The Secret Jobs of Backyard Creatures: The Illustrated Animal Encyclopedia That Makes Every Child Love Nature
Your backyard has never been so official.
The Secret Jobs of Backyard Creatures by Claire Monroe is the wildly funny, secretly educational illustrated encyclopedia that turns every creature in your garden into a corporate employee with a very important job title. 50 backyard animals. 50 ridiculous — and completely accurate — job descriptions. One book your child will read, reread, and read again.
The earthworm? He's the Chief Soil Restructuring Officer, tunnelling beneath your lawn on company time. The owl blinking from the fence post? That's your Senior Overnight Surveillance Analyst, logging suspicious activity since dusk. Every creature in your backyard has been secretly on the clock this whole time — and your child is about to find out exactly what they've been up to.
More than just a funny book — it's a full nature education in disguise:
- 🔍 Seek-and-Find on Every Spread — Hidden objects tucked into every double-page illustration keep sharp-eyed readers hunting long after the first read. Magnified detail panels and naturalist callout bubbles reward the ones who look closest
- 😂 Jokes and Riddles on Every Page — Funny enough to read aloud at bedtime, clever enough that adults laugh too. This one works for solo readers and family read-alouds alike
- 🌿 Secretly Educational — Every job title is a real, accurate nod to what the creature actually does in nature. The laughs come with genuine learning built right in — and kids absorb it without realising
- 📖 Built to Be Revisited — Children come back to spot what they missed the first time. The seek-and-find element means every read-through reveals something new
Book 1 of the Secret Animal Jobs series.
The perfect book for the child who asks a million questions, the one who's always poking around in the garden, and the reluctant reader who just needs the right hook to fall in love with reading. And the perfect gift for literally any occasion — because every child deserves to know that the ladybird on the rose bush has a very important meeting to get to.
Your backyard has 50 employees. Time to meet the team.
The Wacky Chemistry Lab combines comics and science to create a learning experience kids genuinely enjoy.
Stop Fighting Over Screen Time. Start a Backyard Obsession Instead.
Give them a book so funny they'll forget the iPad exists — packed with 50 real creatures, ridiculous job titles, and hidden surprises on every single page.
🔍 Meet Every Backyard Employee — 50 creatures with hilariously accurate corporate job titles that secretly teach real nature science
😂 Discover the Ridiculous Truth — Every job title is real — the earthworm really is restructuring your soil on company time
🌿 Build Real Nature Knowledge — Genuine wildlife science absorbed through laughter, without a textbook in sight
👁 Eliminate the Boring — Seek-and-find hidden objects on every spread keep kids coming back to look for what they missed
The Book That Turns "I'm Bored" Into "Wait, the Ladybird Has a Meeting?"
Real Curious People
Interesting elements
"My daughter just corrected her teacher about earthworms. I'm not even sorry. 😂🪱 We got The Secret Jobs of Backyard Creatures last week and she has not stopped talking about it. Every creature in our garden now has an official title and she will tell anyone who stands still long enough what their job responsibilities are. The Chief Soil Restructuring Officer (earthworm) is apparently very busy and deserves more respect. Her words, not mine. Seriously though — this book is brilliant. Funny enough that she laughs out loud, educational enough that she's actually retaining information, and the hidden seek-and-find on every page means she keeps going back to it. It's everything you want in a kids book. Get it. You won't regret it. #BackyardCreatures #KidsBooks #ClaireMonroe #NatureEducation #Onera #FunnyKidsBooks"
"As a primary school teacher I'm always looking for books that make learning feel effortless. The Secret Jobs of Backyard Creatures does this better than almost anything I've come across in the nature and science category. The conceit is simple but brilliantly executed — giving each backyard creature an accurate corporate job title that reflects its real ecological role. What makes it work is that the humour isn't a distraction from the content; it's the delivery mechanism for it. Children remember the joke, and with the joke they remember the fact. The seek-and-find element embedded in every double-page spread adds further value — it trains observational skills and rewards repeated reading. I've recommended it to several parents in my class already. Shelved in: Children's · Science · Nature · Educational · Highly Recommended"
"I have three children and very few books create genuine competition between them. This one did. My son (7) got to it first and my daughter (9) was annoyed about it for the better part of an afternoon. What I love most is how naturally the education happens. My son now knows what a ladybird actually does in a garden ecosystem. My daughter has been spotting creatures on our walks and announcing their job titles. Neither of them is aware they've learned anything — they just think they've read a funny book. The illustrations are beautiful and the seek-and-find hidden objects are genuinely well hidden — even I had to look carefully. A rare book that works for the whole family. Shelved in: Children's · Nature · Animals · Family Favourites · Must-Buy"
"Replying to @kidsbookclub — YES this is the one get it immediately 🌿📖 I've been talking about The Secret Jobs of Backyard Creatures for two weeks and people keep asking which book it is so HERE IT IS. My daughter (8) has been obsessed. The job titles for each creature are absolutely hilarious — the owl as the Senior Overnight Surveillance Analyst is her favourite — and she's been going outside to find each one and report back on what they're doing on company time. She learned more about backyard wildlife in one weekend with this book than in a whole term of school science. And she had no idea she was learning anything. Get it from Onera. Link in bio. You can thank me later. #SecretJobsBackyardCreatures #ClaireMonroe #BookTok #KidsBooks #NatureLovers #ScreenFreeKids"
"I want to leave this review because I genuinely wasn't expecting much and I was completely wrong. I bought The Secret Jobs of Backyard Creatures for my two children — aged 6 and 9 — after seeing it recommended in a parenting group. I thought it looked fun but assumed it would be a one-read wonder they'd put down after a weekend. It is now three weeks later and the book is still in constant rotation. My youngest loves the illustrations and the hidden seek-and-find objects. My older one has started keeping a list of every creature she's spotted in our garden and their official job titles. She's been outside every afternoon this week — away from screens, in the garden, looking for employees. I haven't managed that with any other book, any activity kit, or any toy this year. Ordered from Onera. Delivery was fast and it arrived beautifully packaged. I've since ordered the ocean creatures edition and I'm considering the whole Claire Monroe range. — Caroline W., mother of two"
What Our Customers Are saying...
My son has read it four times and still finds new things
I bought this on a whim after seeing it recommended online and I genuinely did not expect my 8-year-old to react the way he did. He opened it at the dinner table and started reading out the job titles to everyone — loudly, with full commentary. The earthworm one had him in tears of laughter.
What really got me was that three days later he came to me and told me that worms are actually really important for soil and that they're basically engineers. He learned that from this book without even realising it. The seek-and-find element means he keeps going back and finding things he missed.
Four reads in and he's still not done with it. That has never happened with any book we've bought him.
Verified Purchase · Helpful to 2,341 people
Bought it for my reluctant reader. She read the whole thing in a weekend.
My daughter is 9 and getting her to read anything has been a battle for the past two years. She'd much rather be on her iPad or watching TV. I've tried everything — chapter books, graphic novels, puzzle books. Nothing stuck.
This one stuck. She picked it up on Saturday afternoon and by Sunday evening she'd been through the whole thing. She then came to find me to tell me about the owl's job title and explain what owls actually do at night. I had to pretend I didn't already know because she was so proud of telling me.
The combination of the humour and the seek-and-find is genius. It doesn't feel like a book. It feels like a game.
Verified Purchase · Helpful to 1,876 people
The book that finally got my kids away from the TV 🌿📖
The book that finally got my kids away from the TV 🌿📖
I've been trying to find something — anything — that would get my three off their screens for more than twenty minutes. This did it.
The Secret Jobs of Backyard Creatures by Claire Monroe has been passed between all three of them for the past week. The youngest (6) loves the pictures and the seek-and-find. The middle one (8) keeps reading out the job titles in his most serious voice. The oldest (10) has started identifying creatures in our actual garden and telling us their official job titles.
I could not have planned this better if I tried. 10/10 would buy again and already ordered the ocean one.
Got ours from Onera — fast delivery, beautifully packaged. 🙌
#SecretJobsOfBackyardCreatures #ClaireMonroe #KidsBooks #Onera #ScreenFreeKids #NatureLovers
My daughter just corrected her teacher about earthworms. I'm not even sorry. 😂🪱
My daughter just corrected her teacher about earthworms. I'm not even sorry. 😂🪱
We got The Secret Jobs of Backyard Creatures last week and she has not stopped talking about it. Every creature in our garden now has an official title and she will tell anyone who stands still long enough what their job responsibilities are.
The Chief Soil Restructuring Officer (earthworm) is apparently very busy and deserves more respect. Her words, not mine.
Seriously though — this book is brilliant. Funny enough that she laughs out loud, educational enough that she's actually retaining information, and the hidden seek-and-find on every page means she keeps going back to it. It's everything you want in a kids book.
Get it. You won't regret it.
#BackyardCreatures #KidsBooks #ClaireMonroe #NatureEducation #Onera #FunnyKidsBooks
My daughter just corrected her teacher about earthworms. I'm not even sorry. 😂🪱
My daughter just corrected her teacher about earthworms. I'm not even sorry. 😂🪱
We got The Secret Jobs of Backyard Creatures last week and she has not stopped talking about it. Every creature in our garden now has an official title and she will tell anyone who stands still long enough what their job responsibilities are.
The Chief Soil Restructuring Officer (earthworm) is apparently very busy and deserves more respect. Her words, not mine.
Seriously though — this book is brilliant. Funny enough that she laughs out loud, educational enough that she's actually retaining information, and the hidden seek-and-find on every page means she keeps going back to it. It's everything you want in a kids book.
Get it. You won't regret it.
#BackyardCreatures #KidsBooks #ClaireMonroe #NatureEducation #Onera #FunnyKidsBooks
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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 return in store credit.
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Satisfaction 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 return in store credit.
CLAIM NOW
100% Satisfaction
Fast Shipping
Easy Returns
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about our products, shipping, returns, and more.
What age is The Secret Jobs of Backyard Creatures suitable for?
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The book is written to work brilliantly for a wide range of young readers. The humour, illustrated format, and seek-and-find element make it instantly engaging for children who are just beginning to read independently, while the nature content and hidden detail panels give older children plenty to discover. Whether your child is just starting to read solo or is a confident reader who loves animals and science, this book has something that will hook them.
Is this book actually educational or just funny?
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Both — and that's exactly the point. Every ridiculous job title is a real, accurate description of what that creature actually does in nature. The earthworm really is restructuring your soil. The owl really is conducting overnight surveillance. The humour is the delivery mechanism for the science, which means children absorb genuine wildlife knowledge without it ever feeling like learning. Parents and teachers consistently report that children retain the information because they remember the joke first.
What is the seek-and-find element and how does it work?
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Every double-page spread in the book contains hidden objects for children to track down, along with magnified detail panels and naturalist callout bubbles to explore. This means the book is never truly finished — there's always something new to spot on a page you've already read. It's one of the main reasons children return to it again and again, and why parents find it keeps their child engaged far longer than a standard picture book.
Is this part of a series? Are there more books like it?
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Yes — The Secret Jobs of Backyard Creatures is Book 1 in Claire Monroe's Secret Animal Jobs series. Book 2, The Secret Jobs of Ocean Creatures, follows the same format with 50 ocean creatures and their equally ridiculous (and equally accurate) job titles. If your child loves the backyard edition, the ocean edition is the natural next read — and many parents buy both together as a gift set.
What is your return policy?
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We're so confident in the quality of our products 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 store credit — so you can find something you'll love.
How long does shipping take and is this a good gift option?
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All orders are processed and shipped within 1–2 business days, with standard delivery arriving within 3–7 business days depending on your location. Expedited options are available at checkout if you need it sooner. The Secret Jobs of Backyard Creatures makes an exceptional gift for birthdays, Christmas, or any occasion — it's the kind of book that gets talked about long after it's been unwrapped. If you're buying as a gift, simply enter the recipient's shipping address at checkout.
Is this book actually educational or just funny?
+
Both — and that's exactly the point. Every ridiculous job title is a real, accurate description of what that creature actually does in nature. The earthworm really is restructuring your soil. The owl really is conducting overnight surveillance. The humour is the delivery mechanism for the science, which means children absorb genuine wildlife knowledge without it ever feeling like learning. Parents and teachers consistently report that children retain the information because they remember the joke first.
Is this part of a series? Are there more books like it?
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Yes — The Secret Jobs of Backyard Creatures is Book 1 in Claire Monroe's Secret Animal Jobs series. Book 2, The Secret Jobs of Ocean Creatures, follows the same format with 50 ocean creatures and their equally ridiculous (and equally accurate) job titles. If your child loves the backyard edition, the ocean edition is the natural next read — and many parents buy both together as a gift set.
How long does shipping take and is this a good gift option?
+
All orders are processed and shipped within 1–2 business days, with standard delivery arriving within 3–7 business days depending on your location. Expedited options are available at checkout if you need it sooner. The Secret Jobs of Backyard Creatures makes an exceptional gift for birthdays, Christmas, or any occasion — it's the kind of book that gets talked about long after it's been unwrapped. If you're buying as a gift, simply enter the recipient's shipping address at checkout.