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Find out moreBooks about animals, birds and all living things, their habitat and our world
This wonderful picture book explores themes of empathy, mindfulness and personal growth through the eyes of a child. Beautifully written and illustrated by the aw ard-winning artist Emma Carlisle, What Do You See When You Look At a Tree? urges readers to reconnect with nature by asking questions that encourage critical thinking and reflection on their own development, as well as helping to establish a deeper appreciation for the environment and their place within it. Stunning watercolour and hand-finished artw ork draws parallels to the bestselling The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse, and evokes the classic nostalgia of E. H. Shephard's much-loved Winnie-the-Pooh.
We are all on Earth but for a fleeting moment, yet no two lives are the same. From the delicate mayfly, which lives for just a few precious hours, to the death-defying immortal jellyfish, this book about animal life cycles is a celebration of creatures big and small. Beautifully written by bestselling children's author Lily Murray, this book explores lifespans across the animal kingdom. Beginning with the very shortest, and ending w ith the longest, learn about the lives of the incredible monarch butterfly, the mysterious axolotl, the grand Galápagos tortoise and many more in this uplifting and eye-opening book. It has never been more important to appreciate and understand the diversity of life. Stunning illustrations by highly-commended artist Jesse Hodgson perfectly capture each animal in their natural habitat, making this the ideal gift book as well as educational.
Whenever a new story by Michael Morpurgo, the nation’s most beloved storyteller, is published, it’s worth taking note for, as we know, the charm of the tale usually contains a vital and important message. In this wonderful story, told with Sir Michael’s trademark gentleness and empathy, he starts with a ‘conversation’ between himself and a blackbird that starts an idea which one animal passes to another and so travels the world through each animal’s song, whisper, call or cry until the whole of the world is singing together in gladness. It is a delightful whimsy that conceals the truth that everything on the planet is interconnected, that we are all reliant on each other’s place in the natural order of things. In so very few words Sir Michael gently reminds us that we are merely the custodians of our planet and that we are responsible for its preservation, that each and every one of us is a part of this world and needs to care for it. Gloriously illustrated by Emily Gravett, who makes sheep look fun and crocodiles kind, this is truly a book to gladden hearts, young and old alike. ~ Paul Blezard The LoveReading LitFest invited Michael Morpurgo to the festival to talk about his books, A Song of Gladness and the urgent need for us to join together in caring for the planet and every creature in it. The digitally native, all year round, online literature and books festival, with new content released every week is a free-for-all-users festival. What are you waiting for? Check out a preview of the event and sign up to become a member.
Created in partnership with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, this boldly illustrated board book introduces the very young to some of the brightly coloured birds in our gardens, parks and countryside. The text is short, of course, but thoroughly engaging and packs in a great deal of information. Special flaps, a good size for little hands, extend each page revealing more about the different birds featured, or answering questions such as, ‘who is flashing their pink and blue feathers?’ There are animals as well as the birds to spot on every page and this will be a lovely book to share with little children.
Created in partnership with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, this bright, appealing and interactive board book is a perfect way to inform the very young about the wonders of fruit and vegetables. In the garden, vegetables are sprouting; we can see their leafy tops. ‘What could they be?’ asks the text. Lift the sturdy flap – just right for little fingers – and there are parsnips, potatoes are carrots growing underground. On the following pages, we can lift flaps to discover more about things growing in the greenhouse, the orchard and inside the net cage, while the final flap reveals the special things growing in the pretty greenhouse, including bananas, pineapples and papayas. The cheerful illustrations are true to life and lovely to look at, and there are mini-beasts and brightly coloured flowers to spot and name on every page too. Part of a series of (very) first information books, this will be lovely to share with little children and will teach them so much about the food they eat.
Shortlisted for the Blue Peter Awards 2022 Best Books with Facts | An international best-seller, translated into 25 languages Often human scientists try and solve a problem or invent a new tool and they realise that animals have already invented it for them. In this book you will meet the animal inventors who have shared their super inventing powers to make amazing things for humans.
Having covered Amazing Birds and Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Creatures with flair, acclaimed artist, illustrator and passionate bird-watcher Matt Sewell here turns his unique eye and brilliant brush-strokes to another of nature’s awe-inspiring phenomena - amazing migrations. Covering fauna (and flora) from all corners of the globe, this is a treasure trove of insights and visual delights that will have young animal-lovers poring over it for hours. Featuring all kinds of animals - mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, and insects - Atlas of Amazing Migration is packed with fascinating facts delivered in an engaging, witty style. The painted lady butterfly, for example, is described as being “common as muck” but “a force to be reckoned with” before we learn about their epic 15,000 km cross-continental migration. The book also explains how such journeys are possible, with the inclusion of plant migrations (wild cherries, violets, and coconuts) an unexpected, interesting addition.
Frozen Mountain is an interactive adventure game book that teaches essential survival skills to up-and-coming explorers. The story unfolds following an emergency landing high in a remote mountain region and from there the reader has to make a series of life and death decisions to make it home. Every possible danger comes your way as you deal with frostbite, bear attacks, blizzards, raging torrents and more. Not to mention the basic techniques for finding food, water and not getting even more lost than you already are! Frozen Mountain is absolutely packed with expert advice and tips for surviving in the wilderness. My favourite was finding out how to make a snow hole to stay warm and safe during a storm - you never know when that might come in handy! Apart from the cool tips, what this book really teaches is the relationship between risk and luck, and how making good decisions is the most important thing when out in the mountains. Page after page there’s a threat to your life. You're provided with information to make a decision and then your decision is tested by the spinner which comes with the book - a reminder that in the end there is always an element of luck in any dangerous situation. Frozen Mountain is great fun and beautifully illustrated in the style of a classic adventure book, and it even includes snippets from terrifying real-life survival stories to fire the imagination! After all, an adventure wouldn’t be an adventure without the possibility you may not return…
A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month November 2021 | Another fascinating addition to this fabulous series about the major mass extinctions that have shaped the story of life on earth. Lisowicia is the remarkable story of a creature which has only recently been identified and named! Living from 201 million years ago and named for the place it was found in Poland, the story of the Lisowicia is fascinating. Packed full of information written by experts and matched by amazing illustrations that bring unimaginable landscapes and the animals in them to life.
Albert the tortoise is woken up by the wind and finds himself very hungry. Unfortunately, before he can tuck in, his delicious breakfast has blown away, cucumber, tomatoes, lettuce, celery and carrots scattered across the garden. The insects kindly gather it up and bring it back, but each time they’re gone before slow Albert can say thank you. He eventually puts this right, and his method of expressing his thanks is highly imaginative, to say the least, and should have children in stitches! Albert is based on a real tortoise apparently (and his food has occasionally blown away we’re told) and there’s a page of fascinating tortoise facts as an added treat at the end.
The big puzzle book is just what it says on the cover. 250 varied puzzles, quizzes and crosswords. It is set out in sections with a variety of activities within a theme; themes such as animals, history and transport. There is a good variety of topics and within each chapter there are word, picture and number puzzles, making it interesting and accessible, something for everyone. The book is not geared to a specific age group but the range of ability within the questions and puzzles covers a wide age range and ability levels. The book is a great size, easy to pick up and perfect for taking on a journey. The pages are laid out in a colourful and attractive way and the illustrations and instructions are bold and clear. I like that it is one in a series, and I would imagine that the other titles are equally fun and entertaining. A fun book to dip into and always good to have the answers at the back to check on. Definitely one for the Christmas stockings!
A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month November 2021 | Tyrannosaurus Rex tells the story of a remarkable predator with the strongest bite force ever recorded that dominated the world 66 million years ago but then became extinct. The Tyrannosaurus Rex has long captured the imagination because of its size and power and because the story of its extinction is unexpected. Packed full of information written by experts and matched by amazing illustrations that bring unimaginable landscapes and the animals in them to life.
