How Old Is a Whale? Animal Life Spans from the Mayfly to the Immortal Jellyfish

We are all on Earth but for a fleeting moment, yet no two lives are the same. From the delicate mayfly, which lives for just a few precious hours, to the death-defying immortal jellyfish, this book about animal life cycles is a celebration of creatures big and small.

Beautifully written by best-selling children's author Lily Murray, this book explores life spans across the animal kingdom, beginning with the very shortest and ending with the longest. Learn about the lives of the incredible monarch butterfly, the mysterious axolotl, the grand Galápagos tortoise, and many more in this uplifting and eye-opening book. Discover creatures who are born within a day of their mothers and others who stay infantile for almost one hundred years.

Stunning illustrations by highly commended artist Jesse Hodgson perfectly capture each animal in their natural habitat, making this both an ideal gift book as well as an educational read.

Lily Murray grew up in the wilds of snowy nowhere, spending much of her time talking to animals and making up stories. She has continued to do this in her adult life, and now writes both fiction and nonfiction books for children. Her titles include Dinosaurium, Beneath the Waves, and Hidden Habitats: Water.

Jesse Hodgson studied illustration at the University of the West of England. She now lives and works in Bristol, England, where she has a studio space. She is the author and illustrator of several picture books. Her illustrations for Pongo were Highly Commended for the Macmillan Prize for Illustration.