The Feathered Five and The Nocturnal Nine
Author: Roslynne Toerien
Illustrator: Rachel Nyman
Publisher: Struik
Author and teacher, Roslynne Toerien, of Durban has added two more books to her acclaimed rhyming wildlife series. The books, The Feathered Five and The Nocturnal Nine, which include a free audio narration, teach children about South African wildlife and conservation through story-telling.
In The Feathered Five, the local bird population gets into a froth about the noise the hadedas make. The irritated birds scatter into the bush and have mini adventures which cause them to nearly miss the welcoming party for the migrating yellow-billed kites.
In The Nocturnal Nine, children taking part in a nighttime game drive learn about nocturnal animals with the help of a game ranger.
Both books feature additional facts and info files about the animals in the books, at the back. They were released earlier this year and are part of a collection which include; Under the Baobab Tree, which was longlisted for the 2024 SALA prize, The Rumbling Rhino, which was a runner-up for the 2024 SALA prize, The Speedy Six Olympics and The Forgotten Four, which was selected for Exclusive Books’ Homebru. There is also a companion card game pack called the Wild Olympics.
Toerien is also half of a duo who started The Learn Project (Let’s Educate A Rainbow Nation) in 2012, which helps struggling schools. The non-profit creates partnerships, seeks sponsorships or sends volunteers to help the schools overcome the barriers that are stopping the school from thriving. The project’s many successes has earned it a nomination for the Fifth Annual Non-Profit Organisation Awards.
