They say that no one in the British Isles lives more than an hour or two from the coast, a coastline of contrasts with scenery that changes from estuaries, shingle beaches, saltmarshes and sand dunes, to rocky shores, rugged cliffs, machair and bustling harbours.

Our shores are teeming with wildlife, be it in the water, on the tideline, clinging to cliffs or in the skies above them, and this beautiful book you can learn more about familiar and favourite coastal species and some intriguing lesser-known marine creatures.

Season by season, Celia Lewis's wonderful illustrations show the flowers, birds, animals, fish and insects found at that time of year. Her craft projects, using driftwood, pebbles and shells, are suitable for all ages and will encourage you to put beachcombed mementos to surprising uses. Or get creative with food and work some foraged ingredients into tasty recipes by Celia and many of our best seafood chefs.

We all love spending time near the water's edge, so next time you feel like stretching your legs along a coastal path, fancy a day trip to the seaside or are planning balmy summer holidays, dip into An Illustrated Coastal Year and be inspired by the incredible diversity of wildlife to be found around our little archipelago.

Celia Lewis is an accomplished artist and the author of the bestselling Illustrated Guide to Chickens, Illustrated Guide to Pigs and Illustrated Guide to Ducks and Geese and Other Domestic Fowl.

Celia started her art career studying life and portrait charcoal drawing with Signorina Simi in Florence. She is now a member of a dynamic art group and several art societies in Surrey where she lives. She has won several prizes including the 2005 Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour (RI) medal and Royal Watercolour Society (RWS) Winsor & Newton Prize 2009.

Living in the country Celia is lucky enough to be able to keep hens and pigs in her garden and, along with nearby cows and sheep, this is where she finds her inspiration. Although working mainly in watercolour she has now branched out into acrylics.

“The book is a veritable symphony of the sea.” —BBC Wildlife

“Artist Celia Lewis's tone is fresh and breezy, but beneath the low-key charm lies a trove of riches and reminders about the UK coast.” —BBC Wildlife

“Dotted throughout the book are celebrations of glorious British wildlife ... lovingly depicted in exquisite detail making them a joy to pore over.” —BBC Wildlife

“Lewis captures the spectacular shades of the British coastline with a deft and colourful touch.” —BBC Wildlife

“This beautifully illustrated book will enhance any visit to the seaside.” —Coast

“Celia Lewis combines her own beautiful watercolours with informative text, showing how seasons change at the water's edge. Birds, animals, fish and insects - they are all here.” —This England

“This is an artistic look at life along the seashore” —Bird Watching

“The seashore is uncovered season by season in this delightfully illustrated book ... the author's watercolours, linocuts and informative commentary highlight and identify what you might see or pick up during a walk along the tideline or a coastal path.” —Choice

“This is a visual delight of a book exploring the varied fauna and flora, from small to large, that can be found in the water and onshore around the British coast during the year ... It contains some beautiful watercolours of a wide variety of wildlife from otters and puffins, to porpoise and starfish.” —Countryside

“We all love spending time near the water's edge, so next time you feel like stretching your legs along a coastal path, fancy a day trip to the seaside or are planning balmy summer holidays, dip into An Illustrated Coastal Year and be inspired by the incredible diversity of wildlife to be found around our little archipelago.” —Land Love magazine

“A delightful book easy to dip in and out of, that both pleases the eye and educates at the same time.” —The Landsman