Micahel R. Jeffords and Susan L Post have circled the globe — and explored their neighborhood — collecting images of the natural world. Their new book, “Curious Encounters with the Natural World: From Grumpy Spiders to Hidden Tigers” opens their personal cabinet of curiosities to tell the stories of the pair’s most unusual encounters.

From the “necking” battles of mate-hungry giraffes to the breathtaking beauty of million of monarch butterflies at rest, Jeffords and Post share 200 stunning photographs and their own insightful essays to guide readers on a spectacular journey to see the diverse life inhabiting our planet.

Meet the authors and get a copy of the book signed at a reception hosted by the Prairie Research Institute and University of Illinois Press.