Winners of The Wilderness Society’s 2007 ‘Environment Award for Children’s Literature’

The Wilderness Society Inc
Media Release
5 June 2007

The Winners of The Wilderness Society’s 2007 ‘Environment Award for Children’s Literature’ are:

• Uno’s Garden by Graeme Base (Viking) Penguin Books, and
  
• Leaf Litter: Exploring the Mysteries of a Hidden World by Rachel Tonkin (Angus & Robertson) HarperCollins

This year’s Environment Award winners share the fundamental theme of ecological interconnection – how every species’ survival depends on a myriad of other species.

The Picture Book Winner is Uno’s Garden by Graeme Base (Viking). This is a lively and lavishly detailed picture book about environmental sustainability. A whimsical imaginary landscape demonstrates the importance of learning from past mistakes to ensure a balanced and liveable future. The added puzzles and mathematical details make it a fascinating book for all ages.

The Non-Fiction Winner is Leaf Litter: Exploring the Mysteries of a Hidden World by Rachel Tonkin (Angus & Robertson). Imagine sitting under a gum tree and discovering an astonishing new world of interconnection and unexpected beauty. This outstanding book will provide readers with hours of entertainment searching for the things described, while giving a superb demonstration of the interdependence of all life.

The Environment Award was set up to help promote a sense of caring and responsibility for nature through quality Australian children's books. The rationale for the Environment Award is to create positive attitudes towards and understanding of, the natural environment.

Understanding how nature works will be essential if we are to help all life on Earth survive the impacts of global warming. Childhood is a time when most attitudes are formed. A good story can help children become receptive to a book's inherent values. The Environment Award encourages writers and illustrators who create books with environmental values.