BBC Wildlife - UK (2020-05)

94 BBC Wildlife May 2020

Notebookand

pencilcase

WildChild

Inthisenchantingstoryof

self-discovery,Wanderland

authorJiniReddytakesus

alongonherjourneyto

findthemagicaland

mysticalintheBritish

countryside.Atfirst,the

landseemsunwillingtoshareitssecrets

but,slowly,Jinilearnstoembracethe

quietandserendipitouswaysofnature

• findingmeaningandconnectionin
  smallorsometimesawe-inspiring
  moments,whenthenaturalworldcan
  reignitespiritualityanda senseof
  belongingineventhemostcynicalofus.
  Onthisjourneytofindthewaytoa
  moreintimaterelationshipwithnature,
  thisbookis a joyouscelebrationofthe
  beautywecansee,andthemagicthat
  wecan’t.TayAzizFilm-maker

Partofthelatestcollaborationbetween
theZoologicalSocietyofLondonand
designerSophieAllport,thenotebook
andpencilcasefeatureendangered
Grevy’szebras– whichhavebeengiven
a playfulsplashofcolour,tocontrast
theanimal’smonochromestripes.
Treatyourself,orsomeoneelse,to
somestylishstationery.
AngharadMoran

Readduringlockdown, this

absorbing and timely book

feels even more urgent. In

just 10 generations,

Barkham explains, we have

turned into an indoors

civilisation, producing

cosseted, obese children who have little

contact with the beyond-human world.

Young imaginations are stifled and teen

mental illness is at record levels.

Wild Child is the journalist’s fifth and

by far most personal book. He revisits his

own nature-filled childhood, combining

memoir with his experiences as a father

and while volunteering at Dandelion, the

local outdoor nursery. The result is warm,

intimate, reflective and hopeful, showing

the way to a brighter future for us all.

Ben Hoare Editorial consultant

BOOK

STATIONARY

BOOK

SOPHIE ALLPORT, £10 EACH

BY PATRICK BARKHAM, GRANTA, £16.99

TheBookof

BrilliantBugs

Thisstunninglyvisual

bookis certaintoinspire

childrenandadultsalike

totakea closerlookatthe

worldofminibeasts.The

vibrantcoverhintsat

what’swaitingtobediscoveredamong

thebook’spage– includingbees,

butterfliesandsomeawesomeleaf

insects.Children’snaturalcuriosityis

boundtobepiquedbythefamilytrees

BY JESS FRENCH, DK, £14.99

YOUNGER READERS andbeautifulillustrations,w ichgive

readers a closer look at the anatomy

of certain insects, such as the praying

mantis and its incredible adapted front

legs, or how a butterfly feeds using its

proboscis. The book is full of interesting

facts that will appeal to youngsters –

did you know that a fly’s mouthparts are

like sponges, sucking up soft food and

liquids? Author Jess French, not one

to shy away from the world’s climate

issues, touches on these problems

towards the end of the book but does

so in an informative yet friendly way,

showing readers how they can help

protect and preserve the natural

world around them.

Matt Doogue Wildlife photographer

OUR WILD WORLD

OUT IN THE GARDEN

A LITTLE TRIM

Now is the time to trim back

any winter-flowering heather

• ensuring the best chance of
  some much needed colour
  later in the year.

PERFECT PONDS

Cut back or thin out established

aquatic plants in your pond.

If removing weeds, leave them

near the pond overnight, to let

any creatures make their way

back to the water.

WATER, WATER, ALL AROUND

With warmer weather, you may

need to start watering your

garden more often. Leaving

water out for wildlife will give

them a helping hand in the

increasing heat, too.

Wanderland

BY JINI REDDY, BLOOMSBURY, £16.99

A little bit of

safari style to

take to work

or school.