In 2021 Plantastic! A to Z of Australian Plants was published. It is a terrific book for any budding young botanist, that helps us learn how to identify plants in the Australian bush. Each double page spread highlights one plant for every letter of the alphabet, telling us about the features and information for each for us to learn.
Now Catherine Clowes has published a companion book in the same format, Plantabulous! More A to Z of Australian Plants. At the beginning we learn how to make sure we are responsible when looking at plants in the bush. Stick to the path when in the bush, we don’t spread disease, and make sure we don’t pick the flower off a rare plant.
The book follows the same format as its predecessor, following an A-Z format with a new plant featured for every two-page spread. Each plant has a little fact about it included and also an activity to do either on the page or when you’re out and about and you discover the plant. Did you know that Indigenous Australians use the rough leaves of Sandpaper Fig to polish wood and that its fibrous bark can be used to make string? We discover plants that strangle other plants to death or plants that can store up to 100 000 litres of water in their trunks.
There is a map at the back of the book that guides us as to what plants are found in the various ecoregions of Australia.
The illustrations are bright and quite beautiful making this a book you can simply look at to learn names and enjoy the images or to delve deeper learning all sorts of fascinating and inspiring things. Another excellent book from this author and illustrator.
Reviewed by Jane Stephens
Age Guide 6+
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
ABOUT THE AUTHORCatherine Clowes is a botanist with a passion for Australian native plants. She works as a biodiversity officer, has a PhD in systematic botany and spends a good chunk of her spare time in her very own Australian native plant garden!
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATORRachel Gyan is an illustrator passionate about artful storytelling. Her heart-warming characters are empowered by whimsy, texture and vibrant colour palettes. Rachel enjoys studying Australian flora and wildlife, drawing inspiration from her surroundings to capture the beautiful and sometimes quirky nature of Australia in her work.
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