2006 Environment Award for Children's Literature winners

The Environment Award for Children's Literature is intended to promote books which inspire a sense of wonder and a sense of caring for the natural world.

The annual Environment Award, inaugurated in 1994, is open to fiction and non-fiction children's books published in Australia. Award trophies and certificates are presented to authors and illustrators that best encourage an attitude of caring, wonder and understanding of the natural world, or those that promote an awareness of environmental issues.

You’ll notice this year’s entries include many impressive non-fiction works. So, without further ado, here’s the low-down on some of the year’s most inspiring, fun and clever books, each with its own important message for kids.

We are pleased to announce the winners for 2006:

Non-fiction Picture Book
The Big Picture Book by John Long, illustrations Brian Choo (Allen & Unwin)
Secondary Readers
Hope Bay by Nicole Plüss (Puffin)

The Big Picture Book by John Long is the winner of the non-fiction picture book award and appeals to both young and old. The big picture here is the story of “life on Earth unfolding through time” told through simple words and stunning images. As the book progresses, so does the history of Earth, from the star sprinkled universe where all life began to humans landing on the moon.

This year’s fiction award goes to Hope Bay by Nicole Plüss, a moving and thought-provoking novel for teenagers about friendship, courage, choice and power, explored though the themes of war and the environment.

Non-fiction shortlist
Other highlights from this year’s shortlist include Animals are Electrifying, which illustrates how humans are not unique when it comes to being clever. It includes sections on animals that use tools, species that change sex, and the many inventive ways animals use attack and defence. This subject is also amusingly covered in 101 Great Killer Creatures – of all the dangerous animals mentioned here, humans are still the most dangerous, by far!

If you’re looking for some books to keep young readers amused, there’s the beautifully illustrated puzzle book Nature Hunt, Origami Aussie Animals, and Patterns of Australia which shows artist Bronwyn Bancroft painting the patterns found in various Australian landscapes.

Shortlist:-
Picture Books:
The Super Parp-Buster by Janeen Brian, ill. Greg Holfeld (Working Title Press)
Seadragon Sea by Margaret Spurling, ill. Danny Snell (Working Title Press)
Crocodylus the Freshwater Crocodile by Pauline Reilly, ill. Kayelene Traynor (Bristlebird Books)
Limno the Pobblebonk Frog by Pauline Reilly, ill. Kayelene Traynor (Bristlebird Books)

Non-fiction:
Australia’s Best Environmentalists by David Llewellyn & Anna Fern (Heinemann Library)
Nature Hunt by Philip Blythe (Little Hare)
Patterns of Australia by Bronwyn Bancroft (Little Hare)
101 Great Killer Creatures by Paul Holper & Simon Torok, ill. Stephen Axelsen (ABC Books)
The Secret World of Wombats by Jackie French, ill. Bruce Whatley (Angus & Robertson)
Origami Aussie Animals by Marion & Steve Isham (Bandicoot Books)
Animals are Electrifying by Rick Wilkinson, ill. Mic Looby (Allen & Unwin)
Squids Suck by Nicki Greenberg (Allen & Unwin)
This Book is a Load of Rubbish by Deborah Burnside, ill. Andrew Plant (Allen & Unwin)

Secondary Readers:
Catland by Ruth Starke (Puffin, Aussie Chomps series)