Shortlists for the Karajia and the Environment Award For Children’s Literature 2025 • CHILD Magazines

26 Jun Shortlists for the Karajia and the Environment Award For Children’s Literature 2025

Posted at 06:25h in Celebrate, Education by Editor

The 2025 shortlisted children’s books foster a curiosity in the natural world, a love of nature and a hopeful spirit of collaboration to overcome environmental challenges

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 primary school teacher, Oh Create Day and Oh Creative Classroom founder Shannon Wong-NIzic, writer, actor and voice artist Leah Vandenberg and picture book author and poet Johanna Bell.

Past recipients of the Environment Award for Children’s Literature include Tim Winton, Paul Jennings, Jackie French, the late Narelle Oliver, Coral Tulloch, Graeme Base, Wendy Orr, Maree McCarthy Yoelu, Leanne Mulgo Watson and Aunty Joy Murphy.

2025 SHORTLIST THE ENVIRONMENT AWARD FOR CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

FICTION

Mission Wildlife Rescue (Pat Cummins, Dave Hartley & Serena Geddes)
Ella and the Amazing Frog Orchestra (Cassy Pollimeni)
The Apprentice Witnesser (Bren MacDibble)
Taronga presents: Baby Boom(Taronga Conservation Society Australia & Kristin Darell)

NON-FICTION

Nightlife (Sandra Kendell)
Tree (Claire Saxby)
Seed to Sky: Life in the Daintree(Pamela Freeman)
Jiggliest Jellyfish (Tim Flannery & Emma Flannery)

PICTURE FICTION

Afloat (Kirli Saunders)
Our World Full of Wonder (Jevita Nilson)
Country (Aunty Fay Muir & Sue Lawson)
Voice of the Sea (John Williamson)
General Waste (Michel Streich)

KARAJIA AWARD FOR CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

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 Wilman, Noongar and Ballardong teacher Isobel Bevis, painter and classically trained Yidaki (Didgeridoo) player Blak Douglas, and award-winning performer Lucas Proudfoot.

Past winners of the award include Adam Goodes, Ellie Laing, David Hardy, Aunty Fair Muir, Sue Lawson, Leanne Mulgo Watson, Victor and Sandra Steffensen, and last year’s winners Isovel Bevis, Leanne Zilm, Dujuan Hoosan, Margaret Andrson, Carol Turner and Blak Douglas.

FICTION

Wurrtoo (Tylissa Elisara)
When the World Was Soft (Juluwarlu Group Aboriginal Corporation)

NON-FICTION

Walking the Rock Country in Kakadu (Diane Lucas & Ben Tyle)
Ask Aunty: Bush Survival Skills (Aunty Munya Andrews)
ngayawanj bagan-nggul, ngayawanj barra barra-nggul (we belong to the land, we belong to the sea) (Vincentia High School, with Kirli Saunders and Jaz Corr)
Always Was, Always Will Be (Aunty Fay Muir & Sue Lawson)

PICTURE FICTION

Afloat (Kirli Saunders)
bagan, barra barra, mirriwarr (The Boys Who Found Their Way) (Tyran Uddin and Kayden Wellington, with Kirli Saunders and Jaz Corr)
Miimi and Buwaarr, Mother and Baby (Melissa Greenwood)
For 60,000 Years (Marlee Silva)
The Moon Story (Marshia Cook)