A wonderful book which perfectly captures the enthusiasm and passion the author has for wildlife and the environment which is enhanced by his autism. It also highlights difficulties Dara has faced with bullying and important observations of ways to improve the education system to appeal to a wider range of students. I was particularly struck by the incredible bond within Dara’s family and their collective love and excitement of the outdoors. An incredibly accomplished piece of writing and an astute mind. I can’t wait to see what he accomplishes in the future.

This is a beautifully written, intelligent and deeply personal journal by a young man who wants to share with us his love of wildlife and the natural landscape, while he struggles to fit into a world that doesn't always understand him.

Dara McAnulty is a teenager with the usual issues of exams, homework, school rivalries and friendships, but he also has to deal with his family moving house. He has a passion for environmental issues and a desire to make a difference in the climate crisis. And he has autism.

Keeping a diary of all that he sees in the countryside around him throughout the passing seasons helps him to feel grounded and capable of countering the challenges he faces elsewhere in his life.

He writes with careful and affectionate detail about the blackbirds, whooper swans, red kites, hen harriers, frogs, dandelions, skylarks, bats, cuckoo flowers, hares and much more.

He also tells us about his warm and loving family and, through sharing with clarity and honesty about the difficulties he faces in everyday social interactions, he opens up the world of autism powerfully and vividly.

It is a tremendous book which offers so much on many different levels.

It’s hard to say what is so compelling about this book. Is it the need to connect with nature in a year that had us all locked indoors? I found the writing took me away from my mundane living room and into the beauty of Northern Ireland, in the company of a brilliant 15 year old. It’s easy to see why this book - and this author - are getting accolades and awards.

Dara McAnulty is 15 and autistic and he writes like an angel - like an angel who loves nature, who truly “sees” things, and who has an incredible range of language to capture what he sees and feels, to enable us to experience it with him. He also has a lovely family and a great relationship with them.

I loved the descriptions of winter especially, as it was so clear and transporting. Recommended if you are looking for something to take you away from the everyday.

I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley in return for an honest review.

I remember seeing this book in hardcover for the first time and was engaged by the bright yellow cover and font, seemingly full of cheer, I was glad to have had the opportunity to read it on NetGalley and curious as to whether the content was going to reflect the inviting dust jacket.

The book written by Dara McAnulty won the Wainwright prize for nature writing when he was just sixteen. It was quite an achievement. and his love and interest in the natural world shines through on every page. Being autistic and having been tormented and bullied at school, nature provides him with comfort and solace. He doesn't dwell on being bullied, however, merely mentions it and focusses on what inspires and delights him.

His knowledge of the natural world is extraordinary. He's also an activist, and is involved with many projects which is incredibly inspiring. His family is also extraordinary...his sister is also autistic, and his parents have done a remarkable job of encouraging their children to explore - with parents like Dara has, anything could be possible!

Anyone with an interest in nature would appreciate this book for many reasons. Having read through a year of Dara's life, I was humbled and inspired by him. A remarkable young man, and a wonderful book.

WIth thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in return for an honest review.

14-year-old Dara McAnulty writes about his life, his passion for nature and his family. I thought this was quite wonderful - engaging, informative and, at times, challenging. Dara writes from the perspective of an autistic teenager; his explanations of how that plays out on a daily basis, and how he (and his family, three of whom are also autistic; all of whom are ‘close as otters’) find coping mechanisms are beautifully written. The importance of nature to him personally is clear, and I loved the concept of ‘noticings’.

It’s also interesting to read his journey through this year, as he moves house and starts to find his feet as an activist. What’s heartbreaking, and the challenge to us older generations, is that it shouldn’t fall on the shoulders of young people to act as ‘young leaders’, to clean up our environmental messes - what are we doing?

Altogether, a really good read - highly recommended, and I look forward to more of Dara’s writing in the future.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #EburyPress for the chance to review an ARC.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest, independent review.

Dara is an autistic teenager who is juggling schoolwork and fitting in at school. But when not at school, he is a passionate activist and conservationist.

His books have won four awards and counting, and I can see why. He is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about his subject, is someone on a mission to change the world, and writes in an extremely poetic way, something you'd expect of an older, experienced adult, not a young teen still at school; he writes far beyond his years. His way with words is just incredible!

Inspirational and definitely something everyone should read so they can learn to appreciate the nature around them, and learn what needs to change.

Well done, Dara! Certainly someone to watch!

What a wonderful book and so positive. I was not sure I knew enough about birds or nature to really appreciate this book but how wrong was I? It really is inspirational. I think the author has written this with such depth and understanding.
I think I understand so much more now both about Dara and the environment, on top of this there is a beauty and a magic too. I wish Dara all the best for his future endeavours and I hope he will share more of his knowledge and experiences with us

A beautifully written love letter to nature and the Irish countryside through the eyes of a bright, autistic teenager. Exploring close knit family bonds and the changing Irish seasons, the exquisite prose and careful description make this a joy to read. It’s one of those books which gives nature to you as a gift. I’m not in the least surprised it won awards.

Diary of a Young Naturalist
Dara McAnulty
ISBN (ebook) 9781473592209

This is a remarkable book. It is written by a teenager from Northern Ireland, who is both autistic and a passionate naturalist. He writes extraordinarily well with an eye for the details of the flora and fauna of his home area. While reading it, I was continually having to remind myself that this was written by someone still at school.
It’s a diary of a year when he was initially living in County Fermanagh and then the family moved to County Down with the worries for him of changing schools and landscapes. It’s clear that he has a loving and supportive family, all of whom except his father are on the autistic spectrum. He writes about his environmental campaigning, his work with the Raptor Study Group, the occasional visit to London for environmental demonstrations, and frequent family trips to country and forest parks and nature reserves. For me, the most interesting parts are his descriptions of the birds, insects and plants he sees on these visits and how this contact with nature helps keep him balanced. When observing seals on Rathlin Island he comments “I relate to their need for personal space, and their anti-social behaviour”.
I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in wildlife, autism, Ireland, or all three.

Diary of a Young Naturalist by teenager Dara McAnulty made a splash when it won the 2020 Wainwright Prize for nature writing, a deserved win, it charts a year in his life, the seasons in Northern Ireland, living in County Fermanagh and then the family move to County Down with its Mourne mountains, as he turned from 14 to 15 years old. His prose is incredible, an immersive experience of being autistic, as is everyone in his family except for his dad, how it felt to be bullied, being socially awkward in the presence of others, although he makes up for this by communicating wonderfully through his superior writing skills. His family is instrumental in developing his love of nature, a passion which saved him, grounding and protecting him from the chaos, judgement, and never ending noise of the outside world. Dara describes himself as a nature lover and conservationist at heart, whilst being a scientist in his head.

His experiences of the liberating joy of nature is intense, the environment, flora, fauna, birds is described in detail, putting him in direct contact with its incalculable value to the psyche, and in touch with the normal cycles of life and death, along with personal family deaths. It is worth noting that nowadays the NHS is now beginning to commonly prescribe immersion in nature, such as fishing, rather than doling out pills for mental health issues, outlining just how essential nature is to our survival, yet it is being depleted and degraded at ever faster rates. This is something that propelled Dara into activism, conservation and campaigning. This aspect of his life has not been easy for him, he is a punk at heart, intent on maintaining his independence and not be used by unscrupulous others. Dara relates not only the positive aspects of his life, but the more negative side too, his fears, insecurities, the rages and the depression, lending a real authenticity to his diary.

Dara's life and the innate intelligence displayed in his diary draws attention to how knowledge of and immersion into the natural world should be at the core of any educational system that prioritises the holistic needs of young people and for the rest of us on a regular basis, particularly as in more recent times young people are more likely to be protected from the 'dangers' of the great outdoors and ever more likely to be addicted to their screens and social media. This is a remarkably wide ranging, multilayered, and thought provoking diary, interspersed with poetry, and the myths, folklore and legends that are an intrinsic part of the land and people, written by a gifted young man, providing insights in many areas, autism, family life, Northern Irish nature and environment, conservation and hones in how the essential battle to save our environment is ultimately a battle to save ourselves. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Random House Ebury for an ARC.

I had heard some of this book when it was read on the BBC last year. As a result I was pleased to be able to read the book.

I feel this book is much more likely to be read in a school setting by teenagers than a number of the other biographies and autobiographies of wildlife experts such as Chris Packham's "Fingers in the Sparkle Jar". This is because the experiences which are related are more closely related to the experiences of other school pupils. The diary format is very useful as it gives short immediate insights into life for Dara. Some of the descriptions of the wildlife are poetic and delightful. The book does not replace my love of Romany books as my favourite wild life books - but at times this book is just as instructive about wildlife as the books of my childhood were.

The down side of using the diary format for the book is that at times it jumps from one type of wildlife to another and back again, this also happens with the locations and his experiences of school. This does not matter though because the book is about Dara's growth and maturity, how he can now cope with change whereas in the past this would cause him much pain. The diary reflects how nature has helped Dara cope with what some would see as his affliction, but I think this is not how the family and Dara himself see it. It also suggests ways that others should and could be helped and that some of these measures would probably be beneficial for all.

The diary does not explain how the book came to be published and how Dara had come to know Robert MacFarlane and Chris Packham among others. Something which I am interested to know, although I suspect it is because of his blog that this happened. I also wonder if the diary came about because someone saw the blog and used some of the entries for the diary. The audio I heard will have been abridged but the book itself is probably my favourite format.

Dara McAnulty writes beautifully. His descriptions of the natural world are pin-sharp and fresh, and it was a delight to see the natural world through his sharp eyes, and with his depth of knowledge.

While the focus of this book is the natural world, and the anger we should feel at its depletion, this is also a beautiful and warm account of family life. And anyone who works in a school should read this book to see the world throught the eyes of a person with autism.

I will be recommending this book to everyone, and cheering Dara on in his activism.

One of the most luminous books I've ever read. Dara McAnulty's love of nature and gentleness transpire from the very first to the very last sentence. There is both great maturity and a wonderful youthfulness in these pages. Dara depicts his own autism, but also that of his little sister and brother, with mind-blowing honesty and a refreshing eagerness to share the particular ways in which people on the spectrum experience the world. Diary of a Young Naturalist is a fantastically enriching read, both in terms of information and in its readiness to encourage kindness. If there were more Dara McAnultys around, our world would be such a better place!

What a remarkable voice, powerful and humble at the same time. For one so young to write just as eloquently about the natural world as established writers such as Robert Macfarlane is extraordinary.

No creature is too small to inspire wonder in Dara. Nature is observed in minute detail and it is such a sensory pleasure to experience with him sights, sounds, feelings through prose that is so evocative. There is much joy but also sadness and frustration at the encroachment of humans on the natural world..

The book taught me a lot about nature but just as much about the challenges of making your way in the world with autism. It was distressing to read about his dread of the school bullies but encouraging that nature and the unfailing support of his family have helped him to navigate all the problems life throws at him and enable him to find his way to hope at the end of this diary. Activism is clearly exhausting but Dara has great self-awareness and has developed a range of strategies to ground him when things feel out of control. I am full of admiration.

This book should be required reading in schools. The momentum of youth activism against climate change must not be lost as action right now is essential for the current younger generation and those who follow to have a planet fit for habitation, not only for themselves but all the creatures with whom we share our beautiful world..

What a gorgeously written and emotive account of three seasons’ observation of the world around him from this very young author. He describes in almost sensory detail the wild places he visits with his family, the wildlife and plants he sees there and his responses to these experiences, along with comments on his daily life and inner feelings, his hopes and fears for the world he is growing up in. I feel privileged to have been on these journeys with him.

A few passages that struck me especially:

‘Dara, my name, means ‘oak’ in Irish, and sitting up in the branches of that majestic tree, feeling the pulse of a life that has been growing in Castle Archdale soil for nearly five hundred years, I was clinging to my childhood by a twig.’

‘I feel the need to be brave but am unsure how I can be. The world is so confusing most of the time. The noise, the images, the instructions. Orders, demands. All clamouring, always clamouring. Shouting above it all seems impossible. Should we all be content with changing a little corner of our world?’

‘In a fast-paced and competitive world, we need to feel grounded. We need to feel the earth and hear birdsong. We need to use our senses to be in the world. Maybe, if we bang our heads against a brick wall for long enough, it will crumble and fall. And maybe the rubble can be used to rebuild something better and more beautiful, enabling our own wildness. Imagine that.’

An inspirational read and I look forward to following his progress as an activist and author.

What a quiet, unassuming joy this book is. Dara McAnulty is an Irish teenager living with autism, who finds his passion, confidence and reassurance in birds, plants, trees, insects and the myriad other things that make up our natural world. He has devoted himself to savouring and saving all that this world has to offer, as a diarist, writer, speaker and activist. His gentle soul shines through in his extraordinarily beautiful writing, along with his mission to persuade us all that our planet has far too much wonder for us to continue plundering and destroying nature in the way that humanity has for so long. This wonderful book should be on all secondary school book lists, along with being required reading for CEO’s of all the companies that take so much from the earth and return so little. If this all sounds too worthy, I beg you to read the book, as you will undoubtedly be changed for the better by it.