Catherine Barr

Catherine writes books to spark questions, inspire curiosity and provoke action to protect the natural world. After campaigning with Greenpeace for years, she trained as a journalist and became Editor at the Natural History Museums. She wrote her first book The Story of Life (in collaboration with the Museum) after searching in vain for a simple science book about evolution for her children. It has now sold over 80,000 copies worldwide and 2024 celebrates the 10 year anniversary of this ongoing series.

Catherine has now written over 35 nonfiction picture books. Her book Fourteen Wolves: a rewilding story was shortlisted for the Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize and The Tigers’ Tale also in this series, was shortlisted for the ASE Book of the Year. A proud Patron of Reading of a local school on the Welsh borders, Catherine visits schools around the UK to run workshops on evolution, endangered species, climate change, rewilding and other issues that inspire her books.

Upcoming publications

A Bear Belongs: A rescue story (Bloomsbury, April 2025)

The perfect follow-up for fans of Fourteen Wolves, this uplifting eco story follows the amazing true tale of three endangered sun bear cubs. Meet Tan-Tan 'the tiny one', Kitud 'the quiet one' and Boboi 'the big brother', and follow them from their heartbreaking beginnings as little cubs stolen from their natural habitat, through to their heroic rescue by Dr Wong before being released back into the wild Bornean rainforest where they belong. Featuring insightful fact pages about the amazing flora and fauna of the rainforest and its importance to the ecosystem, alongside inspiring information about how to save the bears.

Latest publications

The Story of Dinosaurs: A first book about prehistoric beasts (Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, August 2024)

This brilliant book introduces the dinosaurs that once roamed our planet. Using bitesize text and beautifully bright illustrations, this is the perfect book for dinosaur lovers everywhere.

The world was once full of magnificent beasts, big and small, who stomped across the land, soared through the skies and swam through waters deep and murky. Dinosaurs witnessed the shaping of our mountains, continents, seas and deserts and eventually an asteroid that would wipe out half of all life on Earth. This is the exciting and dramatic story of dinosaurs and how they lived on our planet.

Also in this series:

The Story of Life: a first book about evolution

The Story of Climate Change: a first book about how we can help save our planet

The Story of Conservation: a first book about protecting nature

Wildlife Crossings: Protecting animal pathways around the world (Otter Barry Books, March 2024)

Our planet is criss-crossed by a network of ancient pathways, reflecting the journeys of millions of animal species in search of food, water, safety and mates. But human development is blocking these vital ‘ribbons of life’. Animal habitats are shrinking into isolated and unconnected patches of nature.

Track the journeys of seven amazing animals. Discover why they are in trouble, follow their journeys and find out how scientists and campaigners across the world are creating ‘wildlife corridors’ to keep animals safe and on the move.