Wild Places: The Life of Naturalist David Attenborough

by Hayley Rocco (Author) John Rocco (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade
An inspiring and accessible picture book biography of the beloved naturalist, broadcaster, and documentarian David Attenborough—stunningly illustrated by a Caldecott Honoree.

As a boy, David loved exploring the wild places near his home in England, collecting fossils, rocks, and newts. When he grew older, he got a job in television, where he had an idea for a new kind of show: He would travel to wild places all over the world to film animals in their natural habitats. Over the span of seven decades, David's innovative documentaries have been treasured by millions of people.

But as time went on, he noticed the wild places he loved were shrinking. What could David do to help? What could we all do?

This is the story of David Attenborough. It’s also the story of our planet, which has changed rapidly over the course of one person’s lifetime, and a clarion call for us to do our part to bring back the wild places and protect the creatures who call Earth home.
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Hardcover
$19.99

Kirkus

An inspiring overview of a life dedicated to essential eco-causes.

Publishers Weekly

Married team the Roccos (How to Send a Hug) showcase the life of naturalist David Attenborough (b. 1926), taking him from youthful presenter of planet Earth to herald of the consequences of shrinking wildlife habitat. Naturalistic illustrations illuminate scenes of Attenborough's youth and young adulthood with period detail, showing him as a television host introducing audiences to creatures the world over. Gradually, he pays witness to cities taking over areas where wildlife once thrived; "We are replacing the wild with the tame," reads one included quotation from the figure. As Attenborough ages visibly in successive spreads, wild populations dwindle and weather catastrophes strike. Chatting with experts to learn about the connected ways that human activity is compromising the planet, he creates new programs to publicize broad solutions ("If we eat less meat, there will be more land for wild places"). A hopeful conclusion pictures Attenborough at the head of a procession of people carrying tree saplings to plant, now an exemplar of a public figure who changed course to address climate change. Background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. An author's note and more about rewilding the planet concludes. Ages 4-8. (Feb.)

Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

Praise for Wild Places: The Life of Naturalist David Attenborough

"Naturalistic illustrations illuminate scenes of Attenborough's youth and young adulthood with period detail . . . An exemplar of a public figure who changed course to address climate change." —Publishers Weekly

"Told in short elementary-school-friendly sentences with some science vocabulary, the text offers an overarching look at Attenborough's life so far . . . Crisp, neat prose and lush artwork augment the simplicity well." —Booklist
Hayley Rocco
Hayley Rocco is the author of How to Send a Hug, her first collaboration with her husband, John Rocco. Before dedicating herself to writing for children full-time, Hayley worked as a publicist at several major publishers. An ambassador for Wild Tomorrow, a nonprofit focused on conservation and rewilding South Africa, Hayley travels the world armed with a pen, a journal, and her camera, discovering stories of wild things and wild places. Visit Hayley at hayleyrocco.com and follow her on Instagram @hayleyroccobooks.

John Rocco is the #1 New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of many acclaimed books for children, including Blackout, the recipient of a Caldecott Honor, and How We Got to the Moon, which received a Sibert Honor and was longlisted for the National Book Award. John, also an ambassador for Wild Tomorrow, ventures with Hayley into the wild in search of stories they can bring back and share with readers everywhere. John and Hayley live in Rhode Island in an old house tucked in the woods near the sea. Visit John at roccoart.com and follow him on Instagram @roccoart.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780593618097
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Publication date
February 27, 2024
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV000000 - Juvenile Fiction | General
Library of Congress categories
Great Britain
Naturalists
Television personalities
Attenborough, David

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