‘Il-Friefet’ and ‘Is-Siġar’

Here are a few things which you never knew about butterflies: they use their antennae to smell things, they are born super famished and there are butterflies in the world as big as a 30cm ruler. Now, let’s talk about trees. Did you know that there are some trees in the world that are older than 8,000 years? Or that the tree bark acts like a quilt and protects the tree from the cold? And that the main enemy of a tree is man?

All these and more engaging curiosities can be found in Merlin Publishers’ latest titles Il-Friefet and Is-Siġar.

Some children prefer true stories to made-up ones and in fact nonfiction for the very young is very much sought after. However, it is still very hard to find in Maltese, which is why Merlin Publishers invested in Il-Friefet and Is-Siġar for children to have on their shelves.

These books will appeal to every child’s sense of curiosity and will offer the opportunity for parents and guardians to discover facts about the natural habitat around them. The books, written with a sense of mischief by Portuguese author Ana Oom, and adapted to Maltese by translator Tracy Porter, are a perfect early introduction to science.

Il-Friefet and Is-Siġar are a crucial example of how non-fiction books for children can be exciting. Nonfiction is not just the remit of school textbooks, but can be as equally animating and appealing as the best of children’s fiction.

In both Il-Friefet and Is-Siġar facts and information are not delivered in long exhausting paragraphs, but scattered around in tiny titbits, splashed out with charming, visually-stimulating illustrations by Japanese artist Yara Kono which add to the playfulness and humour of the book.

The groovy typography and layout, makes them perfect even for reluctant readers to dip into.

Both books wrap up with suggestions of activities to follow up the reading session. Take the children out in the nature, says the author. Take photos when you see a butterfly and pick fruit from the trees so that we remember that fruit does not grow in supermarkets.

Il-Friefet and Is-Siġar have no fixed target age. They are ideal both for reading to children when they are still very young, and eventually for reading by children themselves when they are slightly older. What is certain is that, after reading these books, the next time your child will spot a butterfly or lean against a tree, they’ll want to talk about their new-found knowledge … and so will you! ‘Il-Friefet’ and ‘ Is-Siġar’ are available from all leading bookshops or directly online from merlinpublishers.com