Book Review: Wild Your World

Most kids go through a phase where they want to learn more about animals, and it’s fun for them to learn about the diversity of the natural world and what humans can do to protect other creatures we share the planet with. Camilla de la Bedoyere has written a couple of books, illustrated by Philip Giordano, to help kids learn more about birds and bees.

Wild Your World: Birds looks at many different kinds of birds that live around the world and covers things like parts of a bird, different habitats that birds live in, migration, camouflage, what and how birds eat and more.

With lovely illustrations showing a diverse array of birds found around the world, the book talks about different birds that live in the woodlands, rainforest, fields and farms, coastland, grasslands and deserts, urban areas and the polar regions.

It talks about some of the biggest, smallest and fastest birds, and fun facts about different birds. For example you’ll learn about birds that next in cacti, the birds with weird shaped eggs so they won’t roll off cliffs, and meet the birds that migrate from New Zealand to Alaska.

Wild Your World: Bees follows a similar format, talking about different kinds of bees (and how the vast majority of bee species are solitary bees), parts of a bee and why bees look the way they do, how bees collect nectar and pollen, how bees sense the world around them, how their wings work and what life in a colony is like.

It covers the bee life cycle, how bees make honey, what causes a swarm and more. It covers digger bees, carpenter bees, orchid bees, cuckoo bees (who lay their eggs in the nests of teddy bear bees so they don’t have to take care of their young), mining bees, plasterer bees, leaf-cutter, wool carder and mason bees (so named because they collect materials to make their nests), bumblebees and swaet bees.

Readers will also learn about keeping bees. Both books talk about the dangers to birds and bees and what humans can do to help them.

These books are aimed at readers ages 4-9 who will enjoy looking at the pictures and learning about these animals and how people can help protect them.

About the books: Both books are 46 pages and hardcover. Published 2025 by Design Eye (see: birds|bees). Both books retail for $16.99.

Let’s Get Buzzing About World Bee Day

Bee Craft – Learning about Pollination

Learning about Bees for Kids

Remembrance Day (marked as Veterans Day in the United States) is Nov. 11, and it marks the end of hostilities in World War I. Poppies are a traditional symbol of the day because it is said they were the first flower to grow again on the battlefields, which inspired a famous poem. Let’s check out some poppy crafts you can make with your kids as part of a World War I unit or for Remembrance Day.

This pretty poppy craft from Krokotak just requires the printable, some crayons, scissors and glue. The printable includes the center of the flower and kids can draw the outside as well as adding stem.

Glued to My Crafts has a printable for a torn paper poppy, or you could color or paint this one as well.

Use torn or cut pieces of paper to make these poppy suncatchers from Red Ted Art.

Happy Hooligans has a bunch of great poppy crafts but I particularly like the painted rocks and easy paper plate poppy.

Crafty Morning has a cute poppy craft made with fingerprints, which is quick and easy to do with kids of any age.

Older kids and adults can make these folded paper poppies from Chica and Jo, but they do involve hot glue and floral wire, which can be sharp, so it’s not for young kids. An easier paper poppy that only calls for regular craft glue can be found at Sugar Spice and Glitter. This one also has a printable template to make it easier.

These felt poppies from One Little Project also use a glue gun and a sewing needle, but they’re so pretty I couldn’t resist sharing them for older kids. Add a pipe cleaner stem or turn them into pins to wear for remembrance events. Check out their coffee filter poppy craft for a great option for younger kids.

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