds found in the eastern part of North America. For ages 9–12. (Order now)

Smithsonian Kids' Field Guides: Birds of North America West
by Jo S. Kittinger

Get out your binoculars! This easy-to-follow guide shows children how to look for birds based on color, size, shape, song, habitat, and behavior. It features more than 1,000 full-color pictures of more than 140 species of birds found in the western part of North America. For ages 9–12. (Order now)

Flight: 100 Years of Aviation
By R. G. Grant and John R. Dailey

Fascinated by airplanes and spaceships? Then this book is for you! It traces the first 100 years of flight, from the Wright brothers, to bombing raids and dogfights, to the race to space. Loaded with full-color photographs, first-hand accounts, and profiles on a huge range of aircraft, this is an action-packed account of a century of flight. For all ages. (Order now)

Smithsonian Presidents and First Ladies
By James Barber and Amy Pastan

Did you know that Andrew Johnson’s wife taught him how to read and write? Or that Eleanor and Franklin D. Roosevelt were distant cousins? In this easy-to-use guide to the Presidents and First Ladies, you will discover all sorts of important information and little-known facts about the residents of the White House! For ages 9–12. (Order now)

Space Shuttle: The First 20 Years—The Astronauts' Experiences in Their Own Words
By Tony Reichhardt

This behind-the-scenes look at the space shuttle experience is told by the astronauts themselves. The Smithsonian wrote to all of the people who have flown on the space shuttle with a simple request: Tell us your best stories. The astronauts' fascinating responses reveal the drama of the shuttle experience. For all ages. (Order now)