The Secret World of Plants: Tales of More Than 100 Remarkable Flowers, Trees, and Seeds

A timeless treasury of more than 100 stories from the incredible kingdom of plants, told by author and nature expert Ben Hoare.

Plants are found almost everywhere on Earth, but to many people their lives are a mystery. Learn how seagrass flowers underwater, how the Venus flytrap counts to make sure it catches its prey, and why some tulips used to cost more than a house! This fascinating book for kids explores the vast plant kingdom and explains how plants work, as well as the weird and wonderful relationships they have with animals.

Children can discover the secrets of more than 100 amazing plants in this treasury of fascinating flora, as well as the essentials of plant science, including photosynthesis, pollination, and germination. Each species is shown with remarkable photography and beautiful illustrations, all brought to life by Ben Hoare’s writing, filled with charm and infectious enthusiasm.

This nature book for children ages 7+ features:

- An eye-catching holographic cover, gilded edges, and stunning photography and illustrations, making it the perfect gift
- A wide range of incredible plants and trees from all around the world
- Illustrated diagrams to support definitions of different types of plants
- Introductory reference pages that explain key topics such as photosynthesis

This book is a must for any child interested in the natural world and the plants that grow in it. Plants provide us with food, fuel, and medicine, and without them, life as we know it would not exist. From orchids that grow vanilla pods to leaves that look like stones, and from bamboo that can be made into clothes to moss that soaks up vast amounts of carbon dioxide, plants shape our world in an endless variety of ways.

Ben Hoare is an award-winning wildlife journalist and nature nerd. He writes inspiring natural-history books for children – the kind of books he loved as a kid. Several have been international bestsellers, no doubt because his two daughters read and test everything first. The Guardian newspaper said: "His writing is funny, informative and zinging with infectious enthusiasm.”

Ben's book The Secret World of Plants was shortlisted in The Week Junior magazine's Children's Book of the Year Awards in 2023.

He has written and edited natural-history books and magazines for DK, the BBC, Pan Macmillan, Templar, Nosy Crow, Wide Eyed Editions, What on Earth Publishing, Welbeck, London's Natural History Museum and many others. He was also Features Editor of BBC Wildlife Magazine from 2008 to 2018 and was its Editorial Consultant until 2021.

In 2015 Ben was awarded the Dilys Breese Medal for science communication by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO).