Wonderful Wasps

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By: Katrina Germein Illustrated by: Suzanne Houghton

eBook - November 2022 - eRetailers

Explore the beauty of Australia's native wasps, and the important environmental role they play.

What do you know about wasps? + Full description

There are wasps that shimmer in shades of bright blue and green. There are some without wings – and some almost too tiny to see. Some capture spiders, while others nest in fruit or mud.

With over 12 000 species found in Australia, Wonderful Wasps brings the beauty and importance of native wasps to life, and reminds us every creature matters in its own wonderful way.

Reading level varies from child to child, but we recommend this book for ages 5 to 9.

Shortlisted, The Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards 2023: 5 to 8 age category

- Short description

News

Read more on our blog:
Every creature matters in its own wonderful way, and native wasps are no exception... But if you still need some convincing we’ve put together a few reasons why you’ll soon be wooed by wasps: What’s So Wonderful About Australian Native Wasps?

Watch the video trailer:

Reviews

"A beautiful and engaging guide to Australian wasps for children and everyone. Accurate scientific background and illustrations are also included. Highly recommended!"
Dr Juanita Rodriguez, Australian National Insect Collection, 27 October 2022

"Along with lovely images, it showcases the beauty and unique features of Australian native wasps, their importance for pollination and insect control, and how even the smallest and sometimes least-liked creatures are important for our natural environment."
Gardening Australia, February 2023

"As summer comes on, and our bushland springs to life with its floral beauty, the wasps will be active again and so this is a beautiful book for younger readers to start to learn more, both from the factual information in the final pages and from the activities suggested in the thorough teaching notes."
The Bottom Shelf, 3 November 2022

"Wonderful Wasps is an engaging lyrical story which tells us a lot about Australian native wasps"
Peter Hope, Let's Find Out Volume 39(7), November 2022

"Before we read the book, six-year-old Leila and I wrote out a list of things we already knew about wasps. After reading the book, we wrote a second list of the interesting things we learnt, which was so much as wasps are so interesting! Beautiful, dangerous, resourceful, predatory and paralysing pollinators, the bush would not be the same without them."
Dr Samantha Lloyd, Children's Books Daily, 10 January 2023

"The book is also a visual delight, with stunning artwork by Suzanne Horton relating to the verses on each page. Starting with the question “What do you know about wasps?”, this book immediately engages the young reader and gets them thinking."
Jenny Thynne, Metamorphosis Australia Issue 105, March 2023

"I read this book to my reception classes this week during their science lesson. They were amazed at how bright and colourful the different species were and how they each had such important jobs. [...] We explored the teacher notes provided by CSIRO and also explored the wasp lifecycle. Students used plasticine to model the different stages of the wasp lifecycle, adding arrows to show the flow and how the cycle continues."
Sarah Todd, Teaching Science Volume 69(1), March 2023

"I love how accessible this book is. It can be read both to kids and by kids, making it a great one for school libraries. I also love the focus on native animals and plants, shining an important light on the beauty and importance of our native insects. This book is truly wonderful!"
Kids' Book Review, November 2022

Details

Hardback | November 2022 | $ 24.99
ISBN: 9781486315734 | 32 pages | 250 x 250 mm
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Colour illustrations

ePDF | November 2022
ISBN: 9781486315741
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Available from eRetailers

ePUB | November 2022
ISBN: 9781486315758
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Available from eRetailers

Features

Stunning illustrations showcase the beauty and unique features of Australian native wasps.
Highlights how important native wasps are for pollination and insect control.
Explores how even the smallest – and sometimes less-liked – creatures matter for our natural environment.
Learn more about wasps and the featured Australian species in the information section at the end.
Contains a Glossary to help children understand new science terms.

Authors

Katrina Germein is a teacher and award-winning children’s author. She writes picture books about family, fun and the natural environment.

Suzanne Houghton is an award-winning picture book author and illustrator. She works closely with local schools through workshops and presentations.