A gorgeous, lyrical non-fiction picture book following a year in the life of a coral reef – the second title in a timely new series about the world's most precious habitats
This beautiful book brings together amazing facts about coral reefs, an evocative narrative and breathtaking illustrations.

The story begins with the creation of the reef itself, as tiny coral polyps come together to build a young coral on the night of the full moon. Then, travelling through the seasons, we meet the diverse creatures that live in and around the coral reef, including great white sharks, stripy clownfish, barracudas, turtles and more. Each sea creature is given their moment in the spotlight as we see small but dynamic moments of their everyday lives, from hermit crabs jumping in each other's discarded shells to an eel spitting out a spiky porcupinefish. There are also plenty of heartwarming moments between parents and children, such as a mother humpback whale tucking her calf under her fin, and a clownfish fiercely guarding his eggs, making this the perfect book for reading together.

Beautiful descriptions of unique sea life are further animated by colourful illustrations that will leave children and adults poring over the pages of this book.

This is a timely book that is sure to stimulate discussion between parent and child about the importance of protecting our planet's ecosystems and habitats. It's an essential purchase for both school libraries and the home. Future titles in the series will focus on the following habitats: forest, desert, ocean, rainforest, river and mountain.
 
Contributor Bio(s)
 
Jane Burnard has worked as a children’s books editor for many years, and more recently as a writer, translator, and gardener. Her first children’s fiction title published in 2021. This is her second picture book, following on from Kingfisher's An Arctic Story.

Kendra Binney is a nature-loving painter whose artwork combines pastel washes and resin to beautiful effect. Her work has been published and sold all over the world.