'Beautifully illustrated with an oil painting, each species is depicted in the habitat in which it is usually found. … An enchanting work, suitable for anyone with an interest in coastal UK wildlife.' - BBC Countryfile

'I'm not a natural naturalist but occasionally when you see something bobbing by that isn't shredded plastic, it's nice to know what it is. This book allows you to do this. Chris Thorogood keeps it simple too, with nice big pictures and short but informative explanations of what the creature mentioned is. ... it's always handy to have such a guide.' - Sailing Today

'Science Book Gift Guide 2019: This short book contains 56 gorgeous colour reproductions of oil paintings by the author portraying creatures that can be found at low tide along the shoreline of the British Isles (and in many cases along shorelines elsewhere as well).' - American Scientist

This veritable marine treasure trove of a book is richly illustrated by the author, with fifty of the most beautiful, easily encountered, and sometimes astonishing marine organisms found on British coasts, from seemingly exotic seahorses and starfish, to peculiar sea-potatoes and sea lemons.

Together, these characterful critters paint a colourful picture of life between the tides: starfish that, upon losing an arm, can grow a new one; baby sharks hatching from their fancifully named ‘mermaid’ purses’; ethereal moon jellyfish pulsating in the current and, on some seabeds, even coral. Beachcombing, overturning a boulder or simply parting the strands of seaweed in a rock pool offer a glimpse into a thriving underwater world of curious creatures.

Inspired by the Oxford University of Natural History’s exceptionally rich zoology collections, which contain millions of specimens amassed from centuries of expeditions, this book tells the story of life on the seashore.

Chris Thorogood is a biologist at Oxford University (Deputy Director and Head of Science at Oxford University Botanic Garden), and a wildlife artist.

• Hardback
• 128 pages, 210 x 148 mm
• 50 colour illustrations
• ISBN: 9781851245345
• Publication September 2019
  In association with Oxford University Museum of Natural History