Dara McAnulty notices things other people don't--a hen harrier in the trees, a forgotten feather on a trail, a butterfly's wings fluttering against his chest. This knack for observation makes him an excellent recorder of changes in the natural world in his insightful and heartfelt book, Diary of a Young Naturalist. Over the course of a year, McAnulty keeps a journal as he and his family explore various landscapes near their Northern Ireland home. Only 16 years old, McAnulty writes with the wisdom of someone much older. His lyrical prose mourns the destruction of nature, but also something more personal--the loss of the childlike ability to revel in new experiences and express unbridled joy when bullies and the rote tasks of adulthood loom. "Wildlife is my refuge," McAnulty declares. "When I'm sitting and watching, grown-ups usually ask if I'm okay. Like it's not okay just to sit and process the world, to figure things out and watch other species go about their day."
McAnulty's fascination with nature serves a dual purpose: it keeps him connected to his work as an environmental activist and, as an individual with autism in an increasingly overwhelming society, it also helps him remain centered. In particular, McAnulty struggles to connect with peers who routinely misunderstand and mock him. Instead, he finds a sense of belonging with other naturalists and within his close-knit family, as his mother and two siblings are also on the spectrum. Moving and inspiring, McAnulty's book offers an invigorating and ultimately hopeful look at the world. --Angela Lutz, freelance reviewer