I’ve done my last school visit of 2014. It’s been a good year for them. I’ve met thousands of children and laughed and written and had a great time with them all. Hopefully some of them will remember something about our meeting – a fragment of information about an animal, a little tip about how to approach writing, a spark of inspiration that will make them want to read. One thing that’s struck me again and again, is how hard it is for busy teachers to find out about my books – about ANY books. So here, for anyone who wants it is a list of some of my books, with a little description of what they are, what year group they could be used for, and what topics they could be used for. Then, if you want to know more, its just a couple of click from here to explore my website.
You can see covers on my website nicola-davies.com and some reviews and prizes/ shortlistings
NON FICTION
Non fiction Picture Books
Good for reception and infants but can be used for primary too:
A First Book of Nature Walker Books 2012
Poems and prose poems about first experiences of the nature.
Good for all aspects of natural history and also for reading aloud.
Big Blue Whale Walker Books 1997
Topics: Adaptation. Marine life. Migration.
Bat Loves the Night Walker Books 2000
Topics: Nocturnal animals. Flight. Animal senses. (echolocation)
One Tiny Turtle Walker Books 2000
Topics: Marine life. Migration. Navigation. Classification (turtles are reptiles lay eggs but breathe air and must breed on land) Adaptation (contrast between tortoises and turtles.) Conservation (most spp of turtles now declining).
White Own Barn Owl Walker Books 2007
Topics: Birds. Nocturnal animals. Adaptation. Conservation (putting up owl boxes helps replace lost nest sites in barns old trees etc).
Tiny. The Invisible World of Microbes Walker Book 2014
Topics: Disease and health. Basic life processes (decay, recycling of nutrients, soil, air.) Food and fermentation (yoghourt, cheese vinegar etc). Variety of living things.
Good for infants year 1- 3
Surprising Sharks Walker Books 2002
Topics: Marine life. Diversity (lots of shark species, not just one) Perception of animals (are all sharks maneaters and scary? No!) Conservation (not just the cute fluffy things that are worth saving. Sharks under huge threat from over fishing). Animal senses.
Dolphin Baby Walker Books 2011
Topics: Animal babies and mums. Growth and development. Marine life. Senses. Taxonomy (mammals but live in the sea). Adaptation.
Just Ducks Walker 2012
Topics: Wildlife in the town. What is a wild creature? (mallards will come close to you in the park but free to fly off.) Birds. Adaptation.
Good for year 4 plus
Ice Bear Walker Books 2005
Topics: Arctic. Predators. Adaptation. Inuits. (also climate change, peripherally).
Grow Your Own Monsters Frances Lincoln 2010
Topics: Plants. Seeds. Growth. Gardening.
Longer non fiction.
Good for years 4, 5, 6 (also 7,8,9! Boys in particular)
Series of six books, all illustrated with fun, cartoon style pictures by Neal Layton, each about 7000 words long. Each one covers a particular topic in biology and contains quite a density of scientific information in an accessible, narrative form. The titles tell you all you need to know! (except perhaps for Poo which covers a wide range of topics from animal communication to paleontology, but is really about how biologists go about finding out about animals using their poo). All we be re-isued in 2014/15 with new covers and a different format.
Poo: A Natural History of the Unmentionable Walker Books 2004
Extreme Animals Walker Books 2006 (adaptation to extreme environments)
Who’s Eating You. The Inside story of parasites. Walker Books 2007
Just the Right Size. Why Big Animals Are Big and Little Animals Are Little Walker Books 2009
Talk, Talk Squawk. How and Why Animals Communicate Walker Books 2010
Deadly, Animals That Bite Back Walker 2012
FICTION
Picture books
All ages
The Promise Walker Books 2013
Topics: Environment. Trees. Growing. Responsibility. Personal growth and change.
Year 3 plus
Silver Street Farm Series
Six chapter books overall length 7-8000 words, with short chapters and line drawing illustration. All set on an imaginary city farm with three main child characters reflecting ethnic diversity of inner city communities. Fun adventures with animals, lots of humour and warm happy endings. Also available as audio books.
Welcome to Silver Street Farm
Escape From Silver Street Farm
Spring Fever at Silver Street Farm
All Aboard at Silver Street Farm
Crowded out At Silver Street Farm
Frozen Solid at Silver Street Farm Walker Books 2011/12
Year 4, 5 and 6
Heros of The Wild Series: (fiction/ non fiction ) Walker Books 2012/13
Short, exciting novels based on real conservation stories and real people. Each written with an indigenous child at the heart of the story and with a post script detailing the factual back ground to the story.
The Lion Who Stole My Arm
Elephant Road
Manatee Baby
Walking the Bear
A Girl Called Dog Random House 2011
Modern fairy tale about a girl kept as a slave in a pet shop, who escapes with the help of animal friends.
year 5 and 6
Rubbish Town Hero Random House 2012
Set on a West African rubbish tip. Chipo and his disabled sister Gentle, get into trouble when a plan to steal some valuable ‘trash’ goes wrong. They find new friends and an improvised family in a war torn country.
Whale Boy Random House 2013 (shortlisted for the Blue Peter Best Story award 2014)
A boy growing up on a Caribbean Island is given the chance to won his own boat by a mysterious stranger. He makes friends with a young sperm whale but find out that his new boat comes at a price and that ‘the bigger the bait, the bigger the hook hidden inside’.
