Little Guides to Nature: Hello Fossils and Shells

By Author / Illustrator

Nina Chakrabarti

Genre

Environment & Nature

Age range(s)

Publisher

Hachette Children's Group

ISBN

9781510230514

Format

Hardback

Published

01-08-2024

Synopsis

Get outside and explore a world of fascinating fossils and shells with this beautifully illustrated pocket guide for children.

Why do some shells have shimmery rainbow linings? And can you tell a trilobite from an ammonite? Beautiful gallery-style pages showcase creatures fossilised in amber, spiny fossils and an amazing array of colourful seashells. Fun off-the-page activity spreads include tips on fossil hunting and how to make fossil imprints using shells.

With colourful illustrations and amazing facts, outdoor activities to try and features on shell patterns, great fossil finds and living fossils, this little book will provide hours of pleasure, both indoors and out.

Be inspired to go outdoors and get up close with nature with this brand-new series from internationally bestselling illustrator Nina Chakrabarti. Also in this series: Hello Trees, Hello Fungi and Hello Bugs.

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Reviews

Jane

Glance at the common features of all four books in this series and the librarian/teacher/book-buying parent will soon be persuaded to invest: Helpful hardback format suited to taking outdoors, as is their fit into a rucksack pocket; Quality paper for durability; Stylish and colourful illustrations; A good selection of facts; Inclusion of practical activities which children could easily do, e.g. making a leaf or spore print, building a bug hotel, and creating trace fossils; Quotes from literature, poetry or celebrities at the beginning and, at the end, bullet-pointed encouragement to be kind to these natural phenomena.

These books tell children what to look out for and help them to understand a little more about what they might find under a stone, in the garden, on the beach or out in the woods or park. Thus equipped, they could soon become astute and informed observers of nature, whether already very keen or just inquisitive. So, schools/parents: get some copies (duplicate, if possible) for your library, forest school, classrooms and bored-in-the-holiday pile.

In Little Guides to Nature: Hello Fossils and Shells, I particularly liked the idea of looking for fossils in the stones of city walls, the inclusion of a double page on 'Shells in Folklore' and the suggestion to 'place a pen or coin next to your find when you photograph it to give a sense of its scale'.

48 pages / Reviewed by Jane Rew, school librarian