A NATURE BOOK OF THE YEAR IN THE MAIL ON SUNDAY

'Superb... A testament to just how beautiful and wonderful life on Earth is' Times Literary Supplement
'Fascinating' Guardian
'Brilliant' Daily Mail

From scorching deserts to frozen seabeds, from the highest peaks of the Himalaya to the hadal depths of the oceans, there are habitats on this Earth that appear inimical to life - yet in which it flourishes nevertheless. During the midday heat of the Sahara, silvery ants sprint from their nests to feed. In North American forests, wood frogs awaken each spring from solid blocks of ice. At the site of the Chernobyl disaster, fungi harness radiation to thrive.

Transporting readers to far-flung environments we could never call home, Super Natural paints an awe-inspiring portrait of life's resilience and ingenuity under the harshest circumstances. We meet creatures exquisitely adapted to endure unimaginable deprivations: of water, oxygen, food, sunlight. Alex Riley shows how, at nature's extremes, the rules of life as we know them are rewritten - and how, here, we can find hope for the future of life on Earth, and beyond.

A beautifully illustrated celebration of one of Britain’s most beloved birds: the charming, comical yet mysterious puffin – the perfect Christmas gift for nature lovers.

The puffin’s bright orange bill and striking black-and-white plumage have made it one of our most iconic seabirds. It has charmed nature lovers and inspired countless fables and stories, as well as becoming an emblem for children's literature.

Follow the lifecycle of the puffin throughout a calendar year: from egg and nestling to juvenile puffling, to the adult bird’s courtship, breeding and feeding habits, and discover its place in popular and literary culture, in this richly illustrated and wonderfully insightful book that deserves a place on every birdwatcher's bookshelf.

'A superb naturalist and writer' Chris Packham

'It is a delight to share the company of such an upbeat wildlife guide' Ben Hoare, BBC Countryfile

'Folklore, myth and magic collide beautifully' EDWARD PARNELL, author of Ghostland

A modern bestiary with an ancient heart: meet twelve emblematic animals and restore your relationship with the natural world, from the editor of Cunning Folk.

The bear deities, Artio and Artaius, who’ll rise from sleep; the salmon of wisdom who gifts understanding of the universe’s past, present and future; the Lion Man carved 40,000 years ago. Join Elizabeth Sulis Kim as she travels across the globe and through time, from our deep past into the future, bringing together the animals which have captivated us for millennia.

Steeped in folklore, mythology, magic and religion, The Book of Beasts tells the story of our shapeshifting relationships with animals, from reverence to persecution, friendship to fear, awe to indifference. It asks us what we actually know about the creatures we share this world with – and offers us a different way of living together.

'Beautifully written' RONALD HUTTON, author of The Witch
'Immersive, enchanting and exquisitely written' KRISTEN J. SOLLEE, author of Cat Call
'Powerful and beautifully written' MELANIE JOY, author of Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows

WINNER OF THE WAINWRIGHT PRIZE BOOK OF THE YEAR 2026

From the creators of the internationally bestselling, award-winning, multi-adapted phenomenon The Lost Words: a dazzling celebration of birdlife in Britain, re-imagining the classic field guide for a new generation of nature lovers

A great thinning of the skies is underway. Around 50% of bird species are in decline worldwide. Our dawns and springs are quieter each year than the last. An almost unimaginable abundance has been lost. It does not have to be this way –– but we will not save what we do not love.

The Book of Birds is a compendium of forty-nine bird species, from Avocet to Yellowhammer, all of which are declining or endangered in Britain. Inspired by the classic bird-books with which the authors grew up, this is a field guide with a difference. It asks not ‘What is that bird?’, but ‘Who is that bird?’ It shows its readers how to identify birds, but also how to identify with them.

With lyrical precision and playfulness, Robert Macfarlane evokes each bird’s habits and habitats –– their patterns of flight and of song, how they hunt and gather, how they nest and raise their young, the stories and myths which attend them, the threats which shadow them, and how their wild lives intersect with our own. And on every page we encounter Jackie Morris’s exhilarating artwork, painted in watercolour and gold and animated by an extraordinary attention to detail and sense of life. Set among this dazzling flock of species are seven sections celebrating the 'Seven Wonders' that together make up the everyday miracle of 'Bird': Nest, Egg, Beak, Song, Feather, Flight and Migration.

Seven years in the making, The Book of Birds is a love letter to the splendours and mysteries of birdlife, and a clarion call to halt the loss of birds from land, sea and sky. From Dipper to Dunnock and Kestrel to Kingfisher, from mountain to ocean and city to river, Jackie Morris and Robert Macfarlane conjure the unique spirit and lifeway of each species. This is a book to be treasured by bird-lovers of all ages, and a future classic work of reference.

WINNER OF THE WAINWRIGHT PRIZE FOR ILLUSTRATIVE BOOKS 2026