Observologist by Giselle Clarkson

The Observologist: A handbook for mounting very small scientific expeditions

By Giselle Clarkson

Children’s Informational

Ages 8+, grades 2+

In The Observologist, Giselle Clarkson provides young readers with an engaging handbook for observing over 100 creatures and features of the natural world. With comic illustrations and detailed scientific explanations, The Observologist is an excellent read for a budding elementary naturalist.

Justification

I chose The Observologist as my children’s nonfiction book based entirely on what I could glean from the cover. “A handbook for mounting very small expeditions,” the subtitle reads, the words framed by a few choice creepy-crawlies. Though it is beyond his independent reading level, the book seemed like an excellent option to share with my nature-loving kindergartner. I anticipated a random bug fact book which my son would have readily consumed, and The Observologist does contain plenty of that. However, at its core it is a book about the habit of observing, a lovely guide for noticing the little things and finding wonder and awe, scientifically, in a variety of settings.

Content

This book introduces fairly advanced concepts for middle elementary readers in a heavily-illustrated and occasionally joke-y format. I appreciate both the comic aspect, which keeps the book entertaining, and the scientific detail and accuracy which students are apt to soak in at this age. The first chapter introduces the idea of “Observology” as a study and a practice of taking interest in little things, encouraging curiosity as a means of making life infinitely more interesting. It goes on a prime young readers with the information they will need to implement the practice: an introduction to taxonomy and scientific naming, useful instruments and invertebrate anatomy. The following four chapters guide readers through what they’ll find when they practice observology in different environments: a damp corner, pavement, a weedy patch, and inside a home.

Illustrations

With artwork that is simultaneously humorous and scientifically detailed, The Observologist holds young reader interest easily. Clarkson’s style is so directly reminiscent of Roald Dahl’s that a cameo of the Giant Peach with its insect inhabitants would not have shocked me. That aspect was sweetly nostalgic for me, and kept the book entertaining as well as interesting for my son. The somewhat-muted colors keep it from feeling too cartoony, and Clarkson includes a remarkable level of detail including such granular things as the pores on the underside of a mushroom cap and the pterostigma of a dragonfly wing. While I expected to enjoy the facts and artwork, I was pleasantly surprised by the depth of this book and will likely find a personal copy a more permanent home on our family bookshelf.

Clarkson, G. (2023). The observologist. Gecko Press.