PHOTO: Nicola Davies, author and zoologist, pictured during a school visit, sharing her love of words, wildlife, and wonder with young readers.
Celebrating Wonder Words Wildlife And The World
Nicola Davies reflects on her journey from zoologist to acclaimed children’s author, sharing insights on writing, nature, illustration, and inspiring the next generation to care for the planet.
Nicola Davies has always written with her eyes wide open to the world. Whether observing the majestic migration of whales or capturing the quiet resilience of a child planting a seed, her work pulses with wonder, empathy, and purpose. From the field notebooks of a zoologist to the tender poetry of Choose Love and the bold environmental parable of The Promise, her journey through story has been one of connection—to animals, to landscapes, to the stories that live inside each of us.
Her writing reflects an enduring belief in the power of words to awaken curiosity and compassion. She doesn’t simply explain the natural world; she invites young readers to feel it—to hear the birds overhead, to touch the soil where acorns take root, to see the beauty and fragility in what surrounds us. Her books offer more than facts; they offer perspective, gently guiding children toward questions that matter and change that begins with noticing.
Yet Davies is never didactic. There is warmth in her voice, grace in her lyricism, and a rare openness to the complexities of the human experience. Whether writing about the refugee journey in The Day War Came, or the love between a parent and a disabled child in Perfect, she writes not only with her knowledge, but with her heart.
In her latest work, Blue Heart, Davies returns to the ocean—a place that shaped her early years as a scientist and continues to inspire her as an artist. It’s a fitting title for a writer whose body of work beats with compassion, purpose, and an unwavering sense of awe.
What inspired you to transition from a career in zoology to writing children’s books?
I had one career in between zoology and books which was working as a TV presenter for the BBC Natural History Unit and for CBBC. I left zoology because I felt Id be preaching to the choir and that i wanted the message about the importance of nature to reach further. TV should have been perfect but I was better suited to the solitary and more creative world of children’s books.
How do you approach explaining complex scientific concepts, like microbes, in a way that’s accessible to young readers?
By realising that I wont have to explain EVERYTHING – what Im doing is giving them a seedbed for later more complex knowledge. What i need to do is to create a sense that they have a grasp of the feel of a subject AND that they are curious to find out more. I want children to finish my books and have QUESTIONS.
In The Promise, what message were you hoping children would take away about the environment?
That they have the power to change both the environment and their own lives.When i read this story in schools I tel children how one of the most powerful things a human can do it to plant an acorn. I describe how the acorn puts down a root deep into the spoil and then two little leaves and that that is the start of a life that can last 6 hundred years or more. I want them to get the seven generations perspective, as I’ve said in a poem, ‘plant now to give your grandchildren some shade’
Your books often feature lyrical language—how do you balance poetry and factual information in your writing?
Practice and having read a lot of poetry! Sadly I don’t think the sound of words matters to many editors these days but it really matters to me that my books sound nice and feel nice to read aloud. Packing factual meaning into lyrical language is really hard. It takes work, perseverance and determination.
Could you share a memorable experience from your time as a field biologist that later influenced your storytelling?
It’s so hard to pick out one.There are very very many specific incidents that I have simply picked out of my life and stitched into my books like patchwork . So perhaps I should pick something more general: so, more than thirty years ago I was being a wildlife tour leader in Alaska. It was the end of summer, late September and one night the season flipped a switch. A cold storm swept down from the Arctic bringing with it migrating cranes and geese. The sky was literally filled with v chawed skeins of calling birds, from horizon to horizon. That sight and sound, its scale and its wonder still makes my heart turn over. I want to express that wonder to my readers and inspire them to seek those experiences for themselves. Infinitely more valuable than anything material.
How has teaching creative writing shaped your own approach to writing for children?
i thought I didnt really KNOW anything about writing when I began to teach. I kept thinking Id be found out and fired. But what I discovered was that although Ive never read anything about how to write, being a reader had taught me how to do it. Like being a cyclist who learned to mend punctures I found I could put oil on other peoples bike chains and fix their spokes!
What role do illustrations play in your process of developing a children’s book?
This is as varied as the people involved. Sometimes its a real collaboration sometimes we work in parallel and make a happy accident of words and pictures. Often now I know who my illustrator will be and write to that illustrative voice. Sometimes as a result of the brilliance of illustration I can edit a text and make its sparser. Sometimes an illustrator will highlight places were the structure or narrative is weak and I’ll change a text to make their job easier. Working with fantastic illustrators is one of the greatest privileges of my job.
What advice would you give to aspiring authors who want to write about nature and conservation for children?
LOOK, LISTEN really REEEEELLLLY pay attention to the world around you and also to how it makes you feel, what it makes you think and what it makes you ask. Gather the best information you can and do0nt think yup need to dumb anything down. You dont but you DO need to understand things very well yourself before you can explain it to anyone else. Be careful with your use of language, never make how you phrase something exclusive, remembers that meaning is layered and one word can dod may jobs. Also, draw, even if you think you are rubbish. It’ll help you to look concentrate and pay the right kind of attention.
