Environment Award for Children’s Literature 2020: Winners announced

The Wilderness Society launched the very first Nature Book Week 7 – 13 Sept 2020.

The focus of Nature Book Week is the importance of books in connecting us to nature. In a year like 2020, our inherent need to connect with nature has never been more apparent. When we can’t step outside to breathe the crisp air of the bush, nature books can take us there. Books can inspire the next generation to be custodians of nature through creative writing and captivating illustration; Nature Book Week is a celebration of some of Australia’s finest storytellers.

During Nature Book Week the winners of the prestigious Environment Award for Children’s Literature have been announced. The winners are:

Picture Fiction Category: Chooks in Dinner Suits by Diane Jackson Hill and Craig Smith

Non-Fiction Category: Welcome to Country by Aunty Joy Murphy and Lisa Kennedy

Fiction Category: Rainforest Camp: Juliet Nearly a Vet by Rebecca Johnson

Congratulations!

Books we read as children become part of who we are, shaping our values and creating a connection to wildlife, rivers, forests and beaches.

That’s why since 1994, the Wilderness Society has been celebrating excellence in children’s nature books with the Environment Award for Children’s Literature. On 21 May, our three incredible judges—TV star and children’s author Rove McManus, science communicator Dr Jen Martin and award winning author David Lawrence—announced the shortlist on Facebook Live.

Our Better Reading shortlist favourites are:

One Tree by Christopher Cheng; illustrated by Bruce Whatley

One tall tree on the mountain once marked Grandfather’s farm. Now there is a busy city and Grandfather lives with us in our apartment. Once he told stories but now he stays silent. Until one day, in the city market, I find something precious . . . something that brings Grandfather’s memories alive again.

You Can Change the World by Lucy Bell; illustrated by Astred Hicks; designed by Elysia Clapin

Kids are on a mission to make our Earth a better, safer, happier place, and you can join in! Every day, we see problems we would like to fix. A piece of rubbish in a green, grassy park. Plastic water bottles buried in the sand at the beach. A garbage bin overflowing onto the street. A skinny, stray dog. A homeless person on a cold day.

A Hollow is a Home by Abbie Mitchell; illustrated by Astred Hicks

Take a peek into the world of tree hollows and the animals that call them home. To you and me, a tree hollow is just a hole or tunnel in a tree or branch. But to an animal, that hollow may be a bedroom, a hiding place, nursery or shelter. It is the ultimate tree house! Find out how hollows are created, why they are threatened, and meet scientists who spend their time hollow-hunting.

Explore Your World: Weird, Wild, Amazing! by Tim Flannery; illustrated by Sam Caldwell

Get ready for a whole new look at the world around you. You’re about to meet the weirdest, wildest and most amazing animals on the planet. Are zombie jellyfish real? Do frogs like opera? Which animals eat poop? (And more importantly, WHY?!) What’s it like to wrestle a python? Buckle up—you’re about to find out! Bursting with bizarre facts, packed with vibrant illustrations and guided by one of the world’s greatest living scientists, Professor Tim Flannery, this deep-dive into the natural world will enthral and enlighten readers. It will also make them laugh out loud … and squirm in disgust.

Super Sidekicks 2: Ocean’s Revenge by Gavin Aung Than

The Mother of the Seas is sick of humans using the oceans as a junkyard, so she decides to give the land dwellers a taste of their own medicine. Prepare for an unbelievable underwater menace that threatens to destroy the entire world!

You can find all ten shortlisted books here