EXCITING AND INSPIRATIONAL READS FOR ALL THE FAMILY
Words: Margaret Bartlett
December
CACOPHONY OF BONE
BY KERRI NI DOCHARTAIGH, CANONGATE, £16.99 (HB)
Mapping the seasons of the Covid pandemic year, Kerri ní Dochartaigh uses lyrical and intense poetic prose to tell her very personal story of a time when everything changed, while the rhythms of nature continued, reassuringly, apace.
THE OBSERVANT WALKER
BY JOHN WRIGHT, PROFILE BOOKS, £20 (HB)
Wander along eight walks across a variety of terrains with naturalist and forager John Wright, who explains the many fascinating details he finds along the way, from colourful lichens and roadside plants to busy insect life and ancient geology.
THE GARDENING BOOK
BY MONTY DON, BBC BOOKS, £28 (HB)
Unlock the full potential of your outside space, no matter the size, with this comprehensive new book from Gardener’s World presenter Monty Don. Learn how, where and when to plant over 100 foods, flowers, houseplants and shrubs, with the help of step-by-step photos.
BRITISH WOODLAND
BY RAY MEARS, EBURY SPOTLIGHT £22 (HB)
Survival expert Ray Mears offers a new way of appreciating trees in this practical tome. Learn which leaves are edible, how to make tools from hazel or rope from willow, and how to sensitively explore our vital forests and preserve them for the future.
SINGING LIKE LARKS
BY ANDREW MILLHAM, SARABAND, £12.99 (PB)
One for the musical members of the family, this fascinating book blends observations of birds with the history of their place in traditional British folk music, including a treasury of bird-related lyrics. A charming and informative celebration of ornithological songs.
THE BOOK OF WILDING
BY ISABELLA TREE & CHARLIE BURRELL, BLOOMSBURY, £35 (HB)
A handbook of hope for how we can all play a part in helping to restore nature by the owners of Knepp Estate, the pioneering rewilding project in Sussex.
Learn about rewilding principles and how to apply them, from tiny gardens to large estates.
BLACK OPS AND BEAVER BOMBING
BY FIONA MATHEWS AND TIM KENDALL, ONE WORLD, £17.99 (HB)
Join the authors on a hilarious and informative safari in search of Britain’s mammals, from Scotland to the Isles of Scilly. This is a rall
