Books by Nicola Davies
Whale Boy
Perfect for any young reader who loves animals, the powerful and heartwarming story of a boy's friendship with a baby whale
Michael, a young boy growing up on the tropical island of Rose Town, has been saving up for his own fishing boat for years. But when a terrible storm wrecks his home, Michael is forced to take a job working for a rich, mysterious newcomer named Spargo. Spargo asks Michael to search for one thing in the deep waters around Rose Town—whales. This is moving, adventure-packed fiction at its very best, with a strong environmental message.
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Science Kids: Birds
Birds introduces young readers to the essential features of their fine featheredfriends. They'll look in detail at how birds fly, feed, communicate, reproduce, and raise their young.
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Discover Science: Birds
Birds are a wonderful entry point for a first study of animal life. Discover Science: Birds by Nicola Davies introduces young readers to the essential features of their fine-feathered friends, such as how birds fly, feed, communicate, reproduce, and raise their young. Kids will love the simple hands-on projects, and the eye-popping photography that takes them right up close.
Make science accessible with this essential series that will capture children’s imagination while laying the foundation for future learning. With clear, simple language and a compelling design, Discover Science gives young readers the answers to fundamental questions about animal homes, birds, light and sound, materials, and more.
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Kingfisher Young Knowledge: Oceans and Seas
Oceans and Seas introduces readers to the fascinating underwater world, from the deepest oceans to the shallows, and the creatures and plants that make salt water their home. Discover the rare mola mola fish and meet the colorful inhabitants of coral reefs. Also, find out how people use the waters of the world, from sports and leisure to fishing and treasure hunting.
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Poop: A Natural History of the Unmentionable (Animal Science)
"Playful, but filled with information, this book takes poop out of the sewers and into the scientific community where it belongs." —The Horn Book
Hippos navigate by it, sloths keep in touch through it, dung beetles eat it . . . and most grown-ups would rather not mention it. But scientists who study animal feces find out all sorts of things, such as the number of insects a bat eats or just how a T. rex devoured a triceratops 70 million years ago. Poop is an excellent prototype for recycling and perhaps the most useful stuff on Earth. Take a peek at Poop and find out what it’s for, where it goes, and how much we can learn from it.
Back matter includes an index and a glossary.
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Just the Right Size: Why Big Animals Are Big and Little Animals Are Little (Animal Science)
From a celebrated team comes a fascinating look at why we don’t have super powers (alas) — and why size matters, for creatures big and small.
Did you ever wonder why there are no high-fl ying, wall-climbing, tall-building-leaping superheroes in real life? Find out what keeps big animals (like us) from engaging in astonishing feats of strength and agility, and yet why being tiny and all-powerful might have a downside. What if you could lift fi fty times your weight (hello, ant), but getting wet could kill you? Or you could soar like a bird, but a cold breeze would do you in? Whether big or small, our size defi nes more about us than we could ever imagine. Join the duo that brought us POOP, EXTREME ANIMALS, and WHAT'S EATING YOU? for a fun and intriguing exploration of what it means to be just the right size.
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Just the Right Size: Why Big Animals Are Big and Little Animals Are Little (Animal Science)
"Nicola Davies is the best thing to happen to biology classes since the invention of the filmstrip." —Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review)
Did you ever wonder why there are no high-flying superheroes in real life? Find out what keeps big animals (like us) from performing amazing feats of strength and agility, yet why being tiny and powerful might have a downside. What if you could lift fifty times your weight (hello, ant), but getting wet could kill you? Or you could soar like a bird, but a cold breeze would do you in? From an award-winning duo, an intriguing look at what it means to be just the right size. Back matter includes an index and a glossary.
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White Owl, Barn Owl: Read and Wonder
"Few children now have access to the open woodlands and grasslands frequented by barn owls, but they can all enjoy the magic of the bird thanks to this lovely introduction." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
A young girl and her grandfather look for a barn owl night after night. Will a distinctive heart-shaped face appear at the window? Michael Foreman’s lush, intimate paintings are a perfect companion to Nicola Davies’s lyrical text featuring intriguing facts about a rare bird indeed. Back matter includes further information about nest boxes and an index.
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Surprising Sharks: Read and Wonder
"Everything works in this book — the informative yet humorous writing, the not-too-scary illustrations, and a superb layout that employs multisized text and bright color backgrounds to great effect." — The Horn Book
"SHAAAARRRKK!" That's probably the last word anyone wants to hear while swimming in the warm blue sea. But most sharks aren't at all what people expect. In fact, those who think all sharks are giant, man-eating killers are in for a surprise. The compelling narrative, colorful illustrations, and captivating facts in Surprising Sharks reveal that sharks come in all shapes and sizes — and probably should be more afraid of humans than we are of them.
Back matter includes an index and a note about sharks.
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White Owl, Barn Owl (Read and Wonder)
An award-winning author and illustrator swoop into the wondrous world of the barn owl.
A young girl and her grandfather look for a barn owl night after night. Will a distinctive heart-shaped face appear at the window? Michael Foreman’s lush, intimate paintings are a perfect companion to Nicola Davies’s lyrical text featuring intriguing facts about a rare bird indeed.
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Poop: A Natural History of the Unmentionable Mini Edition (Animal Science)
What’s better than POOP? Mini POOP!
Hippos navigate by it, sloths keep in touch through it, dung beetles eat it . . . and most grown-ups would rather not to mention it. Meanwhile, scientists who study animal feces find out all sorts of things, such as how many insects a bat eats or just what method a T. rex used to devour a triceratops 70 million years ago. However you look at it, poop is the quintessential prototype for recycling and practically the most useful stuff on earth. Take a peek at POOP, the mini edition, and find out all you need to know — what it’s for, where it goes, and how much we can learn from it.
Back matter includes an index and a glossary.
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Big Blue Whale: Read and Wonder
Equally majestic as the biggest animal that has ever lived — the Big Blue Whale.
Read and Wonder books tell stories, take children on adventures,
and reveal how big and WONDER-full the natural world really is.
Back matter includes an index.
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Talk, Talk, Squawk!: A Human's Guide to Animal Communication (Animal Science)
How does a stinkbug flirt, a bee give orders, or a panda say “back off"? A celebrated duo is back with a guide to messaging, animal-style.
Humans aren't the only creatures who are constantly talking and transmitting messages: animals find all sorts of ways to keep in touch without saying a word. They use colors, patterns, smells, movements, vibrations, sounds, and even electricity to help them identify their own family or “team” — not to mention find food and shelter, defend their territory, woo the proper mate, and care for their young. From the chatter of dolphins to the click of a moth, from the stripes of a reef fish to the rumbling of elephants, this funny, fascinating book unlocks the mysteries of how animals talk and squawk to one another— and how humans try to talk back.
Back matter includes an index and a glossary.
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A First Book of the Sea
In a remarkable collaboration, Nicola Davies and Emily Sutton celebrate the sea in all its changing moods — and the place it holds in our hearts and minds.
Ours is a blue planet. The oceans cover more than two-thirds of its surface and constantly calls to us to play, explore, and dream. Our fascination with the sea is as endless as our means of enjoying it — whether building sand castles, navigating by the stars, or observing strange and beautiful marine creatures. In a volume brimming with information, Nicola Davies and Emily Sutton capture the magic and majesty of the ocean with stunning words and pictures. Poems about manta rays, flying fish, and humpback whales mingle with verses about harbors, storms, and pearl divers. Glimpses of life in the Arctic and Antarctic Oceans flow into spreads about tropical islands, coral reefs, and ancient shipwrecks on the seabed. Teeming with colorful details, this treasure trove of knowledge will be pored over by adults and children alike, and its exploration of the vast mysteries of the sea will captivate readers for years to come.
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I (Don't) Like Snakes (Read and Wonder)
They’re slithery and scaly, and they have icky, flicking tongues and creepy, unblinking eyes. What’s to like about a snake? You’d be surprised!
This little girl has a problem. Her family doesn’t have dogs, or cats, or birds—they have snakes! And she really, really, really really doesn’t like snakes. Her family can’t understand her dislike, but they can help her understand why snakes do the things they do and look the way they look. And maybe once she knows more, she will start to like snakes a little . . . or even a lot. Packed with snake trivia, this clever story includes realistic illustrations and simple explanations of snake behavior sure to make even slither-phobic readers shed their misconceptions about these fascinating reptiles. Back matter includes a note about snakes, a bibliography, and an index.
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Outside Your Window: A First Book of Nature
This gorgeously illustrated volume of poetry — sprinkled with facts and fun things to do — sows an early love for nature in all its beauty and wonder.
The buzz of bees in summertime. The tracks of a bird in the winter snow. This beautiful book captures all the sights and sounds of a child’s interactions with nature, from planting acorns or biting into crisp apples to studying tide pools or lying back and watching the birds overhead. No matter what’s outside their windows — city streets or country meadows — kids will be inspired to explore the world around them. Written by award-winning author Nicola Davies and illustrated by Mark Hearld, a breathtaking new talent in children’s books, Outside Your Window is a stunning reminder that the natural world is on our doorstep waiting to be discovered.
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Who's Like Me? (Flip the Flap and Find Out)
Lift the flaps and learn about animal life in this fresh, fun-filled book for curious preschoolers.
A bunny is furry and breathes air. Who else is like that — a pigeon, a fish, a chameleon, or a fox? Some animals have fins to swim with, some have feathers and a beak, some have skin that is scaly, or smooth and wet. But whatever features a creature has, someone else has them, too. Can you guess who? Big flaps and a matching spread at the end make animal classification fun.
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What Will I Be? (Flip the Flap and Find Out)
Lift the flaps and learn about animal life in this fresh, fun-filled book for curious preschoolers.
A small papery bundle hangs under a leaf by a silken thread. Can you guess what it will be one day? Butterflies, polar bears, turtles, frogs, birds — they all have a fascinating life journey to follow. Peek under each large flap and look at colorful spreads to find out how each animal develops. A final spread invites readers to match each fullgrown creature with its beginning stage.
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Deadly!: The Truth About the Most Dangerous Creatures on Earth (Animal Science)
Lions and scorpions and lethal little jellyfish, oh my! Kids will sink their teeth into this fascinating look at nature’s fiercest creatures.
Sometimes nature can be nasty: snakes that spit poison, insects with exploding bottoms, and tigers that have you for dinner. Throughout the animal kingdom, creatures are equipped with lethal weapons, from finger-length fangs to toxic tentacles, and have ingenious ways of killing one another — poisoning, dive-bombing, strangling, and even electrocuting! Discover the murderous methods of attack and defense that make animals armed, dangerous, and deadly.
Back matter includes an index and a glossary.
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The Promise
by Chaim Potok, Nicola Davies, Silvina Ocampo
“This tale is a sturdy one that is made even more emphatic by Davies’s terse writing style. The text is heightened in every way by Carlin’s outstanding mixed-media artwork.” — Booklist (starred review)
On a mean street in a mean, broken city, a young girl tries to snatch an old woman’s bag. But the frail old woman says the thief can’t have it without giving something in return: the promise. It is the beginning of a journey that will change the girl’s life — and a chance to change the world, for good.
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The Promise
by Chaim Potok, Nicola Davies, Silvina Ocampo
An allegorical tale of hope takes on new life in this stirring, gorgeously illustrated story.
On a mean street in a mean, broken city, a young girl tries to snatch an old woman’s bag. But the frail old woman, holding on with the strength of heroes, says the thief can’t have it without giving something in return: the promise. It is the beginning of a journey that will change the thieving girl’s life — and a chance to change the world, for good. Here is the story of a magical discovery that will touch the heart and imagination of every reader, young and old. In an exciting collaboration, author Nicola Davies joins forces with illustrator Laura Carlin to create a contemporary tale inspired by Jean Giono’s 1953 story, L’homme qui plantait des arbres.
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The Promise
by Chaim Potok, Nicola Davies, Silvina Ocampo
In a passionate, energetic narrative, The Promise brilliantly dramatizes what it is to master and use knowledge to make one’s own way in the world.
Reuven Malter lives in Brooklyn, he’s in love, and he’s studying to be a rabbi. He also keeps challenging the strict interpretations of his teachers, and if he keeps it up, his dream of becoming a rabbi may die.
One day, worried about a disturbed, unhappy boy named Michael, Reuven takes him sailing and cloud-watching. Reuven also introduces him to an old friend, Danny Saunders—now a psychologist with a growing reputation. Reconnected by their shared concern for Michael, Reuven and Danny each learns what it is to take on life—whether sacred truths or a troubled child—according to his own lights, not just established authority.
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The Promise
by Chaim Potok, Nicola Davies, Silvina Ocampo
Kirkus Reviews calls The Promise one of the Best Books of Fiction, and of Literature in Translation, of the year!
* Voted one of the Big Fall Books from Indies by Publishers Weekly & LitHub's Most Anticipated Books of 2019
"The world is ready for her blend of insane Angela Carter with the originality of Clarice Lispector."—Mariana Enriquez, LitHub
"Both her debut story collection, Forgotten Journey, and her only novel, The Promise, are strikingly 20th-century texts, written in a high-modernist mode rarely found in contemporary fiction."—Lily Meyer, NPR
"Silvina Ocampo is the next writer you should be reading."—Michael Silverblatt
A dying woman's attempt to recount the story of her life reveals the fragility of memory and the illusion of identity.
"Of all the words that could define her, the most accurate is, I think, ingenious."—Jorge Luis Borges
"I don't know of another writer who better captures the magic inside everyday rituals, the forbidden or hidden face that our mirrors don't show us."—Italo Calvino
"Few writers have an eye for the small horrors of everyday life; fewer still see the everyday marvelous. Other than Silvina Ocampo, I cannot think of a single writer who, at any time in any language, has chronicled both with such wise and elegant humor."—Alberto Manguel
"Art is the cure for death. A seminal work by an underread master. Required for all students of the human condition."—Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews
"This haunting and vital final work from Ocampo, her only novel, is about a woman's life flashing before her eyes when she's stranded in the ocean. . . . the book’s true power is its depiction of the strength of the mind and the necessity of storytelling, which for the narrator is literally staving off death. Ocampo’s portrait of one woman’s interior life is forceful and full of hope."—Gabe Habash, Starred Review, Publishers Weekly
"Ocampo is beyond great—she is necessary."—Hernan Diaz, author of In the Distance
"I don't know of another writer who better captures the magic inside everyday rituals, the forbidden or hidden face that our mirrors don't show us."—Italo Calvino
"These two newly translated books could make her a rediscovery on par with Clarice Lispector. . . . there has never been another voice like hers."—John Freeman, Executive Editor, LitHub
"Like William Blake, Ocampo's first voice was that of a visual artist; in her writing she retains the will to unveil immaterial so that we might at least look at it if not touch it."—Helen Oyeyemi, author of Gingerbread
A woman traveling on a transatlantic ship has fallen overboard. Adrift at sea, she makes a promise to Saint Rita, "arbiter of the impossible," that if she survives, she will write her life story. As she drifts, she wonders what she might include in the story of her life—a repertoire of miracles, threats, and people parade tumultuously through her mind. Little by little, her imagination begins to commandeer her memories, escaping the strictures of realism.
Translated into English for the very first time, The Promise showcases Silvina Ocampo at her most feminist, idiosyncratic and subversive. Ocampo worked quietly to perfect this novella over the course of twenty-five years, nearly up until the time of her death in 1993.
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Song of the Wild: A First Book of Animals
Renowned picture book creators Nicola Davies and Petr Horácek team up for a captivating first look at animals around the world.
Polar bears playing on the ice, tigers hunting in the jungle, and nightingales singing in the heart of the woods — animals are everywhere. In a remarkable collection of poems, children’s author Nicola Davies shares keen observations on wildlife around the world. Sometimes lyrical and sometimes humorous, the poems reveal fascinating facts about animals of every color, shape, size, and origin, from giant blue whales to bats as tiny as bumblebees. Lively, colorful illustrations by Petr Horácek reveal the vast beauty and variety of the animal world in this essential introduction, perfect for even the youngest amateur zoologists.
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The Variety of Life
Did you know there are 400,000 species of beetle, but only eight species of bear? This stunning book explores the extraordinary variety of the natural world.
Our planet is full of life, from the mountaintops to the ocean’s depths. This appealing nonfiction compendium pays tribute to that biodiversity with each spread showcasing a different species of fauna or flora. They include dolphins, snakes, bats, penguins, bees, slugs, trees, and mushrooms, and along with a general introduction to each type, individual profiles offer fascinating facts and the scientific names of every creature.
Beautifully illustrated and with accessible text, The Variety of Life will help science-loving kids learn more about different animals, and animal-loving kids will learn more about science!
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The Day War Came
A moving, poetic narrative and child-friendly illustrations follow the heartbreaking, ultimately hopeful journey of a little girl who is forced to become a refugee.
The day war came there were flowers on the windowsill and my father sang my baby brother back to sleep.
Imagine if, on an ordinary day, after a morning of studying tadpoles and drawing birds at school, war came to your town and turned it to rubble. Imagine if you lost everything and everyone, and you had to make a dangerous journey all alone. Imagine that there was no welcome at the end, and no room for you to even take a seat at school. And then a child, just like you, gave you something ordinary but so very, very precious. In lyrical, deeply affecting language, Nicola Davies’s text combines with Rebecca Cobb’s expressive illustrations to evoke the experience of a child who sees war take away all that she knows.
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The Day War Came
A moving, poetic narrative and child-friendly illustrations follow the heartbreaking, ultimately hopeful journey of a little girl who is forced to become a refugee.
The day war came there were flowers on the windowsill and my father sang my baby brother back to sleep.
Imagine if, on an ordinary day, after a morning of studying tadpoles and drawing birds at school, war came to your town and turned it to rubble. Imagine if you lost everything and everyone, and you had to make a dangerous journey all alone. Imagine that there was no welcome at the end, and no room for you to even take a seat at school. And then a child, just like you, gave you something ordinary but so very, very precious. In lyrical, deeply affecting language, Nicola Davies’s text combines with Rebecca Cobb’s expressive illustrations to evoke the experience of a child who sees war take away all that she knows.
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Hummingbird
Follow a tiny hummingbird on its journey from Central America to Central Park in a captivating tale with exquisite illustrations echoing the creature’s jeweled tones.
Tz'unun! Tz'unun! A buzz of wings, a flash of color . . . There’s a very special visitor in Granny’s garden. It’s a hummingbird! And it’s just about to begin its long migration, heading north to its nesting ground. Watch as it spreads joy to all who encounter it along its two-thousand-mile trek. In an engaging text sprinkled with facts, zoologist Nicola Davies introduces readers to this valiant bird, lighter than a nickel, while Jane Ray’s lush, intricate illustrations, accented in gold Pantone, highlight its jewel-like beauty. More details about hummingbirds, along with a bibliography and an index, are available at the end to budding ornithologists.
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Bat Loves the Night Read and Wonder
"A charming and informative story about a pipistrelle bat. . . . Offers vivid descriptions of the animal's flight, its navigational skills, and the hunt for food." — School Library Journal
Night has fallen, and Bat awakens to find her evening meal. Follow her as she swoops into the shadows, shouting and flying, the echoes of her voice creating a sound picture of the world around her. When morning light creeps into the sky, Bat returns to the roost to feed her baby . . . and to rest until nighttime comes again. Bat loves the night!
Back matter includes an index.
A Common Core Text Exemplar
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The Selkie's Mate (Shadows and Light)
In a land where people flow between ocean and land, a seal and a fisherman sing together under a glowing moon. One in a series of illustrated short stories that explore the deeper, darker side of our connection with the natural world. For older children and adults, inspired by ancient folk tales. Feel a little bit of magic, a few shivers down the spine.
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Out There in the Wild Poems on Nature
by James Carter, Nicola Davies, Dom Conlon
'Sometimes a book comes along that stops you in your tracks. This arrived today. It is beautiful, intelligent, accessible, deeply moving. Fantastic writing, fantstic art. A book for everyone.' David Almond
A stunning poetry gift book celebrating the natural world, illustrated by Diana Catchpole.
Out There in the Wild celebrates our place in nature. It is packed with poems about everything that lives in the sea and rivers, on land and in the sky. You will meet eagles and skylarks, tigers and elephants, foxes, rabbits and bats, bees and butterflies and many other natural wonders.
These beautiful poems written by Nicola Davies, Dom Conlon and James Carter invite you to consider how we are connected to the wild. We are all nature after all.
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The Star Whale
Forty fantastic poems and paintings from an internationally acclaimed duo, celebrating our beautiful planet.Discover a pangolin at dusk, fly on the bat' s back, visit a lion and hear about his plight; try the moth alphabet tongue-twister, meet fighting Tazzies on a night out in Tasmania or dream about the five-legged dog and three-legged cat! Then find out about real, huge Titanosaurus and amazing Coelacanths. You might spot a kingfisher, that ' small glint of wonder' , and see how ' wild reclaims the world' in the urban night-time.These beautiful poems are perfectly melded with Petr Horá cek' s gorgeous, glowing paintings and the combination is extraordinary - passionate, playful, thoughtful and exciting. Like the goldfinch in the final poem, this wonderful book will ' set the heart free and flying' .
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