Diary of a Young Naturalist chronicles the turning of 15-year-old Dara McAnulty’s world. From spring and through a year in his home patch in Northern Ireland, Dara spent the seasons writing. These vivid, evocative and moving diary entries about his connection to wildlife and the way he sees the world are raw in their telling.
Diary of a Young Naturalist portrays Dara’s intense connection to the natural world, and his perspective as a teenager juggling exams and friendships alongside a life of campaigning. ‘In writing this book,’ Dara explains, ‘I have experienced challenges but also felt incredible joy, wonder, curiosity and excitement. In sharing this journey my hope is that people of all generations will not only understand autism a little more but also appreciate a child’s eye view on our delicate and changing biosphere.’
Extent: 224pp | Format: Hardback | Publication Date: 25 May 2020
ISBN: 9781908213792 | Price: £16
Also, available from all good bookshops
Praise for Dara McAnulty & Diary of a Young Naturalist
‘This book is very pertinent. It’s a diary but essentially timeless. It’s about enduring, it’s about passion, beauty and connection. It’s really, really special’’ Chris Packham
‘McAnulty’s writing glows with his deep sympathy for the natural world.’ Tim Flannery
‘Our planet and its wildlife are in a dire state, but if anyone can help save them, Dara can – and he’s bringing our generation along with him.’
Bella Lack
‘Dara McAnulty’s account of a year looking at nature is breathtaking.’ Philip Marsden
‘A beautifully written, profoundly important classic of nature writing that will ignite a passion for the wild in every reader. A stunning achievement. I adored it.’ Lauren St John
‘Dara’s is an extraordinary voice and vision: brave, poetic, ethical, lyrical, strong enough to have made him heard and admired from a young age.’ Robert Macfarlane
‘Diary of a Young Naturalist is a special book indeed. Candid, beautifully written and astonishingly mature for one so young, it vividly conveys its author’s intense connection to the natural world.’ Caroline Sanderson, Bookseller
About Dara
Dara lives with his mum, dad, brother Lorcan, sister Bláthnaid and rescue greyhound Rosie in County Down, Northern Ireland. Dara’s love for nature, his activism and his honesty about autism, has earned him a huge social media following from across the world and many accolades: in 2017 he was awarded BBC Springwatch ‘Unsprung Hero’ Award and Birdwatch magazine ‘Local Hero’; in 2018 he was awarded ‘Animal Hero’ of the year by the Daily Mirror and became ambassador for RSPCA and the iWill campaign; in 2019 he became a Young Ambassador for the Jane Goodall Institute and became the youngest ever recipient of the RSPB Medal for conservation. READ MORE>>
