Dara McAnulty

An astonishing, evocative exploration of the natural world and all its wonders, by 15-year-old conservationist and rising literary star Dara McAnulty

Diary of a Young Naturalist

DARA. MCANULTY

DIARY OF A YOUNG NATURALIST.

Daniel Toke Hansen

This is a wonderful book with beautiful descriptions of feelings, and thoughts!
The young Dara McAnulty (the author) takes us on an eye-opening journey into the wonderful world of insects, birds, and trees. He teaches us that we are connected to nature. Great experiences with nature can be found all over the country but also in our backyard and if we cultivate biodiversity rather than monocultures we'll see even more- think of that next time you are going to mow your lawn. Leave a patch untouched and see for yourself “how life finds its way” as they say in Jurassic Park:-)
Besides being a book about his fascination/connection with nature, Dara also describes the ups and especially downs of being on the autism spectrum. In his own words he describes how he manages his anxiety but also what causes/triggers it. 
It’s a beautiful and brave story from a young naturalist who struggles with finding his place in society and in the fight for climate justice.
In my opinion, Dara is a true activist with several actions and activities to attest to that. Yet he is still not convinced he is doing enough or if he is the right person to do it. This is partly due to social media (SoMe) and the comments he has gotten over time. Like many others, he seems to forget how much harm SoMe does to him and that can be seen in the book. He lets us in when he's vulnerable and describes how awful SoMe (remarks) makes him feel, but later has forgotten that experience and praises SoMe for being a valuable tool. This to me is an important red flag for his future wellbeing that he needs to address and take actions on.

My three takeaways:
1. A better understanding of people on the autism spectrum and how to create an environment that makes them feel comfortable and part of society instead of an outsider
2. Wildlife can be found in your own backyard and on an individual level actions can be done to create more and better conditions for biodiversity
3. Get out a get wet - it feels good to be in and with nature:-)

Gelaine Trinidad

Karis Ryu

WINNER OF BOOK OF THE YEAR, NARRATIVE NON-FICTION BRITISH BOOK AWARDS 2021 Rediscover the 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 ALSO 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: 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' 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 ___________

Katie Galvin

Sara Holman

Mirella Hetekivi

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 ___________

Diary of a Young Naturalist

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