SATA
ENTRY TYPE:
WORK TITLE: EMPEROR OF THE ICE
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.nicola-davies.com/
CITY: Somerset
STATE:
COUNTRY: United Kingdom
NATIONALITY: English
LAST VOLUME: SATA 366
alternative e-mail: nicola.davies@btinternet.com; davies@btinternet.com; Nicola’s Literary Agent Veronique Baxter at David Higham, 7th Floor Waverley House, 7-12 Noel Street, London W1F 8GQ, 020 734 5900; https://authorsalouduk.co.uk/
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born May 3, 1958, in Birmingham, England; daughter of William Howard Davies and Beryl Rona Morgan; married Mark Harrison, July 21, 1984 (divorced, December 19, 1997); children: Joseph, Gabriel (daughter).
EDUCATION:Graduated from Kings College Cambridge.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Zoologist, freelance broadcaster, and writer. British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), London, England, researcher for Natural History Unit and host of The Really Wild Show for ten years; freelance author. Bath Spa University College, Bath, England, associate lecturer in creative writing; conducts writing workshops for children.
AVOCATIONS:Films, cartoons.
AWARDS:Teacher’s Choice Award, International Reading Association (IRA), Best Children’s Book selection, Bank Street College of Education, and Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award, all 1997, all for Big Blue Whale; Children’s Choice selection, IRA/Children’s Book Council, Notable Children’s Book designation, American Library Association (ALA), Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award, and Boston Globe/Horn Book Nonfiction Honor selection, all 2003, all for Surprising Sharks; Branford Boase Award shortlist, 2006, for Home; English Society Award, 2005, for Ice Bears; Blue Peter Book Award shortlist, 2006, for Poop; Choices listee, Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC), 2007, for White Owl, Barn Owl; Best Books for Children and Teens selection, Chicago Public Library, both 2007, and American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)/Subaru Prize for Excellence in Children’s Science Books finalist, 2009, all for What’s Eating You?; Green Earth Book Award and CCBC Choices listee, both 2011, both for Gaia Warriors; Stockton Children’s Book of the Year shortlist, Portsmouth Book Award shortlist, and UK Literary Association Book Awards shortlist, all 2011, all for A Girl Called Dog; ALA Notable Children’s Book designation and Kate Greenaway Medal shortlist, both 2013, both for Just Ducks! illustrated by Salvatore Rubbino; Blue Peter Book Awards shortlist, 2014, for Whale Boy; English 4-11 Picture Book Awards, English Association, 2014, for The Promise; Portsmouth Book Award, 2014, for The Lion Who Stole My Arm; IRA Children’s Choices selection, 2015, for Deadly!; ALA Notable Children’s Book designation and AAAS/Subaru Prize for Excellence in Children’s Science Books, both 2015, both for Tiny Creatures; Lennox Author Award, 2016; Best Picture Book, New York Times, 2017, for King of the Sky and The Promise; Wales Book of the Year shortlist, 2020, for Butterflies for Grandpa Joe.
WRITINGS
Also author of television scripts.
Poop was the basis of an exhibition staged at the Rothchilds Museum, 2005. Welcome to Silver Street Farm and Escape from Silver Street Farm were adapted as audiobooks.
SIDELIGHTS
Trained as a zoologist, British writer Nicola Davies has become known for her ability to introduce the natural world and its fascinating creatures to young audiences. Davies’s books, which include Tiny Creatures: The World of Microbes and Many: The Diversity of Life on Earth; the chapter book The Lion Who Stole My Arm; and the humorous picture book I (Don’t) Like Snakes, pair engaging texts with interesting facts and humorous art, sparking young readers’ interests in topics ranging from zoology and oceanography to ecology. While many of Davies’s books for children intermix a simple story with useful information, she has also created the children’s novels Home and A Girl Called Dog, the poetry collection A First Book of the Sea, as well as penning the “Silver Street Farm” chapter-book series.
Davies’s many interests are evident in her “Read and Wonder” series, which includes Big Blue Whale and Bat Loves the Night. In the former she presents facts and anecdotes ranging from the texture of the blue whale’s skin to its diet. “Conversational text and soft, crosshatched pen-and-ink illustrations ebb and flow in a fluid look at the largest mammal ever to inhabit the earth,” noted a Kirkus Reviews critic, the reviewer adding that this “unassuming book is teeming with new discoveries upon each rereading.” Featuring art by Sarah Fox-Davies, Bat Loves the Night follows a pipistrelle bat as she embarks for an evening of hunting insects and darting through the landscape, using her internal sonar as a guide. A Publishers Weekly critic praised this work for its “enigmatic beauty” in both prose and illustration.
A childhood fascination with dolphins led Davies to pursue a career in zoology, and as a teen she worked with dolphin study teams in Newfoundland and the Indian Ocean. In Wild about Dolphins she recounts her experiences during those expeditions while also introducing readers to dolphin anatomy, behavior, and ecology. Patricia Manning, reviewing the book for School Library Journal, suggested that youngsters “will find themselves entranced by the eager enthusiasm that pours from the pages.” In Booklist, Ilene Cooper deemed Wild about Dolphins “energetic” and concluded that children interested in the marine mammals “will page through this with glee.”
In White Owl, Barn Owl, Davies weaves interesting facts about owl pellets, territorial avian behavior, and the life and habits of various barn owls within her story about a child helping Grandfather mount a nesting-box high in an oak tree near the family home. Checking the box one spring evening, the two are greeted by a pair of large owl eyes peering out into the dusk. Davies’s “poetic, sensory” text will inspire readers’ “interest in these intriguing animals,” asserted Engberg, while Betty Carter wrote in Horn Book that the wealth of facts in White Owl, Barn Owl “smoothly complement the story,” and the different parts of the book—fictional story and nonfiction reference—“can be read independently.”
Another picture book that combines fact and fiction, Ice Bear: In the Steps of the Polar Bear examines a hardy, cold-weather creature through the fictional narrative of an Inuit. In addition to praising illustrator Gary Blythe for contributing “impressionistic oil paintings of stunning polar settings,” Booklist reviewer Jennifer Mattson deemed Ice Bear an “inviting” work. In School Library Journal, Amelia Jenkins commended Davies’s “quiet, thoughtful book” for treating polar bears as animals rather than anthropomorphized creatures.
In Just Ducks!, illustrated by Salvatore Rubbino, a young narrator informs readers about the diet, habitat, and behaviors of the mallard ducks that live near her home. “The text … is pitch-perfect throughout, enthusiastic and confident, knowing without becoming precocious,” wrote a critic in appraising this work for Publishers Weekly. A child’s complaints about her family’s slithery pets are countered with facts and logic in the amusing picture book I (Don’t) Like Snakes. According to a Publishers Weekly reviewer, the “blend of playfulness and scientific detail” in Davies’s tale here “make[s] it a winner.”
An Amazonian girl adopts and nurtures a baby manatee after she and her father spear its mother while out fishing in Manatee Rescue, part of the “Heroes of the Wild” series. “The third-person narration … allows Davies to weave in details about Amazonian culture and setting as well as the endangered manatees while maintaining gentle suspense,” wrote a critic in Kirkus Reviews. Set in Africa, The Lion Who Stole My Arm focuses on Pedru, a youngster who seeks revenge against the animal that attacked and disfigured him. After he kills a different lion, one that was being monitored by conservation expert, Pedru develops a relationship with the researchers that changes his life. In the words of Horn Book contributor Robin L. Smith, Davies’s “look at a dwindling species is respectful of its readers’ capacity to face ethical decisions in a thoughtful way.”
Davies has also earned critical plaudits for her nonfiction works. In what Hazel Rochman described in Booklist as a “chatty, funny text,” Extreme Animals: The Toughest Creatures on Earth introduces readers to a variety of creatures, all of which are capable of surviving in conditions that would kill most humans. In her texts, she takes readers from harsh deserts and the dark depths of the sea to the sulfurous surface of volcanoes and the frigid polar regions, locations where cold-blooded frogs, water-toting camels, sulfur-eating microorganisms, and other creatures make quite comfortable homes. Davies compares these hardy critters with the weakling homo sapiens, adding an element of humor to a work that Rochman predicted would make biology “exciting” for young students.
In Poop: A Natural History of the Unmentionable, a subject of perennial fascination to many children is discussed openly. Grounding her description of the whys, wheres, and hows of defecation in scientific terms, Davies posits poop as the ultimate in recycling. She also includes an intriguing list of “Poop Facts” and further engages readers with humorous chapter headings which School Library Journal contributor Blair Christolon predicted would “bring a smile to many faces.” In Kirkus Reviews a contributor deemed Poop a “breezy introduction” to the many facts—and uses—for the surprisingly versatile by-product, and Betty Carter noted in Horn Book that Poop takes its subject “out of the sewers and into the scientific community where it belongs.”
What’s Eating You? Parasites—The Inside Story is an informative and witty introduction “to those weird critters that consider their host to be ‘just a pantry,’” according to Stephanie Zvirin in Booklist. Here Davies examines both human and animal parasites, from the familiar—fleas, lice, and tapeworms—to lesser-known creatures such as the Sacculina, which infest crabs. “What makes the often-gory details easier to stomach are Davies’s accessible, pun-filled explanations of the science and [Neal] Layton’s cartoon illustrations,” remarked Elissa Gershowitz in Horn Book, and a contributor to Science News maintained that the duo “manage[s] to present biological facts in a hilarious manner.”
Deadly! The Truth about the Most Dangerous Creatures on Earth presents a “gory-but-fascinating information about predators and defenders and the adaptations that assist in their survival,” observed Horn Book critic Danielle J. Ford. Again featuring Layton’s comic-style art, the volume introduces young readers to pack-hunting orcas, explosive bombardier beetles, and power-diving Peregrine falcons, among other creatures. In Tiny Creatures, Davies explores the wondrous and varied world of microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses, describing their shapes, sizes, functions, and quantities. “The tone is light and inquisitive yet also scientifically precise,” Ford stated, also complimenting the author’s use of “creative, easy-to-relate-to analogies.”
In Just the Right Size: Why Big Animals Are Big and Little Animals Are Little, Davies employs mathematics and physics to examine the physical capabilities of members of the animal kingdom. She notes, for instance, that humans would need impossibly long toes to mimic the wall-crawling skills of a gecko. “The tongue-in-cheek tone, concrete examples and Layton’s undeniably appealing cartoons will go a long way with kids,” wrote a Kirkus Reviews critic, and a Publishers Weekly contributor described Just the Right Size as “a prime pick for readers curious about physical science in the natural world.”
In Talk, Talk, Squawk! A Human’s Guide to Animal Communication, Davies looks at the many ways animals exchange information, including smells, vibrations, body language, and coloration. Her “friendly, conversational tone makes the complex ideas remarkably clear and understandable,” Horn Book critic Danielle J. Ford observed. Jayne Damron, writing in School Library Journal, maintained that “the engaging prose and Layton’s comical cartoons provide enough interest to tempt students and browsers into a closer reading.”
Davies explores global climate change in Gaia Warriors, “an upbeat and entertaining book [that] contains some deadly serious information,” according to Susan Elkin in School Librarian. In addition to addressing commonly asked questions on the topic, Davies offers profiles of numerous individuals—from scientists to architects to musicians—who are working to effect change. “Complex ideas are conveyed in a light, conversational manner, and the narrative is punctuated with interesting, appropriate quotations,” noted a contributor to Kirkus Reviews.
An award-winning work of fiction, Davies’s The Promise was described by School Library Journal contributor Janene Corbin as “a thoughtful book, told with simplicity, with a poignant message.” As the story opens, a young thief walks the streets of her gray, gritty town. She spies her latest victim, an elderly woman who willingly gives up her bag after convincing the girl to plant its contents. Discovering that she has stolen a bunch of acorns, the girl decides to make good on her promise and this act helps transform her neighborhood. “Davies’s passion for nature and the importance of the natural world is clearly evident in this inspirational book,” Beth Cox remarked in School Librarian.
In King of the Sky, a young, immigrant Italian boy and an old Welsh miner start a friendship by taking care of and training homing pigeons. The boy picks his favorite pigeon and names him Re del Cielo. With the older man’s help and in spite of language difficulties, he trains the pigeon to do a long distance race. Booklist contributor Kathleen McBroom admitted that “this is a unique and very special book.”
In The Pond, Dad was very excited to enlist the help of his sons to build a pond in their garden. He filled their heads with exciting thoughts about how great it would look. Unfortunately, he died before they were able to complete the pond. While the older son tries to finish it on his own, the pond just becomes a muddy puddle. With his mother’s help in the spring, though, the family is able to realize his vision. Booklist contributor Lolly Gepson commented that the illustrations “are the perfect complement to author and zoologist Davies’ poetic text about a difficult subject.”
Song of the Wild: A First Book of Animals serves as a large album celebrating all types of animals. Davies uses lyrical prose, paintings, and poetry to honor animals, ranging from corals to camels. A Kirkus Reviews contributor labeled the book “a treasure for readers of any age who delight in the natural world.”
Many is a follow-up to Tiny Creatures and observes the sheer quantity in the diversity of life on this planet. The book shows some of the thousands of species that have been discovered just in the past fifty years. It also looks at the ways that these organisms interact with each other and the threats to their survival. Booklist contributor Carolyn Phelan found Many to be “a handsome book that delivers its message within vibrant scenes of the natural world.”
In The Day War Came, Davies follows a young girl as her normal life descends into chaos as the devastation of war comes to her town. The book illustrates the smoke and fire and noises that accompany a war zone and the pain that survivors endure as they flee in the backs of trucks, hoping to find safety elsewhere. Booklist contributor Andrew Medlar claimed that “this is a strong statement on the impact of refugee crises upon children.”
A First Book of the Sea is a collection of fifty poems that is divided into four themed sections. The mostly short-verse poetry chronicles what it is like under, in, or near the sea, describing activities ranging from building a sand castle to swimming. A Kirkus Reviews contributor stated: “As in the sea, there’s something in this volume’s abundance for most everyone, and it will amply reward repeat visitors.”
In Hummingbird, a young girl and her grandmother sit still while waiting for ruby-throated hummingbirds to migrate through their area. The book shows how the hummingbirds navigate their way throughout Central America on their journey north into Canada. A Kirkus Reviews contributor called the book “a sweet and endearing feathered migration.”
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Based on a true story, Last: The Story of a White Rhino tells the tale of white rhino name Sudan, that was taken from its home in Africa to the Czech Republic in 1975. Davies tells this story from Sudan’s point of view as he feels like the last of his kind after his mother dies. From his new home in Europe, Sudan shares memories of the “old place” in Africa. Davies accompanies the text with her own watercolor illustrations. Writing in School Library Journal, Louie Lauer noted that the “simple, rhythmic language allows the images to do much of the storytelling” in this tale that is “sure to encourage a lively discussion.” A Kirkus Reviews critic also had praise, terming the book a “powerful conservation message.”
In Grow: Secrets of Our DNA, Davies offers a colorful primer on the encoded basis for life. From a basic premise that all things grow, Davies explains how the more than six feet of encoded DNA in our bodies is responsible for the growth. Davies explains how life begins with a single cell that goes on to divide and create different sorts of cells the body needs, all under the direction of DNA. School Library Journal reviewer Myra Zamowski called Grow a “wonderful addition to science programs and language arts studies of nonfiction books,” and one that “deserves a wide audience and multiple readings.” Likewise, a Kirkus Reviews contributor concluded: “The secrets of DNA, unpacked engagingly and accessibly.”
With Every Child a Song: A Celebration of Children’s Rights, Davis honored the thirtieth anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The book focuses on how special each child is and the promise that he or she carries. Writing in free verse accompanied with watercolor images by Marc Martin, the book shows children being fed, playing, and learning. Other darker illustrations show children growing under hardships. A Kirkus Reviews critic commented of this work: “Perfect for one-on-one and small-group reading” and also that it is assured to “provoke discussions around self-worth and social justice. “
Ride the Wind focuses on young Javier who is determined to save an albatross. The bird is accidentally hooked when the boy, his father and uncle are out fishing. The uncle throws the bird into a corner of their boat and forgets about it. But Javier decides to hide it, and once ashore he conceals it in a storeroom in back of their house, hoping to get it healthy enough again to set free. But one day the bird is missing. Javier’s father has found it and sold it to a fair. Javier and his father have had a strained relationship since the death of Javier’s mother, and now Javier finds strength to find the bird once again and finally set it free. A Kirkus Reviews critic noted of this book: “Taut and heartwarming.”
One World: 24 Hours on Planet Earth, with illustrations by Jenni Desmond, is a tribute to the natural world and its variety. Following time zones around the planet, Davies demonstrates this variety, showing that while one area is fast asleep in the middle of night, others are alive with activity of all sorts. It is midnight in London, and as the clock strikes twelve, two sisters are magically spirited away to view this extraordinary biodiversity, from polar bear and her cubs in the Arctic, to turtles in India or a whale in the Philippines. A Kirkus Reviews contributor had a varied assessment of One World, noting: “Beautifully illustrated and well meaning, if a bit heavy-handed.”
Davies looks at the impact of climate change on the natural world with her 2022 picture book, Emperor of the Ice: How a Changing Climate Affects a Penguin Colony. In the harsh climate of Antarctica, climate change is forcing emperor penguins to find new nesting sites. Davies focuses on one pair of penguins who have to raise a new chick in a unforgiving environment and ultimately find a new site. A Kirkus Reviews contributor termed this a “moving story of resilience in a changing world.”
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Although Davies has produced several novels for adults under the pseudonym Stevie Morgan, most of her writing is for young readers. As she once told SATA: “I am interested in communication: communication about zoology, about science and about how we as humans experience and interpret our existence. I’m convinced that art and science are all part of the same picture and can contribute enormously to each other. It’s the crossovers and combinations of fields of interest that motivate me in life and work.”
A staunch advocate of children’s literacy, Davies told Western Mail contributor Kirstie McCrum that she is “interested in promoting children’s reading because it gives them a rich inner life. Once you have established that ability to furnish your mind and your soul with good things through the experience of reading, you have a resilience and a set of resources that you will have forever and nobody can take away from you.”
When asked what first got her interested in writing, Davies told SATA: “Being a passionate reader and the daughter of people who cared very much about words. My parents both came from working-class back grounds in Wales, but they were Brit and well educated, and Welsh culture is full of fun words and poetry. My father recited Keats to me and my mum bought me Hardy and Lawrence. They made me into a writer.”
When asked who or what particularly influences her work, Davies said: “The natural world and my constant contact with it outside the door of my study. My travels in the wild and encounters with wild animals, poetry and visual art. I draw and paint and am embarking on my first picture book as both writer and illustrator.”
When asked to describe her writing process, Davies said: “Varied. Sometimes it just comes like a lightning strike, and sometimes squeezed out like the last bit from the bottom of a dried up tube of tooth paste. More and more as I get older I can trust myself and I’m less plagued by the fear that the words and the ideas won’t come. The truth is that the more you think and experience, the more connections your brain makes.”
When asked about the most surprising thing Davies has learned as a writer, she said: “That sometimes, when you don’t think and don’t try, the words still come.”
When asked which of her books is her favorite and why, she said: “ The Promise because I wrote it for kids having a rough time, and when I read it they hear it most.”
When asked what kind of effect she hopes her books will have, Davies said: “Change the world to a more sustainable and fairer place. The world changes one heart at a time, so I strive to change hearts.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, September 1, 1997, Ellen Mandel, review of Big Blue Whale, p. 128; September 1, 2001, Gillian Engberg, review of Bat Loves the Night, p. 114; November 1, 2001, Ilene Cooper, review of Wild about Dolphins, p. 471; December 1, 2001, Hazel Rochman, review of One Tiny Turtle, p. 656; October 15, 2003, Todd Morning, review of Surprising Sharks, p. 413; October 15, 2004, Ilene Cooper, review of Poop: A Natural History of the Unmentionable, p. 400; December 1, 2005, Jennifer Mattson, review of Ice Bear: In the Steps of the Polar Bear, p. 55; December 1, 2006, Hazel Rochman, review of Extreme Animals: The Toughest Creatures on Earth, p. 58; May 15, 2007, Gillian Engberg, review of White Owl, Barn Owl, p. 53; December 1, 2007, Stephanie Zvirin, review of What’s Eating You? Parasites—The Inside Story, p. 56; August 1, 2009, Karen Cruze, review of Just the Right Size: Why Big Animals Are Big and Little Animals Are Little, p. 64; March 1, 2011, Gillian Engberg, review of Gaia Warriors, p. 49; July 1, 2011, Carolyn Phelan, review of Grow Your Own Monsters, p. 47; November 15, 2011, Carolyn Phelan, review of Talk, Talk, Squawk! A Human’s Guide to Animal Communication, p. 43; March 15, 2012, Carolyn Phelan, review of Just Ducks!, p. 57; April 15, 2013, Erin Anderson, review of Deadly! The Truth about the Most Dangerous Creatures on Earth, p. 53; February 1, 2014, Jeanne E. Fredriksen, review of The Lion Who Stole My Arm, p. 68; May 1, 2014, Ilene Cooper, review of The Promise, p. 94; June 1, 2014, Carolyn Phelan, review of Tiny Creatures: The World of Microbes, p. 74; September 1, 2015, Randal Enos, review of I (Don’t) Like Snakes, p. 119; December 15, 2015, Sharon Rawlins, review of Manatee Rescue, p. 54; August 1, 2017, Kathleen McBroom, review of King of the Sky, p. 68; September 15, 2017, Carolyn Phelan, review of Song of the Wild: A First Book of Animals, p. 47; November 1, 2017, Carolyn Phelan, Carolyn, review of Many: The Diversity of Life on Earth, p. 40; November 1, 2017, Lolly Gepson, review of The Pond, p. 63; August 1, 2018, Andrew Medlar, reviews of The Day War Came, p. 69; October 1, 2020, Maryann Owen, review of Every Child a Song: A Celebration of Children’s Rights, 60.
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, October 1, 1997, review of Big Blue Whale, p. 48; October 1, 2001, review of Wild about Dolphins, p. 53; November 1, 2001, review of One Tiny Turtle, p. 99; December 1, 2001, review of Bat Loves the Night, p. 135; February 1, 2004, Karen Coats, review of Surprising Sharks, p. 227; November 1, 2004, Deborah Stevenson, review of Poop, p. 118; January 1, 2013, Deborah Stevenson, review of Who Lives Here?, p. 241; March 1, 2013, Deborah Stevenson, review of Deadly!, p. 329; February 1, 2014, Elizabeth Bush, review of The Lion Who Stole My Arm, p. 306; May 1, 2014, review of The Promise, p. 450; September 1, 2014, Deborah Stevenson, review of Tiny Creatures, p. 18.
Horn Book, May 1, 1997, Ellen Fader, review of Big Blue Whale, pp. 338-39; January 1, 2004, Danielle J. Ford, review of Surprising Sharks, p. 99; September 1, 2004, Betty Carter, review of Poop, p. 605; January 1, 2006, Betty Carter, review of Ice Bear, p. 97; January 1, 2007, Danielle J. Ford, review of Extreme Animals, p. 81; July 1, 2007, Betty Carter, review of White Owl, Barn Owl, p. 411; January 1, 2008, Elissa Gershowitz, review of What’s Eating You?, p. 108; September 1, 2009, Danielle J. Ford, review of Just the Right Size, p. 580; January 1, 2012, Danielle J. Ford, review of Talk, Talk, Squawk!, p. 113; November 1, 2012, Elissa Gershowitz, review of What Happens Next?, and Who Lives Here?, p. 119; March 1, 2013, Danielle J. Ford, review of Deadly!, p. 135; March 1, 2014, Robin L. Smith, review of The Lion Who Stole My Arm, p. 116; May 1, 2014, Kathleen T. Horning, review of The Promise, p. 62; September 1, 2014, Danielle J. Ford, review of Tiny Creatures, p. 130; November 1, 2017, Thom Barthelmess, review of King of the Sky, p. 73; November 1, 2017, Danielle J. Ford, review of Many, p. 119; July 1, 2019, Betty Carter, review of Hummingbird, p. 145.
Kirkus Reviews, June 1, 1997, review of Big Blue Whale, pp. 871-872; August 1, 2001, review of Bat Loves the Night, p. 1120; September 15, 2003, review of One Tiny Turtle, p. 1210; September 15, 2003, review of Surprising Sharks, p. 1173; August 15, 2004, review of Poop, p. 804; November 15, 2005, review of Ice Bear, p. 1230; August 15, 2006, review of Extreme Animals, p. 838; June 15, 2009, review of Just the Right Size; February 1, 2011, review of Gaia Warriors; June 1, 2011, review of Grow Your Own Monsters; October 1, 2011, review of Talk, Talk, Squawk!; January 1, 2012, review of Welcome to Silver Street Farm; January 15, 2012, review of Outside Your Window; October 15, 2012, review of What Happens Next?; December 15, 2012, review of Deadly!; December 15, 2013, review of The Lion Who Stole My Arm; March 1, 2014, review of The Promise; June 1, 2014, review of Tiny Creatures; February 15, 2012, review of Just Ducks!; July 1, 2015, review of I (Don’t) Like Snakes; October 1, 2015, review of Manatee Rescue; November 1, 2016, review of Perfect; August 15, 2017, review of The Pond; September 1, 2017, reviews of Many and Song of the Wild; June 15, 2018, review of The Day War Came; August 15, 2018, review of A First Book of the Sea; April 15, 2019, review of Hummingbird; July 1, 2020, reviews of Grow: Secrets of Our DNA and Last: The Story of a White Rhino; July 15, 2020, review of Every Child a Song; May 15, 2021, review of Ride the Wind; December 1, 2022, review of Emperor of the Ice: How a Changing Climate Affects a Penguin Colony; May 15, 2021, review of Ride the Wind; December 15, 2022, review of One World: 24 Hours on Planet Earth.
Nature, December 6, 2012, review of Deadly!, p. 39.
New York Times Book Review, March 10, 2002, review of Bat Loves the Night, p. 20.
Publishers Weekly, August 13, 2001, review of One Tiny Turtle, p. 312; November 12, 2001, “Natural Wonders,” p. 62; August 30, 2004, review of Poop, p. 55; June 15, 2009, review of Just the Right Size, p. 50; November 7, 2011, review of Monsters of the Deep, p. 69; January 16, 2012, review of Just Ducks!, p. 56; December 9, 2013, review of The Lion Who Stole My Arm, p. 69; May 26, 2014, review of Tiny Creatures, p. 63; December 2, 2015, review of I (Don’t) Like Snakes, p. 47; September 18, 2017, review of Song of the Wild, p. 70; October 9, 2017, review of Many, p. 70; October 22, 2018, review of A First Book of the Sea, p. 84; July 20, 2020, review of Grow: Secrets of Our DNA, p. 180.
Reading Teacher, October 1, 2002, Cyndi Giorgis and Nancy J. Johnson, “Living Creatures,” p. 200; November 1, 2002, review of One Tiny Turtle, p. 257.
School Librarian, December 22, 2010, Martin Axford, review of Grow Your Own Monsters, p. 234; March 22, 2010, Susan Elkin, review of Gaia Warriors, p. 56; December 22, 2011, review of A Girl Called Dog, p. 226; September 22, 2013, Frances Breslin, review of The Elephant Road, and Clare Morpurgo, review of Whale Boy, both p. 158; December 22, 2013, Beth Cox, review of The Promise, p. 225; September 22, 2014, Delvene Barnett, review of Tiny Creatures, p. 170; December 22, 2015, Doris Telford, review of The Leopard’s Tail, p. 226, and Jayne Gould, review of I (Don’t) Like Snakes, p. 237; March 22, 2017, Jane Loder, review of a A First Book of Animals book, p. 47; September 22, 2017, Sue Breslin, review of Lots: The Diversity of Life on Earth, p. 155; September 22, 2017, Janet Dowling, review of The Selkie’s Mate, p. 165.
School Library Journal, September 1, 2001, Cynde Marcengill, review of Bat Loves the Night, p. 187; October 1, 2001, Patricia Manning, review of Wild about Dolphins, p. 182; December 1, 2001, Margaret Bush, review of One Tiny Turtle, p. 120; October 1, 2003, Lynda Ritterman, review of Surprising Sharks, p. 148; December 1, 2004, Blair Christolon, review of Poop, p. 128; June 1, 2005, Kathy Piehl, review of Deserts, p. 136; February 1, 2006, Amelia Jenkins, review of Ice Bear, p. 95; December 1, 2006, Cynde Suite, review of Extreme Animals, p. 161; July 1, 2007, Margaret Bush, review of White Owl, Barn Owl, p. 89; March 1, 2008, Christine Markley, review of What’s Eating You?, p. 217; August 1, 2009, Anne Chapman Callaghan, review of Just the Right Size, p. 120; May 1, 2011, Denise Schmidt, review of Gaia Warriors, p. 132; July 1, 2011, Frances E. Millhouser, review of Grow Your Own Monsters, p. 83; November 1, 2011, Jayne Damron, review of Talk, Talk, Squawk!, p. 146; April 1, 2012, Patricia Manning, review of Outside Your Window: A First Book of Nature, p. 150; March 1, 2013, Nancy Jo Lambert, review of Deadly!, p. 134; July 1, 2013, Amy Holland, review of Escape from Silver Street Farm, p. 59; March 1, 2014, Carol A. Edwards, review of The Lion Who Stole My Arm, p. 108; April 1, 2014, Janene Corbin, review of The Promise, p. 118; July 1, 2014, Alyson Low, review of Tiny Creatures, p. 116; August 1, 2015, Carol S. Surges, review of I (Don’t) Like Snakes, p. 118; September 1, 2015, Lindsay Persohn, review of Manatee Rescue, p. 134; December 1, 2016, Mary Hazelton, review of Perfect, p. 92; October 1, 2017, Amanda Raklovits, review of The Selkie’s Mate, p. 90; October 1, 2017, Maggie Chase, review of Song of the Wild, p. 122; November 1, 2017, Nancy Call, review of Many, p. 99; November 1, 2017, Wendy Lukehart, review of The Pond, p. 59; Louie Lauer, review of Last, p. 99; Myra Zarnowski, review of Grow, p. 98.
Science News, December 22, 2007, review of What’s Eating You?, p. 403.
Voice of Youth Advocates, April 1, 2011, Elaine Gass Hirsch, review of Gaia Warriors, p. 90.
Western Mail (Cardiff, Wales), May 6, 2011, Kirstie McCrum, “Nicola’s Really Wild Life Leads Her into Calmer Waters,” p. 22.
ONLINE
Acorn Books website, https://acornbooksblog.wordpress.com/ (June 11, 2018), “Interview with Rebecca Cobb, illustrator of The Day War Came by Nicola Davies.”
Book Trust website, https://www.booktrust.org.uk/ (May 23, 2023), author profile.
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, http://bbcb.lis.uiuc.edu/ (February 1, 2004), Carolyn LaMontagne, author profile.
David Higham Associates website, http://www.davidhigham.co.uk/ (May 23, 2023), author profile.
Let’s Talk Picture Books, http://www.letstalkpicturebooks.com/ (December 15, 2020), author interview.
Libri Calzelunghe, https://libricalzelunghe.it/ (July 28, 2021), author interview.
My Book Corner, http://www.mybookcorner.co.uk/ (November 28, 2020), author interview.
Nicola Davies website, https://www.nicola-davies.com (May 23, 2023).
Walker Books website, http://www.walker.co.uk/ (June 1, 2012), Nicola Davies, autobiographical essay.*
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nicola Davies
Born 3 May 1958
Birmingham, England[1]
Occupation(s) Zoologist, writer
Website nicola-davies.com
Nicola Davies (born 3 May 1958)[1] is an English zoologist and writer. She was one of the original presenters of the BBC children's wildlife programme The Really Wild Show.[2] More recently, she has made her name as a children's author. Her books include Home, which was shortlisted for the Branford Boase Award,[3] and Poo (2004), which was illustrated by Neal Layton, and was shortlisted for a Blue Peter Book Award in 2006;[4] in the United States, the book is published as Poop: A Natural History of the Unmentionable. Her children's picture book The Promise won the Green Book Award in 2015. She has also written several novels for adults under the pseudonym Stevie Morgan.
Gaia Warriors — published in November 2009 by Walker Books, and written in association with, and with an afterword by James Lovelock — is a book about climate change that explains the science and answers the commonly asked questions about global warming.
Davies is married to Daniel Jones, she has two children from her first marriage.
Works
Big Blue Whale (1997) Illustrated by Nick Maland
Bat Loves the Night (2001) Illustrated by Sarah Fox Davies
One Tiny Turtle (2001) Illustrated by Jane Chapman
Wild About Dolphins (2001) published by Walker Books
Surprising Sharks (2003) illustrated by James Croft
Birds (2003) published by Kingfisher in the Kingfisher Young Knowledge series
Poo: A Natural History of the Unmentionable (2004) illustrated by Neal Layton
Oceans and Seas (2004) published by Kingfisher in the Kingfisher Young Knowledge series
Home (2005) published by Walker Books
Ice Bear (2005) Illustrated by Gary Blythe
Extreme Animals: The Toughest Creatures (2006) Illustrated by Neil Layton
What's eating you? Parasites: the Inside Story (2007) Illustrated by Neil Layton
White Owl, Barn Owl (2007) Illustrated by Michael Foreman
Up on the Hill (2008) with design by Terry Milne, published by Walker Books
Gaia Warriors (2009) - a book about climate change and what to do about it, published by Walker Books
Just the Right Size: Why Big Animals are Big and Little Animals are Little (2009) Illustrated by Neil Layton, awarded 2021 Mathical Honors[5]
Grow your Own Monsters (2010) by Nicola Davies and Simon Hickmott
Everything You Need to Know About Animals (2010) published by Kingfisher
A Girl Called Dog (2011), published by Corgi
Monsters of the Deep (2011)
Talk, Talk, Squawk (2011) Illustrated by Neil Layton
Welcome to Silver Street Farm (2011) with illustrations by Katharine McEwen, published by Walker Books
Escape from Silver Street Farm (2011) Illustrated by Katharine McEwen, published by Walker Books
Spring Fever at Silver Street Farm (2011) Illustrated by Katharine McEwen, published by Walker Books
All Aboard at Silver Street Farm (2011) Illustrated by Katharine McEwen, published by Walker Books
A First Book of Nature (2012) Illustrated by Mark Hearld. Published as Outside Your Window in the US (2012). Winner of the Independent Booksellers Best Picture Book.
Deadly (2012) Illustrated by Neal Layton, published by Walker Books
Dolphin Baby (2012) Illustrated by Brita Granstrom
Frozen Solid at Silver Street Farm (2012) Illustrated by Katharine McEwen, published by Walker Books
Just Ducks! (2012) Illustrated by Salvatore Rubbino Shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal 2013
Rubbish Town Hero (2012) published by Corgi
What will I be? (2012) Illustrated by Marc Boutavant
Who's like Me? (2012) Illustrated by Marc Boutavant
Deserts (2012) (Discover Science series)
What Happens Next? (2012) Illustrated by Marc Boutavant
Crowded Out at Silver Street Farm (2012) Illustrated by Katharine McEwen
Manatee Baby (2013) (Heroes of the Wild series)
The Elephant Road (2013) with illustration by Annabel Wright, published by Walker Books (Heroes of the Wild series)
The Lion Who Stole My Arm (2013) Winner of The Portsmouth Book Award 2014 (Heroes of the Wild series)
The Promise (2013) Illustrated by Laura Carlin. Winner of the 2014 English Association Picture Book award for best fiction.
Walking the Bear (2013) (Heroes of the Wild series)
Whale Boy (2013) Shortlisted for the "Best Story" category of the 2014 Blue Peter Book Awards
Tiny Creatures: the World of Microbes (2014) Illustrated by Emily Sutton
The Leopard's Tail (2015) Illustrated by Annabel Wright (Heroes of the Wild series)
The Whale Who Saved Us (2015) Illustrated by Annabel Wright (Heroes of the Wild series)
I Don't Like Snakes (2015) Illustrated by Luciano Lozano
A First Book of Animals (2016) Illustrated by Petr Horácek
Survivors: The Toughest Creatures on Earth (2016) Illustrated by Neal Layton, published by Walker Books
Animal Surprises (2016) Illustrated by Abbie Cameron, published by Graffeg
Into The Blue (2016) Illustrated by Abbie Cameron, published by Graffeg
The Word Bird (2016) Illustrated by Abbie Cameron, published by Graffeg
The White Hare (2016) with illustrations by Anastasia Izlesou, published by Graffeg - part of the Shadows and Light series
Mother Cary's Butter Knife (2016) with illustrations by Anja Uhren, published by Graffeg - part of the Shadows and Light series
Perfect (2016) Illustrated by Cathy Fisher, published by Graffeg
Lots: The Diversity of Life on Earth (2017) Illustrated by Emily Sutton
Animals Behaving Badly (2017) Illustrated by Adam Stower, published by Walker Books
Dolphin Baby (2017) Illustrated by Brita Granstrom, published by Walker Books
The Variety of Life (2017) Illustrated by Lorna Scobie
King of the Sky (2017) Illustrated by Laura Carlin, published by Walker, shortlisted for the Tir na n-Og Award
The Pond (2017) Illustrated by Cathy Fisher, published by Graffeg
Elias Martin (2017) Illustrated by Fran Shum, published by Graffeg
A First Book of the Sea (July 2018) Illustrated by Emily Sutton, published by Walker Books
The Day the War Came (2018) Illustrated by Rebecca Cobb *Shortlisted for The Kate Greenaway Medal
The Little Mistake (2018) with illustrations by Cathy Fisher, published by Graffeg - part of the Country Tales series
Flying Free (2018) with illustrations by Cathy Fisher, published by Graffeg - part of the Country Tales series
Ariki and the Giant Shark (2018) with illustrations by Nicola Kinnear, published by Walker
The Secret of the Egg (2018) with illustrations by Abbie Cameron, published by Graffeg
The Eel Question (2018) with illustrations by Beth Holland, published by Graffeg - part of the Shadows and Light series
Bee Boy and the Moonflowers (2018) with illustrations by Max Low, published by Graffeg - part of the Shadows and Light series
Brave and the Fox (2018) Illustrated by Sebastien Braun, published by Scholastic
The Dog That Saved Christmas (2018) with illustrations by Mike Byrne, published by Barrington Stoke
The Mountain Lamb (2019) with illustrations by Cathy Fisher, published by Graffeg - part of the Country Tales series
A Boy's Best Friend (2019) with illustrations by Cathy Fisher, published by Graffeg - part of the Country Tales series
Ariki and the Island of Wonders (2019) with illustrations by Nicola Kinnear, published by Walker
Hummingbird (2019) Illustrated by Jane Ray
Every Child A Song (2019) Illustrated by Marc Martin, published by Wren & Rook
The Wonder of Trees (2019) Illustrated by Lorna Scobie, published by Hodder
Butterflies for Grandpa Joe (2019) Illustrated by Mike Byrne, published by Barrington Stoke *Shortlisted for the Wales Book of the Year 2020
My Butterfly Bouquet (2020) Illustrated by Hannah Peck, published by Wren & Rook
Grow: Secrets of Our DNA (2020) Illustrated by Emily Sutton, published by Walker Books
Ride The Wind (2020) Illustrated by Salvatore Rubbino, published by Walker Books
Pretend Cows (2020) with illustrations by Cathy Fisher, published by Graffeg - part of the Country Tales series
Last (2020) written and illustrated by Nicola Davies (her debut as illustrator) published by Tiny Owl
The New Girl (2020) Illustrated by Cathy Fisher, published by Graffeg
This is How the Change Begins (2021) published by Graffeg
The Song That Sings Us (2021) Cover illustration by Jackie Morris, published by Firefly Press
One World: 24 Hours on Planet Earth (2021) Illustrated by Jenni Desmond, published by Walker Books *Shortlisted for the Wainwright Prize 2022
Protecting the Planet: The Season of Giraffes (2022) Illustrated by Emily Sutton, published by Walker Books
Invertebrates are Cool! (2022) Illustrated by Abbie Cameron, published by Graffeg
The Magic of Flight (2022) Illustrated by Lorna Scobie, published by Hodder
Choose Love (2022) Illustrated by Petr Horácek, published by Graffeg
Nicola Davies
Nicola Davies
Nicola Davies is the author of more than 50 books for children: fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Her work has been published in more than 10 different languages and has won major awards in the UK, US, France, Italy and Germany.
Nicola trained as a zoologist, taking a degree in Natural Sciences from King's College, Cambridge. She spent some years as a field biologist and studied humpback and sperm whales, and bats, before joining the BBC Natural History Unit as a researcher and then presenter.
Following the start of her writing career, Nicola became a senior lecturer in creative writing, at Bath Spa University but has been writing full time for over a decade. She now regularly runs workshops for children and adults to help them find their voices as writers and advocates for nature. In 2017, she was the first recipient of the SLA’s award for Outstanding Contribution to Children’s Non-fiction and in 2018 had four picture books longlisted for the Greenaway Award.
Nicola Davies started her career as a Zoologist before working for the BBC Natural History Unit for ten years as a researcher and presenter for a number of natural history programmes including The Really Wild Show.
Nicola’s first children’s book Big Blue Whale, one of Walker Books’ award winning Read and Wonder series, won a number of awards on publication by Candlewick in the U.S. and continues to be reviewed in the UK today. Since then, Nicola has written a number of other books for the Read and Wonder series including Dolphin Baby, Just Ducks and Surprising Sharks, which has recently been honoured in the non-fiction category of the Boston Globe-Horn Book awards. Ice Bear about Polar bears and Inuits in the Arctic was published in 2005 and won the English Society Award for young non-fiction.
Nicola’s book Poo: A Natural History of the Unmentionable (Walker) was published in 2004. An exhibition based on the title ran at the Rothschilds Museum. Poo was followed in 2006 by Extreme Animals, a book about animal survival tactics, in 2007 with What’s Eating You? About parasites, and in 2009 by Just the Right Size, Talk, Talk, Squawk all of which have been illustrated by Neal Layton.
Nicola’s first children’s novel Home was published by Walker Books and nominated for the Branford Boases Award. She has written six books for her short fiction series ‘Silver Street Farm’ and five in her ‘Heroes of the Wild’ series. Her fiction for older children is published by Random House: A Girl Called Dog was published in 2011, Rubbish Town Hero in March 2012 and Whale Boy in 2013, which was shortlisted in the Blue Peter Book Awards.
The Promise (Walker), was shortlisted for the 2014 Kate Greenaway Medal and was the winner of the Fiction 7-11 years Award in the 2014 English 4-11 Picture Book Awards. It was also names as one of the best picture books of 2014 by The New York Times.
Nicola’s stunning A First Book of Nature (2014) illustrated by Mark Hearld and A First Book of Animals (2016) illustrated by Petr Horacek are both published by Walker. The Dog that Saved Christmas (2018) illustrated by Mike Byrne is published by Barrington Stoke.
A Wonder of Trees (2019), illustrated by Lorna Scobie is published by Hodder Children’s. Nicola’s most recent book, Hummingbird, illustrated by Jane Ray is published in May 2018 by Walker Books.
To see Nicola talk about why she writes books please follow the link to her youtube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUwlaW0GOnc
Praise for Nicola Davies:
‘Breaking the mould of children’s non fiction’ – Radio 4
‘A marvellous meeting with a Blue Whale…fills the reader with wonder…stranger than any fiction…’ – Observer
‘Nicola Davies is an author who gets the balance exactly right. Her scientific love of the particular translates into the precise well chosen language that so appeals to children. There is not a word too many, there is not a word out of place … near-poetic narrative’ – Times Educational Supplement
‘I was caught, hook, line and sinker…’ – the Guardian
December 15, 2020
Let's Talk Illustrators #165: Nicola Davies
For my last interview of 2020, I am pleased to present my conversation with seasoned author and debut illustrator Nicola Davies about Last: The Story of a White Rhino. Already an accomplished zoologist and writer, Nicola easily (or so it seems!) slides into the role of illustrator with eye-catching and meaningful visuals that push her text forward and tell their own story. Enjoy our chat!
About the book:
A rhino is put in a zoo in the middle of a grey city, where all he can do is pace back and forth. He misses his home, his mother, the smell of earth and rain. He fears he may be the last of his kind. Then one day, he is rescued and released back into the wild, to live free with the other rhinos.
Let's talk Nicola Davies!
LTPB: Can you talk about your research process for Last: The Story of a White Rhino? How did you first hear about Sudan? Why did you choose to tell his story?
ND: As a zoologist by training and lifelong advocate for the natural world, I was aware of the terrible problems facing rhinos worldwide, but especially White Rhinos in Africa. But my focus in recent years has been more on writing about whole ecosystems, biological concepts and relationships between humans and nature, rather than individual species. So I hadn’t considered witting a non fiction book about rhinos.
And then I saw a documentary about Sudan quite by chance late one night. After it was over I sat in my kitchen in the dark, thinking about Sudan, his long unlucky life and the beautiful relationship between him and the wildlife rangers who had safeguarded his last months. I got a pencil and a notebook and wrote Last. Sometimes that's how books come, in one go in the time it takes to write down the words.
As soon as I wrote the words, I knew I couldn’t let them go, that this was one text I had to illustrate myself. I had never illustrated a book. I have no training as any kind of visual artist. All I had was a lifelong love of pictures and a clear image in my head of what I wanted the art in this book to achieve. I couldn’t dictate to another illustrator what I wanted in each spread, so that meant I had to do it myself.
Of course none of my usual publishers would consider using someone with no track record or experience as an illustrator, but dear, dear Tiny Owl were prepared to take a risk, and I got the commission to work on the book. I'm so incredibly grateful that they were prepared to take a risk.
LTPB: Can you expand a little on the illustration note at the beginning of the book? Why was it important for you to use the materials you did? What inspired you to make this your illustration debut?
ND: Right from the start I knew I wanted to use collage. I’d seen it used so wonderfully by Petr Horáček and James Mahew in particular. I had the idea that when the animals, including the rhino, were in the zoo they should be made of the same materials as the buildings…collaged newsprint. Two reasons for that: one was symbolic, newsprint and human words being a metaphor for human influence; the other was practical, as using collage allowed me to paint backgrounds and then play around with composition without having to paint everything.
I used real newsprint exclusively at first but it's flimsy and doesn’t take to being cut, pasted and painted on very kindly - especially in the small fragments I was using (I began working on paper much larger than the page but eventually settled on working to the actual size of the book). So I decided to make newsprint - this allowed me to manipulate colour, language of text, font etc etc. And of course the text itself, contrasting fragments of advertising slogans with environmental messages. Of course that meaning and symbolism is not something every reader will get; certainly almost no one will notice on a first reading, but one of the magical things about pictures books is that well-loved ones get read multiple times and by many age groups; I wanted a deeper meaning that would emerge over many readings and to put something in for the grown ups!
It was really important to me that I told a story that was only in the pictures. The figure of the little girl with the green scarf we see at all stages of the story - it's a non linear time line so we see her as a young woman and then as a child and then as a young woman again. She is the scientist who takes the rhino out of the zoo and back to Africa. so the ending for this rhino in the book is the happy ending that was intended for Sudan, but for which he was too old to make the most of by the time he returned to Africa. In my experience as a young biologist African conservation was male and white so it was important to me that the person who delivered the happy ending for my rhino was female and a person of colour. In Africa today Black Africans are leading conservation as biologists, rangers, veterinary surgeons, campaigners and that needs to be reflected in what appears in books.
LTPB: What did you use to create the illustrations in this book?
ND: I threw everything at it! I tried doing the colour digitally at first but then realised that the joy for me is in the physical sensation of putting paint and textures onto paper…so I began collaging. I had to learn everything from scratch. I taught myself to draw rhinos just by watching them in zoos and on film and in photos. I drew and drew. I experimented with composition, colours, papers, glues, inks. Although I knew what I wanted each spread to contain, how I wanted the story to be told visually, I had to find a consistent visual language, and that was hard and took time. By the time I’d found it I had just two months to do almost all the spreads, so I had to work fast. I absolutely adored the process… planning each spread carefully, thinking about the order in which I had to do every thing. I enjoyed the logistics of each spread enormously.
LTPB: What are you working on now? Anything you can show us?
ND: I would adore to go on illustrating but of course I'm still a novice and getting my work accepted is hard. I'm going to get back to illustrating my own work next year with a story clued Big Berg which is a cautionary tale about humans, ice and climate change. But for now I'm writing a YA novel which has to be derived next February and also another non fiction picture book about plants which will be illustrated by the wonderful Emily Sutton. A lot of time at the moment is being taken up by the animated film of one of my stories, The Promise, which has just been released and can be seen on the BBC ideas website by anyone anywhere in the world (as well as below). The director and I are busy linking the film to action in the real world, particularly re-connecting kids in urban areas with nature through tree planting and gardening.
LTPB: If you got the chance to write your own picture book autobiography, who (dead or alive!) would you want to illustrate it, and why?
ND: If I was ever going to write an autobiography the story would obviously be too close and too personal for anyone but me to illustrate. But there are far more interesting books to write - Im interested in the world not so much in myself.
Thank you to Nicola for talking to me about this book! Last: The Story of a White Rhino published from Tiny Owl Publishing earlier this year.
The non-fiction side of the series. Interview with Nicola Davies
2 anni fa2 Commentsby LibriCalzelunghe233 Views
Written by LibriCalzelunghe
Versione italiana dell’intervista disponibile qui.
Edited by Virginia Stefanini
This current issue of Libri Calzelunghe focuses on series. Series are very popular among young readers: they experience the pleasure of meeting the same familiar elements book after book. In narrative series readers want to know what will happen to the main characters and how the story will end. But series are not exclusively fictional, and we have many examples of nonfiction series. Approaching a nonfiction series, readers experience a different link.
As an author, Nicola Davies created several nonfiction series of books, from ironic Animal Science to poetic A First Book of Nature / Animals / Sea, and other series that mix fiction and nonfiction, like Heroes of the Wild or Silver Street Farm. Even her picture books Tiny, Lots and Grow can be considered a series in its own. We asked Nicola Davies to talk about books and series.
Libri Calzelunghe: According to your experience, what makes a series of books work or not?
Nicola Davies: It depends on whether its fiction or non-fiction. With fiction you need a cast of characters whose relationships and abilities can evolve through a number of different stories; you need a setting that gives the opportunity for multiple plots, and you need to introduce new characters as the series progresses.
With non-fiction, it’s about a consistency of approach and tone. In the Animal Science series I took a series of big, complex topics in biology – actually things that would be covered by a whole module of lectures at university – and presented them in a chatty enthusiastic voice. Of course illustration is key – Neal Layton’s amazing style, which is so rich in information and humour was perfect and I was able to write for Neal’s illustrative voice.
Tiny, Lots and Grow are entirely different – I wanted to present big ideas but distill them into a simple easy to understand form. So they were much, much harder to write. The problem with condensing is that as you cut the words you change the meaning. That’s why a poetic, conceptual approach with the language is so important, that way it’s possible to embody meaning in the combination of imagery in the words and the illustration. Emily Sutton’s style is perfect for this approach; every aspect of those illustrations is underpinned with science, they are full of precise information.
LC: And where your creative process especially starts from: a format, a character, a topic or other?
ND: Again, that’s rather dependent on the fiction non-fiction divide. Generally of course with non-fiction it’s the topic. But for me the approach, the ‘how’ of the writing is very closely connected to the ‘what’. Decisions about format come much later, when I have a sense of what the illustration requires and in conversation with illustrator and designer. With fiction it’s usually a character that I have clear image of in my head, that alerts me to a story that is wanting to be told. With Heroes of the Wild, all the stories were so closely based on reality that they were largely retellings of the real life accounts that I gathered from interviewing people in the locations where the books are set. There was with some of the stories very little actual invention of plot. Often all I had to do was change the protagonist from an adult into the child, and put together incidents that had happened to several different people so that they happened to my child protagonists. If you look in the real world there are stories just lying about, waiting for you to pick them up and tell them.
LC: Kids love series for their peculiar narrative perspective. And creating a narrative in non-fiction texts is the aim of many of your books. Which is your idea about the traditional opposition between fiction and nonfiction in children’s books?
ND: For me, narrative is the most important thing. So although the starting point for fiction and non-fiction is somewhat different, the process of narrative creation is not so different between genres. A narrative requires a beginning, a middle and an end, it requires a narrative voice, a narrator, a perspective. All these decisions are the same in fiction and non-fiction. The only real difference is that finding the right narrative voice and the right narrative thread is much MUCH more difficult with non-fiction than with fiction.
LC: Your picture books Tiny, Lots and Grow have many things in common, beginning from the contribution of illustrator Emily Sutton. In these books we follow the young characters through the pages in their discovery of Nature around and inside them. In Tiny and Lots we meet the young girl with braids and striped socks and her friend; in Grow, a large family with five kids. None of them have a name or a personal story, but they appear in almost every page, so we become curious about who they are! Can you tell us more about these characters, and which is their role in your books?
ND: Those characters are entirely Emily’s invention! I love the way they are un-named, unmentioned in the text, because they give the reader the chance to identify with them and to tell their own stories about them. Picture book creation is deeply collaborative, deeply rooted in mutual respect. I trust Emily’s creative decision making, so after an initial conversation about the text, and my providing her with exact visual references, I know I can relinquish control and let her tell her side of our story.
LC: You are a prolific author. Your audience is composed of readers of different ages, from babies to middle graders, and your work too is a mixture of different styles: you wrote picture books and expository books, narrative non-fiction and novels, in rhyme and prose. What you always do in all your books is using precise words and very accurate definitions of the natural world. How important the language is to describe animals, plants and scientific phenomena?
ND: Precision in the use of language is a slight obsession of mine – partly born out of my scientific training and the use of Latin names, that in themselves impart all kinds of scientific information. But also comes from my exposure to poetry and the sound and atmosphere of words as a child. Individual words can carry huge power, not only as tools for conveying information but for colouring the emotion of the reader. I want my texts to connect with readers intellectually and emotionally, so the way I use words is very carefully controlled to achieve that.
Illustrazione di Emily Sutton da Mini
LC: Before becoming a children’s author, you have been a zoologist and a tv presenter for BBC. How much these two former professions influence your writing?
ND: Being an academic zoologist showed me that I didn’t want to simply ‘preach to the choir’, I didn’t want to speak to a small academic audience; I wanted to change the world! Working in TV and writing factual TV series for children taught me about brevity and precision, and how to choose the best story to grab children’s attention.
LC: Do you think stories can influence the relationship between new generations and Nature?
ND: I really hope so! I really believe so. Stories are old. Humans have been telling stories almost before we were human. I’m certain early hominids told stories. So they ARE the way we interpret and understand the world, process out own experiences, share information. We need more kinds of stories told and a greater diversity of voices, and we need to listen to the stories that other species have to tell, and not be quite so obsessed with what our species has to say.
Many thanks to Nicola Davies for her time and willingness and to her italian publisher Editoriale Scienza for collaboration.
Author Interview: Nicola Davies
Nicola DaviesFrom Whale Boy to Just Ducks, to A First Book of Nature I’m a huge fan of Nicola’s passion for nature and her ability to turn her hand to well .. a huge range of books.
Here’s a little peek at the talented lady behind those books …
Tell us about you in 25 words or less.
I write books to share my passion for the natural world
What makes you happy?
A beach with nothing but my footprints on it.
Where have you always wanted to visit, but haven’t made it to … yet?
Venezuela: hundreds of species of birds, huge diversity of habitats plus spider monkeys and giant anteaters.
Where is your favourite place to illustrate / write?
North Uist in the Hebrides, miles and miles of white beaches, turquoise sea and almost no people.
What’s the best thing about being a published author?
Being able to go on writing because somebody, somewhere wants to read your words.
Who or what inspires you?
The natural world mostly and being out in it. Pictures – in another life I would have been a painter.
What is your worst habit?
You’d have to ask my kids…they’d say apologising all the time.
What is on your TBR pile?
? TBR No idea what that is.
What’s the strangest question you’ve ever been asked?
See above.
Did we forget anything?
I dunno? Did you? I forget things all the time so maybe you did. Oh I play with a band called Pangolin – a very small band but we do play gigs and that’s HUGE fun.
Just for fun
Tea or coffee? Tea or Coffee : Coffee first (very very good coffee before I do my yoga in the mornings, then redbush tea the rest of the day)
Paper books or e-books? Paper books for picture books and poetry and really good stuff I’ll re read. e-books for guilty pleasures stuff I read fast and holidays.
Vegemite or Marmite? MARMITE (vegemite is DISGUSTING, sorry Ive just offended the WHOLE of Australia.)
Write or type? Poems and pictures books – writing. Everything else – typed.
Poetry or prose? Both
Beach or bush? Beach
Hot or cold? Hot
QYUOTE: “simple, rhythmic language allows the images to do much of the storytelling” “sure to encourage a lively discussion.”
DAVIES, Nicola. Last: The Story of a White Rhino. illus. by Nicola Davies. 32p. Tiny Owl. Sept. 2020. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9781910328644.
Gr 1-3--Based on the true story of a northern white rhino named Sudan, Davies's picture book is told from Sudan's point of view. Taken from Africa in 1975 and brought to the Czech Republic, the rhino shares his memories of the time with his mama in the "old place." Joyful snapshots of Sudan walking through the flowers and grasses with his mama are mixed in with the horrible day when she collapses. As the only rhino in his new home, Sudan feels like the last of his kind. But another change reminds him that he might not be alone after all. Sudan's emotional journey takes center stage in this narrative, enhanced by Davies's watercolor illustrations. Using translated environmental speeches and advertising slogans throughout her cityscapes, Davies contrasts what she calls the "bleakness of advertising" with positive conservation messages. Although this level of symbolism may be lost on younger readers, the purposeful use of color helps readers distinguish between times of hope and despair. The simple, rhythmic language allows the images to do much of the storytelling. As an introduction to environmental protection, endangered species, and poaching, this tale is sure to encourage a lively discussion. Although the author's note does include some background for readers, the book lacks more robust back matter. Pair with Ivan: The Remarkable True Story of a Shopping Mall Gorilla by Katherine Applegate for a more in-depth discussion on the issues surrounding animals in captivity. VERDICT A heartfelt purchase for collections that need environmental titles for a younger audience.--Louie Lauer, Jefferson Elem. Sch., Fargo, ND
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2020 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
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Source Citation
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Lauer, Louie. "DAVIES, Nicola. Last: The Story of a White Rhino." School Library Journal, vol. 66, no. 9, Sept. 2020, p. 99. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A634532114/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=1d86fadc. Accessed 17 May 2023.
QUOTE: “powerful conservation message.”
Davies, Nicola LAST Tiny Owl (Children's None) $16.99 9, 1 ISBN: 978-1-910328-64-4
Is the male white rhinoceros at the zoo the only one of his kind left?
The text is sparse and thoughtful. The artwork combines sophisticated collage—including words from many languages inscribed on buildings and animals—with a distinctive drawing style that breathes life equally into humans and animals, automobiles and elevated trains, gritty urban settings and vividly flowered meadows. The first double-page spread has a beige-and-gray palette that sets a somber mood. A young person of color—who reappears later—is gazing toward the protagonist’s large, foregrounded head. A gray city lies behind this figure. The only words: “I am the last.” The next spread continues the bleakness with an aerial view of the zoo and its surrounds. The text continues with the rhino’s sad musing. The pages that follow are a bright and joyous contrast, as readers see the rhinoceros recalling his native land. No one could fail to be moved by baby rhinos cavorting in flamingo-filled waters or by the protagonist gazing adoringly at his mama, who smells “beautiful.” The mother’s death from a horn poacher’s bullet is subtly portrayed but obvious enough to elicit questions from young readers. More “lasts” at the zoo create further pathos. The rhino’s eventual, final relocation will dispel some of the tale’s grimness for little ones; older readers will feel less optimistic when they read the endnotes about a real rhino named Sudan. (This book was reviewed digitally with 9.25-by-18.5-inch double-page spreads viewed at 74% of actual size.)
A powerful conservation message. (note on art) (Picture book. 5-9)
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"Davies, Nicola: LAST." Kirkus Reviews, 1 July 2020, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A627920197/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=d7da855c. Accessed 17 May 2023.
QUOTE: “wonderful addition to science programs and language arts studies of nonfiction books,” "deserves a wide audience and multiple readings
DAVIES, Nicola. Grow: Secrets of Our DNA. illus. by Emily Sutton. 40p. Candlewick. Sept. 2020. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9781536212723.
K-Gr 4--Big ideas about how living things grow and the role of DNA in the process combine seamlessly with clear, colorful, and sometimes humorous illustrations. The book begins with the statement, "All living things grow." The corresponding illustrations show that plants, animals, and humans do just that. This understanding is further refined by the next observation: "The way living things grow helps them to survive in different places." Complementary illustrations depict plants and animals that grow quickly or slowly depending on their location. As the text moves into a discussion of the role of DNA, readers learn that it contains coded instructions for the growth of living things. There is even an explanation of how the six and a half feet of DNA fits inside the human body. An afterword provides information about how human growth begins with a single cell and then, through the process of mitosis, creates the different kinds of cells human bodies need. VERDICT What a match! Beautifully lucid, engaging sentences blend with detailed, informative illustrations that artfully extend big ideas about growth and the role of DNA. This book deserves a wide audience and multiple readings and rereadings. A wonderful addition to science programs and language arts studies of nonfiction books.--Myra Zamowski, City LSniv. of New York
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2020 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Zarnowski, Myra. "DAVIES, Nicola. Grow: Secrets of Our DNA." School Library Journal, vol. 66, no. 9, Sept. 2020, p. 98. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A634532113/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=fb85903e. Accessed 17 May 2023.
QUOTE: “The secrets of DNA, unpacked engagingly and accessibly.”
Davies, Nicola GROW Candlewick (Children's None) $17.99 9, 1 ISBN: 978-1-5362-1272-3
What tells living cells how to grow?
The creators of Many: The Diversity of Life on Earth (2017) now introduce young readers to DNA—the instructions packed in every living cell. Opening with the simple idea that all living things grow, they use specific examples and cheerful illustrations to show how growth is about time, size, and change. Two children of color serve as examples of human growth from “a tiny blob smaller than a dot” (wee print emphasizes the “tiny”) to a reproducing adult; they and other children also appear throughout. Readers learn that: Chimpanzees are close relatives; the genetic code for other animals is less similar; and less similar still is the code for plants. But “we share some parts of our genetic code with all living things—those that are alive now and all those that have ever lived on Earth.” Three spreads filled with small but detailed drawings show variations in human beings, in other plants and animals living today, and in fossils. Another spread shows the double helix and its four building blocks: adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine. This is followed by one explaining genes, using the example of the wide variation in human eyes, noses, and hair. While many young readers won’t retain all the details, this can provide a sturdy scaffolding for future learning.
The secrets of DNA, unpacked engagingly and accessibly. (afterword) (Informational picture book. 4-8)
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"Davies, Nicola: GROW." Kirkus Reviews, 1 July 2020. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A627920068/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=25c48f98. Accessed 17 May 2023.
QUOTE: “Perfect for one-on-one and small-group reading”to “provoke discussions around self-worth and social justice. “
Davies, Nicola EVERY CHILD A SONG Crocodile/Interlink (Children's None) $17.95 9, 22 ISBN: 978-1-62371-872-5
Celebrating the worth of every child and the 30th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Spare free-verse text encourages each child to embrace their unique identity, but it also recognizes that they need and deserve the support of the community to reach their potential, in keeping with the UNCRC (selections from which appear in the backmatter). As the title says, each child is like a song. “Whatever melody a song sings, / each one is true and beautiful; / unique and special as your own.” A brown-skinned child with short, straight black hair skips down a road in an aerial view, a serene blue bird in the foreground. But in the next spread, a child stands alone, reaching for assistance as a throng of busy adults walks by, absorbed in their own business. While illustrations with sweeping splashes of rich color and minimal details don’t shy from depicting the chaos and danger for refugees in a small boat in a storm and the darkness of forced silence, hate, and war, the overarching tone is positive. A scene of a multiracial group of people striding (and rolling, for a child in a wheelchair) with purpose accompanies the hopeful text: “For together, we raise our voices / for the right of every song to sing out loud, bold and unafraid.” Front endpapers show a single flying bird while a flock of multicolored birds soars on the back endpapers. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-22-inch double-page spreads viewed at 48% of actual size.)
Perfect for one-on-one and small-group reading and guaranteed to provoke discussions around self-worth and social justice. (foreword) (Picture book. 4-8)
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"Davies, Nicola: EVERY CHILD A SONG." Kirkus Reviews, 15 July 2020, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A629261439/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=c9c55f6c. Accessed 17 May 2023.
Every Child a Song: A Celebration of Children's Rights. By Nicola Davies. Illus. by Marc Martin. Oct. 2020. 32p. InterlinkICrocodile, $17.95 (9781623718725). PreS-Gr. 2.
Written in celebration of the thirtieth anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, Davies' newest picture book focuses on how special all children are upon entering the world and the promise they carry: "When you were born, a song began." Every baby brings with it "a melody the world had never heard before" and deserves to be treated as the unique individual they are and respected for what their existence can offer the world. Every child's universal birthright should be to be loved and protected, to be heard and esteemed. The free-verse text and the impactfull watercolor images reveal children being held, being fed, and being allowed to play and learn. A few darker illustrations show the hardships some children face, "made to sing the tune of darkness, hate, or war." Colorful birds soar through the pages and represent both the song each child sings and the freedom each child merits. Of the 54 articles concerning the Rights of the UNCRC, 10 are listed at the book's conclusion.--Maryann Owen
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2020 American Library Association
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Owen, Maryann. "Every Child a Song: A Celebration of Children's Rights." Booklist, vol. 117, no. 3, 1 Oct. 2020, pp. 60+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A638516278/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=9bffaedd. Accessed 17 May 2023.
QUOTE: "Taut and heartwarming.”
Davies, Nicola RIDE THE WIND Candlewick (Children's None) $17.99 7, 13 ISBN: 978-1-5362-1284-6
A boy rescues an albatross after it is hooked by a fishing line.
Javier is out at sea with his fisherman father, Tomas, and Uncle Felipe, helping with the fishing lines, when he sees an albatross has become hooked. Uncle Felipe unhooks the bird and throws it onto a corner of the boat, ignoring it. But Javier sneaks the still-alive bird into the boat’s hold and later, when they reach their home port, hides the bird in the storeroom behind the house. Caring for the bird with the help of neighbors, Javier hopes to have the bird healed by the time he goes back out to sea in two weeks. But he comes home one day to discover that his father, having found out about the bird, has sold it to a fairground manager. Javier’s already-tenuous relationship with his father since the death of his mother boils over. Javier finds the bird and runs off with her to the cliff’s edge, reckless of his own safety, as he is determined to convince the bird to fly away. The assured storytelling has a crispness that feels fresh and immediate, and the colorful illustrations echo this immediacy and confidence in their spontaneous-looking execution. All human characters are illustrated with beige skin and dark hair and eyes, and the honorifics (Señor, Señora, Señorita) probably indicate, due to albatross range, a South American setting.
Taut and heartwarming. (author's note) (Picture book. 5-9)
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"Davies, Nicola: RIDE THE WIND." Kirkus Reviews, 15 May 2021, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A661545889/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=7d5baab5. Accessed 17 May 2023.
QUOTE: Beautifully illustrated and well meaning, if a bit heavy-handed.”
Davies, Nicola ONE WORLD Candlewick (Children's None) $18.99 3, 14 ISBN: 978-1-5362-2613-3
A journey around the globe highlights ecological dangers the world over.
At midnight, two brown-skinned children living in London, in the borough of Greenwich, where time zones begin, take an instantaneous trip around the world to drop in on other regions (and time zones) "and see what's happening on Planet Earth in just one moment." The children observe a humpback whale in Maui (where it's 2 p.m.), owl monkeys waking in Ecuador (7 p.m.), albatrosses nesting on Bird Island, South Georgia (10 p.m.), and more. The voyage is meant to evoke not only wonder at the natural beauty of the world, but also concern. Davies peppers the narrative with examples of how changing climates have made life more challenging for these animals, and as the youngsters return home, they travel "over ocean, where plastic clogs the waves; back over land where fires burn and, everywhere, signs show the world is getting warmer." The lesson on time zones and how the world's animals spend their time becomes an ode to Earth Day, complete with protest signs, which muddies the book's sense of exploration. It's hard to argue with the message, but the wondrous sights, depicted in Desmond's enchanting mixed-media illustrations with colors that pop, seem dulled by the environmental pitch. Wordy backmatter--including notes from the author and artist and information on climate change--tells rather than shows. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Beautifully illustrated and well meaning, if a bit heavy-handed. (Informational picture book. 6-9)
QUOTE: “moving story of resilience in a changing world.”
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"Davies, Nicola: ONE WORLD." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Dec. 2022, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A729727407/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=cf153b0a. Accessed 17 May 2023.
Davies, Nicola EMPEROR OF THE ICE Candlewick (Children's None) $18.99 2, 14 ISBN: 978-1-5362-2839-7
Climate change forces emperor penguins to move to new nesting sites.
Scientists observing emperor penguins from satellites in space (an effective way to monitor these inaccessible nesting grounds) have determined that climate change has made the Halley Bay winter sea ice unreliable. The "thousands upon thousands of emperors" that once nested there have moved elsewhere. Davies weaves this disturbing consequence of climate change into a gentle, positive account of a pair of these penguins raising a chick in a hostile environment. Rayner's stunning, full-bleed illustrations complement the text and show off the Antarctic's changing colors. In an early spread, we see the colony from afar, tiny figures with long shadows. Later close-ups show courtship, then the father with their egg nestled securely over his feet in his pouch, and, finally, a crowd of penguins with their chicks. But before the hatching, over the long, lonely winter, the father stands isolated in a snowstorm, and his mate swims hundreds of miles to get food to bring back. Happily, the last spread shows even more penguin colonies as the text reassures us that, at least for now, the penguins from Halley Bay have found new homes. Once again, zoologist Davies' enthusiasm for the natural world and her ability to shed light on it for a young audience are on full display. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A moving story of resilience in a changing world. (note from biologist Dr. Phil Trathan, information on emperor penguins and climate change) (Informational picture book. 5-9)
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"Davies, Nicola: EMPEROR OF THE ICE." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Dec. 2022, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A729072470/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=b2056854. Accessed 17 May 2023.