Wild Child

Dara McAnulty

Illustrated by Barry Falls

Ages 7 to 11
08 July 2021
9781529045321
64 pages

Synopsis

Shortlisted for The Wainwright Prize for Nature and Conservation Writing for Children
Shortlisted for the Edward Stanford Children's Travel Book of the Year


Join the brilliant Dara McAnulty, winner of the Wainwright Prize for Diary of a Young Naturalist, as he takes you on a nature walk that starts just beyond your own front door, and shares the joy of connecting with the natural world on a multi sensory journey.

Wild Child: A Journey Through Nature is a beautiful book, illustrated in full colour by Barry Falls, and divided into five sections: looking out of the window, venturing out into the garden, walking in the woods, investigating heathland and wandering on the river bank.

Dara pauses to tell you about each habitat and provides fantastic facts about the native birds, animals and plants you will find there – including wrens, blackbirds, butterflies, tadpoles, bluebells, bees, hen harriers, otters, dandelions, oak trees and many more.

Each section contains a discovery section where you will have a closer look at natural phenomenon such as metamorphoses and migration, learn about categorization in the animal kingdom or become an expert on the collective nouns for birds.

Every chapter finishes with an activity to do when you get home: plant wild flowers, make a bird feeder, try pond dipping, make a journey stick and build a terrarium.

Dara closes the book with his own inspirational advice for young conservationists, making this the perfect guide for an aspiring naturalist.

From the prize-winning young naturalist, this is a dreamy dive into the natural world to thrill wildlife fans of six-plus.
Dara speaks very directly to child readers, taking them on a personal journey, introducing them to facts and phenomena that fascinate him and encouraging exploration. His love of lore and language as well as his respect for nature shine through in the poetic text which is carefully integrated with the illustrations.
Naturalist Dara McAnulty helps children explore local habitats, identifying animals and plants. It’s a treasure trove of facts and projects such as making a bird feeder or terrarium.