The Wonders of Nature Book Review

Every page in the Wonders of Nature, reveals a surprising story from the natural world that you just won’t forget.

The Wonders of Nature

Discover the wonders of planet Earth and learn about some of the most amazing animals, plants, rocks and minerals, and microscopic life that live here.

The storybook descriptions and close-up images let you discover the myths and legends of living creatures and minerals, as well as key facts about their natural history. Find out how the prowling jaguar uses spots to avoid being spotted, why a sticky sundew means big trouble for insects, and what on Earth a radiolarian is. From opals to orchids and tapirs to toadstools, this beautiful collection brings more than 100 remarkable items from the natural world to life.

My Thoughts

This book blew my mind away – it is absolutely gorgeous when you pick it up. I loved the texture of the cover and the beautiful design and golden trim. It gives the book an almost whimsical and fairy tale feel to it. I was almost too nervous to open the book as I didn’t want to damage the outside. I would find myself tracing the design on the cover and back over and over as it is just stunning.

The inside of the book is just as beautiful as the outside. It has the same feel to the illustrations and the colours are soft, which suits the theme of the book well. I loved the introduction – ‘this book celebrates some of the millions of living things that call it home, as well as the rocks, fossils and other natural marvels that make up our world’. And this book truly is a celebration of all things in nature.

The book has four sections: rocks and minerals, microscopic life, plants and animals. We loved each section – my personal favourite was the plants section (loved learning about Dragon’s blood tree and Traveler’s Tree – both that I had never heard of before) and my son loved the animals (even learning some new animals like the porcupine fish and Gharial). Each featured item in each category had two pages devoted to it. I loved the large image contrasting with the smaller illustrations and factual quotes. Each item had two to three paragraphs dedicated to it and it blended in well with the illustrations, your eyes naturally followed both the story and imagery. There was a lot of thought put into the design, layout and theme in this book and it was well worth it.

This is a stunning book that you will love as an adult to have in your collection and perfect for the older child as they begin to appreciate nature and want to learn more. This would make an excellent gift for those who love the arts. I found myself wanting to sketch out the plants that were featured – they are just too beautiful for words. The Wonders of Nature is truly a celebration of the beauty and wonder in the world around us.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

About the Author

Ben Hoare is an editor and author of books on nature and natural history, including Eyewitness: Endangered Animals, Trees and Leaves, and Pond Life. A fellow of the Zoological Society of London, his work can also be seen published in BBC Wildlife and Birdlife magazines, and on several BBC websites.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.