Birds, Blooms & Bugs

A gorgeous seek-and-find children's picture book that encourages young readers to search for backyard beauties

Birds, Blooms & Bugs is a non-fiction children’s picture book that explores native flora and fauna that can be found in Australian ‘backyards’.

This look-and-find picture book is complete with gorgeous illustrations by Australian illustrator Megan McKean, capturing the charm of Australian wildlife across 17 detailed spreads that focus on their own backyard scene. Also featuring a ‘fun fact’ spread and seek-and-find component that encourages young readers to identify icons from within the scenes.

Highlighting species found widely around the country, the book will teach children to identify and learn about nature close to our homes. By showcasing a range of locations, such as suburban backyards and front gardens, apartment balconies and verandahs, local parks, ponds and beaches, the concept of the ‘backyard’ is widened for children. All audiences should be able to connect with the pages and go exploring for backyard birds, bugs and blooms, regardless of where they live.

With silver gulls and pelicans by the water, magpies and butterflies around the veggie patch, bright grevilleas and screeching lorikeets in the suburban front yards, each scene showcases a colourful segment of outdoor life in Australia.

About the Author

Megan McKean is an Australian designer, illustrator and author with permanently itchy feet. Her work is focused primarily on travel and depicting colourful cities around the world. Megan’s illustrations are characterised by their bright colours, strong line work and surprising details hidden within each piece, encouraging the viewer to go back for another look. She is the author and illustrator of Lucky (2024) and Unlucky (2025) published by Hardie Grant Books.

She is based in Malmö, Sweden, and Birds, Blooms & Bugs is her 14th book!