A Field Guide to Nature Journaling by James Samuel Sisti is one of the nature journaling books I return to when I want ideas for observing, recording, and exploring outdoors rather than simply making polished drawings.
I’ve kept a nature journal for years, and what stood out to me about this book is that it treats the journal as a tool for curiosity. Drawing is part of it, but so are questions, written observations, field exercises, and finding ways to engage more closely with what is happening around you.
If you have ever opened a sketchbook outside and wondered what you are supposed to put on the page, this is the kind of book that can give you somewhere to begin.
See A Field Guide to Nature Journaling
If you are comparing several books rather than looking specifically at this title, I also have a broader guide to the nature journaling books I recommend.
My Take on A Field Guide to Nature Journaling
What I like most is that the book does not treat a nature journal as an art portfolio.
There are exercises involving plants, animals, landscapes, quick sketches, and sound maps, but the underlying emphasis is on learning to notice more.
That is much closer to how I use my own journal. Some pages contain drawings. Others may be mostly notes, questions, color observations, or something I want to investigate later.
The book also goes beyond the basic sketch-and-label format. I was especially interested in its treatment of ethical collecting, citizen science, and sharing observations with a wider community.
What the Book Does Well
It Gives Beginners Somewhere to Start
One of the hardest parts of nature journaling is often just beginning the page.
A vague instruction such as “go draw a bird” can still leave a beginner staring at the sketchbook. I prefer exercises that narrow the task enough to make it approachable.
This book does that well. The exercises break observation into smaller actions instead of assuming you already know how to turn an outdoor experience into a journal entry.
That makes it useful even if you only have a few minutes outside.
The Pages Feel Instructional Rather Than Aspirational
I have seen nature journaling books where every reproduced page looks so finished that it creates another barrier for someone starting out.
What helped me here was seeing variation. Quick marks, notes, and less-finished observations can sit beside more developed drawings.
That matters because my own field pages rarely look like finished illustrations. Sometimes the most useful page is the one where I managed to record an animal’s movement, write down a question, or notice something I had overlooked before.
It Connects Drawing With Field Observation
This is where I think the book separates itself from a conventional drawing manual.
The goal is not simply to improve the appearance of the drawing. The drawing becomes one way to investigate what you are seeing.
That approach makes sense for nature journaling because the page can hold several kinds of information at once:
- sketches
- written observations
- questions
- measurements
- maps
- behavior notes
- species information
- things to research later
If you want to see how I combine those elements on a page, I have a separate collection of nature journal examples.
How I Use the Book
I do not work through A Field Guide to Nature Journaling from the first page to the last like a course.
I tend to return to it when I feel stuck, want a different way to look at a familiar subject, or need an idea before heading outside.
Sometimes I pull an exercise or observation idea from the book before going on a walk. Other times I return to advice about subjects that are difficult to draw quickly, such as moving birds.
One simple structure I took from the book is to begin with basic information rather than worrying about how the whole page will look:
- date
- location
- weather
- one quick observation
Once those things are on the page, it is much easier for me to continue.
If I still need a subject, I may also use one of my nature journaling prompts to give the session a direction.
It Is More Than a Drawing Book
The sections that surprised me most were the ones dealing with the larger fieldwork mindset.
The book touches on ideas such as documenting what you find responsibly, participating in citizen science, and connecting individual observations with a larger community.
I did not expect those subjects to be a significant part of a nature journaling guide, but they broadened the way I thought about what the journal could be used for.
A journal can be personal and creative while still helping you record observations carefully enough to learn from them later.
Who Is A Field Guide to Nature Journaling For?
I think this book makes the most sense for someone who wants to do nature journaling rather than simply look at beautiful examples of it.
It is especially useful if:
- you want to start nature journaling but do not know what to put on a page
- you have tried before and tend to freeze when you open the sketchbook
- you enjoy being outdoors but do not consider yourself an artist
- you want exercises that combine drawing with written observation
- you are interested in plants, wildlife, landscapes, or field observation
- you want a book you can dip into for individual exercises rather than follow rigidly
- you teach or introduce nature journaling to other people
If you are completely new to the practice itself, my nature journaling guide gives you the broader foundation first.
Do You Need to Be Good at Drawing?
No. That is one of the reasons I think the book works well as an entry point.
The journal can contain drawing, but observation and written notes are just as useful. A page containing a crude shape, a few words about behavior, and three questions can still record far more than an attractive drawing made without much observation.
I would not wait until you feel confident drawing plants or wildlife before trying the exercises.
How It Compares With John Muir Laws’ Nature Journaling Books
I see them as useful for slightly different reasons.
John Muir Laws’ books tend to give me more drawing and technique-oriented material. Sisti’s book stands out more for the broader fieldwork approach, including observation, ethical collecting, citizen science, and using a journal as a tool for discovery.
I would not necessarily choose one and ignore the other. They can complement each other depending on whether I want help with drawing technique or with building the larger nature-journaling practice.
I also have a separate look at The Laws Sketchbook for Nature Journaling if you are comparing books.
Is A Field Guide to Nature Journaling Worth It?
For me, yes.
I keep coming back to it because it gives me usable ways to begin observing rather than simply telling me that I should spend more time outside drawing.
Its strongest quality is the combination of creativity and field observation. I can use it when I want to draw, when I want to write, or when I simply want to pay closer attention to something outdoors.
I also like that I do not need to follow it in order. It works well as a reference I can reopen when I need a new direction.
See A Field Guide to Nature Journaling
For alternatives and other books I use, see my complete nature journaling books guide.