Dara writes beautifully about his experiences in nature. He is passionate about the natural world and his role in protecting it and enhancing our relationship with it. This diary also evokes his family life and the wonderful closeness between him, his parents and siblings. It was an eye opener into the challenges faced by autistic teenagers especially in mainstream schooling. Even if you're  not especially interested in nature, it's a beautiful, albeit at times challenging, read.

This book had beautiful nature descriptions and lush, eloquent prose. Dara is an old soul keenly attuned to the natural world. He cares for it with a passion. It was also a meditation on coming of age and accepting the way one's brain processes the world. The entires give a view into Dara's mind and some of the struggles and strengths of being autistic. As someone with an autistic younger brother, I appreciated the opportunity to understand another autistic person's thoughts and experiences. I felt like it connected me to my brother just a little bit more. I loved Dara's family and their relationship. They are a sweet, quirky bunch who love each other fiercely and create their own little safety net in a harsh world. Their love for each other is the backbone of this story. Overall, a reflective and relaxing (most times, except for the parts on bullying and mental health struggles. I got a deeper knowledge and appreciation for the ecology of Northern Ireland. 

“... I know that my hand will always be outstretched, to nature and to people. Because we're not separate from nature. We are nature. “

So beautifully written. It feels so personal and precious and captured me from the first page. Emotional and truly inspiring.

One of the most beautiful and interesting books I've ever read.

This is an amazing debut and I'm curious to see how McAnulty's writing improves with experience. For me, the pacing was a bit off sometimes but the language was full of color and I could just see myself in the places being described. It really made me want to go sit outside and notice all the little things about where I live. I also appreciated learning about what the world feels like from an autistic perspective and I loved how the family supported and cared for each other.