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 in 2022, honours First Nations storytellers sharing tales of connection to Country, language and community.
The shortlist announcement was made over Facebook Live on Wednesday 12 June, hosted by past Karajia Award shortlisted author and 2024 judge Jasmine Seymour, past Environment Award for Children’s Literature winner and 2024 judge Jess McGeachin, and Science Communicator and Nature Book Week ambassador Jen Martin.
Celebrating its 30th year, the Environment Award for Children’s Literature shines a light on books written for children that promote a love of and care for nature, recognising the creative role that authors and illustrators have played in inspiring future generations. Established in 2022, the Karajia Award is awarded to a book that celebrates a connection to Country and stories exploring land, community, culture and language by a First Nations author or illustrator.
Matt Brennan, CEO of Wilderness Society says: “Storytelling is one of the ways that the Wilderness Society helps to protect nature. Using photographs, illustrations, and stories is how we connect people to nature. And it has been from the very beginning of our organisation’s history, when a simple photo of a river bend in the Franklin River galvanised a nation.
“For the last 30 years, the Wilderness Society’s Environment Award for Children’s Literature has helped the next generation tackle big and often overwhelming ideas like the climate crisis or habitat destruction.
“The books we read as children shape us—inspiring our greatest ideas and adventures, changing the way we experience the world, and helping to establish our values.
“Stories become a part of us, and a part of our shared history. Which is why in 2022 we added the Karajia Award for Children’s Literature to celebrate this continent’s First Nations authors and/or illustrators. These books honour stories about connection to Country, language and culture.”
2024 ENVIRONMENT AWARD FOR CHILDREN’S LITERATURE
FICTION:
- THE LITTLEST PENGUIN: AND THE PHILLIP ISLAND PENGUIN PARADE (The Penguin Foundation, Jedda Robaard)
- RUBY AND THE PEN (David Lawrence, Cherie Dignam)
NONFICTION:
- THE TREES (Victor Steffensen, Sandra Steffensen)
- AUSTRALIAN ANIMALS: FROM BEACH TO BUSH (Brentos)
- THE FROG BOOK – NATURE’S ALARM (Sue Lawson, Guy Holt)
- LIFE IN A HOLLOW (David Gullan, Suzanne Houghton)
- HOW WE CAME TO BE: CREATURES OF CAMOUFLAGE AND MIMICRY (Sami Bayly)
PICTURE FICTION:
- HOPE IS THE THING (Johanna Bell, Erica Wagner)
- WOLLEMI (Samantha Tidy, Rachel Gyan)
- THE FORGOTTEN SONG (Coral Vass, Jess Racklyeft)
- THE TURTLE AND THE FLOOD (Jackie French, Danny Snell)
- DESERT JUNGLE (Jeannie Baker)
Celebrating its 30th year, 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 includes Australian conservation biologist Kylie Soanes, actress and Playschool presenter Zindzi Okenyo, and last year’s Environment Award for Children’s Literature winner Jess McGeachin.
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, Wendy Orr and last year’s winners Jaclyn Crupi and Cheryl Orsini.
Past winner Tim Winton says of the award celebrating its 30th year: “It was an honour to win this award, but to me the biggest thrill has always been the knowledge that a prize like this exists at all. Our physical and emotional lives are deeply entwined with the health and prospects of our organic estate. There is no artistic subject matter more fundamental, complex, or compelling than the natural environment, and the health of a culture depends on the degree to which it concerns itself, artistically and politically, with the fate of our planet. 30 years of an award like this is a legacy to treasure and celebrate.”
2024 KARAJIA AWARD FOR CHILDREN’S LITERATURE SHORTLIST
NONFICTION:
- ASK AUNTY: SEASONS (Aunty Munya Andrews, Charmaine Ledden-Lewis)
- THE TREES (Victor Steffensen, Sandra Steffensen)
- TAMARRA (Violet Wadrill, Topsy Dodd, Leah Leaman, Felicity Meakins, Briony Barr, Gregory Crocetti, Cecelia Edwards and Cassandra Algy)
- GURAWUL THE WHALE (Max Dulumunmun Harrison, Laura La Rosa)
- IN MY BLOOD IT RUNS (Dujuan Hoosan, Margaret Anderson, Carol Turner, Blak Douglas)
PICTURE FICTION:
- NEDINGAR: ANCESTORS (Isobel Bevis, Leanne Zilm)
- GURRIL STORM BIRD (Trevor Fourmile, Jingalu)
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.
For more information, visit: www.wilderness.org.au/environment-award-for-childrens-literature
