THE LIBRARY
The latest book releases for curious minds
NATURE’S DANCE
DO THE FOXTROT, CRAB STEP, FISH WALK AND BUNNY HUG
AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR NÚRIA SOLSONA
PUBLISHER PRESTEL
PRICE £14.99 / $19.99
RELEASE 3 MARCH
Literally a long read – this book is just over twice as long as it is wide – Nature’s Dance is a bifold hardback that explores the formations and movements of animals on the ground and in the earth, sea and sky. You’ll probably recognise some of them, such as the V-shaped flight formation of geese, or similarities between the murmurations of starlings in the sky and large schools of fish in the sea. These ‘dances’ usually serve a much greater purpose than the recreational dancing that we humans sometimes engage in – although it can be argued that we’re often doing much more than blowing off steam when we’re ballroom or nightclub dancing. Bees, for example, make patterns in flight or buzz in different frequencies to communicate with the rest of the hive. Prey fish like sardines will group in swirling schools up to a million strong, forming a spiralling ball of swimmers with individuals perfectly spaced apart in order to give themselves the best chance of survival when predators are nearby.