ShortBookandScribes #BookReview – The Secret Life of Moles by Liz Burgess @fayerogersuk, @authoright #SecretLifeofMoles #BlogTour
Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for The Secret Life of Moles by Liz Burgess. You can read my review further down this post. My thanks to Faye Rogers for the place on the tour and to Authoright for the review copy of the book.
Liz Burgess has always held a keen interest in nature, especially small furry mammals!
Long fascinated by their secret activities at home in her own back garden, and the fields surrounding it, she decided to explore this special underground world, and find out more about moles and their other little friends. Liz Burgess lives in South Yorkshire and The Secret Life of Moles is her first book for children.
The Secret Life of Moles is the story of a young mole called Ragwort Teasel. His family live in a safe piece of land in a field but the more they dig the closer they are getting to the road. Ragwort sets out on an adventure to find a new, safer place for his family and also his friends. But it’s not without danger and difficulties.
It was nice to find out a bit more about how moles live within the story and I liked how other wildlife, such as hedgehogs, Wingthings (birds) and squirrels were brought into it.
I got this to read with my five year old son (the suggested age group is 5-8) but it’s a lot more wordy than I expected and I think it’s definitely better for perhaps the 7-8 age range. There are some black and white drawings which work well and are pleasing to the eye, but again I think they are better for the older child.
The ending is sweet and overall it’s a really nice story of nature, making things happen, working together with your friends and helping them.
Liz Burgess lives in South Yorkshire has enjoyed a varied career, including working for a UK Environmental Charity, the latter 10 years as a Director. She had always had a keen interest in nature especially small mammals, activities in her own back garden and the surrounding fields inspired her to write the Secret Life of Moles. Any reference to a moles natural behaviour in The Secret Life of Moles is correct according to Liz’s small amount of research. All the drawings were been done by Liz in pencil and ink.
At the age of 68, Liz enjoys hiking, birdwatching anything to do with wildlife. She has done quite a bit of foreign travel, including rain forests, jungles and was fortunate to see a ‘tiger’ in the wild. Liz retired at 60, previous to this she worked for an environmental charity for 28 years. Mainly involved with operational developments but she does have a background in Human Resources and Employment Law.
