This book describes and illustrates 80 of the larger, more conspicuous and charismatic tree species likely to be seen while travelling in the Kruger National Park.

With the aim of assisting readers to make accurate identifications of these majestic plants, each spread contains photographs and succinct text with minimal botanical jargon. To aid identification, a series of maps demarcating 35 different vegetation zones or ‘landscapes’ within the Kruger Park helps readers to determine which tree species are likely to be seen in which area.

Part of the NATURE NOW series, this compact ID guide is jampacked with images of trees – an informative safari companion for all who want to make the most of their visit to Kruger.

Roberts Birds of Southern Africa has been continuously in print for some 65 years and is the most popular African natural history book of all time. The scope and depth of biological information in the Seventh edition of Roberts far exceeds that of any previous edition. It covers all 951 species recorded in the region and also illustrates these in 80 new plates commissioned from the region’s best bird artists. For scientists and conservationists it is a benchmark publication and will be a standard reference for years to come. For birdwatcher it will be an invaluable source of information to help them better understand and appreciate the birds around them.

This year we are in for a treat, with Madam & Eve back with more cartoons looking at domestic life and politics in the New South Africa.

Madam & Eve cartoons appear regularly in the Mail & Guardian, The Star, The Saturday Star, Herald, Mercury, Witness, Daily Dispatch, Cape Times, Pretoria News, Diamond Fields Advertiser, Die Volksblad, EC Today, Kokstad Advertiser and The Namibian.

The Roberts Bird Guide (2nd Edition) has gone to great trouble to concentrate on, and illustrate, difficult-to-identify species and family groups such as raptors, warblers, cisticolas and waders. Special attention has been given to make sure there is far greater coverage of male-female differences and there are also many more juvenile illustrations. Unlike all previously published southern African bird guides, this new edition will be scattered with informative photographs that are incorporated in the text pages and each plate illustration is augmented with an introduction. Apart from the approximately 240 plate spreads, the guide also has 12 photographic and illustrated double spreads that show head enlargements and other details. Plates are annotated far more definitively than other guides – highlighting key identification features, especially for difficult-to-identify species.

It’s been one helluva year – again. We’ve seen Zuma resign as president, the DA go after its own people, Trump exercise his megalomania, the rise of racial tensions (as well as the petrol price) and tempers being flared. All while the Guptas fled the Saxonwold Shebeen.

Who better to make sense of this than Zapiro, political analyst, cartoonist and agent provocateur. He has the ability to knock the air out of us, to rock us back in our seats, to force us bolt upright with a 1000-watt jolt of electrifying shock. He makes us angry, he makes us laugh and he makes us think. He shines a light on the elephant in the room, presents the emperor in all his naked glory. Impossible to brush off, he is determined to provoke a response.

When all around is crumbling, when fake news and zipped lips conceal the truth, Zapiro comes to the rescue. With the dissecting eye of a surgeon, the rapier-like point of his pen exposes flimflam, and reveals with a single line what lies behind the action.

An enduring and popular resource, this handy publication lists all the birds to be seen in the region and provides a simple way of recording where and when you have spotted them.

Pocket-sized for ease of use, it offers:

• Cross-referencing to the new Sasol Birds of Southern Africa (fifth edition)
• Six columns for multiple recordings at six different localities
• Up-to-date names for all southern African birds
• Endemic and threat status for all birds

This revised, updated checklist will be sought after by the region’s twitchers at all levels.

Hoewel Olga Kirsch die enigste Joodse stem in die Afrikaanse digkuns is, is dit skaars bekend onder lede van die Suid-Afrikaanse Joodse gemeenskap. Olga Kirsch was, na Elisabeth Eybers, maar die tweede vrou wat ‘n digbundel in Afrikaans laat verskyn het.

Die doelwit van hierdie biografie is om te keer dat haar werk vergete raak en om te wys waarom haar werk belangrik is, nie net in Suid-Afrika nie, maar ook in Israel.

Dit ondersoek nie net Kirsch se rol as Afrikaanse Joodse digter nie, maar ook haar as voorbeeld van ‘n grensoorsteker tussen kulture en veeltalige immigrante-digter. Daarom is van haar Engelse en Hebreeuse digkuns ook ingesluit in hierdie werk.

Accompanied by superb photographs, this ground-breaking book is the first practical field guide to record the Zulu names of bird species commonly found in KwaZulu-Natal. Where one name was previously used to describe a number of birds belonging to the same genus (i.e. ukhozi for most eagles), the need existed to give species specific names.

The authors hope this book will be used to inspire a greater interest, awareness and protection of the avifaunal heritage of KwaZulu-Natal. It is vital for the heritage of all South Africans that these names are recorded and made widely available. Noleen Turner, a passionate birder and honorary research professor at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, in collaboration with Prof Adrian Koopman and Roger Porter, led this seven-year project, together with 18 expert Zulu bird guides from various parts of KwaZulu-Natal.

The recording, derivation and crafting of these names has been a lengthy but fascinating process. Turner notes that the project has included not only the consideration of biodiversity management, but also the pursuit of social ecology, the long neglected but crucial ‘people’s’ aspect of conservation. She said when it came to Zulu names for birds, they had to fill in the gaps, and of the 550 species analysed, some were confirmation of well-known names, such as inkazwi for the fish eagle; some were selected from the most commonly known names such as inkankane for the hadeda ibis. Some names were redirected: for example, the name for the Brown-headed Kingfisher indwazela became the generic name for all kingfishers (ndwaza referring to the motionless position while waiting for prey).

Other new names were coined based on appearance, calls, behaviour and distribution such as isankawu (the bird whose call sounds like a vervet monkey) for the Southern Pochard, or umacutha derived from the Zulu word cutha (meaning to draw the body tense) as the generic name for herons, which perfectly describes the bird’s behaviour before it lunges at its prey.

Die meeste ma’s word daagliks uitgedaag om hul kinders aan te moedig om gesonde maaltye te nuttig wat lewenskragtig en voedsaam is.

Pretkos bied ’n skatkis van idees om gesonde, inspirerende etes vir kinders te berei – met groot pret! Van slaaie, peuselhappies, kosblikkos en toebroodjies, aandete, teetyd en pieknieks tot groente en vrugte word ingesluit.

Die hoofstukke bevat heelwat kreatiewe idees vir verbeeldingryke geregte wat kinders vir hulself kan berei. Al die resepte is gestileer om alledaagse maaltye pret te maak, soos Slaaihasie, Vrolike frittatas, Pers pasta, Ryskoekie-uile en Soesji-broodjies.

“Not sex please,” sê die monnik en toe hy die verbouereerde uitdrukkings op ons gesigte sien, glimlag hy gerusstellend. “Seven is better . . . OK?”

Tussen misverstande, pogings om die taal en skrif te leer en lokvalle van swendelaars wat daarop uit is om ’n vinnige yuan te maak, is daar die vriendelike vreemdelinge wat soos ’n goue draad deur Elkarien Fourie se ervarings in China loop. Hulle is die “mede”-mense wat uitstaan tussen die gedrang van miljoene in die megastede; wat aanbied om die pad saam te loop eerder as om dit net te verduidelik.

Elkarien het Confucius se voorskrif gevolg en haar hele hart saamgeneem op hierdie avontuur wat haar gekies het eerder as andersom.

Sasol First Field Guide to Frogs of Southern Africa is a fascinating guide to the frogs of the region.

Full-colour photographs, distribution maps and easy-to-read text will help the budding naturalist to identify the more common frog species that occur in southern Africa, discover where they live, and learn about their behaviour and unusual features.

Verbal precision is the best way to describe this compelling and daunting collection, where poetry and all the known demands of writing poetry are constantly deconstructed.

In a no-nonsense approach devoid of self-pity, Strang utilises wry acerbic humour coupled with a fine technical skill to debunk commonly held perceptions on an array of topics including femicide and gender-based violence, physical and mental illness/death, childhood and aging, sex and sexuality, and armed conflict and political violence.

It is a complex, brilliant volume of poetry blending the intellectual with the intuitive, utilising an array of inter-texts including fairy tales, the 2 tarot, the Bible, and art in various forms, interwoven with primordial wisdoms and mythology

Hierdie gids is deel van 'n nuwe reeks, Eerste veldgidse, en bied 'n fassinerende blik op die natuurlewe van die streek.

Met behulp van kleurfoto's en -verspreidingskaarte asook maklik leesbare teks, sal die beginner- en ontluikende natuurkenner die meer algemene diere van Suider-Afrika kan identifiseer, kan vasstel waar hulle voorkom, en meer te wete kom oor hul unieke gedrag en ongewone eienskappe.

Step back in time to the thrilling year of 1912, where rugby forged its indomitable spirit, and a legendary team emerged to win all five of the international matches they played. "The Forgotten Springboks" takes you on a voyage with this iconic South African national rugby team, as they embark on an extraordinary tour of England, France, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.

Led by Billy Millar, the tour captain, the Springboks embarked on a quest that would forever change the course of rugby's narrative. As they set foot on foreign soil, they were met with a mix of curiosity and skepticism, but these determined men were ready to showcase the strength of their spirit and the finesse of their game. Yet this remained unrecorded, until now.

The book delves into the heart-stopping moments on the field, where every try, every scrum, and every tackle took the spectators' breath away. With unparalleled unity and skill, the Springboks defeated their opponents, carving a path of triumph wherever they went. Each match was a test of their mettle, and each victory became a testament to their unwavering determination.

Beyond the rugby pitches, the book offers an intimate glimpse into the lives of these remarkable individuals who went on to become soldiers, farmers, miners, and doctors who faced major adversity.

Grondwater sluit aan by die vorige bundels van die gevestigde digter Marlise Joubert, maar het ’n boustof wat getuig van ’n nuwe stel lewenservaringe wat dit laat affilieer by die groeiende tradisie in Afrikaanse laatwerk.

Dit is ’n bundel wat spreek van die spreker se terugblik op ’n leeftyd, die besef van eie sterflikheid en die ontginningsproses van die biologiese en psigologiese wortels van die mens, van die impak van ouerfigure en veral van die gestorwe moeder.

Besides being a world-famous game-viewing destination, the Kruger National Park is home to an incredible diversity of bugs, beetles, butterflies, spiders, scorpions and other creepy-crawlies. This richly illustrated, beginner-friendly guide is ideal for the casual visitor keen to identify and learn more about the Park’s smaller inhabitants.

Find out what happens inside a termite mound, how ladybirds protect themselves from predators, and why dung beetles race to fresh dung pats.

Aimed at the popular market, this book:

• Spans 30 groups, including moths, beetles, wasps, crickets and spiders, and features over 200 commonly encountered species
• Contains vivid photographs of Kruger’s most interesting and attractive critters
• Unpacks noteworthy behaviours and biology
• Introduces key concepts, such as mimicry, cryptic coloration, metamorphosis, parasitism and pollination
• Includes bug-watching and photography tips for beginners

Part of the NATURE NOW series, this beginner-friendly, richly illustrated guide is an informative and entertaining read, sure to appeal to visitors who want to make the most of their visit to the Kruger National Park.

The Amaryllidaceae family is mainly distributed in warm temperate and tropical parts of the world and has approximately 75 genera and 1,600 species. This field guide follows hot on the heels of The Amaryllidaceae of Southern Africa (published in 2016), and the addition of 560 photographs and several new paintings in this field guide makes for an even more effective guide for identification in the field. Author Graham Duncan provides a botanical description for each species, along with synonyms, brief history, flowering period, similar species, life cycle, distribution, habitat, medicinal/poisonous properties, pollination, cultivation, and conservation status. Maps accompany the text, along with colour photographs and botanical paintings. This superb field guide will be treasured for years to come.

In this autobiographical account of a lifetime spent observing, researching and photographing birds, Peter Steyn shares experiences that span some 70 years.

His story starts and ends in Cape Town, South Africa, but in between we read about:

• the 17 years he spent in Zimbabwe – his most productive in terms of ornithological research
• his worldwide travels in a quest to study birds
• his regular spells as a lecturer on cruise-ship voyages
• trips from the Arctic to the Antarctic, to remote Southern Ocean islands and to several Indian Ocean islands and St Helena
• travels also to the USA, South America, Australia, New Zealand and Ethiopia – all in pursuit of birds

His detailed and fascinating memoir captures the author’s great enthusiasm for birds and their role in his shaping his life and experiences.

Kingdom of Daylight: Memories of a Birdwatcher is well illustrated and features more than 400 photographs taken during Peter’s lifelong journey with birds.

Sasol First Field Guide to Insects of Southern Africa provides fascinating insight into the insects of the region.

Full-colour photographs , distribution maps and easy-to-read text will help the budding naturalist to identify the more common insect groups that occur in southern Africa, discover where they occur, and learn about their behaviour and unusual features.

Die Pharos Afrikaansgids bied eenvoudige riglyne vir spelling en skryfwyses volgens die 2017-uitgawe van die Afrikaanse woordelys en spelreëls en is KABV- geskik. Dit dek die belangrike taalsake wat oor leerders se pad kom en is 'n praktiese, alledaagse gids vir voorgraadse studente en ander taalgebruikers.

- Deel A bevat naslaanlyste van woorde wat dikwels spellingprobleme oplewer, meervoude en verkleining, intensiewe vorme, vergelykings en idiome.

- Deel B is ’n naslaangedeelte wat belangrike en algemene taalreëls aan die hand van eenvoudige definisies en enkele voorbeelde verduidelik.

- Deel C bevat nuttige inligting oor byvoorbeeld sinsoorte, woordorde in sinne en die konstruksie van paragrawe. Daar is ook ’n kort oorsig oor tekstipes.

Natural history and travel writer David Bristow delivers the fourth in his Stories from the Veld series of non-fiction narratives.

You could say this book has a bit of everything: scientific descriptions of animals alongside philosophical discourses on the nature of wilderness, high drama in the jaws of death, and tragedy played out as farce when things go unexpectedly wrong on safari.

You’ll also find out why lions can roar so loudly, why giraffes can barely whisper, why the elephant’s trunk is one of nature’s wonders and why dung beetles study astronomy. The author examines questions featuring little-known information about nature and some of its creatures.

Then there is the quirkier stuff, like men who think they are lions, a woman who watches wolves (otherwise known as brown hyenas), and an explorer who invented his own species. And if that was not enough, there’s the man who fought off hippos and crocodiles only to be rescued by a buffalo, and a woman who lived in a tree.

Written in the same engaging style as his previous three books in the Stories from the Veld series (The Game Ranger, the Knife, the Lion and the Sheep; Of Hominins, Hunter Gatherers and Heroes; and Big Pharma, Dirty Lies, Busy Bees and Eco Activists), these bush tales are written in his usual highly entertaining style, yet are intricately woven through with scholarly insights into his subjects.

'n Heruitgawe van die eerste digbundel uit die pen van Andre Letoit, vandag beter bekend as Koos Kombuis. "Ek sal nooit vergeet hoe opgewonde ek was toe ek die dag my eerste gepubliseerde boek … deur die pos ontvang het nie,” skryf Koos Kombuis oor Suburbia se eerste druk. 'n Jaar voor daardie heuglike dag is die voornemende digter egter deur 'n uitgewery aangeraai om “nooit weer publikasie [te] oorweeg nie” en net te “skryf vir ... terapie”. Maar sy verse sou “viriel regop staan soos mielies in die geel transvaal” en hierdie herdruk, 21 jaar later, is ’n viering daarvan.

John Stanford’s anecjokes are yarns against adversity, told with elegance and wry humour.

Spanning half a century from the 1930s to the 1980s, they range from the psychology of sheep to frozen tractor valves to ancestral aunts. Many of the same characters re-appear, forming a patchwork of stories that becomes a rich and lively portrait of both an extended family and a farming community.

How does the sea snake swim? What is a 'hinged' tortoise? Who cleans a crocodile's teeth? Do toads cause warts? How do some frogs survive the dry season?

Children will find the answers to these questions – and many other interesting facts – while enjoying hours of fun colouring in a selection of our most striking reptiles and amphibians (frogs and toads).

There are more than 40 to colour in, each providing budding artists and inquisitive children with a snippet of knowledge as they work through the book. In the middle of the book is a gallery of all the featured creatures, but this time in colour, giving a clear guide as to which shade of crayon or paint to use when colouring in the outlined images throughout the book.

Insektopedie lê die betowering en ryke verskeidenheid van die wêreld van insekte bloot. Dit deurgrond hul fassinerende gedrag en biologie – van paring en broeigedrag, metamorfose en beweging tot sig, reuk, gehoor en hul aanpassings by hitte en koue.

’n Hoofstuk oor superorganismes ondersoek die merkwaardige verskynsel van sosiale gemeenskappe; ’n ander een dek die kritieke rol wat dié diertjies speel om die fyn balans van lewe op ons planeet in stand te hou.

Die boek sluit af met ’n 60-bladsy geïllustreerde veldgids wat die meeste insekordes en hul belangrikste families beskryf. Voorheen as Inseklopedie van Suider-Afrika gepubliseer, maar die nuwe uitgawe is nou grondig hersien en herontwerp, met die nuutste inligting, ’n uitgebreide ID-seksie en ’n paar honderd nuwe foto’s.