Event
The Blueberry Awards: Children’s Books That Can Change the World

The Natural Start Alliance teamed up with the Evanston Public Library to shine a spotlight on the Blueberry Awards, a new literary award that honors books about nature. Panelists examined what makes a children’s book about nature stand out, how books written for young children are exploring nature connection, sustainability, and environmental stewardship, and why that matters, especially now. View the webinar recording for a look at the best children’s literature about nature, as designated by a committee of librarians and environmentalists. You’ll walk away with new ideas about the power of story and a list of books to add to your classroom library! 

Buy Blueberry Books at the Natural Start Bookshop!   

 

Blueberry Committee Booktalks 

Full List of Blueberry Award Winner, Honors, and Changemakers

 

Bridget’s Picks: 

• I am Smoke
• I Eat Poop: A Dung Beetle’s Story

Martha’s Picks: 

• What Can You Do with a Rock?
• Listen to the Language of the Trees: A Story of How Forests Communicate Underground

Brian’s Picks: 

• How to Find a Fox
• Wonder Walkers

Sally’s Pick: 

• Fatima’s Great Outdoors*

*Watch our interview with author Ambreen Tariq from our 2021 Nature-Based Early Learning Conference! https://youtu.be/ziJ4COmdeAc

 

Betsy’s Pick:

• Fourteen Monkeys: A Rain Forest Rhyme

Sneak Peek at a Few of the 2022 Books in the Running for the Blueberry: 

Additional Resources:

Wildness Bibliography

Compiled by Dr. Michelle H. Martin and J. Elizabeth Mills

ALSC (Association for Library Service to Children) Institute Book Recommendations

Many but not all are BIPOC (authorship and/or representation)

 

101 Great Books for Kids List from Evanston Public Library (2022 Edition)

 

Best Books of 2022 from A Fuse 8 Production (Betsy Bird), School Library Journal

Speakers

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  Betsy Bird

  Betsy is a School Library Journal Fuse#8 Blogger, the Evanston Public Library Collection Development Manager, and a published author most recently of Long Road to the Circus. Betsy makes the Blueberry Award possible by sharing the many ARC’s (Advanced Reader Copy) of books that publishers send her! She also supplies the prize, a Blueberry Announcement in School Library Journal’s Fuse #8 blog, the blog librarians read to decide what books to buy!

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  Martha Meyer

  Martha is the founder of the Blueberry Awards. She is a Library Assistant who has specialized in reading the best nature books to share with local toddler, preschool, and elementary school teachers for years! She’s presented at Nature Play conferences, local NAEYC meetings, Nature Preschool teacher conferences, and more.

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  Bridget Petrites

  Bridget is a keen reader of nonfiction texts for both adults and kids. She keeps Evanston Public Library focused on the coolest books being published today! Bridget’s enthusiasm for great books is contagious. 

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  Sally Battle

  Sally is a neuroscientist by training and a Children’s Library natural by inclination. Sally also created the wonderful Blueberry Award logo! She’s created a brilliant program for teaching racial equity to elementary school kids that was a hit at a recent American Library Association gathering.

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  Brian Wilson

  Brian is a Children’s Librarian tasked with buying the Evanston Public Library's children’s fiction. Brian, like Betsy, has been on Children’s library award committees for years, including the Caldecott Committee that selects the best picture book of the year and a stint chairing the Legacy Committee last year. His national experience helps us make great decisions!