“Beguiling. The gentle and persistent search by Darlington sparkles.” —The Guardian A plan formed in my mind. I would explore the places in this land that hid my grail. I would spend a whole year or longer, if that’s what it took, wading through marshes, hiding between mossy rocks, paddling down rivers and swimming in sea lochs; recording my journey through the seasons as I searched for wild otters. Mysterious, graceful, and ever-clever, otters have captivated our imaginations, despite the fact that few people have encountered one in the wild. In Otter Country, celebrated nature writer Miriam Darlington captures the fascination she's had for these playful animals since childhood, and chronicles her immersive journey into their watery world. Over the course of a single year, Darlington takes readers on a winding expedition in pursuit of these elusive creatures—from her home in Devon, England, and through the wilds of Scotland, Wales, the Lake District, and the countryside of Cornwall. As she’s drawn deeper into wilder habitats, trekking through changing landscapes, seasons, and weather, Darlington meets biologists, conservationists, fishing and hunting enthusiasts, and poets—enriching her understanding, admiration, and awe of the wild otter. With each encounter, she reveals the scientific, environmental, and cultural importance of this creature and the places it calls home. Full of wonder, hope, and an abiding love for the natural world, Otter Country: An Unexpected Adventure in the Natural World is a beautiful and captivating work of nature writing, pursuing one of nature’s most endearing and endlessly fascinating creatures.

A mesmerising account of the author's search for wild otters in the remote places of Britain; a beautifully written blend of natural history, memoir, literary history and travel.

The popularity of tattoos today is a revival of a practice begun in the late eighteenth century, when Westerners first made contact with the native peoples of the Pacific. The term ‘tattoo’ entered Europe with the publication of Captain Cook’s voyages in the 1770s, and Pacific tattoos became fashionable in the West as sailors, whalers and explorers brought home tattoos from Tahiti, the Marquesas, New Zealand and Polynesia. In recent years these early contacts have been revived, as native tattooists from Oceania have begun tattooing non-Polynesians in Europe, the USA and elsewhere. Tattoo is both a fascinating book about these early Oceanic–European exchanges, that also documents developments up to the present day, and the first to look at the history of tattooing in Oceania itself. Documenting these complex cultural interactions in the first part of the book, the authors move from issues of encounter, representation and exchange to the interventions of missionaries and the colonial state in local tattoo practices. Highly illustrated with many previously unseen images, for example the original voyage sketches of the first Russian circumnavigation of 1803–6, this is a fascinating account of early tattooing and cultural exchange in Oceania, and will appeal to the wide audience interested in the history of tattooing.

Join Duck, Frog, and Fish as they introduce readers to their pond habitat in an environmentally friendly board book made from 100% recycled materials. Duck, Frog and Fish live in the pond and introduce readers to their home: showing what plants grow on the banks, which plants thrive in the pond water, and even what tadpoles look like. Elegantly designed with spare text, these gentle earth tone illustrations complement the sustainable format. Printed on thick, 100% recycled board, this eco-friendly book encourages little readers to enjoy nature--inside and out!

A little book filled with recognizable illustrations of the many animals a child commonly encounters. For toddlers ages 12 months and up with a focus on the child's world.

Discover the stories and follow the journeys of more than 20 of the world’s most heroic and extraordinary explorers, including Ibn Battuta, Zheng He, Mary Kingsley, Norgay and Hillary, Ellen MacArthur and Neil Armstrong. Throughout history, explorers have bravely ventured out into the unknown to discover new lands, seek treasure, make scientific discoveries or simply achieve something that’s never been done before. Amazing Expeditions will take readers on a thrilling voyage over land, sea, sky and space. Some of the journeys were triumphs and others ended in failure and tragedy, but each is a riveting story and a lesson in perseverance and grit that may well inspire a new generation of adventurers.

Shortlisted for THE WAINWRIGHT PRIZE 2017 ‘The best popular account of the lives of otters written so far’ Richard Shelton, Times Literary Supplement