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Benjamin Zephaniah’s Nature Trail

by Benjamin Zephaniah, illustrated by Nila Aye

Interest age: 2 to 5

Published by Orchard Books, 2021

  • Adventure
  • Picture books
  • Poetry and rhyme

About this book

At the bottom of a little boy’s garden, all is not quite what it seems. While out exploring, he discovers small animals and minibeasts doing everyday human activities. He watches as a frog and hedgehog play a game of cards while drinking tea, and claps along while beetles dance to trumpets at dusk. Later, he snuggles up with an owl as they read a bedtime story together.

This joyful poem within a picture book pays tribute to all the treats that nature has to offer. Packed with animals and minibeasts galore, Zephaniah’s imaginative rhyming text is perfect for reading aloud.

As well as being a delightful treat of a poetic text (as you’d expect from Zephaniah), the book gives lots of opportunities to talk about and identify different types of insects, colours and fruit, making it a great learning tool for early readers too. Cute and vibrant illustrations by Nila Aye help to bring the imaginative world buzzing to life.

A great book to enchant children and entice them to take a closer look outdoors. Who knows? They might spot a butterfly having a birthday party…

About the author

Benjamin Zephaniah was a pioneer of the performance poetry scene. He recorded albums, wrote plays for stage, radio and television, and wrote poetry for children, adults, and novels for teenagers. He was also an actor and television presenter. His message was one of unity, peace and expression through creativity. He held 16 honorary doctorates and was visiting professor at De Montfort University and Professor of Poetry and Creative Writing at Brunel University.

His autobiography, The Life and Rhymes of Benjamin Zephaniah, was nominated for two major awards and he toured often with his band. Benjamin lived in Lincolnshire for much of his later life.

Benjamin passed away on 7 December 2023. 

Diana Gerald, Chief Executive of BookTrust, the UK’s largest children’s reading charity, said:  

“Everyone at BookTrust is devastated to hear the news about one of the nation’s favouritepoets Benjamin Zephaniah. 

“Benjamin Zephaniah was a pioneer of the performance poetry scene. He recorded albums, wrote plays for stage, radio and television, and he wrote poetry for children, adults, and novels for teenagers. He was also an actor and television presenter. His message was one of unity, peace and expression through creativity. He held 16 honorary doctorates and was visiting professor at De Montfort University and Professor of Poetry and Creative Writing at Brunel University. 

“His fiction and poetry collections for older children, including Face, Gangsta Rap, Teacher’s Dead, Refugee Boy and Terror Kid and Windrush Child, have become thought-provoking beloved classics to be treasured forever by children and the adults they turn into, and by teachers.   

“His picture book with Nila Aye, Nature Trail, was shortlisted for the BookTrust Storytime Prize 2023, because it brought wonder and joy in nature to children. Benjamin’s energy and love for words and their ability to change children's lives will be sorely missed.” 

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