Lexi really knows her stuff and she is a friendly, funny, helpful teacher. The book was not what I was expecting in that it is not at all a resource for identification but rather a lot of information about plants, fungi, etc in general and all of the things you need to do to identify anything and do it right. I think I am too far in my own naturalist journey because I felt that I knew what I needed in those regards and was thinking this book was a tool for the identification part. The book is very wordy and in depth, kind of like you’re taking a college course and she’s your professor. It’s excellent for that, but you will need separate guides and books for the actual identification part.

I read a temporary digital copy of this book for review.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC for this book.

This book is an informative guide for those who would love to go into the wild and be field scientists. The information that is provided is very good and simple to understand. It is much easier to grasp than my books to become an environmental scientist 😂.



The one thing that is keeping this from a full 5 ⭐ is that there aren't nearly enough painting or images and the layout of the templates are very simple. I feel like more could have been done on this point.


This would be a great starter guide for the family.

As a total beginner when it comes to identifying animals and plants, I found The Everyday Naturalist to be a super helpful guide. Lexa breaks everything down into simple, easy steps, making it easier to spot key traits and use field guides, apps, and other resources to figure out what you're looking at. The case studies and photos were a great touch and helped me understand how to apply these techniques in real-life situations. While I did feel like there were times when I wanted a bit more detail in certain sections, especially as a newbie, the book still provided a really solid foundation for getting started. It’s a great resource for anyone who wants to learn more about nature and how to identify the species around you!