World Book Day: Born Free’s Book Recommendations
From the fun and fanciful, to the topical and informative, we’ve got a great read for everyone – whatever your age! There’s much to enjoy, but is your own favourite among them?
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World Book Day encourages a love of reading for children everywhere, but it’s also a great opportunity to learn about important global issues through wonderfully written and illustrated books. It’s not just for kids either, it’s never too late to learn something new.
There’s so many inspiring wildlife stories for both kids and grown-ups available, here’s a few handpicked by the incredible Born Free team…
For the kids
The Ugly Five by Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler
The wildebeest, warthog, vulture, hyena and marabou stork, also known as Africa’s ugly five, but are they really? This book is a celebration of animals who are considered ‘ugly’ and are rather unloved. The five proudly swagger across the savannah, rejoicing in their ugliness, and delighting their babies, who think they’re perfect just the way they are.
Recommended by Maggie, Head of Rescue & Care
The Oak Tree by Julia Donaldson
A beautiful story about a 1,000 year life cycle of an oak tree. It details the changes to the landscape and lifestyle that the tree has witnessed, as well as all the communities it has supported during the time, from children playing, family picnics and the wildlife that called it home. It really encourages the reader to look more closely and to appreciate the beauty of ancient trees – it is quietly magical.
Recommended by Andrea, Rescue & Care Officer
Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae
Gerald is self-conscious giraffe, and all the animals laugh at him for being awkward and clumsy. But he listens to a wise cricket who tells him to be himself and learns dance to his own tune with a new-found confidence. It’s a lovely story and the visuals are fabulous too.
Recommended by Louise, Head of Public Fundraising
The Lion Inside by Rachel Bright
A mouse who fears a lion but in a funny twist, then finds out the lion is frightened of him too. The mouse decides he needs to learn to roar like a lion, acting brave, he comforts and befriends the lion. The message of the book is that we all have a mouse and a lion inside of us, no matter your size or how mighty you are, you can live your dreams and do what you want to do. It’s an inspiring story of friendship and bravery.
Recommended by India, Communications & PR Manager
Rumble in The Jungle by Giles Andreae
Go on a noisy and rhyming adventure through the jungle, with a short rhyme about each animal describing their characteristics and behaviours. This is a fantastic book to help kids discover different animals on a wild learning journey.
Recommended by Leah, Philanthropy Manager
The Shark Who Barked by Jay Vincent & Stew Wright
This book tells the story of a young boy and his dog who discover a shark washed up on the beach. Following the dramatic rescue of Bluey the shark, the trio set out on a journey to uncover the truth about the impact humans are having on the ocean, meeting lots of interesting characters on the way. As an added bonus, a percentage of profits from this book go straight to Born Free.
Recommended by Laura, Head of Education
Born Free Lion Rescue: The True Story of Bella & Simba by Sara Starbuck
Simba was born in a French Zoo, then bought by an animal trainer, spending much of his life living in cramped captivity. Bella was taken from her mother at a young age and used as a prop for a photographer before being moved to a run-down Romanian zoo. Both were rescued with the support of Born Free and became great companions at their new home in Malawi.
Recommended by Ivy, Kenya Communications Manager
For the grown-ups
Born Free by Joy Adamson
Our origin story. In 1956 a young lion cub, Elsa, was left orphaned after her mother was shot. Joy and George Adamson, wildlife conservationists living in Kenya rescued Elsa and raised her. As Elsa was born free, Joy knew that she had to make the heartbreaking decision to return her to the wild once she was old enough to fend for herself. This is the moving story of Joy’s first-hand experience of raising a wild lion, their close bond and the poignant release back to the wild.
Recommended by Amanda, Head of Communications & PR
Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton
This book describes the author’s experience hand-rearing an abandoned leveret. It’s a beguiling read, very beautifully written, and you learn so much about hares and their life histories and behaviour as the author takes you through her own steep learning experience. It was also fascinating to follow the impact the experience had on the author’s outlook. For me, this is a book that reflects on how disconnected we’ve become from the ever-shrinking natural world around us, and how important it is to re-establish that connection.
Recommended by Mark, Head of Policy
Where the Animals Go by James Cheshire and Oliver Uberti
After thousands of years of relying on footprints, faeces and feathers to track animals, we’re now at the forefront of an animal tracking revolution. As technology has vastly improved we’re now able to gain deep insight into animal behaviour and the journeys they undergo with the help of satellites, drones, camera traps and many other advancements. Join Geographer James Cheshire and designer Oliver Uberti as they take you on an adventure to discover where animals go.
Recommended by Rose, Creative Content Officer
Poached: Inside the Dark World of Wildlife Trafficking by Rachel Nuwer
Join journalist Rachel Love Nuwer on an intrepid investigation into the world of wildlife trafficking. The global demand for wild pets, medicine, meat, fur and even jewellery is driving a poaching epidemic and threatening the existence of thousands of species. This depressing, yet thought-provoking read takes readers to the frontlines of the illegal wildlife trade, highlighting the battle between the poachers, traders and customers and those who are fighting to put an end to the wildlife trade.
Recommended by Anna, Conservation Admin & Communications Officer
Cry of the Kalahari by Delia and Mark Owens
A mixture of biology, research, life experiences and the trials and tribulations of setting up a field site in the 1980s. Cry of the Kalahari lets readers into the hidden world of desert carnivores, particularly brown hyenas. This book highlights the importance of research to conserve species and how wildlife’s behaviour can vary across their range. You can feel the authors excitement bounce of the pages as they discover more about brown hyenas and desert lions.
Recommended by Anna, Conservation Admin & Communications Officer
The Last Rhinos by Lawrence Anthony
The touching story of one man’s battle to save a species. When conservationist Lawrence Anthony learned of how few northern white rhinos were remaining in the wild, he took it upon himself to do something about it. In the face of adversity with the remaining rhinos taking refuge in an area controlled by Democratic Republic of the Congo’s most notorious rebel groups and with countless bureaucratic quagmires, Anthony made the journey deep into the jungle in a brave attempt to bring northern white rhinos back from the brink of extinction.
Recommended by Cara, Social Media Officer
This World Book Day, we encourage you to take a little reading break and learn something about wildlife. Whether it’s five minutes while you wait for the kettle to boil, a bedtime story with the kids, or spend a relaxing evening curled up with a thought-provoking story – these wild books won’t disappoint.