Naturalist Ruddy

by Rohan Chakravarty

Ruddy is a mongoose who 'investigates' various puzzling phenomena involving a variety of plants, animals and even fungi.

112 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 11, 2021

About the author

Cartoonist, illustrator and wildlife buff. Creator of Green Humour. Columns with Mid-day, The Hindu, BLink, Roundglass, Gocomics.

Reviews

[Mahesh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy Rudy! How good is he.

I was a big fan of comics. It started with Irumbukkai Mayavi (Rani Comics tamil) then started liking Balarama famous luttapi and Mayavi combo, akku,ikku and soothran and my last was Winnie the pooh in the Hindu

After that I read comics here and there somewhere until the entry of thanks to Rohan Chakravarty's witty "Green Humor".

Naturalist Rudy is also witty and fun until i started watching the Videos for better understanding. Oh man these insects are different levels of terror, gives me nightmares especially these parasitoids. Some of the YouTube links below. Statutory warning - Viewer discretion is advised

https://youtu.be/fY6m89lLyrs

https://youtu.be/jEoixyu7RRI

https://youtu.be/SdpGAdB_zpc

https://youtu.be/okQYO10MT3c

https://youtu.be/YUztNY26Uto

https://youtu.be/j7yU87enMRo

https://youtu.be/uOAh9E4O5Eg

https://youtu.be/Sgs_9UIihXw

https://youtu.be/D4kBrsyWhS4

https://youtu.be/QeDir3p8WBs

https://youtu.be/GJv-w9d9TBM

https://youtu.be/5GDUwlKzJxY

https://youtu.be/Cha-lmuPdek

https://youtu.be/ROQrbWkV4HI

https://youtu.be/n6hme9lfvB8

https://youtu.be/_uHJGdTgtXE

https://youtu.be/m12xsf5g3Bo

https://youtu.be/YYJpNLWlp8U

https://youtu.be/vMG-LWyNcAs

[Madhulika Liddle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mongoose, amateur sleuth and naturalist Ruddy goes about ferreting out mysteries of the animal (and occasionally plant, even more occasionally fungal) world and finding out what lies beneath. In between visiting various wildlife sanctuaries, forests and national parks across India, Ruddy teams up with sleuthing friends and associates Dr Shama and Hershal Pierrot, who help with handy hints about birds, Lepidoptera, and more.

This is an utterly delightful little book about nature. It's basically a series of short (very short; nearly all of these are about two or three pages long) anecdotes about wildlife, cleverly structured to be presented as mysteries Ruddy must solve. Why do certain ants kiss mealy bugs? What makes a sound like raindrops high up in the tree canopy? Why did lizards emerge out of the warm and moist nest of a pair of migratory megapodes, instead of the megapode's own hatchlings?

And more. There's a lot to learn here about the wild, weird, and sometimes utterly bizarre world that surrounds us. True, not all of it is all pretty and sanitised (and there are some things I'll need to explain - like hangovers and copulation - when I hand this book over to my eight year old daughter, for whom I bought it), but still. It's nature, true to itself, with zombie insects, thorn-impaling shrikes and all.

Excellent and entertaining introduction to some of India's mostly overlooked littler species. And the drawings, in Rohan Chakravarty's inimitable Green Humour style, are fantastic.

[Natasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't judge a book by it's covers, they say, but when you are just discovering graphic novels, how can you ignore the cover of "Naturalist Ruddy: Adventurer. Sleuth. Mongoose"? Naturalist Ruddy reminds of you all the detectives you have loved; the only difference being that the mysteries he solves are all mysteries of the natural world. Watch him while he encounters a variety of life forms, chuckle at the subtle homage paid to cinematic and literary moment and characters, and finish the book wanting to read more.
This book by @green_humour that I would recommend to anyone who wants to get an broad overview, before deciding whether or not to plunge into the subject. Also a book I would recommend to wildlife enthusiasts who will enjoy a different way of looking at the creatures they know so well.

[Subhashini Raju · Rating 5 out of 5]

Naturalist Ruddy, written and illustrated by @green_humour

Published by @penguinindia

Book pick from my favourite @kahaani.box :)

Rohan Chakravarty’s Green Humour in @the_hindu Sunday Magazine is like a mandatory Sunday thing for past one year and still it continues to be my almost my first or second thing to do during the lazy Sundays. This book was in my TBR for quite a while and just picked it a week ago.

I loved the simple way of conveying some amazingly complex facts through comic strips. The witty, curious and adventuous Mongoose - Ruddy is a great detective who loves to know many unknown secrets about reptiles, wild animals and sometimes about tiny insects too.

This book is like an expedition of witty Ruddy who also strives to be curious, nerdy and naturalist too.

#book57of2025
#rohanchakravarty
#bookpick

One of the best reads of my 2025.

[Asha Chandran · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Interesting read. Rohan’s fertile imagination converts the mongoose, Naturalist Ruddy, to an ace sleuth. The adventures are spread across our national parks and reserves - a beautiful way to learn about some of our fascinating flora and fauna. The cases where the reader has to team with Ruddy, makes readers invest more into the book and the learning. Recommended for the young and adults alike.

[Aruna Kumar Gadepalli · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is easy and quick to read. Those who like mystery, detective stories will enjoy this collection, mind you you will find all characters from wildlife flora, and fauna that the author encountered during his trips to various sanctuaries. Those who are naturalists or like the stories based on a naturalist environment will enjoy the stories.

[Alankrita Narayan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading Naturalist Ruddy & giggling like a kid (or like a copulating mongoose, I'm told) at every page, excited when my deductions align with Ruddy's. Rohan Chakravarty's genius is astounding. He needs to be protected at all costs

[Shruti Sharma · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's chance you've stumbled upon Rohan's comics in the Mid-Day or The Hindu and had a few chuckles here and there, smiled and moved on. But Naturalist Ruddy is a whole another pot. The genius of Rohan Chakravarty has created something astounding, one that would take you on a nature journey, humour you, educate you and well, make you giggle for the whole 112 pages of it. It's not just for children, nor it's just another graphic novel. It's a walk-around-the-forest with Ruddy the Mongoose and take a sneak-peek into the forest life. The book is for everyone who is a nature lover as well as for a mere observer of things. Delightful, mysterious and funny!

[Nachiketh (thedocreadstoomuch) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are you in the mood to visit some of India’s National Parks and discover the varied biodiversity they are known for, but all in the comfort of your reading nook? Then look no more! Go on a journey with Naturalist Ruddy as he visits every nook and corner of India and meets a myriad of creatures, some fun and some not-so-fun, in this fun-filled and superbly illustrated book by Rohan Chakravarthy!

Wait, who is Naturalist Ruddy, you ask? He is a mongoose who also happens to be a super-sleuth! Travel with Ruddy as he dons his detective hat, grabs his binoculars and embarks on a quest to help his buddies and meet new ones!

This is one of the most unique books I’ve read! This is indeed the definition of ‘infotainment’. Not only do you have a great time enjoying the funny and accurate illustrations, you also learn quite a lot about the tons of creatures that call India’s lush forests home!

Every mystery Ruddy solves gives you titbits of information about an animal and its natural habitat, its life cycle, its food and so much more! And what’s more, you get to solve some cases with Ruddy along the way!

This book is undoubtedly one of a kind and definitely worth treasuring! A huge thanks to the author-cum-illustrator Rohan Chakravarthy for coming up with this fang-tastic book! (sorry-not- sorry for my bad puns haha)

I was constantly googling and reading up about every National Park Ruddy visited and guess who wants to now go on a backpacking trip to these beautiful pockets of nature right away?

In short, you’re missing out if you don’t have this book on your shelves! What are you waiting for? Pick this book up and start your job as Detective Ruddy’s work assistant!

[Shreela Sen · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the mysteries of nature described, DEPICTED in this comic book were new for me, I didn't guess a single one, & it's a completely FUN way to learn new stuff, it's "native", as it set in all places in this country...
The comic is just GREAT initiator for popular science, Ruddy is just ADORABL(Y drawn)
Recommended to everyone in general, but not for the queasy, & certainly, the unscientific will not enjoy.
Honest depiction & description of nature in all its predaatory survival-of-the-fittest cruelty!