Sixteen-year-old Dara McAnulty wins Wainwright prize for nature writing
Diary of a Young Naturalist hailed as astute and candid' by judges, who call for the book to be added to national curriculum
Dara McAnulty, a 16-year-old secondary-school student from Northern Ireland, has seen off competition from established writers to win the Wainwright prize for nature writing, for his debut Diary of a Young Naturalist.
McAnulty started his wildlife blog, Young Fermanagh Naturalist, when he was 12. He started writing Diary of a Young Naturalist at 14, documenting the year from spring equinox to spring equinox, from his 14th to 15th birthday. In it, he recounts his life as his family moves across Northern Ireland, transporting him away from his beloved local forest, changing schools and dealing with bullying. McAnulty, who is autistic along with his two siblings and his mother, seeks sanctuary in nature as he juggles school, friendships and environmental campaigning.
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