A picture book for 3–6-year-olds, Whose Beak is This? lets children guess
the identity of iconic New Zealand birds from the pictures of their beaks, while
finding out some facts about the birds along the way. This fun approach
introduces an important science concept about adaptation – birds' beaks are a
very obvious adaptation to the kind of food they eat. Being encouraged to look
closely at the pictures teaches observation skills and helps children realise
how diverse bird species are.
Author Biography: GILLIAN CANDLER is an award-winning
writer for children. Whose Beak is This? was an opportunity for her to write for
a younger audience than the ‘explore and discover’ series, encouraging their
curiosity, observation skills and wonder for the natural world. Gillian has a
passion for nature and is an active member of Birds New Zealand and Forest and
Bird. Her involvement in conservation projects has seen her feeding fairy prion
chicks, counting birds, making seed balls and trapping pests. Gillian blogs
about nature at ExploreDiscoverNature. blogspot.co.nz. She has a background in
teaching and educational publishing and believes that picture books can be both
fun and educational. FRASER WILLIAMSON is an internationally recognised
artist/illustrator whose work ranges from large illustrative paintings to quirky
children's books that try to amuse and entertain. Fraser wishes to portray
characters and environments that allow for imagination and diversity. His work
has featured in magazines, books and ad campaigns, both nationally and
internationally, and he regularly exhibits his paintings at the Flagstaff
Gallery in Devonport, many of which now adorn walls in Auckland, Melbourne,
Finland, Malta and London. Fraser lives in Auckland with his wife Loisi and
their son Antonio. They like to spend their time between Tonga, New Zealand
and Spain.