Plantastic!

A to Z of Australian Plants

By: Catherine Clowes Illustrated by: Rachel Gyan

eBook - February 2021 - eRetailers

A gorgeous A to Z exploration of some of Australia's most unique and incredible native plants.

Did you know that there are plants that eat insects? Plants whose seeds spread in poo? Plants that move when you touch them? And plants that grow on other plants? + Full description

Plantastic! presents 26 of Australia's most unique and incredible native plants. Discover and identify native plants found in your local park, bushland, or even in your very own backyard.

With its perfect balance of fun facts, activities, adventurous ideas and gorgeous illustrations, Plantastic! will prove just how fantastic Australia's native plants really are!

Reading level varies from child to child, but we recommend this book for ages 6-12.

- Short description

News

Read more on the CSIRO Publishing Blog
Find out about what inspired author Cat Clowes to write this book, as well as what went into Rachel Gyan's beautiful yet scientifically accurate illustrations: Plantastic! Discover fantastic Aussie plants with Cat Clowes and Rachel Gyan

Reviews

"Welcoming, encouraging and inspiring, Plantastic! is a book for all. Kids, adults, families, classrooms, this is a book to devour with friends and beautiful inspiration for outdoor adventures in the stunning wilds of Australia."
Kids Book Review, 20 February 2021

"With its clean, pared-back design aesthetic and textural images of each plant, including close-ups of their flowers and leaves, along with the creatures that interact with them, this is an engaging introduction to Australian flora."
Dr Stephanie Owen Reeder, Canberra Times, 20 February 2021

"This is a must-have for any library collection and study that has the protection of our habitat at its heart."
The Bottom Shelf blog, 20 March 2021

"Plantastic!: A-Z of Australian Plants is the perfect reference book for all ages, and enjoyable for kinder to primary school aged kids."
Sophie Scott (age 12) and Cooper Scott (age 11), Growing Australian #256, June 2021

"This is a beautiful book for any bookshelf but is an especially lovely addition to the Australian kids' wildlife genre."
Gill and Abbie Brown, Australasian Systematic Botany Society Newsletter, June 2021

"The vibrant illustrations of plants, insects and birds are particularly beautiful."
Grass Roots #264, April-May 2021

"Tap[s] into children’s natural affinity for the wild, and encourage[s] deeper exploration."
Simon Webster, Organic Gardener. September 2021

"Plantastic! really strikes the balance between having enough information to engage older children/readers, whilst being bright and interesting enough for younger readers to look through and enjoy."
Sam Lloyd, Ecological Society of Australia, 31 January 2022

"This book would be valuable for your library as it is suitable for young and older readers. It creatively engages and supports students to explore and learn more about the flora that surrounds us in Australia."
Shannon Fletcher, Teaching Science 68(1), March 2022

Details

Features

Full of interesting facts about Australian native plants that will get kids excited about the plant world and gently introduce general scientific concepts.
Provides a Plantastic Activity for each featured species to encourage kids to search for and engage with the plants in their local area.
Explains traditional Indigenous uses for some plants – including hunting, fishing, building and medicine.
Includes common plants with wide distributions so that kids can discover more about their local flora, no matter where they live in Australia.
The bright and beautiful illustrations will help kids easily recognise the plants from this book out in the wild.

Australia’s amazing native plants
How to use this book
A – Acacia
B – Banksia
C – Christmas Bush
D – Drosera
E – Emu Bush
F – Fan Palm
G – Gum Tree
H – Hibiscus
I – Indigo
J – Jasmine (Native)
K – Kangaroo Paw
L – Lilly Pilly
M – Mistletoe
N – Noon-flower
O – Orchid
P – Pussy Tail
Q – Quandong
R – Rice Flower
S – Stylidium
T – Tree Fern
U – Utricularia
V – Violet (Shrub)
W – Wollemi Pine
X – Xanthorrhoea
Y – Yam Daisy
Z – Zieria
Map/Where to find the plants
Plant ecoregions
Glossary
Acknowledgements

Authors

Catherine Clowes is a botanist and a teacher with a passion for Australian native plants. She works as a field botanist, is completing a PhD in botany and loves teaching students about the wonders of the plant world. Catherine wrote this book for her two kids, and she is excited to be able to share it with other young explorers too!

Rachel Gyan is an illustrator passionate about artful storytelling. Her heart-warming characters are empowered by whimsy, texture and vibrant colour palettes. Rachel enjoys studying Australian flora and wildlife, drawing inspiration from her surroundings to capture the beautiful and sometimes quirky nature of Australia in her work.

Also available from this team: Plantabulous! More A to Z of Australian Plants.

For Teachers

We have created these Teacher Notes as a free PDF download to support the use of this book in the classroom.

Teacher Notes (705.03 KB)

Extra

The Glossary from Plantastic! explains some words that may be new to young readers, and is available here as a downloadable PDF.
The first print run of Plantastic! had an error in the glossary that is corrected in this file.

Plantastic! Glossary (1.28 MB)