Extinct on its island home of Mauritius since the end of the 17th Century, the dodo has captured the imagination of the western world. Its peaceful nature, comic appearance and tragic end have inspired science, art and literature.
The Oldest Dodo in the World came about when the author discovered that one of their ancestors, Emmanuel Altham, had visited the island of Mauritius in 1628 and had sent a letter home to his brother in Essex, including various trinkets and "a dodo, should it live". Fascinated by this history, the author decided to write a book, mixing historical facts with fiction in an enchanting story for children, imagining the dodo to still be alive in a "little village in England" but to be kept secret!
Beautifully illustrated by Stina Spangenberg Becherel.