About this episode:
A writer concerned with wondrous beetles and beautiful birds, M G Leonard and her award-winning books, for the past decade, have been inspiring the entomologists and ornithologists of tomorrow. Here, Leonard joins Oakes on the banks of the river that inspired Kenneth Grahame’s “The Wind in the Willows” for an episode about how Nature and Storytelling are vitally important in inspiring young (and old) minds. In an interview that spans the arts – everything from Shakespeare to “Starship Troopers” – David and Maya discuss why badgers walk like an actor called Michael Bryant, how Ladybirds are actually Transformers, why Entomologists hate “The Hungry Caterpillar”, and why beetles deserve a co-credit for authoring Darwin’s “The Origin of the Species”. Most importantly, hear how Maya’s journey into our natural world was far from guaranteed; in reality, it was a wild journey forged through stories, storytelling and one or two lies. Initially just a “Bug Tourist”, Maya is now the Vice President for the insect charity BugLife, and manifested the world’s first Masters Degree in Entomology. All that, and how to survive if you were ever to find yourself in a battle against a human-sized beetle!
David's thoughts:
I love polymaths; as such, Maya is completely up my street. She has an insatiable desire to broaden her understanding. It is almost certainly why her books do so well. If, as Maya suggests, books and reading are essential for bolstering the generations of the minds to follow ours (let alone getting them to university to study newly minted degrees in Entomology), surely we have a responsibility to create children’s literature that is fully researched (in whatever manner the subject of the book requires.) The seeds children encounter first are sure to lay down the deepest roots; so we’d be wise to use good seed stock! On a personal note, reading books written primarily for younger readers, and being legitimately permitted to call it research, was an absolute joy. I look forward to the day that my girls discover the adventures of Darkus, Baxter and the terrifying Lucretia Cutter.
It’s also been a theme raised a few times across this series of “Trees a Crowd”. Fiona Mathews & Tim Kendall raised the enduring power of Williamson’s “Tarka the Otter” to engrain the value of Otters in our country’s waterways. My discussion with Hannah Trayford and Rachel Bigsby also praised the presence of Badgers in children’s literature – most prominently in “The Wind in the Willows”. As our countryside becomes increasingly nature depleted, childhood encounters with our native biodiversity will also diminish, and with them the impetus for people to grow in the nature lovers. These books therefore become increasingly vital. Yes, there appears to be a boom in nature writing for children – the Wainwright Prize goes out of it’s way to champion the cause by including its own “Children’s Nature & Conservation Writing“ award, which is arguably more tightly contested than the two awards aimed at adult writers – but is that in itself the canary in the coal-mine? With fewer real birds, we create more books about birds.
What I can be certain of is that storytelling is an essential part of changing people’s habits and minds. Facts, statistics and the most dire of warnings, are not enough on their own – if they were, nature would already be saved. Conservation NGOs are having increasing successes by spreading their messages through engaging directly with communities, and with the children within them. Save the Rhino Trust Namibia know they have saved a number of Rhinos through their direct engagement with local communities. This is done through education programmes and even sponsorship of a football league. Rhinos are transformed from a nuisance or source of income into something the children are proud of; and this message is then disseminated further. Ultimately the community then goes out of their way to save an animal’s life.
There is an exciting new piece of immersive public art incoming. In the Spring of 2025, huge herds of life-size puppet animals will invade city centres on a route that will take them from Central Africa to Norway – artistic recreations fleeing the oncoming climate disaster. The project is called The Herds. Through inspiring those who see this continent crossing migration, a message of empowerment and nature conservation will hopefully reach new ears, and re-empower older ones.
All that said – I do not believe that it is the responsibility of our children to save our planet. But, at the rate we’re going, it might be their inheritance regardless. So, for those of us that love nature, and have children in our lives – as well as doing all you can personally to champion the natural world – it’s probably best to prepare them with the best of books about bugs and by taking them to see giant processions of country hopping animal puppets!
LINKS:
M. G. Leonard – https://www.mgleonard.com/
Authors For Oceans – https://www.authors4oceans.org/
Bug Life – https://www.buglife.org.uk/
BOOKS:
“Beetle Boy” by MG Leonard
“The Secret Garden” by Frances Hodgson Burnett
“Wind in the Willows” by Kenneth Grahame
“Charlotte’s Web” by E. B. White
“The Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle
CREDITS:
An extra special thank you to Matt Doogue who has allowed us to use some of his stunning Macro photography to promote this episode – see the video at the top of this page.
You can also follow him on Twitter/X here, or better still you can buy a copy of his amazing book “Close Up” that’ll teach you how to take shots such as the one in this page’s banner.
