Solid idea. I do not have an answer but I'd imagine a 20000 leagues under the sea illustrated version could draw people in. Captain Nemo, the Nautilus, countless fishes being described :)

I love Gustave Doré's illustrations in classics. New editions with his illustrations are still in print; people on eBay sell older ones too, often at an excellent price, if one doesn't mind a little wear and tear.

Dinotopia

While non-fiction, I can recommend W. E. B. Du Bois's "Data Portraits".

The context: DuBois and his students presented a series of data visualizations at the 1900 Paris Exposition. They mainly focus on the lives Black Americans, particularly during and post- Reconstruction.

It has a striking cover, and each page with a plate has a diagram that is contained enough to be thought provoking.

It does quite explicitly address racism, but conservatives might readily excuse it for addressing pre-1900s racism.

I can recommend The Theory and The Sandman: The Dream Hunters.