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Etty Darwin And The Four Pebble Problem by Lauren Soloy

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 26 May 2021

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Lush, layered illustrations give a sense of the Victorian era while they capture a realistic natural landscape with forays into fantasy, Etty always at its center; a spread featuring yellow butterflies is particularly dazzling. Etty’s heavy brows and quizzical expressions show a girl unconcerned with looking pretty, deep in thought and an intrinsic part of the flora and fauna that surround both her father and herself. The two White characters are joined by Polly the dog, a detail sure to appeal. An excellent introduction to the natural sciences, Darwin, fairies, and inquiry, sure to inspire and fascinate young readers and listeners. Scientific investigation meets magic in this glowing selection.
KIRKUS

Etty Darwin and her famous father go for a walk to ponder life, science . . . and fairies! Inspired by the real-life daughter of Charles Darwin.

Etty loves make-believe.
Her dad loves science.
Etty believes in fairies.
Her dad would need to see some proof that they exist.
But they both love nature, conversation and each other.

A gorgeous rumination on belief and imagination featuring Henrietta (Etty) Darwin and her famous father, Charles. Etty went on to become a valued and keen editor of Charles’s work and a thoughtful and intellectual being in her own right. This imagined conversation between Etty and Charles as they stroll around Charles’s real-life “thinking track” explores their close relationship and shows that even science is nothing without an open mind and imagination.

Follow Lauren Soloy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurensoloy/

By Ash, Oak and Thorn by Melissa Harrison

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Sunday Times Children’s Book of the Week 30 May 2021

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A breathtaking tale of the rich, wild world and all its wonder from acclaimed nature writer and Costa Award-shortlisted novelist, Melissa Harrison – the perfect read for children for summer.

Three tiny, ancient beings – Moss, Burnet and Cumulus, once revered as Guardians of the Wild World – wake from winter hibernation in their beloved ash tree home. When it is destroyed, they set off on an adventure to find more of their kind, a journey which takes them first into the deep countryside and then the heart of a city. Helped along the way by birds and animals, the trio search for a way to survive and thrive in a precious yet disappearing world …

Inspired by 1942 classic The Little Grey Men by BB, with shades ofThe Borrowers, this is a tale of disappearing wilderness that couldn’t be more relevant in today’s environmental crisis, brought to life for children by three tiny, funny, eternal beings – the hidden folk.

Cover illustration by Lauren O’Hara.

Swim, Shark, Swim! – Wild Wanderers 2 by Dom Conlon ill. Anastasia Izlesou

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“A sumptuously illustrated, powerful poem with a repeated refrain (“he opens a tunnel / of bubbles and light and / swim, Shark, SWIM!”). It circumnavigates the globe, brushing fins with various shark species and conveying the dangerous beauty of their lives.” Imogen Russell Williams GUARDIAN

Swim around the world with Shark as he explores ocean forests and coastal reefs, meeting Hammerheads and Great Whites, stingrays and dolphins in a search for the place he calls home. This is the second book in the Wild Wanderers series written by Dom Conlon and illustrated by Anastasia Izlesou. Some of the species covered include: Blacktip reef shark, Tiger shark, Humpback whale, Bottlenose dolphin, Great white shark and many more.

The Book of Tiny Creatures by Nathalie Tordjman ill. Julien Norwood & Emmanuelle Tchoukriel

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In the air, on the ground, and in the water, incredible tiny creatures are all around us! They may be small, but they live remarkable lives. This wonderfully illustrated book introduces young readers to spiders, butterflies, worms, snails, and even the world’s heaviest insect, the Little Barrier Island giant weta. Filled with fun facts, children also learn through interactive quizzes, detailed seek-and-find scenes, and hands-on activities, like how to make a snail terrarium.

Nathalie Tordjman is a Paris-based journalist specializing in nature and the environment. She is the author of more than forty books and writes for numerous publications.
Julien Norwood is a French author and illustrator educated at the Museum of Natural History in Paris.
Emmanuelle Tchoukriel is a French illustrator who trained in medical and scientific illustration at the Estienne School in Paris.

Follow Emmanuelle Tchoukriel on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manutchouk/

Omar, The Bees And Me by Helen Mortimer ill. Katie Cottle

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Omar, The Bees and Me encourages children to look after nature in local communities planting wild flowers to form bee corridors. The theme of cultural identity is also explored via the friendship between Omar (a new boy from Syria) and Maisie. The book offers insight into international beekeeping and is illustrated by award-winning picture book creator Katie Cottle. There are bee facts on endpapers and a recipe for honey cake on the end page.

Follow the illustrator on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_katiecottle/

 

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Swan Song by Gill Lewis

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Times Children’s Book of the Week 13 Feb 2021

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“This moving novel sensitively explores some of the pressures faced by teenagers and their potential impact on mental health.” BookTrst

A profoundly moving novel on the redemptive, healing power of nature from bestseller Gill Lewis.

Dylan is struggling. Since he started high school, everything has become too much to handle. Now he’s been expelled and is forced to move to the tiny village in Wales where his grandad lives. But when Grandad invites Dylan out on his boat to watch the Whooper swans return to their winter feeding ground, things begin to change. Grandad doesn’t judge or question; he just lets Dylan be. Out on the water, with no distractions or pressure, Dylan begins to feel like himself again. But when the swans and their home are threatened, and tragedy strikes at home, can Dylan keep going when it feels like everything is slipping out of control again?

Kaleidoscope Of Creatures – The colours of nature explained by Cath Are ill. Greer Stothers

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Why are animals so amazingly colourful? Find out in this kaleidoscopic look at the technicolour world of animals. Meet animals of every colour of the rainbow and find out why they are the colours and patterns they are. Discover the reason why some animals are stripy and others are spotty.

Why do some creatures deliberately pop out while others strive to blend in?
Why are some bright to warn off others while others only pretend to look toxic?
Why are some male animals so much more flamboyant than their female counterparts?Why do some babies look so different from the grown-ups in their families?

A beautifully illustrated first look at the colourful and kaleidoscopic world of animals for young children.

Greer Stothers is an award-winning Canadian illustrator with a background in evolutionary biology.

Water World by Ben Rothery

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ACHUKA Book of the Day Wed 3 Feb 2021

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Latest in this fabulous oversize series from Ben Rothery, author of Hidden Planet and Sensational Butterflies.

Life on Earth is shaped by water, and only survives here because of it, but our ocean ecosystems are at the epicentre of global warming. Framed by the need to protect our oceans, Water World is natural-history illustrator Ben Rothery’s rich exploration of the creatures from the coastal and offshore waters of the world – from penguins, seagulls, polar bears and seahorses, to plankton, sharks and deep-sea beings.

Discover the longest migration and the loudest animal on Earth, and learn how our own actions affect the ocean, its inhabitants and our whole planet.

What to Look For in Winter – A Ladybird Book by Elizabeth Jenner ill. Natasha Durley

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Explore the beauty of winter in this new edition of What to Look For in Winter.

Despite the bare branches and long, dark nights, winter in the UK is a season full of life. The clear winter skies are filled with birds and the early morning frost reveals the tracks of nocturnal creatures. T his book takes a closer look at hoar frost, woodland fungi, clear starry skies and morning mists as the secrets of winter begin to appear in the world around us.


 

 

Landing with Wings by Trace Balla

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 8 Dec 2020

This is a really charming graphic-novel picture book, presented in the form of a young girl’s nature diary. It is set in Goldfields in Dja Dja Warrung county and features the Bibrons Toadlet living at Happy Valley, Ballantinia plants growing at Leanganook, Golden Whistler, a smoking ceremony with Dja Dja Wurrung elder Uncle Rick, local veggie growers Gung Hoe, Little Habitat Heroes, and more. There is a strong focus on Aboriginal culture and staying connected to nature.

Miri’s been on the move and now she’s finding her feet, her freedom, her community and her home, treading lightly all the way. A story about spreading your wings and putting down roots in an ancient land, and finding a friend with whom to share an interest in the natural world.  

‘Another lovely adventure from Trace Balla. Rich in country and family, deep in care for the future.’ BRUCE PASCOE
‘A beautiful book about being connected to the world at ground level. I feel like I’ve made a new friend through Trace’s exquisitely accessible drawings and gentle prose.’ ALISON LESTER

The author herself writes of this book “I wrote it as a story of hope – a way forward, beyond boundaries and fences, towards belonging, community and country, welcome and home.”

Follow Trace Balla on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/traceballa/

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