30 YEARS OF NATURE BOOKS: Winners of the Karajia and Environment Awards for Children's Literature Announced!

The Wilderness Society’s Environment Award for Children’s Literature, now in its 30th year, recognises books that inspire a love for nature—from the soil below to the canopy above. The Karajia Award, launched 2022, honours First Nations storytellers sharing tales of connection to Country, language and community.

The winning authors and illustrators of the Karajia & Environment Awards for Children’s Literature (EACL) tackle some of the biggest issues facing our planet and encourage a love and wonderment of nature in young readers.

Matt Brennan, CEO of Wilderness Society says “Books we read as children, shape who we become. Stories can spark our greatest ideas and adventures, change the way we experience the world, and even help us establish our values. It is through storytelling that big, often overwhelming, concepts like the climate crisis or habitat destruction can be understood and appreciated. That’s why the Wilderness Society’s Karajia and Environment Awards for Children’s Literature are so important—they celebrate authors and illustrators who share stories that will shape the next generation."

2024 ENVIRONMENT AWARD FOR CHILDREN’S LITERATURE WINNERS

FICTION: The Littlest Penguin: and the Phillip Island Penguin Parade (The Penguin Foundation/Jedda Robaard)

NON-FICTION: The Trees (Victor Steffensen/Sandra Steffensen)

PICTURE FICTION: Hope is the Thing (Johanna Bell/Erica Wagner)

Non-fiction winning author Victor Steffensen says "Thanks to the Wilderness Society for selecting The Trees to win the 2024 Environment Award for Children's Literature, it is such an honour to have such an important story win this category and on behalf of respecting Country."

Fiction winning illustrator, Jedda Robbard says “In winning the Environment Awards for Children's Literature, my hope is that The Littlest Penguin will travel far to share with future generations the sense of wonder I encountered. We are all acutely, and painfully, aware of the precarious state of the environment and I am grateful for the opportunity, given to me by the Penguin Foundation and Penguin Random House Australia, to act positively in support of our natural world.”

Fiction winners, The Penguin Foundation, say "While Jedda Robbard’s illustrations delight, one of our key objectives was to educate young readers about the wondrous little penguins of Millowl, Phillip Island. It’s our hope that the book will inspire the next generation to be strong advocates for nature and preservation of our wild places.”

Picture Fiction winning author, Johanna Bell, says “I wrote this book as an ode to Australian birds which have been an important part of my life since I was very little. Australia has some of the world's most remarkable bird life.

“This book was inspired by our love of the bush and Australian birds so it means a lot to be recognised by the Wilderness Society. Awards like this one are so important because they shine a light on nature and inspire us all to do a better job protecting it.”

Picture Fiction winning illustrator, Erica Wagner, says “I’m thrilled that our book has received this award and hope that it inspires young people to love and care for our precious environment. Thank you so much, Wilderness Society for your support of children’s literature.

“The inspiration for this book is birds - what they can show us and what they can teach us about resilience, adaptation, survival.”

The Environment Award for Children’s Literature was started in 1994 by a group of environmental educators who wanted to work with the Wilderness Society to promote a love of nature through books. The judging panel this year included Australian actor Zindzi Okenyo, last year's EACL winner and children’s book author and illustrator Jess McGeachin, and Australian conservation biologist Kylie Soanes.

Past winners of the award include acclaimed Australian children’s authors Tim Winton, Paul Jennings, Jackie French, Aunty Joy Murphy, the late Narelle Oliver, Coral Tulloch, Graeme Base and Wendy Orr.

2024 KARAJIA AWARD FOR CHILDREN’S LITERATURE WINNER

PICTURE FICTION: Nedingar: Ancestors (Isobel Bevis/Leanne Zilm)

NON-FICTION: In My Blood It Runs (Dujuan Hoosan/Margaret Anderson/Carol Turner/Blak Douglas)

Non-fiction winning illustrator Blak Douglas says “The Karajia Award is a tremendous achievement for this book as it furthers Dujuan’s dream. The dream of his culture being learned in mainstream education and households.”

Picture fiction winning author Isobel Bevis says “When I wrote Nedingar, it was to help me stay connected to family and Country at a time when I was feeling disconnected, never did I give it a thought that it would win an Award. Winning the Karajia Award is the acknowledgement of what Nedingar is about, the reciprocal relationship Noongar people have with Country, the love and protection we get but also what we can give back to ensure Country is always here. Thank you to the Wilderness Society for the Award, I am thrilled my book about Country, language and Ancestors is being recognised. My Ancestors have guided me from the first words written to the Award I have won, they continue to look after me and it is something I know is truly special.”

The Karajia Award for Children’s Literature celebrates and recognises the important message of First Nations authors and illustrators that honour a connection to Country—sharing stories exploring land, community, culture and language. Judges for this year’s Karajia awards include previously shortlisted author Jasmine Seymour, educator Danae Coots, and academic and author Amy Thunig.

MEDIA ENQUIRIES

Interviews with the judges and the shortlisted authors and illustrators can be arranged on request. Please contact Rhiannon Cunningham on [email protected] or 0419 992 760