My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell

From the back of the book:
Escaping the ills of the British climate, the Durrell family, acne-ridden Margo, gun-toting Leslie, bookworm Lawrence and budding naturalist Gerry, along with their long-suffering mother and Roger the dog - take off for the island of Corfu. In a series of colourful villas, the yellow to accommodate friends, the white to avoid having to put up family, the Durrells give a sometimes reluctant home to a trail of local fauna, among them scorpions, geckos, toads, bats and butterflies. Recounted with immense humour and charm, this is a wonderful account of a rare, magical childhood.

Gerald Durell has written a huge number of books about his family, his adventures as a naturalist trying to create a zoo, we well as some fiction. I enjoy all his books as they are written with a great deal of humour. Younger children will need to read them with a dictionary, though.