Our colleague Kim McKay in Sydney has won a prize from the US AAAS for her children’s book on ‘100 things you can do to save the planet’.
Here’s their release:
AUSTRALIAN CHILDREN’S ENVIRONMENT BOOK WINS TOP US SCIENCE PRIZE
True Green Kids…100 Things You Can Do to Save the Planet Awarded
AAAS/Subaru Best Hands On Science Book
An Australian environmental children’s book, True Green Kids….100 Things You Can Do to Save the Planet (ABC Books, Australia ($22.95) & National Geographic Books, USA), co-authored by Kim McKay and Jenny Bonnin and designed by Marian Kyte, has won a leading children’s science book prize in the United States.
The prestigious award, for Best Hands On Science Book will be presented in Chicago this Friday 13 February at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Conference. It is one of four book prizes awarded by the AAAS, the publisher of Science Magazine and the SB&F website: www.sbfonline.com/subaruaward/winners09.htm.
Kim McKay, AO, the co-author of True Green Kids who will be in Chicago to accept the US$1500 prize said that the award was recognition of the need for simple communication which empowers people to take positive action about the environment.
“The four True Green books we’ve created to date are all about providing simple and useful actions you can take to change your behavior and we’ve tried to present the tips in a very accessible way. True Green Kids was a fun book to create and highlights the wonderful collaboration that we’ve had with designer/illustrator, Marian Kyte,” Kim said.
Launched in Australia by Environment Minister Peter Garrett last April and with a foreword by Clean Up the World ambassador, David de Rothschild, True Green Kids covers 100 points from the obvious (use cloth bags and turn down the heat) to the creative and fun (set up a local carbon trading card system or help organize a ‘trash’ free lunch day at school).
The four True Green books published by ABC Books in Australia and by National Geographic in
the US are:
True Green….100 Everyday Ways You Can Contribute to a Healthier Planet (ABC Books $19.95) which was also published by National Geographic in the United States (April 2007).
True Green @ Work…..100 Ways You Can Make the Environment Your Business with Tim Wallace was released by ABC Books in August, 2007 and in the US in February 2008.
True Green Kids….100 Things You Can Do to Save the Planet* (ABC Books $22.95) was released in April 2008 and launched in the US in September 2008.
True Green Home…100 Ideas to Help You Create a Greener Home (ABC Books $22.95) was released in Australia in October, 2008 and due for release in the US in March 2009.
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A fifth True Green title, True Green Life…200 Ideas to Make Your Life Greener in Every Way will be published in April. The authors are part of the Clean up Australia/Clean up the World team (Kim is cofounder and Jenny is a board member).
The AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books celebrates outstanding science writing and illustration for children and young adults. AAAS and Subaru sponsor the prizes, which promote science literacy by drawing attention to the importance of good science books.
The AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prizes are given to recently published individual books, which promote scientific literacy, are scientifically sound, and foster an understanding and appreciation of science in readers of all ages. AAAS hopes that the prizes will help draw attention to the importance of good science books and will encourage children and young adults to turn to science books, not only for information, but for enjoyment too!
More information about True Green: www.betruegreen.com
AAAS/Subaru Science Book Prize: www.sbfonline.com/subaruaward/winners09.htm.
ENDS#
For further information/interviews contact
Kim McKay +61 418 440 626 / 02 9331 3577/kmckay@momentum2.com.au
Jenny Bonnin + 61 414 473572
Alex Vickers +61 9331 3577 / 0415 732 601/avickers@momentum2.com.au
(for images or further details)