Great Lives in Graphics: David Attenborough

The subject of this book is one of the most famous naturalists in the world. He was born in 1926, so he has been part of people’s lives for as long as they can remember. His television series have been shown around the world and have open the eyes of millions to the dangers that we all face from climate change. As a small child, I still have memories of some of his early adventures, bringing hidden worlds to life and introducing us to creatures such as the Komodo dragon. The book provides a timeline of his life and the momentous events that have occurred during that period.

* The English Association *

A very well-presented infographic biography of the great life that is David Attenborough: despite the wealth of information presented, it is organised, accessible, and engaging. The chronology of his life is set against global historic milestones; later his TV career is set against significant programmes of the day. The text is always lively, and highlighted factual details answer the questions an active mind would ask; it takes 100 minutes of film to make one minute of screen time! The graphic format allows a wide variety of fonts, styles and arrangements; vocabulary choices are extensive (nothing is “dumbed down”) and sentences and grammar demonstrate the variety of ways ideas can be expressed. This is a book that would be a valuable addition to able readers in primary schools, but also for supporting literacy in secondary to encourage wider reading for less able or less confident pupils.

* The School Librarian *

Famed naturalist, turned environmentalist, David Attenborough has dedicated his life to educating the public about the natural world. The book features much of his work, insights into his childhood and even a look at how verbal speech works!

* @mini.midnight.rea