The Secret Jobs of Backyard Creatures - Kestrow
The Secret Jobs of Backyard Creatures - Kestrow
The Secret Jobs of Backyard Creatures - Kestrow
The Secret Jobs of Backyard Creatures - Kestrow
The Secret Jobs of Backyard Creatures - Kestrow
The Secret Jobs of Backyard Creatures - Kestrow
The Secret Jobs of Backyard Creatures - Kestrow
The Secret Jobs of Backyard Creatures - Kestrow
The Secret Jobs of Backyard Creatures - Kestrow
The Secret Jobs of Backyard Creatures - Kestrow
The Secret Jobs of Backyard Creatures - Kestrow
The Secret Jobs of Backyard Creatures - Kestrow
The Secret Jobs of Backyard Creatures - Kestrow
The Secret Jobs of Backyard Creatures - Kestrow
The Secret Jobs of Backyard Creatures - Kestrow
The Secret Jobs of Backyard Creatures - Kestrow
The Secret Jobs of Backyard Creatures - Kestrow
The Secret Jobs of Backyard Creatures - Kestrow

The Secret Jobs of Backyard Creatures — 50 Tiny Workers You Never Knew You Had

Discover the surprising jobs happening right in your own backyard.

  • 50 Fully Illustrated Backyard Creatures — each gets a funny job title inspired by what it really does in nature, from pollination and recycling to hunting and soil aeration.
  • 120+ Full-Colour Pages — packed with detailed watercolour illustrations, field notes, real nature facts and visual discoveries.
  • Hidden Objects, Riddles & Jokes — three objects to find on every spread, plus playful details that reward kids for looking closer.
  • Made for Ages 5–10 — great for independent readers, family read-alouds and kids who love animals, bugs and exploring outdoors.
  • 50 Backyard Creatures
  • 120+ Full-Colour Pages
  • Ages 5-10
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FREE WORLDWIDE SHIPPING
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30-DAY MONEY-BACK
PREMIUM QUALITY
FREE WORLDWIDE SHIPPING
SATISFACTION GUARANTEED
30-DAY MONEY-BACK
PREMIUM QUALITY
FREE WORLDWIDE SHIPPING
SATISFACTION GUARANTEED
Everything Down There

Four Steps From The Back Door.

Worms are turning last autumn's leaves into soil. Beetles are clearing up what the birds left behind. Ants are running tunnels under the patio slabs. All of it is happening a few metres from the back door on any ordinary afternoon — and most children walk straight past it, because nobody has ever stopped and pointed at it.

This book points at it. Fifty creatures, each introduced by the work it actually does — pollinator, recycler, clean-up crew, engineer — with the watercolour carrying as much of the page as the words do.

There are objects hidden through the spreads, so nobody gets through it in one pass. The usual result is that they close it and go outside to check.

One Book, Three Ways to Dive In.

Ages 5–7: Look & Find

Ages 5–7: Look & Find

Colorful illustrated spreads, hidden objects and funny details give younger readers plenty to discover — even while they’re still building reading confidence. Read together, point things out and see what they can spot on every spread.

Ages 8–9: Read & Discover

Ages 8–9: Read & Discover

Short creature profiles, playful job titles, real backyard facts, riddles and hidden-object challenges keep independent readers moving from one creature to the next — learning without it ever feeling like homework.

Ages 10+ : Connect the Science

Ages 10+ : Connect the Science

Older readers can look beyond the jokes and start connecting each creature’s job to the bigger backyard ecosystem — from pollination and soil health to decomposition, food webs and natural pest control.

Ages 5–7: Look & Find

Ages 5–7: Look & Find

Colorful illustrated spreads, hidden objects and funny details give younger readers plenty to discover — even while they’re still building reading confidence. Read together, point things out and see what they can spot on every spread.

Ages 8–9: Read & Discover

Ages 8–9: Read & Discover

Short creature profiles, playful job titles, real backyard facts, riddles and hidden-object challenges keep independent readers moving from one creature to the next — learning without it ever feeling like homework.

Ages 10+ : Connect the Science

Ages 10+ : Connect the Science

Older readers can look beyond the jokes and start connecting each creature’s job to the bigger backyard ecosystem — from pollination and soil health to decomposition, food webs and natural pest control.

Made for Everyday Moments That Spark Curiosity

Made for Everyday Moments

At bedtime

Each profile is short, so any page is a stopping point. Two creatures and lights out, or ten if it is a Friday.

On the floor, together

The hidden objects work better with two people looking. Compare what you find and see who spots them first — it reads as a game rather than a lesson.

Outside, afterwards

Every creature in it lives somewhere ordinary — the flower bed, a crack in the paving, under a pot. The book gives them something specific to go and find.

As a Gift

A screen-free gift that survives the first week, which most gifted books do not. Works for a child who is already turning over stones, and for one who has not started yet.

What You're Actually Buying

Fifty creatures, and the reasons this one doesn't get shelved after a week.

Fifty Real Jobs

Every creature is introduced by the work it genuinely does — pollinator, recycler, clean-up crew, engineer.

Hidden On Every Spread

Objects drawn from real detail in the scene, plus creatures wandering in from other chapters. It gets opened a second and a third time.

It Ends Outside

Every creature lives somewhere ordinary — the flower bed, a paving crack, under a pot. They close the book and go and check.

120+ Colour Pages

Watercolor throughout, in a naturalist field-guide style. Nothing in it needs a screen, a battery or a subscription.

What Parents Are Saying

Verified reviews from real readers

b

bobbi b goldstein
- A wonderful book with fantastic illustrations!

Verified Purchase

Reviewed in the
United States
on
August 3, 2026
What a wonderful book! Illustrations are wonderful! Can't wait to give to my two granddaughters, ages 4 and 6-1/2!!! They are going to absolutely LOVE it!
2 people found this helpful
|
L

Leslie Dougherty
- Fascinating Facts Presented in Fun Format

Verified Purchase

Reviewed in the
United States
on
June 28, 2026
Amazing!!!! Would love to see the authors develop this into a complete STEAM kit. As a retired science teacher and grandmother I am always looking for something that brings out the fun in learning, and this book certainly has the potential.( I seldom write reviews, but this is really a great book if you have the time to read it with your child. It will take a little explanation for most early to middle elementary aged children. ) Even though the reading level is below their levels, my 8 year old granddaughter will love creating these scenes with play dough and the 9 year old may enjoy writing puppet shows about these creatures because of the way the authors have portrayed them. What a great tool to begin a scavenger hunt in the backyard looking for the animals and spending quality family time together! I found myself as an adult looking up additional facts about these bugs to satisfy my own curiosity. The Seek and Find and bug jokes are great touches! Overall interest level is about 4-9 unless you want to use it as a springboard with creative extensions to engage older or younger children.
16 people found this helpful
|
A

A. Allen
- Kept the attention of the kids

Verified Purchase

Reviewed in the
United States
on
August 25, 2026
Kids loved it. Kept their attention. (7 year olds)
|
K

Kim Dux
- Very nice, beautifully illustrated book

Verified Purchase

Reviewed in the
Canada
on
July 24, 2026
Great book well illustrated. Lots of information for kids to learn, and me as well as her Nana.
|
L

Lynne kinsella
- Very cute book

Verified Purchase

Reviewed in the
Canada
on
August 10, 2026
Bought this for my grandson. He’s only 7 months, but if I start reading it to him now, he’ll know all the things. It’s a cute book and I was very pleased.
|
M

Mhuggs
- Incredible - buy them all!

Verified Purchase

Reviewed in the
United States
on
July 30, 2026
These books are incredible. The illustrations are beautiful and so fun to look at. The ideas for each creature's roles are so clever it makes me chuckle. I plan to give these as gifts for most of the kids in my life, they are that universal. I wouldn't even say there is an age range they are fun for 7-100. The only reason I'm not giving a 5th star is the choice in print type. I feel like these books should be printed in glossy pages with a hardcover. They are beautiful but the pages are so delicate, it’s the only reason I would be careful giving them to younger kids. I also think the glossy pages would bring out the illustration and colors and make them more durable. If they ever do get reprinted, I'll buy a whole new set.
7 people found this helpful
|

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30-Day Money-Back Guarantee

If the book isn't what you expected, contact support@kestrow.com within 30 days of delivery and we'll arrange a refund.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to common questions about our products, shipping, returns, and more.

What payment methods do you accept? +

We accept all major payment methods to make checkout as easy as possible. These include:

  • Credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard)
  • Apple Pay and Google Pay

All transactions are processed securely. If you have any trouble at checkout, feel free to contact us and we'll be happy to help.

How long does shipping take? +

Free worldwide shipping. Your order arrives within 10–20 business days — about 2 to 4 weeks. That window covers preparing your order, dispatch and transit; there is nothing to add on top. Tracking is emailed the moment your order is dispatched.

What is your return policy? (30-day money-back) +

30 days. If the set isn't right, email support@kestrow.com within 30 days of delivery and we'll make it right — refund or replacement. Refunds are issued to your original payment method within 10 business days of approval.

What ages is this for? +

It's written for ages 6-10. At the younger end the watercolor spreads and the hidden objects carry it, so a child who isn't reading fluently still gets a full turn through the book. At the older end the profiles get read alone and the connections between creatures start to land. It is one of the few nature books with something still left in it four years after it's opened.

What's actually in it? +

Fifty backyard creatures — worms, bees, ants, beetles, spiders, birds and others — each with a short profile built around the job it does in the garden, a specimen card carrying its common and scientific name, field notes and callout bubbles. 120+ full-color pages, a two-page spread per creature, with hidden objects to find as you go.

Is it too advanced for a six-year-old? +

No. Each creature gets a short profile with the illustration doing most of the work, so a six-year-old can go through it independently. The scientific names and the deeper field notes are there for when they're older rather than in the way now.

Will it get read, or will it sit on a shelf? +

The hidden objects are what bring a child back to it, plus creatures who turn up in other chapters. A fact is read once; a page you have to search rewards a second and a third look. It's also short by design: two creatures before bed is a complete sitting, so it doesn't need a free afternoon to be worth opening.

Is it a good gift? +

Yes, and a rare one that survives the first week. It suits a child who already comes back from the garden with pockets full, and works just as well on one who hasn't started yet. The jokes are pitched so the adult reading along gets something too.