What a wonderful book! Whether you’re eight or 80, if you have even the slightest interest in nature, I think you’ll find something to love in Butterflies and Moths of Aotearoa.

Liv Sisson, who gave us the equally fascinating Fungi of Aotearoa, has turned her attention to the beautiful, and often overlooked, world of New Zealand’s butterflies and moths. And what a remarkable world it is.

The photography is simply stunning. The book features hundreds of beautiful colour photographs that capture an extraordinary variety of species, from familiar monarch butterflies to tiny moths most of us probably wouldn’t notice.

I particularly love that this isn’t just a book filled with lovely pictures, although you could happily spend hours looking through them. There’s so much to learn, and Sisson has a wonderful way of making the information interesting and accessible without making it feel like a science lesson.

Who knew butterflies could appear to change colour, or that moths have extraordinary markings that make them almost impossible to spot? The book offers fascinating little facts, stories, and practical advice on how to identify different species and encourage them into our gardens.

It’s also the sort of book that makes you want to head outside and have a closer look at what’s living around you. Perhaps that’s what I enjoyed most. We can be so busy that we forget to notice the smaller creatures sharing our world.

Although we’ve included this among our children’s books, I really think it belongs on everyone’s bookshelf. Children will love the photographs and discoveries, while adults will find plenty to keep them interested too. Excellent for school libraries as well.

This is definitely a book to keep, not one to read and pass on. A beautiful New Zealand nature reference that you’ll return to again and again.

Highly recommended.