1999 KIND Children's Book Award Recipient

Earthsong
By Sally Rogers
New York: Dutton Children's Books 1998; Ages 4-8

Internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter Sally Rogers has earned a number of distinctions for her work, including Best Folk Album, a Parents' Choice Gold Award, and Best Children's Album of the Year. We're pleased to add to her credits our own commendation for Rogers' first picturebook, based on her adaptation of the traditional song "Over in the Meadow." Earthsong (New York: Dutton Children's Books, 1998), whose richly colored illustrations and lyrical text introduce young readers to 11 endangered animals, is this year's winner of the KIND Children's Book Award.

"I like writing material that teaches kids to respect animals and the environment," says Rogers. "I think humor and an upbeat approach work better than preaching doom and gloom. If we expect children to become better stewards of the planet, we have to give them hope that their actions will really matter."

A counting and rhyming book, Earthsong appeals to readers of every age. Rogers admits, however, that she had a very young audience in mind when she wrote it. "After the book was published, I was surprised to learn it was being used in the upper elementary and middle school grades. Teachers started sending me tapes of their Earthsong classroom activities. Some had students add their own verses to the book. The kids would research an endangered species, pick out the most important details, and condense that information into a few brief statements." Other classes put on performances using dance, puppets, and musical instruments. "I'd love to know how KIND teachers use the book," Rogers adds. E-mail your ideas to salrog@neca.com.

You can hear "Over in the Endangered Meadow" on Rogers' album Piggyback Planet (Round River Records), which also includes such kid-friendly tracks as "The Recycle Song," "Whale Song," "Junk Round," and "Hello Ladybug."

Other titles worth adding to your shelf:

 My Mother Talks to Trees (Atlanta: Peachtree Publishers, Ltd., 1999), by Doris Gove, with illustrations by Marilynn H. Mallory; Ages 4-8. Much to Laura’s embarrassment, her mother does just what the book title suggests: greets every pine and persimmon in her path—and their leaves and lichens too! After a while, Laura’s self-consciousness gives way to curiosity as she learns how to identify trees and develops her own language for relating to them. A glossary at the back is a great resource for budding naturalists.

 Coyote Concert on a Full Moon Night (Minnetonka, MN: NorthWord Press, 1998), by Carol Whelihan-Scherer, with illustrations by Amy Quamme; Ages 4-8. In this enchanting poem, all the denizens of a red-rock desert—from smooth snakes to long-eared hares—gather to hear a family of coyotes sing in praise of the changing seasons and the natural world.

 Hawk Hill (San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1996), by Suzie Gilbert, with watercolor illustrations by Sylvia Long; Ages 9-12. When Pete moves to a new town, he has a hard time making friends...until he meets Maloney. Even though his new buddy stares, screams, eats mice, and doesn’t talk, Pete finds that the two of them have a lot in common. Hawk Hill is the touching story of an injured red-tailed hawk’s recovery and release into the wild and of the special friendship that forms between a young boy and a wildlife rehabilitator. The book ends with an illustrated glossary of raptors.

 Hey, Little Ant (Berkeley: Tricycle Press, 1998), by Phillip and Hannah Hoose, with illustrations by Debbie Tilley; Ages 4-8. Follow the conversation between an ant and a boy who’s being urged by his friends to crush him. This wonderful work teaches children to value even the smallest critters, and the open-ended conclusion lets readers decide how the story will end.