BOOKS & CO - The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Peculiar Pairs - Sami Bayly

SHORTLISTED CBCA BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2022 - EVE POWNALL AWARD

Come along for another fresh take on the animal kingdom from bestselling author and illustrator, Sami Bayly.

Discover 60 of the most peculiar pairs in nature and learn how plant and animal species rely on each other for their survival.

Whether it be a rare tick living in the fur of a pygmy possum, a stick insect feasting and hiding out amongst the Melaleuca or a handfish laying its eggs on a sea squirt, incredible natural relationships deserve to be explored and celebrated. Investigating all types of relationships, from symbiotic to parasitic, this is an eye-opening guide to the natural world.  

Many species steer clear of those who are different, but the animals and plants in this book have evolved to form relationships with some of the most unlikely partners, and they couldn't live without them. 

This gorgeous hardcover book is illustrated in exquisite detail by award-winning author and illustrator, Sami Bayly. The perfect companion to The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Ugly Animals and The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Dangerous Animals.

About the Author/Illustrator

Sami is 25 years old and is currently based in Armidale, NSW. She has released three books, The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Ugly Animals, The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Dangerous Animals and The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Peculiar Pairs in Nature, published by Lothian - Hachette Australia, which is available for purchase from all good bookstores. You can also purchase from her directly through the ‘shop’ section above.

Over the years Sami has won and been nominated for numerous awards, receiving Highly Commended for the Community Educator of the Year in the 2021 Environmental Education Awards.
Her first book, The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Ugly Animals won the Children's Indie Book of the Year Award and the Best Designed Children’s Non-Fiction Illustrated book held by the Australian Book Design Awards. In the USA it was the 2020 GOLD Winner for the Juvenile Non-Fiction Award, held by Foreword Reviews.
It received the Honour Award for the CBCA Eve Pownall Award and was shortlisted for the ABIA Book of the Year for Younger Children and the ABA Booksellers' Choice 2020 Book of the Year Awards.

Her second book, The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Dangerous Animals, received the Honour Award for the CBCA Eve Pownall Award and was shortlisted for the Children's Indie Book of the Year Award, the ABIA Book of the Year for Younger Children and the Queensland Literacy Awards for the Children’s Book of The Year.
Both books have been published overseas in numerous countries, including the UK, USA and Russia, with more to come.

Sami is trained in scientific illustration through a bachelor of Natural History Illustration (Honours) at the University of Newcastle, Australia.
She is inspired by artists like William T. Cooper and other natural history illustrators, after seeing their work whilst growing up.
She loves to try new mediums and techniques as she never knows what style she might fall in love with next. However, at this point in time her most preferred medium is watercolour, and she loves to illustrate any animal that can be defined as weird, wonderful or even ugly!

If you want to be kept up to date with her process, book signing, workshops and even see some sneak peaks of her upcoming books, then follow her on social media.

Sami is available for school visits, workshops or other events, so if you have enquiries any of the above, please do not hesitate to contact via the below links.