Dara McAnulty

Rediscover the outdoors and natural world with the multi-award winning phenomenon and youngest ever major literary prize winner in UK history. 'Miraculous memoir . . . profoundly moving' Observer 'Dara is an extraordinary voice and vision: brave, poetic, ethical, lyrical' Robert Macfarlane 'It's a diary but essentially timeless . . . It's really, really special' Chris Packham WINNER OF: THE WAINWRIGHT PRIZE FOR NATURE WRITING 2020, AN POST IRISH BOOK AWARD FOR NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR 2020, BOOKS ARE MY BAG READERS AWARDS FOR NON-FICTION 2020; SHORTLISTED FOR: BRITISH BOOK AWARDS 2021, WATERSTONES BOOK OF THE YEAR 2020 & LONGLISTED FOR: THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE 2020 ___________ 'This diary chronicles the turning of my world, from spring to winter, at home, in the wild, in my head.' Evocative, raw and lyrical, this startling debut explores the natural world through the eyes of Dara McAnulty, an autistic teenager coping with the uprooting of home, school, and his mental health, while pursuing his life as a conservationist and environmental activist. Shifting from intense darkness to light, recalling his sensory encounters in the wild - with blackbirds, whooper swans, red kites, hen harriers, frogs, dandelions, Irish hares and more - McAnulty reveals worlds we have neglected to see, in a stunning world of nature writing that is a future classic. Diary of a Young Naturalist is a powerful and scintillating portrayal of the beauty of the natural world, as it shines a light on autism and of overcoming severe anxiety. It is a story of the binding love of family and home, and how we can help each other through the most difficult of times. ___________ BIG ISSUE BOOK OF THE YEAR HAY FESTIVAL BOOK OF THE YEAR A TIMES NATURE BOOK OF THE YEAR 'An extraordinary diary . . . it's a powerful pitch for why the school curriculum needs to be wilded and a reminder of the value of neurodiversity in literature' The Times 'A torrent of pure, unmediated fervour . . . This is writing at its wild and unruly best' Dr Rachel Clarke 'Diary of a Young Naturalist is not only one of the finest pieces of modern nature writing produced on this island in recent years, McAnulty is one of our best young writers in any genre' Irish Independent 'An exceptional new voice. Dara McAnulty celebrates nature in such a fresh way and illuminates our understanding of autism' Martha Kearney, chair of the Baillie Gifford Prize 2020 'One of the most talented and passionate writers of our era' Steve Silberman, award-winning author of NeuroTribes ___________

Winner of the Wainwright Prize for Nature Writing 2020

Diary of a Young Naturalist

Join brilliant young naturalist Dara McAnulty, winner of the 2020 Wainwright Prize, on a nature walk and experience the joy of connecting with the natural world on your multi-sensory journey.This beautiful gift book, illustrated in full colour by Barry Falls, is divided into five parts: looking out of the window, venturing out into the garden, walking in the woods, investigating heathland, and wandering on the river bank.Each section contains a discovery segment where you will have a closer look at natural phenomenon - metamorphoses, migration, categorization in the animal kingdom - amd concludes with an activity to do when you get home. Activities include: planting wild flowers, building a bird feeder, pond dipping, making a journey stick, and constructing a terrarium.Dara gives detailed information about each habitat and provides fantastic facts about the native flora and fauna you will find there, including wrens, blackbirds, butterflies, tadpoles, bluebells, bees, hen harriers, otters, dandelions, oak trees, and many more. The book with advice for young conservationists and how to follow the countryside code.

Wild Child

Aviary

Journal d'un jeune naturaliste

Een beeldend, ongepolijst, levendig en prachtig geschreven dagboek waarin de wereld en de natuur wordt verkend vanuit het perspectief van een autistische tiener, natuurbeschermer en milieuactivist. 'Dapper, poëtisch, ethisch, lyrisch en zo krachtig dat hij al op jonge leeftijd wordt gehoord en bewonderd.' - Robert MacFarlane 'Een onmisbaar boek, dat in feite tijdloos is. Het gaat over pijn, over passie, schoonheid en verbinding. Het is heel, heel bijzonder.' - Chris Packham In zijn Dagboek van een natuurjongen houdt de vijftienjarige Dara McAnulty bij hoe zijn wereld verandert, van voorjaar naar zomer, van herfst naar winter, thuis, op school, buiten in de natuur en in zijn hoofd. Beeldend, ongepolijst, levendig en prachtig geschreven: in dit bijzondere boek wordt de wereld verkend vanuit het perspectief van een autistische tiener, die bezig is met huiswerk, examens en vriendschappen naast zijn leven als natuurbeschermer en milieuactivist. Vol ontzag en verwondering beschrijft Dara de bijzondere ontmoetingen in zijn tuin en in het wild, ontmoetingen met merels, zwanen, rode wouwen, kiekendieven, kikkers, paardenbloemen, leeuweriken, vleermuizen, pinksterbloemen, sneeuwhazen en allerlei andere soorten. Met eenzelfde kracht en warmte schildert hij een liefdevol en ontroerend portret van zijn familie: een hecht gezin dat zijn eigen weg zoekt in de wereld. Een uniek boek van een zeer jong talent, dat nog lang zal blijven nazingen in het hoofd van elke lezer. Dara McAnulty (2004) woont met zijn ouders, broer en zusje en hun adoptiewindhond Rosie aan de voet van de Mourne Mountains in Noord-Ierland. Hij werkte mee aan natuurprogramma's op radio en televisie en is ambassadeur van de Britse dierenbeschermingsorganisatie, de iWillcampagne en het Jane Goodall Institute. Zijn werk werd al diverse keren onderscheiden.

Dagboek van een natuurjongen

Join brilliant young naturalist Dara McAnulty – winner of the 2020 Wainwright Prize for his book Diary of a Young Naturalist – on a nature walk and experience the joy of connecting with the natural world on your multi sensory journey. This beautiful gift book, illustrated in full colour by Barry Falls, is divided into five sections: looking out of the window, venturing out into the garden, walking in the woods, investigating heathland and wandering on the river bank. Dara pauses to tell you about each habitat and provides fantastic facts about the native birds, animals and plants you will find there – including wrens, blackbirds, butterflies, tadpoles, bluebells, bees, hen harriers, otters, dandelions, oak trees and many more. Each section contains a discovery section where you will have a closer look at natural phenomenon such as metamorphoses and migration, learn about categorization in the animal kingdom or become an expert on the collective nouns for birds. Each section finishes with an activity to do when you get home: plant wild flowers, make a bird feeder, try pond dipping, make a journey stick and build a vivarium. Dara ends the book with advice for young conservationists and how to follow the countryside code.

Dara McAnulty

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