KICK BACK WITH A GOOD BOOK

Laze in a deckchair with our pick of the year’s best titles

Kick back with A GOOD BOOK

Wild Nights Out BY CHRIS SALISBURY

(CHELSEA GREEN, £14.99)

Wildlife-watching needn’t stop when the sun goes down. This hands-on guide teaches children and adults how to explore nature at night – from stargazing to calling for owls.

Tapestries of Life BY ANNE SVERDRUP-THYGESON (HARPERCOLLINS, £14.99)

Bees pollinate crops – and kingfishers inspired highspeed trains: we are connected to nature in more ways than we realise. This book highlights the enduring links.

Woodston BY JOHN LEWIS-STEMPEL (TRANSWORLD, £20) From Paleozoic volcanoes to the Land Girls via Saxon occupation and the Tudor wool trade – the awardwinning nature writer charts the sweeping history of a quintessential English farm.

The Heeding BY ROB COWEN AND NICK HAYES (ELLIOTT & THOMPSON, £12.99)

This collection of poetry and illustrations reflects on a whirlwind year and the small moments that shape our lives – from spotting sparrowhawks to gazing at the moon.

Smoke Hole BY MARTIN SHAW (CHELSEA GREEN, £14.99) In this wise and whimsical book, celebrated mythologist and wilderness guide Martin Shaw shares three stories to help readers face the complexities of contemporary life.

A Walk from the Wild Edge BY JAKE TYLER (PENGUIN, £16.99)

Jake Tyler left his home with just a pair of walking boots and a backpack to walk 3,000 miles around the UK and help combat his depression. His story is an inspiration.

In Search of Mycotopia BY DOUG BIEREND (CHELSEA GREEN, £20) There’s more to mushrooms than meets the eye. From medicine to fermentation, their potential uses are manifold. This book explores the modern mycological movement.

Elegy for a River by TOM MOORHOUSE (TRANSWORLD, £14.99)

Water voles were once an enchanting sight across many of our waterways. Now, they are close to extinction. This is the story of a conservationist determined to bring them back.

Restoring the Wild BY ROY DENNIS (HARPERCOLLINS, £18.99)

Ornithologist Roy Dennis helped to return ospreys, red kites and white-tailed eagles to our skies. This details the painstaking process of bringing back these majestic birds.

50 Ways to Outsmart a Squirrel and Other Garden Pests BY SIMON AKEROYD (OCTOPUS, £12.99)

This humorous guide from the RHS is packed with tips for tackling garden pests – from seed-stealing squirrels to cabbage-chomping slugs – without resorting to chemicals.