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The Observologist: A Handbook for Mounting Very Small Scientific Expeditions

by Giselle Clarkson

A field guide to the overlooked

Regular price $20.80 USD
Regular price $34.67 USD Sale price $20.80 USD
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Awards & Recognition

  • Editorial selection

    National Library of New Zealand Best Children's Books of 2023 selection

    Included in Best Children's Books of 2023.

  • Critical praise

    Starred review from Kirkus Reviews

    Starred review praising the book as likely to spark close observation of the natural world.

AlbakiReads Editorial

A field guide to the overlooked

Tiny creatures and everyday traces of nature become subjects for close observation in this illustrated guide. More than 100 entries range from slugs, ants, seeds and fungi to flies, bees and bird droppings, pairing scientific facts with comics, detailed artwork and humorous stories. The book frames observation as a small expedition that can happen in ordinary surroundings, bringing its attention to the details often missed in familiar places. Its mix of natural history and comic illustration gives the material several ways to invite exploration, whether opened for a single topic or browsed across the collection.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Teens and young adults curious about small creatures, plants and other details of the natural world
  • Readers who enjoy illustrated nonfiction combining science, comics and humorous stories
  • Classroom use for introducing close observation of local environments

Themes

Close observation of natureSmall-scale scientific explorationCreatures and ecosystemsIllustrated science and humor

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

A highly illustrated, playful field guide for budding natural scientists and curious observers of the world right under our noses.

Observology is the study of looking. An observologist makes scientific expeditions, albeit very small ones, every day. They notice interesting details in the world around them. They are expert at finding tiny creatures, plants, and fungi. They know that water snails glide upside down on the undersurface of the water; not all flies have wings; earthworms have bristles; butterflies taste with their feet. An observologist knows that there are extraordinary things to be found in even the most ordinary places.

The Observologist puts more than 100 small creatures and features of the natural world under the microscope, piquing our curiosity with only the most interesting facts. Subjects range from slugs, ants, and seeds to fungi, flies, bees, and bird poop.

But this is no everyday catalog of creatures. It is an antidote to boredom, an invitation out of the digital world and screentime, an encouragement to observe our environment, with care and curiosity, wherever we are.

Facts combine with comics, detailed illustrations, science, and funny stories in this unique, warm, and fascinating account of the small things all around us. Graphic and comic illustrations with funny talking insects make this a playful and informative book one to be treasured in the classroom.

Giselle Clarkson has a comics and conservation background. Through her unique sensibility, you'll find that once you start thinking small, there's no limit to what you can notice--right under your nose.

Praise for The Observologist:
"A charming work sure to spark a lifelong habit of looking closely at the natural world."--starred, Kirkus Reviews

"With lots of useful pieces of information, you can dip in and out and learn something new each time."--National Library of New Zealand, Best Children's Books of 2023

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