draft 2015

We donated over 1,500 environmental books to kids this year, so they can read for them- selves about the beauty and awe of nature. Schools, including those that serve military families and families in need, recipients of . In addition, more than 3,000 students read envi- ronmental books for our Green Reading Chal- lenge contest — winners won Kindles! After reading about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in the Green Earth Book Award winning book, Plastics Ahoy, this5th grader from a school in Washington, D.C. writes, ”I’m not going to litter our environment.”

Scout troops—trail pro- jects pique interest in na- ture, earn badges for scouts High school students- ini- tiate creek clean up with plan to reduce storm- water runoff that is harm- ing the creek on the trail Hands-on stewards— vol- unteer Weed Warriors meet monthly to remove invasives and pick up litter When authors come to town to accept their awards, they also visit local classrooms and make lasting im- pressions as they weave their stories about caring for the earth. Pictured here is 2015 Picture Book winner Nicola Davies, who tells the kids what hap- pens when her protagonist discovers she held a bag of acorns, “I held a forest in my arms, and my heart was changed.”“Telling our children the stories of survival” was the theme of Bob Dean’s (National Resource Defense Council) keynote speech to attendees at the 11thcelebration of our Green Earth Book Award. It is here where we honor and encourage the authors who are writing the books that inspire action.In our 11 years of the award, we’ve recognized and supported 42 winning books and 76 honor books that teach kids the message of environmental stew-ardship.