A review by srivalli
Secret Stories of Nature: A Field Guide to Uncover Our Planet's Past by Saskia Gwinn

informative medium-paced

4.0

 4 Stars 

The contents are divided into the following sections: 

• Secrets of the Ocean
• Secrets of the Ice
• Secrets of the Forest
• Secrets of the Jungle
• Secrets of the Mountain 
• Secrets of the Sky 
• Secrets of the Night
• Secrets Underfoot
• Searching for Secrets
• Finding Earth’s Secrets
• Protecting Earth’s Secrets

The details are provided in short paragraphs, either between the illustrations or on the next page (the illustrations are numbered for this). The snippets are interesting and informative without being overwhelming. There are quite a few fun facts included, and the semi-informal narrative style makes it an entertaining read. (Ex: whales once lived on the land!)

The illustrations are individual pieces and seem to be digitally created (could also be ‘elements’ we find in Canva or similar apps). However, the chosen color scheme gives the book an HD effect. (Psst! Do you know about dinosaur ants?)

I wish the font size was bigger. Since I read the book on the computer, I could zoom and adjust my electronic copy but not sure how convenient the text size would be in a physical version. (Once upon a time, bees were carnivorous!)
 
The book ends with a neat and detailed glossary section.
 
To summarize, Secret Stories of Nature is a compact book and a great way to ignite interest in children about various aspects of nature. It can be considered as a worthy starting point for young learners. 

Thank you, Edelweiss+ and Quarto (Wide Eyed Editions), for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.