LearnWell Co.
The Secret Jobs of Backyard Creatures
The Secret Jobs of Backyard Creatures is a full-colour illustrated field guide by Claire Monroe, built for curious kids aged 6–10 — and the grown-ups who never realised the garden was this busy.
Turns out your backyard is a fully staffed workplace. There's a Soil Chef working the dawn shift, a Delivery Pilot, a Recycling Director who's completely unbothered by what's in the ball he's rolling, and a Queen Bee running thousands of staff from a throne made of wax.
Fifty creatures. Fifty ridiculous job titles.
Every one of them real, and every one of them working right now under your feet.
- 🐝 Meet all 50 garden workers across 7 shifts — from the Dawn Underground Kitchen to the After-Dark Night Crew
- 🔍 Three hidden objects to find on every spread, tucked into warm full-colour watercolour
- 😄 Jokes the kids laugh at and the grown-ups groan at — read one creature at bedtime or get lost in a whole shift
- 🐛 Every silly job title is the creature's real job in nature — so the learning sneaks in while they're laughing
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The Backyard Detective Kit: 20 Bug Hunts & Hidden-Object Games (Digital)
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Who is this book for?
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Curious kids aged 6–10, and the grown-ups reading over their shoulder. If your child has ever poked a worm or asked what a bee is actuallydoing, this one's for them. The jokes are built to land for both of you.
What makes this different from other nature books?
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Most nature books hand kids facts. This one hands them a workplace. Every creature gets a proper job title — Soil Chef, Delivery Pilot, Recycling Director — and the joke is that the silly title is exactly what it really does out there. The learning sneaks in while they're laughing.
Does my child need to already love bugs to enjoy it?
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Not even slightly. This isn't a book that expects you to love creepy-crawlies going in — it's the one that makes you love them coming out. Kids who "don't like bugs" end up hunting for the worm in sunglasses on every page.
What does this book actually teach?
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Real nature, disguised as gossip about coworkers. Kids learn who breaks down the soil, who pollinates the flowers, who hunts the pests, and how a whole garden runs from dawn to midnight — without ever feeling like a lesson.
How should my child use it?
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Any way they like. It's built to be dipped into — 50 self-contained creatures, no right order, open anywhere. Read one at bedtime, hunt the hidden objects on a rainy afternoon, or disappear into a whole shift. Every page delivers on its own.
Show Them the Garden Was Never Just a Garden.
Look closer. There's a whole workforce out there.
The Secret Jobs of Backyard Creatures is a full-colour illustrated field guide by Claire Monroe, built for the moment a kid realises the backyard is quietly running itself.
Whether they're 6 or 10, wonder doesn't come from being told the facts — it comes from being handed a magnifying glass and a reason to look.
No lecture. No boring.
Just 50 tiny workers, 50 ridiculous job titles, all real.
Give them the garden — and watch them never see it the same way again.
They think it's a joke book. Tap and see.
Every silly job title is the creature's real job in nature. Tap a worker to meet the real animal behind it.
🪱
Soil Chef
Earthworm
Eats old leaves and roots and turns them into the richest food a plant could ask for. Its tunnels bring air and water to thirsty roots.
🐝
Delivery Pilot
Honeybee
Flies flower to flower carrying pollen, quietly keeping the whole garden growing. No bees, no blooms.
🪲
Recycling Director
Dung Beetle
Rolls away waste and buries it, making the soil richer and the grass greener. Completely unbothered by what's inside the ball.
🦔
Night Pest Inspector
Hedgehog
Patrols the garden after dark, clearing slugs and beetles that chew through plants. The night shift's most useful worker.
🕷
Architect
Spider
Designs and builds a fresh web every day to catch pests, then eats the evidence. Free pest control, no contract.
👑
The CEO
Queen Bee
Runs a workforce of thousands from a throne made of wax. Every worker in the hive answers to her.
FROM THE AUTHOR Written by a mum who had to make nature compete with a tablet.
Claire Monroe homeschools two nature-obsessed kids — which means every page of this book was field-tested on the toughest audience there is. Her rule: if it didn't make her kids laugh, look up, or run outside to check for themselves, it didn't go in.
The Secret Jobs of Backyard Creatures is Book 1 of the Secret Animal Jobs series — and the next edition is already a family favourite.
Customer Reviews
Sarah T,
38
Verified Buyer
Bought this for my 7-year-old and now she reads the bug jobs out to us at dinner. She was never into insects before this — now she's telling me what worms do for the soil. The hidden objects on each page keep her going back. Really happy with it.
Mark D,
41
Verified Buyer
My son flips straight to the grossest creatures first, obviously, but he's actually learning without noticing. The job titles crack me up too — a beetle with a proper job title shouldn't be this funny. Read one at bedtime and he asks for "one more."
Grandma Jo,
64
Verified Buyer
Got this for my grandson and he hasn't put it down. The pictures are lovely and it's real nature facts, not made-up nonsense. He keeps telling me who does what in the garden now. Lovely gift.
Tom H,
39
Verified Buyer
Wasn't sure a book about garden bugs would hold his attention, honestly. It has. The whole "everyone has a job" thing clicked with him straight away and now he can't walk past the garden without inspecting it. Money well spent.
TRUSTPILOT REVIEWS
Finally, Real Nature Facts
No made-up nonsense, just proper facts explained simple. Half of these I didn't know myself, so I'm learning too. We've been through it twice already.
He Flew Through It
Really solid book and my son loves it. Only thing is he went through it faster than I expected — glad there's a Book 2. No complaints though. Worth it.
The Gross Ones Got Him Reading
He went straight for the dung beetle and hasn't looked back. Whatever gets him reading, honestly. And it's real nature underneath all the giggling.
Great, Bit Big for Little Hands
Lovely book and the art is gorgeous. Only note is it's a big format so my 5-year-old needs it on the table, not the lap. She loves it regardless.
Bedtime Sorted
We read one creature a night and he begs for another. The job titles are genuinely funny. Even I look forward to it now.
Perfect Gift
Bought for my grandson's birthday and it was a hit. Beautiful pictures and real facts, not babyish. He's been quoting bug jobs at us all week.
My "Not a Reader" Reads This
He usually won't sit with a book. This one he does. The whole garden-is-a-workplace idea clicked and now he inspects every bug in the yard.
The Hidden Objects Are Genius
Didn't expect the seek-and-find part. He goes back to pages he's already read just to find the worm in sunglasses. Keeps its value way past one read.
Money-Back Guarantee
We're so confident in the quality of our product that we offer a satisfaction guarantee. If you're not completely satisfied with your purchase, simply return the item within 30 days for a full refund.
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Fast Shipping
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Money-Back Guarantee
We're so confident in the quality of our product that we offer a satisfaction guarantee. If you're not completely satisfied with your purchase, simply return the item within 30 days for a full refund.
CLAIM NOW
100% Satisfaction
Fast Shipping
Easy Returns
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about our products, shipping, returns, and more.
Who is this book for?
+
Curious kids aged 6–10, and the grown-ups reading along. If your child has ever poked a worm or wondered what a bee is really up to, this one's built for them.
Are there activities to do?
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Yes — three hidden objects to find on every single spread, tucked into the artwork. Kids go back to pages they've already read just to hunt them down, so the book keeps its value long past the first read.
Does my child need to already love bugs?
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Not at all. It's the book that makes kids love bugs, not the one that expects them to already. Plenty of "I don't like insects" kids end up hunting for the worm in sunglasses on every page.
How is the book structured?
+
As one full day in a working garden. Fifty creatures across 7 shifts — from the Dawn Underground Kitchen to the After-Dark Night Crew — each on its own two-page spread with a job title, field notes, jokes, and a specimen card.
What exactly does this book teach?
+
Real nature, disguised as workplace gossip. Kids learn who breaks down the soil, who pollinates, who hunts the pests, and how a whole garden runs from dawn to midnight — without it ever feeling like a lesson.
Is this only for young kids?
+
No. It's aimed at 6–10, but it's built to be dipped into at any age. The jokes land for grown-ups too, and the hidden-object hunts work for anyone with sharp eyes. Read one creature or disappear into a whole shift.
What makes it different from other nature books?
+
Most hand kids facts. This one hands them a workplace. Every creature gets a proper job title — Soil Chef, Delivery Pilot, Recycling Director — and the gag is that the silly title is exactly what it really does out there.
Would this make a good gift?
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It's one of the easiest gifts you can give a curious kid. Big full-colour format, gorgeous watercolour art, real facts, and jokes the whole family shares — it lands at birthdays and holidays every time.
Are there activities to do?
+
Yes — three hidden objects to find on every single spread, tucked into the artwork. Kids go back to pages they've already read just to hunt them down, so the book keeps its value long past the first read.
How is the book structured?
+
As one full day in a working garden. Fifty creatures across 7 shifts — from the Dawn Underground Kitchen to the After-Dark Night Crew — each on its own two-page spread with a job title, field notes, jokes, and a specimen card.
Is this only for young kids?
+
No. It's aimed at 6–10, but it's built to be dipped into at any age. The jokes land for grown-ups too, and the hidden-object hunts work for anyone with sharp eyes. Read one creature or disappear into a whole shift.
Would this make a good gift?
+
It's one of the easiest gifts you can give a curious kid. Big full-colour format, gorgeous watercolour art, real facts, and jokes the whole family shares — it lands at birthdays and holidays every time.