Their preferred habitat is open grasslands. They use seasonal migration as an optimal survival strategy to access and use large areas of resources, minimising overgrazing in both dry and wet seasons. As always, Julia Donaldson’s rhyming is fabulous. It is never forced or awkward and, with its rhythm and wit, is always a pleasure to read. The illustrations by Axel Scheffler are again lovely. His style is instantaneously recognisable and very child-friendly. The message of the book is charming - that beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder and that we are perfect just the way we are.

However, much like the marabou storks, vultures have a crucial role to play in nature. They’re respected members of Africa’s ‘ clean-up crew’ for their ability to keep our wildlife reserves tidy. Warthogs love to wallow! To cool off, warthogs will submerge themselves in water. They love to wriggle in the mud, as it cools them and provides protection from biting insects. Think of some speech / thought bubbles to add to the illustrations. What are the animals saying / thinking?

5. Warthog

Some sources single out the lappet-faced vulture as the vulture’s representative in the Ugly 5. Although most of Africa’s 11 vulture species could make the cut – none are blessed with particularly good looks. The stomach acid of a vulture is more powerful and corrosive than that of other birds or animals. These scavengers can eat rotting carcasses infected by dangerous bacteria, as the acid kills the bacteria and does not threaten their health. There would be lots of ways to incorporate The Ugly Five into teaching. It would fit beautifully into any topic work on Africa or animals, particularly looking at how animals are suited to their habitats and the idea of food chains - both the vulture and the hyena are seen scavenging - and also how animals grow. Sure, they have a rather odd posture, an unflattering grin, and a slightly sinister face. Their portrayal in The Lion King didn’t do much for their reputation either. But hyenas are hardly hideous, and their cubs are even particularly cute.

There are three species of hyena in the Hyaenidae family. Namely, the striped hyena, brown hyena, and spotted hyena. The lesser-known aardwolf is an additional member in the same family. Look through the story and sort some of the words that the author uses to describe the animals (e.g. ugly, spindly, graceful, divine). Which ones are positive and which are negative? Their faces are pointy with strange-looking snouts, and their tusks aren’t exactly pretty. Then there’s their leathery skin which is peppered with exactly the wrong amount of coarse hair. One of my television songs, A SQUASH AND A SQUEEZE, was made into a book in 1993, with illustrations by the wonderful Axel Scheffler. It was great to hold the book in my hand without it vanishing in the air the way the songs did. This prompted me to unearth some plays I’d written for a school reading group, and since then I’ve had 20 plays published. Most children love acting and it’s a tremendous way to improve their reading.Both males and females have a set of horns, and they use this as a defense mechanism but are not always that successful as their horns grow to the side of their heads. Another very interesting about wildebeests is that they have a set of pre-orbital glands on their faces. And can be seen rubbing their faces in dirt patches, thus marking their territory, but also advertise themselves to females. The Marabou Stork On the ground, all that hopping around with the head extended isn’t lovely. And granted, the naked head of a lappet-faced vulture can be ugly to the uninitiated, but if you look at a noble Cape vulture profile, you’ll gasp in admiration.