Yes, yes, yes!
Award-winning author/illustrator Sami Bayly has created another superb
book.
It is the next book in her Illustrated
Encyclopaedia series: The Illustrated
Encyclopaedia of Extinct Animals.
Some of Bayly’s other books include: The Illustrated
Encyclopedia of Dangerous Animals and How We Came to
Be: Surprising Sea Creatures.
The
Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Extinct Animals is a beautifully produced book
with debossed (indented) lettering on the cover, cloth quarter binding and
in-built satin ribbon bookmark, all features that help to make it both durable
and a book worthy of gifting. In addition, the cover and internal design as
well as typesetting is by award-winning book designer, Astred Hicks.
Upon opening
The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Extinct Animals, I scan the contents page which features a silhouette of each animal in the book and note a few entries for megafauna. I don’t know about you, but any book with megafauna draws me in straight away. Of course, I’m referring to animals such as the giant marsupial diprotodon, which was related to wombats and koalas. Did you know that the diprotodon is the largest marsupial to have ever walked the Earth and became extinct about 25,000 years ago? Amazingly, these animals lived at the same time as the First Nations people in Australia for more than 20,000 years. Hang on there’s also a giant monotreme! Hackett’s giant echidna was about 1 metre long and weighed around 30 kg (about the weight of a ten-year-old child). Mind-blowing!
For each animal in the book, there is a double
page spread and information under the subheadings: Description, Extinction
Status, Location/Habitat, Diet and Fun Facts as well as illustrations. These
illustrations are exquisitely good. Each animal is depicted in watercolour with
precision and detail. One of my favourites is the Kangaroo Island assassin
spider with its pelican-looking head. Bayly has created rich patterning on the
spider’s abdomen and its long, spear-like legs are stunning.
There are not only extinct species in this volume
but also near-extinct species, reminding us of human’s impact on other animals.
The Kangaroo Island assassin spider is critically endangered so hopefully the
curiosity and joy generated by this book helps encourage readers to make good
choices regarding the beautiful wildlife that we have around us.
In terms of use in the classroom, on top of
inspiring animal lovers, this book provides a great opportunity to model
headings, subheadings and tier 2 and 3 vocabulary. There are also teachers’ notes with other ideas. Thank you
Sami Bayly for another beautiful book filled with wonderment. My
eleven-year-old son adores his collection of your work.
Title: The Illustrated Encyclopaedia Of Extinct Animals
Author/Illustrator: Sami Bayly
Publisher: Lothian
Children's Books, $32.99
Publication Date: 25 September 2024
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9780734421395
For ages: 7+
Type: Junior Non-Fiction