Wonders of the Wild

Wildlife expert Éanna Ní Lamhna and artist Brian Fitzgerald explore the WONDERS OF THE WILD Nature has lots of hidden treasures. From rabbits eating their own poo to what feeds on humans and how caterpillars burst! Discover animal-eating plants, what rises from the dead, sealife that glows in the dark, and many more weird and wonderful surprises from nature.

Table of Contents:
Spiders Are Cannibals; Eating Their Own Poo (rabbits) Eating Until They Burst (Caterpillars) Forever Flying (Swifts) The Importance of Colour (ladybirds, Cinnabar moth) Pretending To Be Something Else (caterpillars looking like poo, twigs, snakes) Bees as the Goody Goodies; Wasps Are Not Baddies Why Frogs Don’t Drown Rising from The Dead (dog’s vomit slime mould and other weird things you might find) Slimy and Slithery (slug surprises) War Cries and Love Songs (why birds sing) The Bird with No Nest (cuckoo imposter) A Very Short Childhood (chicks literally leaping into the unknown) Squirrels Don’t Hibernate Bats and Their Superpowers; A Dirty Job (bluebottles in action) The Flower Prison (trapping flies) Dinner with Difficulty (birds that fish for good but can’t swim) Animals We Love to Hate (badgers, gulls, magpies, foxes) They Feed on Human Blood (from lice to fleas) Glowing Underwater (amazing underwater world) Mancatchers – Amphibians or Reptiles? (lizards and newts) Going Sideways (crabs, lobsters going backwards) Defended by Prickles (hedgehogs) Plants that Eat Animals Do Cuckoos Spit? (the froghopper) Washed Up from the Depths (what you might find on the beach and what is it?) Slowcoaches (animals that did not make it to Ireland).

About the Author :
Éanna Ní Lamhna is one of the best-known public figures in Ireland, in particular as a biologist, environmental and wildlife consultant, radio and television presenter, author and educator. Éanna has one of the most instantly recognisable voices on Irish radio and has been for many years a member of the panel of experts on RTÉ’s wildlife programme Mooney Goes Wild. She also served for five years as president of the national environmental charity An Taisce, and is currently president of the Tree Council of Ireland. Originally from Louth, she now lives in Dublin. Éanna is the author of several popular wildlife books, including Talking Wild, Straight Talking Wild, Wild Things at School and Wild Dublin: Exploring Nature in the City, shortlisted for the Reading Association of Ireland Award. Her most recent books, Our Wild World: From the Birds and Bees to Our Boglands and the Ice Caps and Wild and Wonderful: Around the World with Éanna Ní Lamhna were published in 2021 and 2022 by The O’Brien Press. Brian Fitzgerald feels most at home illustrating children’s picture books, encouraged by winning the International Silent Book Competition in Bologna. His most recent books are You Can Do It, Rosie, with author Elena Browne, I Don’t Want To Go To School, Does an Astronaut Drive a Tractor? and Does a Firefighter Fly a Rocket? He has had the pleasure of seeing five of his books brought to life on ‘Vooks’. He lives and works in Dún Laoghaire.

Review :
such a brilliant book for curious kids who want to know more about the world around them, and it’s full of surprises about the world of nature, from one of the foremost authorities this country has on the subject a wonderful publication … amazing … brilliant book utterly fascinating ... something for adults and young people Ni Lamhna is well known for her nature writing and broadcasting. In this book, she collects all kinds of nature facts that will fascinate children (and their grown-ups!), from ‘Why Frogs Don’t Drown’ to ‘Squirrels Don’t Hibernate’. She explains why the animals we love to hate — foxes, seagulls, magpies — don’t deserve their bad names, and explains fascinating natural phenomena such as cuckoo spit and “dog’s vomit slime mould”. The illustrations by Fitzgerald are colourful and eye-catching O’Brien Press’s fine tradition of publishing for younger readers continued with Wonders of the Wild, a rich and unsurprisingly lively wildlife omnibus from the mighty Eanna Ni Lamhna with illustrations by Brian Fitzgerald non-fiction guide to weird & wonderful & sometimes incredibly gross things in nature Wildlife expert Eanna Ni Lamhna and artist Brian Fitzgerald explore the wonders of the wild in this beautifully illustrated new book, packed full of fascinating information … Thoroughly engaging If your kids enjoy learning new facts about plants and animals, they will surely be riveted by a new book by biologist, radio and TV presenter and wildlife enthusiast Eanna Ni Lamhna. With illustrations by the award-winning Brian Fitzgerald Wonders of the Wild will inspire them to open their eyes to the amazing plants and animals that live in the natural world that surrounds us. If you or your children have ever asked why rabbits eat their poo, why frogs don’t drown when they hibernate at the bottom of the pond for months, or why some sea life glows in the dark, this is the book for you Both educational and entertaining for young and old! the very best in Irish children’s books published in 2023 ... Readers aged 7+ interested in learning about weird and wonderful facts from nature will love Wonders of the Wild by expert Éanna Ní Lamhna and illustrated by Brian Fitzgerald Nature expert Eanna is back again with another terrific collection of stories about wildlife that will tickle the funny bone of the little people in your life Have you ever wondered how migrating swifts eat and sleep during their long migration? Why wasps become bothersome to humans in autumn? Or why frogs, though they have no gills, do not drown when they hibernate at the bottom of ponds? Do you know the easiest way to tell a lizard from a newt? Who better to provide answers to those questions than biologist and broadcaster Eanna Ni Lamhna? … Ni Lamhna is also a mine of information on other topics some of us may prefer not to ponder. The difference between the black shiny poos excreted by rabbits and the dried-up variety … Ni Lamhna certainly knows how to pique children’s interest, with bluebottle maggots, bloodsucking head lice, and bed bugs also making appearances in this icky-sticky trail through some of nature’s most wonderfully weird creations. For inquisitive young readers with a fascination for the unusual, this absorbing and beautifully-illustrated hardback is perfect gift material Ever wondered how migrating swifts sleep during their long journey? Why rabbits eat their own poo, or why frogs, though they have no gills, do not drown when they hibernate at the bottom of ponds? Biologist and broadcaster Eanna Ni Lamhna answers those questions and many more in an icky-sticky trail through nature’s wonderfully weird creations for reading age 8 years and over, but really can be read to younger kids and read by much older kids too … so many interesting and beautifully illustrated facts about nature a must read for any nature loving kiddies … and adults too Are you ready for an unforgettable journey into nature? It is going to be both fascinating and eye-opening’… Luckily this book is here to guide us on our journey of discovery and prompt our curiosities  … a bursting book of delights! presents an array of facts and information on a wide array of animals in a child-friendly fashion with lovely illustrations filled with detail that’s sure to inspire curiosity about our surrounding natural world. You’ll be surprised at the sheer variety and complexity of the wildlife shown here. A wonderful resource for all budding Irish naturalists that will keep them fascinated for hours…and throughout the year Athlone Bookshop Book Choice of the Week - a fabulous book for parents to explore nature with their children This introduction to the wildlife of Ireland is a non-fiction account, but not simply a mere book of facts. Each page reads as though we are wandering across the countryside with an informed guide in our midst, every question answered along the way. Between more complex descriptions and definitions there are funny and deliciously disgusting facts that kids will love. This book succeeds in educating through the curiosity of discovering these creatures for the first time in a way that never feels laborious. Each spread combines illustrative colour with small blocks of text that don’t seem too daunting for younger, budding readers. While terms come up that may require assistance, they are immediately explained in a simple and concise way, perfect for building confidence along the way. The illustrations combine the artist's personal style with anatomical accuracy. This balance creates a beautiful yet informative set of illustrations that is painterly, and textural while demonstrating the unique characteristics of the content too. There are even some funny storytelling moments that sit perfectly among the more complex images and add a little extra wonder to the book. While there are countless books about the creatures with which we inhabit the earth, few focus on Irish wildlife specifically. It’s difficult for the humble snail or rabbit to grab our attention when compared to a huge grizzly bear or venomous snake that so often captivates the minds of young readers, but here we discover exactly what it is that makes these familiar creatures spectacular and worth reading about This introduction to the wildlife of Ireland is a non-fiction account, but not simply a mere book of facts. Each page reads as though we are wandering across the countryside with an informed guide in our midst and every question answered along the way. Between more complex descriptions and definitions, and illustrations combining the artist’s personal style with anatomical accuracy, this book succeeds in educating through the curiosity of discovering these creatures for the first time in a way that never feels laborious   Have you ever wondered why spiders don’t stick to their own webs? Do you know why rabbits eat their own poo? And when frogs hibernate at the bottom of a pond for months, why don’t they drown? Find the answers in this engaging and informative nature book, written by a leading wildlife … Each page explores a different group of plants or animals, such as marine life which glows in the dark, caterpillars which eat until they burst and ingenious animal-eating plants. There’s even a section on creatures which feed on human blood, including headlice, fleas and bed bugs. Enhanced by full-page illustrations, this informative picture book takes readers on a weird and wonderful wildlife adventure. Ideal for inquisitive children who enjoy the outdoors, this fascinating book will encourage them to notice the wonders of nature and develop their sense of curiosity. A captivating wildlife guide which is sure to inspire young people to explore their own local environment This introduction to the wildlife of Ireland is a non-fiction account, but not simply a mere book of facts. Each page reads as though we are wandering across the countryside with an informed guide in our midst, every question answered along the way. Between more complex descriptions and definitions and illustrations combining the artist’s personal style with anatomical accuracy, this book succeeds in educating through the curiosity of discovering these creatures for the first time in a way that never feels laborious