Wonders Under the Moon (Tai Snaith, T&H)
When the sun goes down, weird and wonderful night-time creatures come out to play. Tai Snaith’s new reference picture book, Wonders Under the Moon: A Collection of Night-Time Creatures, features 215 nocturnal animals skilfully hand-painted by Snaith, and dozens of fun facts and clever visualisations of the creatures. Snaith (Wonders Under the Sun: A Collection of Daytime Creatures) ingeniously divides the creatures into 13 groups, according to their behaviours and physical characteristics. This approach highlights the superhero-like abilities that help these creatures thrive at night, including extraordinary visual skills and self-generated light. Among the most remarkable groups are the ‘Biters and Bloodsuckers’, including the frightening hairy-legged vampire bat. Snaith goes beyond mere documentation by effectively calling readers to action, emphasising that humanity’s true power lies in our ability to protect and restore environments, ensuring the prosperity of all species. This message is made particularly clear through the thoughtful use of icons for conservation status. By designating species with V for Vulnerable, E for Endangered, and C for Critically Endangered, Snaith creates a visual cue that highlights the urgency of the situation and makes the information accessible and impactful for readers. Wonders Under the Moon also includes an informative section on co-existing with nocturnal fauna, listing the scientific names of the animals and their locations, adding a valuable educational touch. With its engaging content and detailed illustrations, it’s an ideal book for children aged 3+, as well as for teachers and librarians aiming to inspire future environmentalists and animal enthusiasts.
Books+Publishing reviewer: Nadia Heisler is a CALD (culturally and linguistically diverse) writer with a background in journalism and a passion for children’s books. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.
Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.
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