English Cymraeg

Animal All-Stars: Incredible Facts, Stats and Stories from the Greatest Record-Breakers in the Animal World

by Clare Balding, illustrated by The Boy Fitz Hammond

Interest age: 9 to 11
Reading age: 8+

Published by Wren & Rook, 2024

  • Fantasy
  • Interactive
  • Non-fiction

About this book

Get ready, set, go! for a stupendous set of eight edge-of-your-seat sporting events featuring all manner of brilliantly fast, strong and agile animals.

Sports expert Clare Balding is here to commentate on the events for readers, from the All-Star Weightlifting Challenge, putting animal strength to the test, to the Big Swim and the Acrobatic Sprint Through the Skies, among others. Oh, and she’s got a couple of cat reporters, Button and Eric, who are featured throughout the book to answer key questions and give fascinating facts about the animals and their super skills.

This funny, cartoon-style illustrated book is a must for animal and sports fans, and it’s a great idea to use the format of a sports competition as a way for readers to learn more about what certain animals are good at and why.

As well as eight chapters themed around different competitions, the book contains lots of other types of information, quizzes and Balding’s Bonus Brainteasers to ensure that children are really engaged and interacting with the book.

This would be a super read for children who aren’t that into fiction or long novels, as it enables them to dip in and out, reading a bit at a time and still being entertained. Plus, the light-hearted tone and the sports focus will interest a wide variety of children.

About the author

When she was young, Clare Balding thought she was a dog. Disappointed to discover she was only human, she did her best to spend every waking hour with dogs and ponies. She could ride before she could walk and, growing up surrounded by racehorses trained by her father, she dreamt of winning the grand National or riding for Great Britain at the Olympics.

Those dreams never came true but the consolation prize hasn't been bad. As a television presenter and radio presenter, Clare has worked at six Olympic Games as well as the Winter Olympics, Paralympics, Commonwealth Games, the Grand National, Royal Ascot, Wimbledon and the Ryder Cup.

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