In ‘Lost Land of the Volcano’, Steve was the first outsider to enter the Volcano Mount Bosavi – where the team discovered as many as 40 new species, including the largest rat in the world! Steve also took part in a brutal caving expedition opening up new passage in Mageni Cave in New Britain. Next, Steve joined the Natural History Unit’s fledgling expedition team, making the first ascent of a jungle peak and dropping into a vast sinkhole in the Mulu mountains in ‘Expedition Borneo’. In ‘Lost Land of the Jaguar’he made the first ascent of Mount Upuigma in Venezuela, slept on the vertical cliff face and found unknown species of animals on the summit. He also abseiled to the bottom of the Kaiteur Falls in Guyana to the soaked wonderland below.

Book Day gallery? Can you spot your photo in our World Book Day gallery?

James, aged 5, dressed as Tintin on World Book Day 2019. Photo: Louise Hewitt (Image: Louise Hewitt) Children at Norwich Primary Academy dress up for World Book Day 2019. Photo: Norwich Primary Academy (Image: Norwich Primary Academy)

Can you spot your photo in our World Book Day gallery?

Millie and Olivia Seely, aged 9 and 7, as Gangtsa Granny and Mary Poppins. Photo: Louise Seely (Image: Louise Seely) All the hyperbole is true. You can take almost anyone and double their breath-hold in a day of training. You can get them 20m underwater in a couple of days,” he says. “It’s impossible to talk about it without sounding really woo, but it’s a transcendental experience, one that puts you very in touch with your own body, very aware of where you’re at.” An orca circled me, then flipped over to show her tummy. It was magic A childhood dream leading to a journey of a lifetime. It all began after a rainy-day visit with his family to an exhibition of artefacts from Papua New Guinea. From that moment on the seven-year-old boy was captivated: he knew this was somewhere he needed to go, this was a place he needed to explore. But how could a boy from the suburbs go about becoming an explorer? Ollie Davis, aged 7, and Charlie Read-Cook, aged 5, with 8 month old baby sister Isla Warmer on World Book Day 2019. Photo: Charlotte Cook (Image: Charlotte Cook) Children at Charles Darwin Primary in Norwich dress up for World Book Day 2019. Photo: Charles Darwin Primary (Image: Charles Darwin Primary)

Books — STEVE BACKSHALL

Corton Primary School celebrated World Book Day 2019. Photo: Corton Primary School (Image: Corton Primary School) Elisha Coe, aged 8, from Scarning, as Mary Poppins on World Book Day 2019. Photo: Tammy Coe (Image: Tammy Coe)

Michael as Gangster Granny and Daisy as Red Riding Hood on World Book Day 2019. Photo: Daisy Soall (Image: Daisy Soall)

Deadly 60 | BBC Earth Deadly 60 | BBC Earth

Ellis, aged 6, dressed as Mr Toad from the Wind in The Willows. Photo: Paula Matthews (Image: Paula Matthews)

Hemsby Primary School celebrate World Book Day 2019. Photo: Hemsby Primary School (Image: Hemsby Primary School)