DIARY OF A YOUNG NATURALIST (PB)

At the age of five, Dara McAnulty was diagnosed with Asperger's/autism. By seven, he was aware of his isolation and when the bullying started, nature became more than an escape: it was a life-support system. This evocative, raw and beautifully written chronicle of 15-year-old Dara's home patch in Northern Ireland features diary entries from one spring to the next about his connection to wildlife and the way he sees the world, juggling homework, exams and friendships alongside his life as a conservationist and environmental activist. Winner of the Wainwright Prize 2020.