Natural History Books

Book SynopsisThe only truly semi-aquatic member of the weasel family, otters were once a common sight in UK rivers and lakes, but now less so. Through informative chapters ranging from the physiological and environmental to the otter''s inclusion in myth, legend, art and literature, The Otter Book is an ideal guide to its subject for all nature lovers.

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Book SynopsisSupporting the work of Battersea Dogs and Cats HomeBattersea's Cat Puzzle Book is packed with fun-filled teasers dedicated to our furry feline friends.Puzzle your way through more than 100 cat-themed brainteasers.From crosswords to wordsearches, hidden codes to logic puzzles, you'll find more than 100 puzzles to challenge and entertain all cat lovers, from youthful kittens to old toms.

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Book Synopsis"Some plants are inherently rare, while others become rare through our actions."Rare Plants explores what makes the world's most uncommon plants so exceptional, and by what means they have become so scarce. From highlands to jungles, many of our most extraordinary plants are vanishing at shocking rates, and this exquisitely illustrated book explores 40 of these mysterious species.Featuring stunning archive images and expert insight from the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, Rare Plants explores both the beauty and necessity of our endangered plant life.Table of ContentsIncludes: Adansonia grandidieri, Aloe vera, Brugmansia arborea, Clianthus puniceus, Dracaena draco, Eucalyptus, Fritillaria meleagris, Genista tinctoria, Iris sofarana, Jacaranda mimosifolia, Lotus maculatus, Paphiopedalum bellatulum, Quercus Robur and more.

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Book SynopsisDiscover the Cat of the Night and the Cat of the Day. Over the centuries, the relationship between cats and humans has been one of profound change, of both darkness and light. In Ancient Egypt, we worshipped them as the physical embodiment of a goddess. In Medieval Europe, we tortured and punished them for being the familiars of witches. In the twenty-first century, we are obsessed with filming and posting their antics on social media. And while we may think of them as our pets, that doesn’t mean that we are in charge. Far from it. Cats know exactly how to get their humans to follow their orders! They have been an ongoing source of intrigue and mystery throughout human history. They are the stuff of myth and legend, as well as being our best friends. They sit among the stars and curl up on our laps. There is nothing so wonderful as the magic of cats.

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Book SynopsisIn 2020, as COVID-19 spread from Asia to North America, Zen Buddhist and ikebana practitioner Joan Stamm was forced to cancel her long-anticipated trip to Japan, where she had planned to research a flower temple pilgrimage and learn the deeper meaning of flowers known as 'little Buddhas.' But with lockdowns and stay-at-home orders, Stamm, who lives on a mountain on an island in the Salish Sea, sequestered herself like a hermit and turned to her own flower garden for solace and meaning as the pandemic engulfed the world around her. The Language of Flowers in the Time of COVID tells the story of Stamm’s life and spiritual journey through these difficult times. Using traditional Japanese flowers as seasonal indicators, Stamm speaks the poetic language of flowers to explore ancient flower metaphor as it relates to the pandemic and the many manifestations of impermanence in one of the most tumultuous years in American history.

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Book SynopsisCall of the Kingfisher is the enchanting debut from composer and wildlife recordist, Nick Penny. This love letter to a short stretch of Northamptonshire's River Nene celebrates all the wild things that live there, especially the kingfishers. Uniquely, it comes with bonus audio content to complement the text, accessed via QR codes. Nick has walked beside the river at Oundle for four decades. But for a whole year he gave the waterway all the time it asked for. The more attention he gave it, the more he saw the kingfishers and heard their high whistling calls. Set in a lovely but little-known part of England, Call of the Kingfisher relates a year by the river, the author's experiences there and the different people he meets. Other strands are woven around the elusive feathered protagonist: explorations of local history and landscape, from Roman and Bronze Age sites to watermills and centuries-old stone churches; visits at different times and to different places in the valley; homages to naturalists who lived nearby; forest dawns and dusks listening to the precious song of nightingales. But the background tapestry is the sights and sounds, and greens and browns, of the riverbank, shot through with the blue and orange threads of a kingfisher's glowing feathers. As a composer and wildlife recordist, Nick has a deep interest in sounds in the natural environment. He both uses the local landscape and wildlife sounds as inspiration, and brings fresh insights into the sounds of the countryside. The book includes access to a number of high-quality birdsong recordings made alongside the River Nene - audio soundbites of nature's riches, from kingfishers and nightingales to owls and cuckoos. This is a book about the things that can be seen and heard when we approach nature with patience and curiosity. It celebrates people who have used that focus to help preserve wildlife and pass on their knowledge to future generations. Above all, Call of the Kingfisher serves as a call to appreciate what we've got, wherever we are, and to use our ears as much as our eyes when we experience the natural world.Trade Review"All writers want the reader to see through their eyes, but few succeed in making them hear through their ears as successfully as Nick Penny. Very special." Country Life "From the glimpses of kingfishers in a frosty January to the sweet-scented honeysuckle and nightingale song in early June, the book beautifully illustrates the joy of observing nature with patience. Complete with a suite of high-quality wildlife audio recordings, Call of the Kingfisher is a glorious homage to wildlife." CPRE website "Penny's detailed observations and philosophical and historical musings fill this gentle book which seems to walk at its own pace through the gradually changing seasons" - Birdwatch Magazine "[A] wonderful book. [Penny] brings his knowledge as a musician to this book too, and the sounds that he has recorded of specific birds and some of the dawn and evening choruses that he heard whilst researching this book. You can follow the link in the book and I thought this gave an excellent extra dimension" Paul Cheney, Halfman, Halfbook blog "An utterly delightful, uplifting invitation to escape to a wonderful world of nature! Highly Recommended!" Escapelearncreate.co.uk "Call of the Kingfisher is a beautiful book. he delights in what can be seen and heard when we approach nature with patience and curiosity." Julia Thorley, NN Journal "Nick writes with honesty, a deep respect of and connection to his patch of the natural world... I highly recommend this book and especially suggest that readers explore the audio tracks listed within the chapters." P Stevens, Amazon reviewTable of ContentsChapter 1 January Chapter 2 February Chapter 3 March Chapter 4 April Chapter 5 May Chapter 6 June Chapter 7 July Chapter 8 August Chapter 9 September Chapter 10 October Chapter 11 November Chapter 12 December

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Book SynopsisThe Cat Lover's A to Z is a charming, illustrated guide for cat fans everywhere. Mixing cute illustrations with fun observations and facts, it's a pawsome celebration of the special, and often very funny, relationship between our favourite pets and their devoted human servants. Did you know that the feline sense of smell is 14 times better than yours? Or that a slow blink is often the most sure-fire way to make a new cat friend? Combining a mix of interesting cat trivia, feline idiosyncrasies, a scattering of quotes and new playful language from social media, this purrfect A to Z will amuse and inform any cat devotee.

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Book SynopsisA COUNTRYFILE CHRISTMAS GIFT BOOKWhat is home?It's a question that has troubled Marchelle Farrell for her entire life. A longed-for career in psychiatry saw her leave behind the pristine beaches and emerald hills of Trinidad. Until, disillusioned, she uprooted again, this time for the peaceful English countryside.The only Black woman in her village, Marchelle hopes to grow a new life. But when a worldwide pandemic and a global racial reckoning collide, the upheaval of colonialism that has led her to this place begins to be unearthed. Is this really home? And can she ever feel truly grounded here?Drawn to her new garden, Marchelle begins to examine this complex and emotional question through the psychotherapeutic lens of her work. As her relationship with the garden deepens, she discovers that her two conflicting identities are far more intertwined than she had realised.Full of hope and healing, Uprooting is a book about finding home where we least expect it, and which invites us to reconnect to the land - and ourselves.Trade ReviewA beautiful memoir that shows how gardens can be a place to plant our most troubled feelings, to put down roots and to find peace -- KATHERINE MAYA tender book, raw in some parts . . . Farrell generously shows the reader the value of openness, considering what we have to learn from other people and species -- AMANDA THOMSON * * Times Literary Supplement * *Glistening . . . This book will change how we speak of gardens, land and identity in myriad ways. An exquisite love letter [and] a rallying call * * Irish Times * *Uprooting is a potent hymn to the importance of home and a deeply thoughtful offering on what our gardens can be -- ALICE VINCENTA wonderful book * * Financial Times * *Stunning . . . The power of [Farrell's] prose, her skilful observation and her uncanny ability to weave together science and spirituality comes alive in this memoir * * NB Magazine * *Emotive . . . [Farrell] uses her plot to as a lens from which to consider to place, people and planet. At time universal, at other times, strikingly personal * * Gardens Illustrated * *An intensely felt book with much to say about family and race * * Country and Town House * *Can the shifting sands upon which a diasporic life is built ever begin to settle? In her search for belonging, Farrell co-creates a garden and considers the wider cultural and political landscapes that have shaped her. A beautiful entanglement of soil and soul -- JINI REDDYUprooting is at once tender and direct - as lyrical in its descriptions of home landscapes as it is scathing on the still-living legacies of colonisation. Farrell has given us a profoundly honest portrait of plants, place and the shifting of spirit wrought by migration -- JESSICA J LEEIn this beautiful book, Marchelle Farrell excavates the troubled legacies of colonialism and her own uprooting as she brings her Somerset garden back to life. Over the course of a year she pours love into the depleted soil and is rewarded with an abundance - of plants, insights and friendships - and, most importantly, a sense of finding home -- LULAH ELLENDERUprooting is gorgeously written, a thoughtful and evocative meditation on gardening and making home. Marchelle took me right there into her garden with her words, and I shared the passing of seasons with her. Having been uprooted and rooted several times, I admired the love and generosity in Marchelle's words. For anyone who has searched for home, this will feel comforting and reassuring -- DR PRAGYA AGARWAL, author of (M)OTHERHOOD and HYSTERICALA cracking, glistening, important book that will change how we speak of gardens, land and identity in myriad ways. A story of becoming and belonging; of building a safe, beautiful life as a means of digging up the chains that colonialism has tried to keep our world bound by. More than anything it is a rallying call; imploring us to reshape what it means to inhabit a place; showing us so many ways that we might make home -- KERRI NI DOCHARTAIGHMarchelle Farrell paints a living, breathing portrait of her home(s), both distant and near, real and imagined. She wills us to look closer, not just at the garden's present but also its past and its imagined future, uncovering an intricate root system of memories and migration lines. Farrell's writing allows us to see plants as vessels of memory and history, plants as kin -- NINA MINGYA POWLESWith lyrical prose, Farrell carries the reader along as she investigates the process of putting down new roots. In a frenetic and troubled world, her book is a timely reminder of the solace to be found within a garden -- SUE STUART-SMITHTransformative. Farrell's writing brought to mind the searching gaze of V. S. Naipaul in The Enigma of Arrival. But her voice is wholly her own, and her story of gardening is a fresh one, leaping off the page with urgency and beauty. But what's also giving me life is the prismatic beauty of her sentences, so poetic that I sometimes had to pause my reading to let them soak in. A powerful and beautiful book -- JASON ALLEN-PAISANTUprooting shimmers with earth-loving beauty, power and possibilities. An urgent, generous, deeply astute book with a strength and sensibility that challenges the inadequate and harmful stories and myths we have been told, and sows the seeds of much-needed new ones. I loved its softness and its toughness, its vitality and its intimacy, Farrell's poetic sentences and her rich and layered ways of seeing. An essential book about connection, interdependence, the experience of mothering, and the magic of the wild, both in the garden, and inside us all -- LUCY JONES

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Book SynopsisFew animals strike as much fear as snakes, which kill either through their poisonous venom or through suffocation. Numbering more than 3000 species, snakes can be found in virtually every environment other than Antarctica, from the jungles of the Amazon to the Gobi desert and Australian Outback. Some snakes even inhabit the rivers and seas. Arranged by continent, Snakes offers an engaging pictorial introduction to these prehistoric predators. Find out about the black mamba, which is feared because it possesses an extremely potent venom that kills most of its victims – animal and human; see the banded krait, whose venom is a neurotoxin that induces instant paralysis; learn about the reticulated python, the world’s longest constrictor, regularly reaching over 6 metres (20ft) in length; and marvel at the tiny Barbados threadsnake, which typically grows to a length of 10cm (4in) and has been compared to a spaghetti noodle! With full captions explaining the history, behaviour and feeding habits of more than 150 snake species, Snakes is a fascinating examination of these highly colourful reptilian killers in more than 180 vivid photographs.Table of ContentsContents to include:IntroductionEUROPE Aesculapian snake Dahl’s whip snake Barred grass snake Caspian whipsnake Dice snake Montpellier snake Ladder snake Western whip snake European worm snake Armenian viper European cat snake Ottoman viper Montivipera xanthina Common European adder Four-lined snake Viperine water snake Steppe rat snake Red whip snake Nose-horned viper Javelin sand boa Milos viper Leopard snakeAFRICA Ball python Lithe skeleton Black mamba Many-horned adder Cape cobra Eastern green mamba Boomslang Saharan horned viper Kenyan sand boa Green bush viper Hairy bush viper Central African egg-eating snake Central African rock python Egyptian cobra Eyelash bush viper Malagasy leaf-nosed snake Puff adder Striped house snake Yellow-bellied sea snake Southern African rock python Peter’s threadsnake Madagascar tree boa Rhinoceros viper Gabino viper Spotted bush snake ASIA Banded krait Arabian sand boa Blood python King cobra Sri Lankan pit viper Burmese python Green pit viper species Banded Malaysian coral snake Common bronzeback Blue Malayan coral snake Cat-eyed water snake Boulenger’s bronzeback Blunt-headed slug-eating snake Indian cobra Hagen’s pit viper Caspian cobra Timor python Painted saw-scaled viper Indian python Sand boa Indian rat snake Golden tree snake Trimeresurus venustus Fea’s vipers Indonesian pit viper Yellow morph Wagler’s pit viper Malayan krait Monocled cobra Paradise tree snake Black-headed cat snake Reticulated python Smooth slug snakeAUSTRALIA Green tree python Belcher’s sea snake King brown snake Eastern brown snake Black-headed python Carpet python Scrub python Australian tree snake Bandy-bandy snakes Coastal taipan Oviparous White-lipped snake Jungle carpet python Dubois’ sea snake Inland taipan Southern desert banded snake Rough-scaled python Northern death adder Red-bellied black snake Ringed brown snake Smooth-scaled death adder Common death adder Black-striped burrowing snake Woma python Tiger snakeNORTH AMERICA Checkered garter snake Pacific gopher snake Black rat snake Blotched palm-pit viper Blunthead tree snake Antiguan racer Puffing snake Central American coral snake Red-tailed coral snake Costa Rican coral snake Blackneck garter snake Plains garter snake Eastern copperhead Yellow-blotched palm-pitviper Florida green watersnake Corn snake Sidewinder Western diamondback rattlesnake Eastern indigo snake Mexican vine snake Gray-banded kingsnake Bluestripe ribbon snake Mexican west coast rattlesnake Ring-necked snake Rubber boa Southern hog-nosed snake Texas rat snake Coastal rosy boaSOUTH AMERICA Tiger rat snake Yellow-bellied puffing snake False coral snake Variegated snail-eater Amazon tree boa Green anaconda Green vine snake Checker-bellied snake Common neckband snake Southern American bushmaster Common lancehead Parrot snake Yellow-tailed cribo Paraguayan anaconda Eyelash viper South American rattlesnake Brazilian smooth snake Emerald tree boa Argentine boa Common boa Aruba rattlesnake

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Book SynopsisWith fossil records dating back 400 million years, sharks have outlived the dinosaurs and many other forms of life currently on earth – they are even older than trees. There are more than 1,000 species of sharks and rays, with new species discovered every year. Through their evolution, sharks have shaped our oceans into the rich habitats we know today. As apex predators, sharks play an important role in the ecosystem by maintaining the species below them in the food chain – helping remove the weak and sick, and keeping the ocean and fish populations healthy. Other deadly predators of the deep – such as the box jellyfish, lionfish and giant octopus – are also to be feared. Did you know the Stonefish is the most venomous fish species to swim in our oceans? Better not get too close – it has 13 dorsal fin spines that release deadly toxins when the fish gets into threatening situations. Learn about the dwarf lantern shark, which is so small it can fit in the palm of your hand; or the whale shark, which grow up to 12 metres (40ft) in length and is the largest known fish species in the oceans today; or the great white shark, the oceans’ top predator and capable of chewing up dolphins and seals with its 300 teeth. With full captions explaining the different species, behaviour and feeding habits, Sharks & Underwater Predators is a lively examination of these elemental killers in more than 180 vivid photographs.Table of ContentsContents to include:Introduction1: Galean SharksCarcharhiniformes: Hammerhead shark, tiger shark, blue shark, bull shark, blacktip reef shark, lemon shark, dusky sharkHeterodontiformes: horn shark, Galapagos bullhead sharkHexanchiformes: Frilled shark, broadnose sevengill/cow, bluntnose six gillLamniformes: great white, basking, shortfin mako, porbeagle, goblin, thresher2: Dogfish and Carpet SharksOrectolobiformes: wobbegong, zebra, epaulette, nurse, whalePristiophoriformes: bahamas sawshark and longnose sawsharkSqualiformes: cookiecutter, greenland, spined pygmy, spiny dogfishSqantiniformes: Japanese angel and pacific angel3: Rays and SkatesSkates and rays are very closely related to sharks. They're flatter in shape, which makes them well suited for life on the sea-floor. Their mouth, nostrils and gills are located on the underside of their body. While their eyes are on top.4: Other PredatorsBox jellyfish, great barracuda, lionfish, sarcastic fringhead, stonefish, Sailfish, anemones, tuna, octopus, squid, crabs, lobsters, mantis shrimps5: Marine Mammal HuntersWhales, dolphins, walrus, otters, polar bears

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Book SynopsisMany kinds of equine characters grace these pages, from magnificent war horses to cowboys' trusty steeds, from broken-down nags to playful colts, from wild horses to dream horses. We encounter the famous Trojan horse in Virgil's Aeneid, only to see it from a quite different perspective in Matthea Harvey's whimsical 'Inside the Good Idea'. Longfellow shows us Paul Revere defying an empire from the back of a horse, while Shakespeare's Richard III vainly offers his kingdom for one. Robert Burns's 'Auld Farmer' dotes affectionately on his ageing mare, while Paul Muldoon's 'Glaucus' is devoured by his fierce young fillies. Robert Frost's little horse stopping by the woods is gently puzzled by human behaviour, while Ted Hughes is dazzled by a stunning vision of horses at dawn, 'grey silent fragments/Of a grey silent world'.Mythical and metaphorical horses cavort alongside vividly real ones in these poems, whether they be humble servants, noble companions, beloved friends or emblems of the wild beauty of the world beyond our grasp.

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Book SynopsisGiven that insects vastly outnumber us (there are approximately 200 million insects for every human) it is no surprise that there is a rich body of verse on the creeping, scuttling, flitting, stinging things with which we share our planet. Many cultures have centuries-old traditions of insect poetry. In China,where noblewomen of the Tang dynasty kept crickets in gold cages-countless songs were written in praise of these 'insect musicians'. The haiku masters of Japan were similarly inspired, though spread their net wider to include less prepossessing bugs such as houseflies, fleas and mosquitoes. In the West, poems about insects date back to the ancient Greeks, and insects feature frequently in European literature from the 16th century onwards. The poets collected here range from Donne, Marvell, Keats and Wordsworth; Emily Dickinson, Gerard Manley Hopkins and Christina Rossetti, to Elizabeth Bishop, Mary Oliver, Ted Hughes, Paul Muldoon and Alice Oswald. In translation there is verse by - amongst others - Meleager and Tu Fu, Ivan Turgenev, Victor Hugo, Paul Valéry, Pablo Neruda, Antonio Machado and Xi Chuan. Bees, butterflies and beetles, cockroaches and caterpillars, fireflies and dragonflies, ladybirds and glowworms--the miniature creatures that adorn these pages are as varied as the poetic talents that celebrate them.

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Book SynopsisMarianne North was a remarkable Victorian traveller and painter, who traversed the globe recording the world’s flora with her paintbrush and writing her experiences in her journal. In 1879 she offered her painting collection numbering over 800 to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and at her own expense built a gallery to house them. Marianne stayed closely involved with the project, painting beautiful decorative motifs on the interior door panels and surrounds. For the first time, this unique and stunning book brings together all of Marianne North’s Kew collection. The paintings are arranged geographically as they appear in the Gallery, and Marianne’s original titles are included alongside each painting. With an introduction by Christopher Mills, former Head of Kew’s Library, Art and Archives. This is a beautiful gift souvenir in celebration of a stunning body of work.

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Book SynopsisDeals with the basic skills that every gardener needs to know and understand. Think about what you're trying to achieve, whether it be formative shaping of the plant, maintenance, renewal or rejuvenation. Look at the best tools available for the job and the different techniques to use.Includes:* guidance on selecting and using tools and equipment* comprehensive instructions on pruning plants, including roses, shrubs and hedges* tips on how to increase cropping and flowering* advice on training for shape and supportAlan Titchmarsh imparts a lifetime of expertise in these definitive guides for beginners and experienced gardeners. Step-by-step illustrations and easy-to-follow instructions guide you through the basic gardening skills and on to the advanced techniques, providing everything you need to create and maintain your dream garden.

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Book SynopsisThe Deer Stalker’s Bedside Book provides an entertaining read for every deer enthusiast, whether experienced stalker, novice who would like to learn more, or indeed anyone who has an interest in these enigmatic and graceful creatures. Packed with a wealth of information – factual, practical, historical and biological – as well as anecdotes, advice, stalking tales, trivia and quotations, all backed up with personal observations and experiences, this expertly researched and authoritative book offers something for everyone. This treasury of all things deer is presented in an articulate, accessible and often humorous style, enabling the author to share his knowledge, experience and enthusiasm for the subject in an effortless and absorbing way. Above all, this is a book to enjoy, to savour and to return to, again and again!Trade ReviewThis is a really good book - informative and readable with some old and some new. I let my coffee get cold and was late for a fishing appointment - that's saying something for its quality. Well done indeed - wish I had written it.It is the kind of book that is just as much fun to dip into at random as to read through from start to finish, and Smith-Jones's fascination with all things deer shine through from every page. I defy any stalker to read this and not learn something new!A must to be read by stalker and non-stalker... While this book may have been written with the stalker in mind, it goes much further and will appeal to the general naturalist. From antlers to "A Macnab" and venison to myths, this is a must for your bookshelf.'I fully recommend this book, wherever you wish to, or are allowed, to keep it. It is one of those books on which you can contentedly graze. Whatever your involvement with deer, from zero to avid deerstalker, you’ll learn from it and you’ll enjoy it.' -- Country Squire Magazine'Smith-Jones is a well-known authority on deer and is currently Technical Adviser to the BDS. The book is beautifully illustrated with vignettes by Keith Sykes.' -- Keeping the Balance, Winter 2023Table of ContentsThe Deer Stalker's A to Z; Tales from Glen Garron; Short stories; A mixed bag of trivia; A salmagundi of deer biology and further reading.

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Book SynopsisFor the last thirty years John Lister-Kaye has taken the same circular walk from his home deep in a Scottish glen up to a small hill loch. Each day brings a new observation or an unexpected encounter - a fragile spider's web, an osprey struggling to lift a trout from the water or a woodcock exquisitely camouflaged on her nest - and every day, on his return home, he records his thoughts in a journal. Drawing on this lifetime of close observation, At The Water's Edge encourages us to look again at the nature around us, to discover its wildness for ourselves and to respect and protect it.Trade ReviewJohn Lister-Kaye is one of the most joyful, inspirational naturalists I know. This wonderful collection of wildlife encounters will make anyone want to pull on their boots and re-discover the world on our doorsteps. -- Kate HumbleA book of land-knowing by someone who has spent a gentle lifetime learning the languages of animals. With an untameable enthusiasm and generosity of spirit, Lister-Kaye translates those languages into a kind of inter-species friendship -- Jay Griffiths, author of Wild: An Elemental JourneyDedicated conservationist Lister-Kaye has spent much of his life in solitary contemplation of his environment . . . This is a quiet but rousing call to action for anyone who loves the natural world and wants to help preserve it. * * Sunday Telegraph * *I'd put it in the hands of anyone who ever enjoyed a day out in the fresh air, even those who don't think they like the countryside: they've got to be seduced by this prose -- Claire English * * BBC Radio Scotland * *A thoughtful analyst of the evolutionary interplay between human being and animal. * * The Times * *Every word of John Lister-Kaye's At the Water's Edge sounds with a long, close knowledge of place, with a profound appreciation and anticipation of each small change brought by the progression of a day or of a season. Beautifully observed and rich in description, the book sounds too with an urgent voice, warning of what will be lost to us should we continue to take too little action to protect the natural world -- ESTHER WOOLFSON * * author of CORVUS * *

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Book SynopsisCat’s log, day 345. Human finally accepts her place in the home. When you look into the enigmatic eyes of your beloved cat, it can be hard to know just what on earth is going through their curious minds. Well you needn’t wonder any more, because after intensive research and cat-psychology study, we have cracked the kitty code and can now reveal all the secrets of the moggy world. You’ll find out: what your curious kitty really thinks when you try to play with them why they love knocking things off tables so much what’s behind their disdainful looks why it’s so hard for them to decide whether they want to go outside or not why they get really cheesed off when your culinary skills fall short of their expectations This charming and fully illustrated book is the perfect gift for any cat lover, or anyone who has ever been owned by a cat.

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Book SynopsisAn adorable collection of the sweetest baby animals you’ve ever seen, brought to exquisitely detailed life by well-loved animal artist Hannah Dale, creator of Wrendale Designs. This beautiful gift book, first published in 2015 but now reissued in a larger size to give even more prominence to the gorgeous illustrations, features over 50 British baby animals that are just starting out in life, painted in the author’s quirky, inimitable style. From the playful fox cub to the tiny fluffy duckling, from the prettiest baby seal to a wobbly thoroughbred foal, everyone’s favourite mini creatures are charmingly brought to life by this award-winning artist - you'll squeal with delight at their cuteness! Each animal portrait is accompanied by informative and entertaining text that will teach you more about how these little creatures will make their way in the world. This truly lovely book is the perfect gift package for nature lovers of any age.

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Book SynopsisWhen the pioneering naturalist Gilbert White (1720-93) wrote The Natural History of Selborne (1789), he created one of the greatest and most influential natural history works of all time, his detailed observations about birds and animals providing the cornerstones of modern ecology. In this award-winning biography, Richard Mabey tells the wonderful story of the clergyman - England's first ecologist - whose inspirational naturalist's handbook has become an English classic.Trade ReviewHis evocation of the landscape is brilliant. We seem to be jogging down those deeply rutted lanes behind the parson looking over his shoulder. * Times Educational Supplement *Enthralling ... an excellent evocation of White and his times which certainly deserves a place beside the original work -- Alan Sillitoe * Sunday Times *

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Book Synopsis"With 240 pages filled with incredible art, the bird lover will enjoy flipping through and taking in the vast distinctions between species in the bird kingdom." — Prevention Australian artist Greg Oakley has had a lifelong fascination with birds and bird art, and began photographing birds 20 years ago, progressing from traditional film to digital in the early 2000s. In the past six years, he has worked on perfecting the difficult and exacting area of bird photography known as “setup”, where perches and backgrounds are meticulously crafted and designed, and lighting strictly controlled. There are sometimes hundreds of individual photographs taken and then digitally combined to create a single work. With a combination of photographic skill, field craft, meticulousness and incredible patience, he removes the subject from its natural environment and context, re-imagining it in a field-guide style reminiscent of the historic bird artists. Oakley's photographs represent a reconstructed contemporary vision of important historic artists such as Gould and Audubon. This collection of stunning artwork is a testament to the natural beauty of birds, highlighting the precarious existence of many endangered species and a reminder of the beauty we could lose. By isolating the subject into an unblemished reality, each species’ character and beauty is celebrated with empathy and understanding. The resulting images provide both a rare glimpse in stunning detail of these delicate creatures, and a poignant reminder of the tragic, impending loss of many of them due to habitat loss and climate change.Trade Review"With 240 pages filled with incredible art, the bird lover will enjoy flipping through and taking in the vast distinctions between species in the bird kingdom." - PreventionTable of ContentsForeword Homage to the Bird Coraciiformes Bucerotiformes Accipitriformes Passeriformes Psittaciformes Columbiformes Cuculiformes Acknowledgements

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Book SynopsisDonkeys make wonderful pets and there is a growing interest in owning them. The first piece of advice most prospective owners receive is to "buy a good book", but books on donkey care have been difficult to come by since the first edition of this book sold out some years ago.

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Book SynopsisJeremy & Amy is the first book to tell the story behind internationally famous Monkey World.Trade ReviewEnchanting and touching * Mail on Sunday *Amy is a delight. * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisThe author explores the natural history of Skomer Island, and provides a personal reflection on life and work of a beautiful and remote seabird colony off the west Wales coast.

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Book SynopsisThis third guide in the 'Gardening with Nature Series' gives step by step advice on where, when and how to create a pond to enrich the wildlife in your garden.

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Book SynopsisThere's more to Reading than traffic, concrete and busy people. Wildlife flourishes amidst the urban hustle and with a couple of hundred open spaces, some ancient woodlands and two great rivers, Reading rewards the appreciative naturalist. Wander from town centre to suburbs exploring the parks and meadows, following the rivers and the wooded ridges, watching the seasons change. You'll be surprised at what you find. Over 25 years Adrian Lawson chronicled the wildlife he encountered in his days working in the parks, walking his dogs in the woods and riding his bike around the town. This book takes us through the calendar year with a selection of articles from his long-running newspaper column, Rural Reading, plus some new and previously unpublished pieces. Accompanied by perceptive and very personal illustrations from Geoff Sawers, equally devoted to the natural history of Reading, this exquisite collection will open your eyes to the wild side of town.

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Book SynopsisFrom high heels to welly boots - one woman's misadventures in becoming a farmer, raising a family and making a living from the land.Sally Urwin was living in a tiny flat in the city with a high-pressure job. She was depressed, surviving off rescue remedies and wine, and longing for a different life when she met and married farmer Steve. Returned to the rolling hills of Northumberland, a place she'd adored as a child, Sally imagined herself wafting around High House Farm in floral dresses followed by a bevy of rosy-cheeked children. The reality is quite different...Sally is usually wearing a jumper covered in sheep poo and bellowing at Mavis the collie to stop chasing Gladys the grumpy pony and her kids are moaning about being dragged outside while she is caring for a ewe who has ingested a poisonous plant after wandering into the neighbour's field.But despite the chaos of juggling motherhood with running a farm, financial hardship and dealing with poorly animals, the exhilarating freedom of rural life has helped Sally to heal her own body and mind. Lambing season might be backbreaking, but the utter joy in cradling a new-born lamb is worth all the sweat and tears.With a mix of grit, humour and the love of family, Sally shows us that it's never too late to live the life you've always dreamed of.Fans of The Yorkshire Shepherdess will love this hilarious, heartfelt and honest account that will have you howling with laughter and sobbing into your tissues in equal measure.Read what everyone is saying about What the Flock!:'I don't know how to tell you how much I loved this book... You just CAN'T go wrong with having the author as narrator.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars'I don't even know where to begin!... an amazing memoir that reads like fiction...you will find yourself being sucked into stories... you will laugh and cry... I couldn't put this book down until I devoured it from start to finish... 1000/10 would read again and again.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars'This book was perfect. I loved the honest and wholesome look at life the author provides. It is at sometimes funny and sometimes sad... like talking to a friend.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars'I don't know any animal lover that won't enjoy this book... I related to the female farmer talking about her struggles with the corporate world, and I dreamed along with her that I might be capable of farming and loving on animals all day... I cried over the losses that can come with farm life... will keep you entertained, and I'm going to keep rooting for this family to secure their farm's future.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars'If Bo Peep met the Durrells, they'd happily live alongside Sally Urwin on her Northumbrian farm. An engaging and very, very funny account of a city girl who became a sheep farmer and traded in everything she thought she knew for a life where the four-legged family members rule.' Freya North'I loved this... a joy to read... Honest and funny.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars'A beautiful memoir and the way she narrates it in this audio book makes it all the more special... I felt as if I was sat at her table having a cuppa as she told me about her life. Stunning book and I will be buying copies for friends.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars'I really enjoyed this one... the author is a wonderful storyteller and I enjoyed her humor. I laughed out loud at the stories about Candy, the fat pony.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

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Book Synopsis A beautifully presented, practical gift guide to 50 sights in the skies above us. Explained with fascinating, easy-to-understand commentary from astrophysicist and science communicator, Sarah Barker, and illustrated throughout with captivating drawings by Maria Nilsson, each guide helps you locate an incredible sight. The book is divided into three main sections – and whether you use the naked eye, a telescope, or fall into a black hole of online research, you’ll discover the limitless wonder of the skies – from otherworldly phenomena on Earth like sun dogs, to planets, moons, stars, lunar craters and galaxy clusters. Naked Eye: Learn how navigators travelled in the past by finding the North Star; say hello to our astronauts and learn how to spot the International Space Station; see a red supergiant star (Betelgeuse); and find out more about solar eclipses. Further Afield: Find out more about the next closest galaxy, Andromeda; learn about the discovery of Saturn’s ‘ears’ (or rings!); spot an alien storm that’s as big as the Earth; and track ‘Little Green Men’ and ice volcanoes. Far, Far Away: Learn how baby stars are created by the Pillars of Creation; marvel at the Hubble Deep Field; and unearth the brightest things in our universe, quasars. The book also includes advice on ideal conditions for observing the stars, telescopes and binoculars, and navigating the skies. With extra tips and a rundown of useful tools, you’ll find everything you need to get out there and look up!Trade Review'We’re considering making this our space bible' * How it Works 5-star review *

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Book SynopsisThis easy-to-use identification guide to the 280 reptile species most commonly seen in Australia is perfect for resident and visitor alike. High quality photographs from Australia's top nature photographers are accompanied by detailed species descriptions, which include nomenclature, size, distribution, habits and habitat. The user-friendly introduction covers the threats to reptiles, types of habitat, anatomy of reptiles, and details of orders and families. Also included is an all-important checklist of all of the reptiles of Australia encompassing, for each species, its common and scientific name, and its global IUCN status.

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Book SynopsisA photographic identification guide to 286 native and introduced species of tree, shrub and palm most commonly seen in Southeast Asia. High quality images from the region's top nature photographers including bark, flower and fruit details are accompanied by detailed species descriptions, which include nomenclature, identifying features, distribution and ecology, as well as uses, where relevant. The user-friendly introduction covers climate seasonality, urban habitats, tree diversity in Southeast Asia and an explanation of the classification system.

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