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Phasmid [OP]: Saving The Lord Howe Island Stick Insect
Winner of a 2016 Whitley Award Commendation for Children's Conservation Book
“Sometimes a story of animal survival in the wild is so unbelievable that you couldn’t possibly think it was true. This is one such story, of how a few dedicated people rediscovered a lost species, and others are working together to save it from extinction.”
Phasmid presents the amazing true story of the Lord Howe Island Phasmid – aka Stick Insect. Once thought to be extinct, the phasmids were rediscovered on Balls Pyramid, a volcanic outcrop 23 kilometers off the coast of Lord Howe Island, Australia, prompting an extraordinary conservation effort to save this remarkable insect. It is now officially known as a “Lazarus species” and has attracted the attention of zoo goers, tourists, naturalists Dr. Jane Goodall and Sir David Attenborough and millions of viewers on Vimeo.
With a captivating narrative by Rohan Cleave and stunning watercolor illustrations by renowned artist Coral Tulloch, Phasmid is a positive story about one species’ incredible story of survival in a time of worldwide species decline. It will help to inspire young readers to think about the survival of all species, including insects.
Named an Honour Book for The CBCA Eve Pownall Award for Information Books (2016) and shortlisted for The Wilderness Society's Annual Environment Award for Children's Literature (2016).
“Sometimes a story of animal survival in the wild is so unbelievable that you couldn’t possibly think it was true. This is one such story, of how a few dedicated people rediscovered a lost species, and others are working together to save it from extinction.”
Phasmid presents the amazing true story of the Lord Howe Island Phasmid – aka Stick Insect. Once thought to be extinct, the phasmids were rediscovered on Balls Pyramid, a volcanic outcrop 23 kilometers off the coast of Lord Howe Island, Australia, prompting an extraordinary conservation effort to save this remarkable insect. It is now officially known as a “Lazarus species” and has attracted the attention of zoo goers, tourists, naturalists Dr. Jane Goodall and Sir David Attenborough and millions of viewers on Vimeo.
With a captivating narrative by Rohan Cleave and stunning watercolor illustrations by renowned artist Coral Tulloch, Phasmid is a positive story about one species’ incredible story of survival in a time of worldwide species decline. It will help to inspire young readers to think about the survival of all species, including insects.
Named an Honour Book for The CBCA Eve Pownall Award for Information Books (2016) and shortlisted for The Wilderness Society's Annual Environment Award for Children's Literature (2016).
- GenresPicture BooksNonfiction
32 pages, Hardcover
First published October 31, 2015
16 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 22, 2017
Probably my favourite of the CBCA shortlisted books. Beautiful story
June 18, 2016
Phasmid: Saving the Lord Howe Island Stick Insect is one of those unbelievable but true stories about a near extinct insect brought back from the brink by a group of passionate, dedicated scientists.
The story is easy to read and surprisingly engaging. We follow the phasmid through its life cycle and life on Lord Howe Island. We learn about the arrival of rats via the early settlers' boats - a fast breeding predator of the phasmid that had wiped it out completely by 1930.
http://bronasbooks.blogspot.com.au/20...
The story is easy to read and surprisingly engaging. We follow the phasmid through its life cycle and life on Lord Howe Island. We learn about the arrival of rats via the early settlers' boats - a fast breeding predator of the phasmid that had wiped it out completely by 1930.
http://bronasbooks.blogspot.com.au/20...
April 22, 2016
This is a lovely picture book about the rare Phasmid. It is beautifully illustrated with an engaging way of learning about this insect.
At the end of the book there is a short section providing more information to back to scientific accuracy of the story. There are very few of these phasmids left, but good scientific work is being done to help them along.
I found out about this book via a promotion by CSIRO.
At the end of the book there is a short section providing more information to back to scientific accuracy of the story. There are very few of these phasmids left, but good scientific work is being done to help them along.
I found out about this book via a promotion by CSIRO.
August 28, 2025
Fascinating creatures! I visited Lord Howe Island a couple of years ago, hoping to see a phasmid during my stay. Unfortunately, this was not possible - and may never be - as there natural predators are no longer on the island, so the fear is that if the phasmid were released, there would be nothing to keep their numbers in check. Ironic, really ...
August 15, 2016
A children's picture book detailing the near extinction and subsequent recovery of the Lord Howe stick insect, Phasmid is surprisingly engaging. I must admit, though, that I preferred the more scientific recount at the back of the book to the actual narrative itself.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews