The Tiny Explorers

Under the daisies and dandelion clocks, gathering forgotten odds and ends … what will the Tiny Explorers do with their magical finds?

Join the Tiny Explorers on a treasure hunt through the garden! Kat Macleod’s luscious mixed-media artwork explores the natural world up close. Seemingly ordinary elements – grass, leaves, bugs and blooms – become mighty and magical when seen from their vantage point. And hiding amid this nature wonderland is a series of special items for the explorers to collect and transform into a fun surprise at the end of the journey.

Repetition and use of prepositions to map the landscape help young readers follow the story, which invites explorers big and small to discover the beauty and wonder of nature from a different perspective. Australian artist Kat Macleod was inspired by watching her children play in their home garden, discovering new flowers, unusual insects and an odd assortment of tiny ‘treasures’.

‘After such a strange 2020, with so many months spent in lockdown and our children limited to playing in our small backyard, it shows that if you use your imagination, you can still have big fun in a tiny space,’ Kat says.

About the Author

Kat Macleod is an illustrator, designer and exhibiting artist. Her instantly recognisable illustrations feature botanical forms, a balance of bold and delicate line work, bright colours and collaged textures. She is endlessly inspired by nature, fashion and textiles, and the drawings of her three young boys.

Kat's illustrations have adorned the pages and products of many clients, including Tiffany & Co., Vogue China, The Australian Ballet, Numero Tokyo and Heide Museum of Modern Art. She has illustrated several books: Bird, The Cocktail, Sequins & Sequence and Michi Girl's Like I Give a Frock, What on Earth Are You Wearing? and Le Shop Guide. Kat has had five solo exhibitions over the past decade, and a loyal following of collectors. Her Early Learners series of four board books was published in January 2021.