The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Extinct Animals – Sami Bayly

Hachette Australia

September 2024

9780734421395 | RRP $32.99

Watch this interview with Sami from The Morning Show to hear more about this latest book.

It seems almost incredible to realise that Sami Bayly is not yet 30 ! [maybe that’s me because I’m so senior citizen now], given her amazing catalogue of titles thus far. This is the 4th in the encyclopedia series and it is every bit as spectacular as the previous 3 – this is one hella talented young woman for sure!

As Sami says in her interview, there are lots of fascinating creatures in the world, about which many of us know very little and there are certainly some that are now sadly no more, that are pretty well known. But what about those others, who were – for one reason or another – made to disappear from our planet and who are no longer remembered?

This is an opportunity for kiddos to explore a fascinating array of creatures from both long ago and the more recent past, as well as think about some who are now critically endangered – on the brink of extinction unless we are very careful.

Each double spread follows the same format: Description, Extinction Status, Location/Habitat, Diet and Fun Facts as well as the illustration and a graphic showing size relative to a human. As a Jasper Fforde fan, of course, I loved the dodo page [haha!] and others known to me already e.g. Tasmanian tiger, passenger pigeon, Northern gastric brooding frog and Quetzalcoatlus but did I know about the Pugnacious Wedge-seal? No! I sure didn’t but what a fantastic name. I can’t wait to throw that casually into a conversation soon.

This is exactly the right book for the reader who loves to dip in and out, flick over pages, backtrack, re-read, imagine and be scientific. I would suggest that any kiddo from around 8 or 9 (with some help perhaps with vocabulary at points) would be delighted with this. And with Xmas hurtling towards us, what a much-appreciated stocking stuffer it would make. There are teaching notes, should you want to use it in a classroom. Personally, I see it with far more appeal to the independent reading for pleasure scenario. Your small artists might also like to see Sami’s time-lapse art tutorials as well.

I love it as much as I love Sami’s other work, which is always astonishing, fascinating and brilliant and I have no idea what emoji to choose really but I’m giving it a 5 🦕🦕🦕🦕🦕 rating for readers from around Year 3 upwards.