July 5th, 2021

Celebrating author illustrator Yuval Zommer

This week we are celebrating the work of the extraordinarily gifted author/illustrator Yuval Zommer. Yuval has created The Big Book of Bugs, The Big Book of Birds, The Big Book of The Blue, and many other books which will make you passionate about caring for our planet and the creatures on it.

We are delighted that Yuval will be part of our autumn 2021 tour. He will be on stage at Warwick Arts Centre on Tuesday 2nd November at 11am. Lucky local children will find out how Yuval creates his pictures, will listen to him talk about the wildlife that inspired the books and watch him draw live on stage. And every child who attends will receive a free copy of Yuval’s The Big Book of Birds to take home and keep!


Book of the Week: The Big Book of Birds

Why is a flamingo pink? Can a parrot talk? Is a bald eagle really bald? The Big Book of Birds answers these questions and many more. Learn how to recognize different birds' eggs, the bird family tree, why different species of birds have different beaks and feathers, and why some birds migrate and travel vast distances every year. This beautiful book encourages young bird spotters to protect birds where they live and make their gardens bird friendly.


Author in focus

Yuval Zommer graduated from the Royal College of Art with an MA in Illustration. He worked as a creative director at leading advertising agencies before becoming the author and illustrator of highly acclaimed nonfiction and beautiful picture books. Yuval's stunning 'Big Book of...' series encourages children to explore and care for our natural world. The series has now been published in 25 languages and has won and been shortlisted for numerous awards internationally, including the UKLA Book Awards 2018 & 2019, the English Association's Nonfiction Award 2017 & 2019, and the Made For Mums Award 2018 & 2019.

Read some of The Big Book of Birds

Click on this link

Download an extract of The Big Book of Birds

Thank you to the publisher Thames and Hudson Ltd


Activities!

The Big Tree of Birds

You will need:

  • A large cardboard box
  • Cardboard cereal boxes or similar
  • Paint and/or collage materials
  • Pencil
  • Ruler
  • Scissors
  • Blu Tack or glue dots
  • Glue (if using collage)

What to Do:
Step 1
Using the illustrations from The Big Book of Birds as inspiration, draw a selection of different birds onto the cardboard from the cereal boxes, cut out each one and decorate with paint or collage materials.

Step 2
Draw, paint and cut out a tree from one side of the large cardboard box. It might be quite tricky to cut it out, so ask an adult for help.

Step 3
Using a ruler, draw a triangle onto another piece of card. Use the bottom of the trunk as a guide to the width of the triangle. Paint both sides of the triangle to match the tree.

Once both sections are dry, cut a slit in the centre from the base of the trunk and another in the centre of the triangle from the top, as shown below.

Step 4
Fix the two together by sliding the tree on top of the triangle. Attach each of your birds to the branches of your tree using the glue dots or Blu Tack.

Little Book of Birds

Create your own Little Book of Birds.

Choose a selection of different birds and use The Big Book of Birds to find out some interesting facts about each one. Draw or paint a detailed image of the bird on each page of your book and record what you have learned. Take inspiration from Yuval’s beautifully crafted pages and consider how to make your texts and picture appealing and eye-catching for your reader.

Look After Your Feathered Friends

Whether you have a garden, a backyard or a balcony, there are lots of things you can do to help your feathered friends through the different seasons. Here are some links to easy-to-follow projects from the RSPB

Make A Speedy Bird Cake

Build a Bird Bath

Make A Nest Box

There is also a wealth of information on the British Ornithology Trust website.


We’d love to see your Birds and Trees! To send us your work to display in our gallery use the link below, or upload to twitter with the hashtag #BookshowA-Z.

Email us your work for our gallery

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