The gold artwork on the cover attracted me to this book, but when I saw “Press the Buttons 20 Nature Sounds” I was hooked.
And I was not disappointed. The sounds are superb and really conjure up the ten different environments. We hear woodpecker, lion, penguin, seagull, owl, dolphin, eagle, rattlesnake, bear, rainforest, bumblebee, seal, whale, cricket, birdsong, river, wolf, meercat, rain and waves threaded through the text and together on one page at the back.
The book is bound to engage children. The pages are a good balance of text and illustration and the rhymes help engagement. The font size is large and clear. And the pages are well-designed.
“Nature’s song is all around,
If we stop and listen for the sound.”
The artwork reflects the diverse environments – deciduous woodland, grassland, desert, alpine meadow, river, beach, ocean, tundra, rainforest and coniferous forest.
I particularly like the final two pages. One presents information about the ten different habitats featured in the book, and the other has the matching sounds so the two can be explored together.
A most engaging book for home or school that will inspire curiosity in the natural world. Great fun!
Brenda Marshall
Nature’s Song by Charlie Wilson
Illustrated by Stacey Thomas
Big Picture Press
ISBN 9781835873854
£16.99
Published 2026
