The Carnivorous Plants Guide for Young Explorers
Text by Elena Fin
Illustrations by Rossella Trionfetti
We are reading this book at the moment and it is brilliant!
“This is the beginning of a wonderful, bloodthirsty adventure through the world of killer plants…” the author writes. It talks about Charles Darwin and his theory on the evolution of species. It is a fun and inspiring read with some tongue-twisting scientific names but otherwise easily understood, colourful text and fun illustrations.
The book guides the reader through the many species of carnivorous plants in the world; their native habitats; what they eat; how to and how not to feed them and many other useful tips for young explorers and their parents.
I imagine other parents will agree that kids like experiments. “You name it, he tried it: milk, meat, urine (yes, you read it correctly), paper, stone”; my boys and I loved reading about the experiments Darwin did to test his theories and learn about the food chains of carnivorous plants. He certainly offered them a varied diet! We will take his word for it. I hope; as a sudden mental picture of my experiential youngest, whipping it out, fertilizing our newly acquired Sundew on the kitchen window sill, fills my mind. It is not an impossibility, I am afraid.
It is a fun and beautifully illustrated guide to the world of carnivorous plants. I love to find gems like this that help me talk to my kids about nature and natural sciences and this book definitely has both kids and us parents hooked on carnivorous plants now.
It also gave inspiration for getting creative with paper crafts. The kids made colourful pitcherplants; we often come across Borneo’s carnivorous plants on our nature walks.
Pitcher Plants in Mondicot
In the name of Darwin our kids planted venus fly trap seeds in an up-cycled egg tray with their dad today.
And now we shall have to wait and see how the carnivorous plants will fare in our urban jungle created by and for our young explorers, with the help of their green-fingered dad.
I highly recommend you read this book with your kids. It is fun and inspiring for getting your hands dirty and experimenting with carnivorous plants. We bought it on Amazon.
