In this beautiful picture book, endorsed by the British Ecological Society and illustrated by award-winning Hannah Bailey, a teacher challenges her class to decide which is the most important animal of all. Seven children champion a different animal for the top spot.

Is it bees as master pollinators, or elephants who shape their landscape and spread seeds? Or tigers who keep populations in balance? Also included are beavers, bats, sharks and krill.

Learning why these animals are important develops an understanding of ecosystems and the interconnectedness of everything. With lots of information about these and other super-animals, this is a positive and gentle primer to the worrying issues of habitat loss, endangered species and climate change for young children.

Good for

• Encouraging inquiry, discussion & critical thinking

• Cross-curricular primary science

• Learning about animals and their contribution to the planet