Author & Illustrators
Ever wondered how mosquitoes find you? Or how wasps can build nests up to 5m wide? Or how fleas can jump 150 times their own height? These questions and more are answered in this book that explores the lives of some of the most irritating buzzing, biting and stinging insects. Teaching readers that perhaps these pesky insects might not be so bad after all.
Just because you are older, doesn’t mean you know better.
Teddy’s off to catch a fish, but Cub wants to come too. Little cubs always get in the way. But, luckily, they can also surprise you. Funny and stunning by turns, come with Cub and Teddy on an adventure to find, “Just the one I wanted”.
Did you know that penguins can hold their breath for over half an hour? Or that they can swim four times faster than an Olympic swimmer? And they don’t just live in icy Antarctica! You can find them on sandy beaches in South Africa and other more tropical locations too. Dive into this fascinating illustrated guide to our feathered friends, the penguins. From the tiny fairy penguin that is no bigger than a ruler, to the emperor penguin that is over a metre tall, find out where they live, what they eat and how we can protect them.
Did you know that crocodiles can live to be over 100 years old, and can climb trees to sunbathe? They can even sense the vibrations from a single drop of water falling from the mouth of a drinking wildebeest over twenty metres away.
Sink your teeth into this fascinating illustrated guide to the largest reptiles on Earth, full of juicy facts on crocodile behaviour, biology and myth, and packed with details on how we can live with and protect our scaly companions.
This strikingly illustrated picture book tells the story of Laika, a Russian stray dog who was one of the first animals to be launched into space. Author Owen Davey whimsically reimagines what might have happened to Laika after her rocket disappeared in orbit. This book also offers a gateway into interesting discussions about the role of animals in the Space Race.
A high-quality non-fiction text that explores the topic of monkeys in a stylish and visually appealing way. Learn all about these creatures, with topics including habitats, diet, classification and behaviour. You may also like the other books in the series, Crazy About Cats, Smart About Sharks and Bonkers About Beetles.
Can an information book solely about frogs really be that good? Yes. It can and it is.
Although ‘Fanatical about Frogs’ is not the only book by Owen Davey on one particular type of animal (there are more in his series on sharks, monkeys, cats and beetles), it is the first I have read and it certainly won’t be the last. This fascinating book provides an excellent overview into everything you’d ever want to know about frogs in a child-friendly yet technical way.
Upon opening the book, the beautiful endpapers are striking and confirm the book is not just informative but also very artistic in style. The stylised illustrations throughout encourage the reader to look for the details more than a photograph of a frog might. My eyes were drawn all over the pages and I enjoyed looking for the nuggets of information scattered across the page.
As I made my way through the book I found myself looking up the various frogs and realised what a brilliant book this is in inspiring readers to look deeper. The information included within each section is just enough that the reader builds an understanding, yet not so much that readers won’t be inspired to go and discover more on their own. The book is not overloaded with content; the balance between the information and images is a good one and it is therefore a book that a whole range of reading abilities could access and enjoy equally.
This is a book that any nature-lover would likely enjoy and also a good choice for more reluctant non-fiction readers. The mix of thoughtful design and informative facts could provide young readers with a new way of seeing non-fiction books altogether.
Review by: Nathan Wilcox , Primary School Teacher
This is a high-quality non-fiction text that explores the topic of sharks in a stylish and visually appealing way. Learn all about these fascinating and sometimes misunderstood creatures, with topics including habitats, food chains, classification and mythology. With images that appeal to all ages and text that is most suitable for KS2, this is a winner for all primary school libraries.
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Year group(s) the book is most suitable for:
Year group(s) the book is most suitable for:
Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?
Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?
Would you recommend the book for use in primary schools?
yes
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Curriculum links (if relevant)
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