A delightfully illustrated story that is both entertaining and informative.

Life in an ant colony is portrayed by Arnold Ant who is nearing the end of his life as the colony’s father and grandfather. The importance of positive behaviours is emphasised by the ordered hierarchy within the ants’ family. A story that engages a wide age range of children.

Arnold Ant is a wise old ant. He loves telling the young ants stories. One night he sits down with the youngsters and tells them all about their ant family.

He explains all about the ants living in colonies. Who the worker and builder ants are, and what they do. He also tells the little ones all about the ants that looked after them when they were just pupae, and about Queenie, their Queen ant, whose job it is to keep the colony growing.

The ants were all enthralled by Arnold’s story, and enjoyed learning all about their large family.

This lovely children’s book teaches children all about ants in a fun, enjoyable manner, incorporating the factual information in a wonderful story. The illustrations are bright, bold and beautifully drawn, and give a perfect visualisation to the words.

At the back of the book is 32 pages of work sheets for children to practice their grammar, writing, comprehension skills.

Arnold Ant is a fantastic book, that not only makes for great reading, but educates too.

Alice Horwill is a retired, registered primary school teacher. She lives in a small rural town in central Victoria, Australia.

As well as writing children’s stories, she assists her husband in the breeding of angora goats for their fine and lustrous mohair. As a volunteer Alice is involved in many community organisations, including one of the two local primary schools where she assists students with their literacy activities.

Her childhood days were spent on a small farm in the country, where she loved the outdoors and spent much time admiring nature’s small creatures. This background helped her in creating Arnold thus recognising the ants’ intelligence and the creation of their ordered and sophisticated hierarchy.

Arnold Ant is her second published book; she trusts you will warm to this adorable character just as she has.

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