The Newton Marasco Foundation (NMF) yesterday presented its annual Green Earth Book Award to two books and their authors for their work in promoting environmental awareness and responsibility to America’s youth. The winners are: Near One Cattail: Turtles, Logs and Leaping Frogs by Anthony D. Fredericks, illustrated by Jennifer DiRubbio (Dawn Publications, 2005) and Flush by Carl Hiaasen (Knopf, 2005).

NMF, in partnership with Salisbury University in Maryland, established the Green Earth Book Award in 2005 to promote books that encourage children to respect, appreciate and protect the natural environment. The book award is presented annually to authors in two categories: children and young adult. The winning books receive the Green Earth Book Award seal, and a monetary prize of $2,500 is split between the author and illustrator. In addition, a $500 donation is provided to the environmental organization chosen by each winner.

Near One Cattail: Turtles, Logs and Leaping Frogs was selected for the children’s category. Through poetry about the many creatures of the wetland, the book focuses on the ecology of a wetland ecosystem and encourages stewardship. Flush was selected for the young adult category and follows the detective work of young adults in discovering the dangers caused by a casino boat illegally dumping raw sewage into the Florida Keys.

“This book award is one of the Newton Marasco Foundation’s most exciting initiatives, and embodies our goal of instilling environmental awareness in children,” said Amy Marasco Newton, president of Newton Marasco Foundation. “The winning authors were chosen for their efforts to inspire children to value the environment, and to help educate a new generation on the importance of protecting our environment.”

Review of the nominated books and selection of the winners is conducted by a diverse panel of professionals, including college-level professors, environmental professionals, environmentalists, and children’s literature professionals.

In 2005, the first recipient of the Green Earth Book Award was The Sea, The Storm, and The Mangrove Tangle by Lynne Cherry. See more information about the Green Earth Book Award, a list of honorable mention books, award criteria and the 2006 review panel.

The Newton Marasco Foundation (NMF) is a national nonprofit organization with the mission to work collaboratively on issues related to environmental stewardship through the areas of education and greening. Headquartered in McLean, Va., they have chapters throughout the nation and in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Cynsational News & Links

Children’s Writers in the Central U.S.: Those who in the past or present have lived in or near Kansas, Missouri, Iowa or Nebraska, check out kidlit_central. It’s a venue to share ideas, network, and promote children’s book creators from the heartland. [I was born in Kansas City, graduated from The William Allen White School of Journalism at The University of Kansas, Lawarence, and have lived on both the Kansas and Missouri sides of the KC state line. I still have a great deal of family in the area and visit often.]

Presenting the First Carnival of Children’s Literature from Here in the Bonny Glenn–a don’t miss event!