Published by Mama Makes Books, 2023.

I have had the pleasure of reading both titles in this newly published non-fiction series and I can’t recommend them highly enough. I love the concept of the books – starting on a very small scale and then widening the focus little by little until we get a global perspective.

In the first book, Small, Speckled Egg (illustrated by Anna Terreros-Martin), our story begins with an egg in a nest. Soon the egg hatches and we meet an Arctic tern chick. We follow the chick as she learns to fly and dive for fish. Then we accompany her on her long journey south as the colony migrates to warmer climates. The story turns full circle with the return journey and then fast forwards three years to when the chick is fully grown and ready to start a family of her own.

In Little Brown Nut (illustrated by Dawn Cooper) we explore the life cycle of a Brazil nut – from the moment it falls to the ground until it becomes a tree and starts producing fruit of its own. We learn about each stage of this process in turn: germination, growth and pollination.

Both books are brilliantly illustrated, showing us the splendour and biodiversity of the rainforest or the grace and strength of the Arctic tern (not to mention the irresistible cuteness of the chicks!) I love the huge fold-out page at the back of each book which includes world maps, life cycle diagrams and a fun I-Spy game.

There is a wealth of factual detail in each book and it’s presented in a really accessible way. Each aspect of the life cycle is broken down into clear steps and accompanied by diagrams, cross-sections and child-friendly explanations. I love how the books zoom in on tiny details. For example, it was really interesting to discover how an empty Brazil nut case lying on the forest floor can fill with rainwater and become a home for tadpoles.

The books cleverly combine dual text. The larger font is a simpler version of the information and is aimed at younger readers. It also (rather delightfully) narrates the life cycle story in the first person from the point of view of the Brazil nut or the Arctic tern. Additional factual detail (pitched at slightly older children) is included on the same page in a smaller font.

This is a fascinating and extremely informative series and I’m already excited about future titles.

Rating: 💙💙💙💙💙

Suitable for children aged 4+

Thank you to Mama Makes Books for sending me this book to review.