Phasmid

Winner of a 2016 Whitley Award Commendation for Children's Conservation Book

“Sometimes a story of animal survival in the wild is so unbelievable that you couldn’t possibly think it was true. This is one such story, of how a few dedicated people rediscovered a lost species, and others are working together to save it from extinction.”

Phasmid presents the amazing true story of the Lord Howe Island Phasmid – aka Stick Insect. Once thought to be extinct, the phasmids were rediscovered on Balls Pyramid, a volcanic outcrop 23 kilometers off the coast of Lord Howe Island, Australia, prompting an extraordinary conservation effort to save this remarkable insect. It is now officially known as a “Lazarus species” and has attracted the attention of zoo goers, tourists, naturalists Dr. Jane Goodall and Sir David Attenborough and millions of viewers on Vimeo.

With a captivating narrative by Rohan Cleave and stunning watercolor illustrations by renowned artist Coral Tulloch, Phasmid is a positive story about one species’ incredible story of survival in a time of worldwide species decline. It will help to inspire young readers to think about the survival of all species, including insects.

Named an Honour Book for The CBCA Eve Pownall Award for Information Books (2016) and shortlisted for The Wilderness Society's Annual Environment Award for Children's Literature (2016).