Did you know that the collective noun for a group of pandas is an ‘embarrassment’? Or that Great Barracudas can live for up to 18 years? Or that mosquitoes are slow flying (even though they’re often impossible to swat) but the Black Marlin is extremely fast swimming at 128km/h? I didn’t know any of these fascinating facts until reading this beautifully created, educational book.
Sami Bayly, an award-winning Australian author and illustrator, has a number of these Illustrated Encyclopaedias under her belt, covering Ugly, Dangerous, Peculiar Pairs, Extinct and now Fast and Slow, animals.
Each of the 60 animals described in this book gets a double page spread – on one side is a beautiful illustration, the other side is broken down into headings describing the animal, their location, their speed, conservation status, diet and fun facts. This breakdown of information makes it very readable and you can dip in and out rather than learn about all the animals at once.
Sami graduated from the University of Newcastle with a Bachelor of Natural History Illustration (Honours) and you can tell. The illustrations are stunning and although very realistic they feel very artistic as well.
This book is recommended for 8 years and up and I think it would be a fabulous addition to any primary school library or for use in the classroom.
Reviewed by Amanda Brinkman
Age Guide 8+
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sami Bayly is a natural history illustrator based in Newcastle, NSW, who loves all things weird and wonderful. She finds the beauty and importance of all animals regardless of their appearance, and hopes to share her appreciation with others.
Sami’s first book, The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Ugly Animals, won the Children’s Indie Book of the Year Award and the Australian Book Design Award for Younger Readers. It was a CBCA Honour Book and was shortlisted for an ABIA Book of the Year for Younger Children and longlisted for the ABA Booksellers’ Choice 2020 Book of the Year Awards. Her second book, The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Dangerous Animals, was a CBCA Honour Book, an ABIA Book of the Year for Younger Children, won an Australian Book Design Award for Younger Readers and was shortlisted for the Children’s Indie Book of the Year 2020. The final book in the series, The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Peculiar Pairs, was shortlisted for the CBCA Eve Pownall Award and longlisted for Children’s Indie Book of the Year Award. Sami’s most recent book is How We Came to Be: Surprising Sea Creatures.
Sami is currently based in Newcastle, NSW.
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