Shapes of Nature A kaleidescope of the Natural World

In a letter included with the review copy of this eye-catching large format book author Ben Hoare describes it as a child-friendly reimagining of the display cabinets you see in the world’s great natural history museums and it’s hard to think of a better summary.  Double pages present small photos from DK’s unique picture library e.g. of bees, beetles, feathers, starfish, carefully arranged in the relevant shape – a bee, a beetle, a frog. Apparently, there are over 3,000 different objects included; I didn’t count but can quite believe it. Each of the photos is numbered and named, and the effect is absolutely that of a cabinet of beautiful objects, an image that you will want to pore over, and an extraordinary visual representation of the variety and beauty of nature. If you can tear yourself away and turn the page, there you’ll find photographic close ups of the objects, the tiny scales on a butterfly’s wing, the underside of a starfish, the spiral pattern on a pinecone. There, there is also information to lift the objects off the page. Hoare’s text is always accessible and he claims to have included as many ‘wow’ facts as possible. This is a book that has been carefully and thoughtfully created to inform, educate and inspire. It will fascinate children and encourage them to understand and appreciate the natural world and to learn even more about it. The final topic is gemstones, which is entirely fitting, as this a gem from start to finish. Naturally there is an index and glossary.