imagination.
Draco volans. Hedera helix. Tenebrio molitor. These Latin terms sound like spells, but behind each lies a story—sometimes poetic, sometimes absurd, always memorable. Perfect for age 10 and up.
Bold typography and an airy layout make the information inviting and easy to absorb, turning each spread into a moment of discovery for curious readers. More than a catalog of creatures, this book shows how the life sciences intertwine with history, literature, and imagination, to create an extraordinary record of the natural world.
- A frog named after Freddie Mercury in honor of his extraordinary voice.
- An ichneumon wasp christened Moby Dick for its pale, harpoon-like form.
- A jumping spider called Bagheera kiplingi—a double nod to Kipling and his Jungle Book panther.
- Even a dinosaur, Oviraptor philoceratops, once condemned as an egg thief, later celebrated as a devoted parent.
Playful illustrations capture the humor and strangeness behind each name, while short, lively texts deliver fascinating facts in quick, catchy bursts.
Curious, surprising, and beautifully crafted, What’s in a Name? transforms the index of life into a cabinet of wonders where language, discovery, and storytelling converge.
