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The Wonders of Nature
Uncover awe-inspiring stories behind the natural world with this nature book for curious kids aged 6-8.
The world is filled with curious objects such as amazing rocks and minerals, microscopic life, plants, animals and more. The wonders of wildlife are so much bigger than young minds can fathom and there is always more to learn! The Wonders of Nature is a stunning nature encyclopedia for young readers to explore, with reference pages packed with fascinating information, little learners will be captivated as they dive into this collection of 100 remarkable
items from the natural world, from orchids to opals and lichens to lizards and so much more! Each plant, animal, and rock is shown both photographically and illustrated, and children will love poring over the detailed close-up images.
The storybook descriptions let you discover the myths and legends surrounding both organisms and gemstones, 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. This beautiful treasury lets you find the things that interest you and uncover new favourites along the way. With reference pages packed with information you’ll go away knowing something you didn’t before, and you’ll return time and again. The Wonders of Nature takes you on a tour of our planet through commonplace-but-incredible objects made by nature itself. The engaging storybook-style descriptions and simple text shed a light on the wonders of nature and wildlife, making this book ideal for inquisitive children aged 6-8 who loves to spot things when exploring outside and wants to know more about the wonderful and mysterious natural world.
Celebrate your child’s curiosity as
- Explore 100 minerals, plants, and animals each with a stunning photographs and illustrations
- Reveal fun facts in visual index guides that provide key reference information
- Uncover captivating information on the natural history and mythology of a variety of nature’s wonders
This nature encyclopedia for children is the perfect blend of storybook style text with out of this world illustrations which makes it a fantastic nature book for children who are obsessed with wildlife and the natural world. Encourage young readers to go on a journey to explore a world of information, making this the ideal first reference book for kids aged 6-8 to enjoy for hours on end, whether reading with the family or reading alone, this fun fact book also doubles up as the perfect gift for curious kids who love to learn.
Explore the vastness of space by
-Stunning Jacket gold foil, holographic foil & metallic gold edges
-Striking photography & illustrations inside
-A beautiful book for the whole family to treasure
-A quality gift to be passed down through the generations
More in the Series
The Wonder’s of Nature is part of the beautiful and informative Anthology series. Complete the series and nurture your child's curiosity as they explore the natural world with Nature’s Treasures or let them walk with the dinosaurs who ruled the earth before them in Dinosaurs and other Prehistoric Life.
The world is filled with curious objects such as amazing rocks and minerals, microscopic life, plants, animals and more. The wonders of wildlife are so much bigger than young minds can fathom and there is always more to learn! The Wonders of Nature is a stunning nature encyclopedia for young readers to explore, with reference pages packed with fascinating information, little learners will be captivated as they dive into this collection of 100 remarkable
items from the natural world, from orchids to opals and lichens to lizards and so much more! Each plant, animal, and rock is shown both photographically and illustrated, and children will love poring over the detailed close-up images.
The storybook descriptions let you discover the myths and legends surrounding both organisms and gemstones, 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. This beautiful treasury lets you find the things that interest you and uncover new favourites along the way. With reference pages packed with information you’ll go away knowing something you didn’t before, and you’ll return time and again. The Wonders of Nature takes you on a tour of our planet through commonplace-but-incredible objects made by nature itself. The engaging storybook-style descriptions and simple text shed a light on the wonders of nature and wildlife, making this book ideal for inquisitive children aged 6-8 who loves to spot things when exploring outside and wants to know more about the wonderful and mysterious natural world.
Celebrate your child’s curiosity as
- Explore 100 minerals, plants, and animals each with a stunning photographs and illustrations
- Reveal fun facts in visual index guides that provide key reference information
- Uncover captivating information on the natural history and mythology of a variety of nature’s wonders
This nature encyclopedia for children is the perfect blend of storybook style text with out of this world illustrations which makes it a fantastic nature book for children who are obsessed with wildlife and the natural world. Encourage young readers to go on a journey to explore a world of information, making this the ideal first reference book for kids aged 6-8 to enjoy for hours on end, whether reading with the family or reading alone, this fun fact book also doubles up as the perfect gift for curious kids who love to learn.
Explore the vastness of space by
-Stunning Jacket gold foil, holographic foil & metallic gold edges
-Striking photography & illustrations inside
-A beautiful book for the whole family to treasure
-A quality gift to be passed down through the generations
More in the Series
The Wonder’s of Nature is part of the beautiful and informative Anthology series. Complete the series and nurture your child's curiosity as they explore the natural world with Nature’s Treasures or let them walk with the dinosaurs who ruled the earth before them in Dinosaurs and other Prehistoric Life.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2019
65 people are currently reading
1086 people want to read
About the author
Ben Hoare
54 books21 followersBen Hoare is an author and editor who specializes in natural history. He has written or contributed to more than 40 reference books. His work has also appeared in BBC Wildlife and Birdwatch magazines and on BBC websites. He is a Fellow of the Zoological Society in London and presents regular talks and lectures at the Natural History Museum, London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
November 12, 2025
Ever just look around the world and want to know more? More about the plants, animals, rocks, dirt?
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.
If you are anything like me, the answer is yes. A hundred times yes.
The Wonders of Nature is absolutely perfect for the curious kid (or adult).
Our planet is a giant globe made from many different ingredients.This book meanders through rocks, minerals, single-celled organisms, plants and animals (and so much more!)
Each entry contains a description, illustration, gorgeous photography and a few fun/exciting facts.
They might look like colorful candies, but these are tiny lifeforms called diatoms.As someone who absolutely loves learning about things (wild and crazy things), this book was truly...well...wonderful!
Green algae are a huge group of organisms...the smaller green globes inside each golden volvox are babiesMy only regret?
That this book was not longer.
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October 8, 2019
This is the book I wish I'd grown up with (instead of Charlie Brown's Encyclopedia - although that one evidently left an impression, as I was outraged to learn as an adult that the tongue does not, in fact, have different regions for different tastes). The 100 species are well chosen (tardigrades, ammonites, stinging nettles...these are a few of my favorite things!), and author Ben Hoare has done a terrific job of selecting the most interesting details about each, getting the science right (he nails land plant evolution!), and not overwhelming with text. Photos and illustrations are appealingly laid out for browsing, and selected with an eye for both beauty and scientific value. It might just be the right book to inspire a child to fall in love with the natural world. I hope so.
I first learned of the existence of this book while in a bookstore this week. My partner and I bought two copies on the spot as gifts for friends with children. This is not how I ever shop - usually I read reviews, I shop around for the best price, I hem, I haw. This time, I just bought. Maybe I need a copy, too?
I first learned of the existence of this book while in a bookstore this week. My partner and I bought two copies on the spot as gifts for friends with children. This is not how I ever shop - usually I read reviews, I shop around for the best price, I hem, I haw. This time, I just bought. Maybe I need a copy, too?
June 16, 2024
Ganz ehrlich, ich kannte Affenbrotbäume nur von 'Der kleine Prinz' und dachte, sie wären eine Erfindung😅😅 Jetzt lesen wir viel über Bäume (es gibt auch noch den allseits beliebten Drachenblutbaum), Steine und manchmal Blumen. Außerdem gibt's in diesem Buch den Walhai und den Jaguar, beides aktuelle Lieblingstiere😅
July 3, 2021
What a great book for kids. Shiny rocks, Fossils, Microscopic plants/animals, Trees, Flowers, Amphibians, Mammals. Colorful examples of each with lots of highly interesting facts. I would have loved a book like this when I was young. Very nice picture-index in the back to help find that interesting item quickly.
August 10, 2020
Got this for 5 year old twin granchildren based on review of botanist I follow (thank you Jennifer!!!) I've been reading it to my little guys at the beach. it is wonderful. the choices are amazing and there is always a marvelous joy of information tidbit (gold mostly all from meteorites !!)
the kids are awed (water bears!, there are volcanoes under the ocean!) and their mom (my daughter) is stunned (ruby and sapphire are from same mineral: corundum!) and she will be buying it as presents for all her friend's children.
get the book, not kindle, the contents and index page are worthwhile too.
the kids are awed (water bears!, there are volcanoes under the ocean!) and their mom (my daughter) is stunned (ruby and sapphire are from same mineral: corundum!) and she will be buying it as presents for all her friend's children.
get the book, not kindle, the contents and index page are worthwhile too.
November 21, 2024
I wanted it to never end. The colorful pages and amazing facts were so much fun! For example, I had never heard of a Ghost Plant and never knew that Wombats have pouches like a kangaroo (but backwards). Each plant, rock, microscopic life form, or animal is described in 2 paragraphs that are short but interesting enough to hold the attention of a child or adult.
March 3, 2024
Visad laikiau save žmogumi, kuris mėgsta būti gamtoje. O gimus vaikams bangomis užpuola savotiškas azartas supažindinti juos su tuo pasauliu, kurį myliu. Įduoti įrankius jam stebėti ir pažinti. Todėl pamačius knygas apie gamtą nesusituriu! 😀 Tam kad supažindinčiau ir pačiai reikia ne tik mylėt, bet ir sužinot daugybę dalykų! O smagiausia tai informaciją atrasti kartu. 💛
Tokias pažintines, kone enciklopedines knygas mėgstu pasiimti, kai važiuojame kur nors mašina. Visi sužinom, ką nors naujo, visiems kyla minčių ir idėjų, visi turim, ką veikt (bent jau kurį laiką).
Ši knyga mus visus abstulbino milžiniška tridakna, kurios kriauklė užauga pločio kaip dvigulė lova, fulguritas, kuris susidaro žaibui trenkus į smėlėtą vietą, dumbliai, kurie, pasirodo, išskiria daugiau nei puse mūsų planetos deguonies. 😲
Sužinojom, kas nutinka su graužikais, kuriuos suryja pelėda ir tai, kad skylė titnage yra vartai į kitą pasaulį. 💛 Išsiaiškinom, kaip susidarė iškasamos anglys, kas yra meteoritai ir krateriai. Ir netikėtai, važiuodami pro Kėdainių baltuosius fosfogipso kalnus, skaitėme skyrių apie kreidą!
Kelionės su šia knyga buvo tikras nuotykis ir tikrai ne vien vaikams. 🥰
Perskaitę turim naujų planų:
1. Atrasti elnio ragą miške (pasirodo jie juos meta kas metus ir kas metus atsiaugina naujus 😲)
2. Užsiauginti kristalą namuose.
3. Nusipirkti kokoso riešutą ir jį ištyrinėti. O gal ir kur gyvai nusiskinti. Laikas parodys.
4. Buvo norinčių rast meteoritą ir kraterį. Irgi - ką gali žinot. 😀
Mūsų kasdienės gamtos gėrybių - toks mūsų oficialus pavadinimas, kai išeinam su dėžutėm jų rinkt - tampa dar įdomesnės. 💛
Rekomenduojam gamtos mylėtojams. 💛
Tokias pažintines, kone enciklopedines knygas mėgstu pasiimti, kai važiuojame kur nors mašina. Visi sužinom, ką nors naujo, visiems kyla minčių ir idėjų, visi turim, ką veikt (bent jau kurį laiką).
Ši knyga mus visus abstulbino milžiniška tridakna, kurios kriauklė užauga pločio kaip dvigulė lova, fulguritas, kuris susidaro žaibui trenkus į smėlėtą vietą, dumbliai, kurie, pasirodo, išskiria daugiau nei puse mūsų planetos deguonies. 😲
Sužinojom, kas nutinka su graužikais, kuriuos suryja pelėda ir tai, kad skylė titnage yra vartai į kitą pasaulį. 💛 Išsiaiškinom, kaip susidarė iškasamos anglys, kas yra meteoritai ir krateriai. Ir netikėtai, važiuodami pro Kėdainių baltuosius fosfogipso kalnus, skaitėme skyrių apie kreidą!
Kelionės su šia knyga buvo tikras nuotykis ir tikrai ne vien vaikams. 🥰
Perskaitę turim naujų planų:
1. Atrasti elnio ragą miške (pasirodo jie juos meta kas metus ir kas metus atsiaugina naujus 😲)
2. Užsiauginti kristalą namuose.
3. Nusipirkti kokoso riešutą ir jį ištyrinėti. O gal ir kur gyvai nusiskinti. Laikas parodys.
4. Buvo norinčių rast meteoritą ir kraterį. Irgi - ką gali žinot. 😀
Mūsų kasdienės gamtos gėrybių - toks mūsų oficialus pavadinimas, kai išeinam su dėžutėm jų rinkt - tampa dar įdomesnės. 💛
Rekomenduojam gamtos mylėtojams. 💛
October 19, 2022
As a kids book, the writing and choice of animals and plants is great. Accessible and intriguing, fun and friendly. Sometimes Hoare takes a whole family, sometimes on specific species, but it doesn't really matter - the idea is just to get kids interested in the natural world, and that it's a lot more weird and wonderful than we think.
But... Visually, this is the first DK book I'd call ugly, which so strange, because they have the best designers, photographers and illustrators. But this one, I mean even the typefaces are ugly. There are a lot of vector illustrations, but most look computer generated (you feed a photo into Adobe Illustrator or whatever and click a button, it looks a lot more messy than the hand drawn ones). When they do have photos, which may have been good, they blow them up really big and often there's something off with the colour. Just a bit of a let down....
But... Visually, this is the first DK book I'd call ugly, which so strange, because they have the best designers, photographers and illustrators. But this one, I mean even the typefaces are ugly. There are a lot of vector illustrations, but most look computer generated (you feed a photo into Adobe Illustrator or whatever and click a button, it looks a lot more messy than the hand drawn ones). When they do have photos, which may have been good, they blow them up really big and often there's something off with the colour. Just a bit of a let down....
January 16, 2025
Me and my daughter read this. It was informative and intriguing to learn about creatures and other life we’d never heard of and to learn more about the ones we have. How intricate and fascinating nature is. To think we haven’t even discovered every living thing! The book is a quick study with beautiful pictures.
December 2, 2021
What a gem of a book. Really enjoyed reading this with my five year old daughter. Beautiful illustrations and interesting information.
May 20, 2025
Lovely photos & illustrations
June 18, 2020
If I could give this more than 5 stars, I would. This book is perfect for a child (or adult) who is interested in nature. Physically the book is beautiful with gold edges and gold illumination on the cover. The pictures, both photographed and illustrated, are well done and presented clearly so anyone can see what the animal, plant, rock looks like. On each page is where it (animal, rock, flower, etc.) is located. There are contents, glossary and visual guide. There are no website recommendations but seriously - this is a book that makes you forget about the internet and just live in the moment with a great book.
The writing is amazing - it is simple enough to engage a 10 year old to read. Younger children may need help. The descriptions are wonderful: 'some sea urchins use crabs as taxis", some sponges look like "bubble wrap, fingers, or jelly", "this plant might make you look twice. It's not a flying duck. It's an orchid flower!". These simple descriptions is what grabs kids attention.
Facts kids (and adults) learn are fun - did you know: that turquoise is made from copper and iron and the more iron, the greener the turquoise and the more copper, the bluer? Or did you know that the wombat is the only animal that produces cube-shaped poop? or a lobsters two claws often don't match - one is for smashing and the other cutting?
I could go on and on about this book. As an elementary school librarian, I know my students will enjoy this book. My students are always looking for interesting reads on nature. Sometimes books explain on an adult level and students won't check out.
The only problem I see for librarians is that this book is big and heavy for a child to take home. Especially if the child is walking home. What I do with books like this is I have the child's grownup (parent, guardian, older sibling) pick up the book.
My last comment is this book is up there with Steve Jenkins books. So, if you like Steve Jenkins books, you'll love this.
The writing is amazing - it is simple enough to engage a 10 year old to read. Younger children may need help. The descriptions are wonderful: 'some sea urchins use crabs as taxis", some sponges look like "bubble wrap, fingers, or jelly", "this plant might make you look twice. It's not a flying duck. It's an orchid flower!". These simple descriptions is what grabs kids attention.
Facts kids (and adults) learn are fun - did you know: that turquoise is made from copper and iron and the more iron, the greener the turquoise and the more copper, the bluer? Or did you know that the wombat is the only animal that produces cube-shaped poop? or a lobsters two claws often don't match - one is for smashing and the other cutting?
I could go on and on about this book. As an elementary school librarian, I know my students will enjoy this book. My students are always looking for interesting reads on nature. Sometimes books explain on an adult level and students won't check out.
The only problem I see for librarians is that this book is big and heavy for a child to take home. Especially if the child is walking home. What I do with books like this is I have the child's grownup (parent, guardian, older sibling) pick up the book.
My last comment is this book is up there with Steve Jenkins books. So, if you like Steve Jenkins books, you'll love this.
February 16, 2020
I was first drawn by how the book looked, little did I know the beauty of the outside continued to the inside. The gold illumination on the cover and pages caught my eye - we don't see this often anymore. When I opened the book and read, I realized how stunning the book truly was. Not only did it introduce me to different things in nature, some I have never heard of, it gave little tid-bits of information that made me appreciate them. I was fascinated by everything. The pictures and illustrations throughout are stunning - there are no other words. Even those microscopic beings, though some look downright disgusting - like the water bear - you can see them up close; see how complicated and intricate they are. It made me admire these things of nature so much more.
This was a book of beauty all around - the information, photography, illustrations, design.
This was a book of beauty all around - the information, photography, illustrations, design.
January 23, 2025
Que libro tan bonito. La edición es espectacular, se compone de preciosas ilustraciones, fotografías increíbles y una diagramación perfecta. El contenido también es muy bonito, explica un montón de maravillas de la naturaleza. Desde el mineral y microorganismo más pequeño, hasta el animal y árbol más grande.
Aprendí muchas cosas interesantes y datos curiosos de las especies que nos rodean. Leerlo fue una experiencia muy bonita.
Es un libro enfocado más que todo al público infantil, ya que tiene un lenguaje muy sencillo y cómico. Pero creo que es disfrutable para cualquier persona, en especial, los amantes de la naturaleza.
Aprendí muchas cosas interesantes y datos curiosos de las especies que nos rodean. Leerlo fue una experiencia muy bonita.
Es un libro enfocado más que todo al público infantil, ya que tiene un lenguaje muy sencillo y cómico. Pero creo que es disfrutable para cualquier persona, en especial, los amantes de la naturaleza.
December 23, 2020
Not only is this an educational book....it's also a GORGEOUS book. Everything from the illustrations to the fonts to the weight and texture of the pages just makes me shiver with pleasure and excitement when flipping through these pages.
As a biology student, it's nice to be able to take a step back from complicated processes and just enjoy the beauty and stunning features nature has to offer.
As a biology student, it's nice to be able to take a step back from complicated processes and just enjoy the beauty and stunning features nature has to offer.
September 27, 2021
A beautiful children's book! I'm looking forward to sharing the information in it with my niece, although I must confess I discovered some interesting things I didn't know myself. Like the existance of a rock called the desert rose, of star sand, of male and female ginko trees, of living stones or of man-of-war jellyfish. Or that echidnas are the other type of mammals to lay eggs. Or that wombats produce cube-shaped poo. Just the stuff to get kids (and me) hooked!
January 20, 2025
This is such a beautifully crafted book! The illustrations are stunning, and the design invites you to explore and appreciate the natural world. The content strikes a nice balance between being educational and engaging, making it enjoyable for both kids and adults. It’s the kind of book that’s perfect for flipping through when you want a moment of calm or curiosity. A lovely addition to any collection, especially for nature enthusiasts or anyone who loves beautifully designed books.
May 20, 2021
Similar to his other book "An Intriguing Anthology of Animals", this anthology contains large color photographs, detailed illustrations, and ample amounts of educational information. But in this text, in addition to animals, Hoare also includes examples and explanations of rocks, minerals, plants, flowers, and trees! Great resource for parents and libraries alike.
August 10, 2021
This was a lovely book with information about a variety of natural wonders. It gave me the most interesting facts in short articles about nature that I hadn't even heard of before or wouldn't have thought to read about. Now I know about water bears, ghost plants, star sand, saigas, pyrite, gum trees and lots more!
February 12, 2025
One of the most delightful books I have ever read, this beautifully illustrated work is a treasure for nature lovers. The author presents the intricate symbiotic relationships between animals, plants, and fungi in a way that is both simple and accessible. A perfect choice for readers of all ages—equally engaging for children and adults alike.
November 5, 2019
This is a lovely book with beautiful photos and illustrations on creamy matte paper and complete with gilded pages. Each two-page spread covers one plant/animal/creature with enough information to educate but not overwhelm young and old readers alike. I cannot wait to share it with my 5 year old.
January 24, 2020
At first I thought this book was going to be drudgery and painful, but it was actually very interesting. I learned a lot about animals I have never heard of. There were many google searches to learn more about these cool creatures! Good one!
April 7, 2023
75%
This book is kind of like a natural history museum translated to paper. It had lots of fun facts about select minerals, plants, and animals, but I wish it went a little more in-depth than it did - it's content didn't really live up to it's size and quality.
This book is kind of like a natural history museum translated to paper. It had lots of fun facts about select minerals, plants, and animals, but I wish it went a little more in-depth than it did - it's content didn't really live up to it's size and quality.
June 25, 2023
Beautiful illustrations and a great introduction to many species without being too long winded. This book gives you ideas of what plants, animals and other life you might be interested in investigating further. Highly recommend for all ages.
May 5, 2025
These are fantastic books. We like reading one page per day. There are a few entries that promote the theory of evolution. Our family doesn't agree with this theory, but we just used it as a good talking point.
November 11, 2019
This is a great introduction. Each subject takes 2 pages and has a brief description, photograph and illustration. The specific subject is also labeled and shows where it can be found.
January 31, 2020
Beautiful pictures and Illustrations and very interesting facts!
March 8, 2020
Such a pretty book and great pictures and illustrations! Similar to the other one but includes more plants and rocks and things in nature.
March 19, 2020
The pictures in this book are absolutely amazing!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews