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The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Fast and Slow Animals

Brief Description
Is the Australian tiger beetle faster or slower than a basset hound? Find out all about some of the world's fastest and slowest animals in the latest beautifully illustrated encyclopaedia from award-winning author and illustrator Sami Bayly. Whether you like to take things fast or slow,... Read More
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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description
Is the Australian tiger beetle faster or slower than a basset hound? Find out all about some of the world's fastest and slowest animals in the latest beautifully illustrated encyclopaedia from award-winning author and illustrator Sami Bayly.

Whether you like to take things fast or slow, you will lose yourself in this stunning encyclopaedia filled with incredibly detailed illustrations and fun facts about some of the most fascinating fast and slow animals in the natural world.

Featuring facts and astonishing illustrations about sixty amazing fast and slow animals, including the super speedy black marlin, the cheetah and the gentoo penguin, and the oh-so-slow dwarf seahorse, the gila monster, and the immortal jellyfish.

Children and adults alike will wonder at these speedy and not-so-speedy animals.

Praise for Sami Bayly's Books

'Stunningly illustrated and deeply informative' THE AUSTRALIAN WOMEN'S WEEKLY

'Beautiful and detailed . . . A treasure trove, ideal for 8-year-olds and older who are interested in natural history and fascinating creatures' SCHOOLDAYS MAGAZINE

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780734421418

Publisher: Hachette Australia

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 30 September 2025

Country: Australia

Imprint: Lothian Children's Books

Audience: Children

DIMENSIONS

Weight: 300g

Pages: 128

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 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 books are How We Came to Be: Surprising Sea Creatures, How We Came to Be: Creatures of Camouflage and The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Extinct Animals.

To keep up to date you can follow Sami on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samibayly

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