Slither into the world of Spectacular Snakes with explorer and scientist Tim Flannery and his daughter, Emma, as they shine the spotlight on one of the world's most beloved and surprising creatures!
There's more to snakes than them being venomous and cold-blooded. Did you know a snake can still grow even when it hasn’t eaten for months? Or that snakes have flexible jaws that allow them to eat prey that’s much larger than them? Or that snakes are masters of disguise?
With more than 3,700 sub-species around the world, there's a snake to delight and frighten every kind of reader, from Australia's deadly Eastern brown snake to the green anaconda, the heaviest snake in the world. Not to mention the teeny-tiny Barbados thread snake, which is half as long as a pencil! So come along on a fascinating expedition with the world-renowned scientist and explorer Tim Flannery and his daughter Emma as they explore the world’s weirdest, slitheriest reptile family.
This gorgeous large format picture book comes with lush, full-color illustrations from renowned illustrator Katie Melrose, gold foil and tactile grain lamination on the cover that feels like snakeskin – making it the perfect gift for animal lovers and ophiophilists (people who love reptiles) alike! And according to the Chinese Zodiac, it's published in the Year of the Snake too!
Discover more fascinating creatures in Tim Flannery's other picture books:
- Sensational Sharks
- Extraordinary Elephants
- Jiggliest Jellyfish
- Spectacular Snakes
Professor Tim Flannery is one of the world’s leading scientists, explorers and conservationists. He has held positions in renowned institutions across Australia and internationally, including Director of the South Australian Museum, Visiting Chair in Australian Studies at Harvard University and Distinguished Research Fellow at the Australian Museum. He was named Australian of the Year in 2007. He has published more than thirty books, including the award-winning Here on Earth, The Weather Makers, Atmosphere of Hope and the best-selling Explore Your World series, many of which he co-wrote with his daughter Emma. He is a frequent presenter on ABC Radio, NPR and the BBC, and has also written and presented several series on the Documentary Channel.
Emma Flannery is a science communicator whose curiosity for the natural world has seen her travel and work in some of its most wild and interesting places. She has explored caves, forests and oceans across most of the globe’s continents in search of the elusive fossils, animals and plants that help us understand our planet and who we are in it. With postgraduate experience in geology, chemistry and palaeontology, Emma’s research and writing has been published in scientific journals, children’s books and a number of museum-based adult education tours. She has worked for and with universities, government agencies and museums. She is the co-founder of Museophilliac, an independent curatorial service that has produced programs for the City of Sydney and the Australian Museum, with the aim of bringing science to life for a range of audiences. Her passion for science has an infectious and playful enthusiasm that inspires curiosity in children and adults alike.
Katie Melrose was born and raised along the Southern Californian coast where her love for art and reading was cultivated at a young age by her parents. After graduating with a BFA in illustration from California State University of Fullerton, she quickly delved into illustrating books. Katie is extremely bookish, getting through more than 100 books a year (shout out to audio books!). You'll mostly find her with a brush, but when she's without, she'll be in the kitchen, cooking up a storm and pretending she's a chef – perhaps her second greatest passion in life after illustration.
