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Pocket Observology: A Field Guide by Giselle Clarkson

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 2 Oct 2026

Publisher: Gecko Press
ISBN: 9798348042424

See also:
Omnibird [An ACHUKA Book of the Year 2025]
The Observologist [ACHUKA Book of the Day 26 Sep 2023]

A little larger than pocket-sized (a touch bigger than a fiction paperback) but considerably smaller than the original Observologist title (see above), this is fantastically user-friendly. With a weather-proof jacket, it contains both new content and material adapted from previous titles. 

And ACHUKA simply LOVES it. Working as both illustrator and writer, Clarkson has complete control of her material and an instinctive feel for presentation.

This pocket guide is a useful tool and fun reminder of how to look at the world around you with care and close observation every day.

Use this guide to identify whether you’ve found a bee or wasp, centipede or millipede, moth or butterfly. Compare shapes of seeds, leaves, and feathers to deduce their origin. Notice snail trails, and make discoveries by turning over a leaf. Learn how to observe—listen, look, record, and collect. With its how-to guides, comic illustrations, weatherproof cover, and built-in, useful tools—such as a ruler, key, and quick access sections—this handy guide will enliven every expedition.

After poring over Giselle Clarkson’s rich, oversized books indoors, every observologist and omnibirder can slip this guide in their pocket and set out on small scientific outings every day.

You can follow Giselle Clarkson on

The Observologist – A Handbook for Mounting Very Small Scientific Expeditions by Giselle Clarkson

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 26 Sep 2023

Waterstones
Amazon 
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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 over 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, fungi and flies through to bees and bird poop.

But this is no everyday catalogue 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 for 7- to 11-year-olds and 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.

What Do You See When You Look At a Tree? by Emma Carlisle

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ACHUKA Book of the Day Tue 24 Jan 2023

Waterstones
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Published in hardback last year and now available in paperback…

What do you see when you look at a tree? Just leaves and twigs and branches? Or do you see a real, living thing, that moves, and breathes and dances?

Immerse yourself in this gentle picture book that encourages us to explore our connection with nature. This wonderful picture book explores themes of empathy, mindfulness and personal growth through the eyes of a child. Beautifully written and illustrated, the book urges readers to reconnect with nature by asking questions that encourage critical thinking and reflection on their own development, as well as helping to establish a deeper appreciation for the environment and their place within it.

Produced in association with the Royal Botanical Gardens, KEW.

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The Girl Who Noticed Everything by Jane Porter ill. Maisie Paradise Shearring

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 18 Jul 2022

Waterstones
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A new book from the team behind 2020 Little Rebels Award winning The Boy Who Loved Everything.

Stella is a great detective. She can’t help noticing everything around her – clouds shaped like horses, wheelie bins with faces, a lonely glove on a fence, people that look like their dogs and even a man with a furry hat that looks like a cat on his head. Stella tells Dad about everything she’s seen but Dad is worried that she’s going to hurt people’s feelings. But when Stella spots a sad lady in the park she knows that speaking up is just the right thing to do.

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What to Look For in Winter – A Ladybird Book by Elizabeth Jenner ill. Natasha Durley

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Explore the beauty of winter in this new edition of What to Look For in Winter.

Despite the bare branches and long, dark nights, winter in the UK is a season full of life. The clear winter skies are filled with birds and the early morning frost reveals the tracks of nocturnal creatures. T his book takes a closer look at hoar frost, woodland fungi, clear starry skies and morning mists as the secrets of winter begin to appear in the world around us.