Landslide by Betty Cully

 

“Protestors have a right to be there, same as the dump, Nathan. Unless people stop making it, garbage has to go somewhere,” Dad says. “It’s always gonna be in someone’s backyard.”

You know that old saying don't judge a book by its cover? Well in the case of this book I totally misjudged the book by the title. YES there is a landslide but not of the kind involving huge mountains and perhaps catastrophic damage to a small town or village below the disaster. In this case the landslide is a huge or I should say enormous pile of rubbish or garbage that is piled up at the local dump on the edge of town. Perhaps no will notice the pile getting bigger or the pile actually beginning to move but one boy does notice because he lives right across the street!

How did that happen? Where I live the local dump is no not near any houses but Nathan does live there:

Our house on Route 4 in Crawley, Maine, is right across the road from the dump. There wasn’t always a dump there. It used to be the other half of my grandparents’ land, and in the summer we’d look out our front windows and see a big field full of tall grass and wildflowers. In the winter we’d watch deer and foxes. Mom doesn’t blame her sister for selling it. Aunt Del had no idea what would happen. But now it’s the place for everyone’s trash. 

And the complication is Nathan's dad works for the dump company called on Route 4 in Crawley, Maine, is right across the road from the dump. There wasn’t always a dump there. It used to be the other half of my grandparents’ land, and in the summer we’d look out our front windows and see a big field full of tall grass and wildflowers. In the winter we’d watch deer and foxes. Mom doesn’t blame her sister for selling it. Aunt Del had no idea what would happen. But now it’s the place for everyone’s trash. Last week protestors started gathering at the entrance, under the metal sign that says Homefront Municipal Waste Management.  

Nathan begins to read about the way these huge mountains of trash have begun to collapse in other places even leading to a death. Nathan needs a way to gather evidence and also he desperately needs to keep his dad safe. His dad's job is right on top of the pile - he works on huge equipment which tries to flatten the pile as more and more refuse is added each day. And this refuse is not just household waste.

Sometimes trucks from down south start lining up as early as six a.m. with special waste, solid waste, sludge, demolition debris, oily debris, asbestos, fly ash, dirty dirt. ... thing—dirty dirt means contaminated soil.

Luckily Nathan is a very observant boy (he calls this his I-sight) and he also has a terrific tool - a phone that he can use to take photos and timelapse videos. He also has a new friend - a boy names Wilder Bacon who needs a friend as much as Nathan needs someone to help him with this urgent issue. 

He told more glacier facts. Glaciers get so big the pressure of their own tremendous weight causes them to move. Glaciers are solids that flow like a liquid. That’s when I realized the garbage hill doesn’t move like a baseball or a hockey puck or a zip line. What it moves like the most is a glacier. Sometimes it moves fast and other times slow. Check. A glacier is constantly being topped off by fresh snowfall that keeps it flowing downhill, and the landfill always has more garbage being added. Check. If these things make the landfill like a glacier, then the other thing I learned might be true, too—that it is unstoppable.

I have good news and bad news about this book - yes it one I highly recommend and yes it is available here in Australia. It was published this year - 2026 BUT because it is from the US and because so far it is only available in hardcover it is way too expensive for a school library at AUS$35. If you can find this book in a library, I am certain readers aged 10+ will be hooked - Nathan is a kid who has real concerns, he loves his dad, he cares about his community and friendships and his activism as a kid is wonderful to witness. 

Adding to the power of this story the end notes explain the actual real-life situation that led to Betty Cully researching and writing this book. 

Culley grounds the story in solid environmental education, explaining rural landfills’ acceptance of out-of-state waste and the cumulative dangers of exposure to environmental waste and landfill gases. The plot builds steadily, and Nathan’s voice remains absorbing throughout, capturing a kid’s determination to protect his family while grappling with complex community politics. The environmental message is clear but never heavy-handed ... Kirkus

“This book has a lot of information about garbage, landfills, trash removal, and the impact of a landfill on the environment, but it’s also a story of friendship, family, and kindness. The characters are interesting and well developed and are portrayed as loving people who want to do the best for their families as well as the community. . . An excellent choice for libraries needing realistic middle grade fiction, particularly with environmental or social emotional themes.” —School Library Journal, starred review

I found Landslide on a shelf at my public library earlier this week. I’m so glad I did! It’s about a boy named Nathan that lives across the street from the landfill that his dad works at. As you can image, living right next to a landfill comes with some challenges. The characters in this one are easy to root for. Great book! Colby Sharp

Here is a longer review with comments about the writing of this book by the author. Here is the web page for Betty Cully - she lives in Maine.

Change the World before Bedtime by Mark Kimball Moulton, Josh Chambers and Karen Good

Summary: A call to arms for social justice, this story’s inspirational message, multicultural ethos, practical approach, accessibility for the junior classes and simple, engaging rhyme persuasively show how small actions (such as a smile, a kind word, a simple deed) by everyone can help change the world. Each page of this book allows for learning and discussion about aspects of an ethical life, recycling, visiting old and sick people, farmers’ markets, planting trees, ...  But the central message that our actions make a difference can build both responsibility and self-belief in children. 50 Picture Books to Change the World

This book was published in 2012 so it is out of print but you might find it in a library as I did. The title caught my attention and then when I looked inside each page was filled with vibrant and very appealing collage art. I am not a fan of rhyme in picture books unless it is done really well - so I pleased to see it really does work in this book:

"Change the world before bedtime. It's easy. You'll see. Sharing a part of your heart is the key. So leap out of bed. Cape on. Let's show our true colour before the day's gone."

The illustrations are as busy as the kids' energy and consist of a mixture of water colors and real life materials to give them an interesting depth. There is always something to look at, making this a nice book to flip through time and again. Book Worm for Kids

You could use this book with a preschool group or classes up to Grade Two and perhaps share one double page spread each day as a discussion starter. 

I haven't found much information about the illustrator who I think is Mark Kimball Moulton - the cover just lists three names with no indication of their roles. He has a few books listed on Goodreads but then I also found books illustrated by Karen Hillard Good which look similar to the art in Change the World before Bedtime. A second edition of this book was published in 2018 [9780764355813]: The updated second edition includes eight additional pages packed with interactive activities that encourage creativity and empower children to unleash their superhero potential. From a space to draw their self-portrait, to a make-your-own superhero cape activity, young readers can fully immerse themselves in the world of superheroes and express their unique identities.

A Wolf for a Spell by Karah Sutton illustrated by Pauliina Hannuniemi

The distrust between the wolves and the witch went back hundreds of wolf generations. No wolf ever interacted with the witch without walking away changed. At least with a human you could search for a knife or an arrow. But the witch’s magic was hidden, and could be used for any number of devious purposes.

Nadya is an orphan. She watches with great sadness when her only and best friend from the orphanage is taken away to be married to the Tsar. 

It was a fairy-tale story of the orphan girl from the woods becoming royalty that would be told by firelight for years. The tsar held to an old forest tradition that anyone who gave him a gift that he deemed worthy would be honored with a royal favor. When he visited the village, Katerina offered him one of her beautifully woven cloaks, soft as a feather and more intricate than a spider’s web. In return he named her to be his bride.

Zima is a wolf pup living alone with her two brothers because their parents have been killed. When her brother is badly injured she desperately needs to save him.

Baba Yaga is an old witch holding onto a terrible guilt. She needs to right this wrong but she is too old to travel far so she is on the lookout for a young wolf pup to use for a switching spell. 

“I must become a wolf. Yet my magic does not allow me to simply transform. I am bound by the laws of the forest, and my magic is always a trade. I need a wolf to switch bodies with me, willingly.”

The lives of these three characters will collide in unexpected ways and I am certain you will be on the edge of your seat hoping for, but not sure if, the story can reach that all important happy ending. Oh and there is also a cheeky raven who can be occasionally very helpful. 

Blurb: Since she was a pup, Zima has been taught to fear humans--especially witches--but when her family is threatened, she has no choice but to seek help from the witch Baba Yaga. Baba Yaga never does magic for free, but it just so happens that she needs a wolf's keen nose for a secret plan she's brewing . . . Before Zima knows what's happening, the witch has cast a switching spell and run off into the woods, while Zima is left behind in Baba Yaga's hut--and Baba Yaga's body! Meanwhile, a young village girl named Nadya is also seeking the witch's help, and when she meets Zima (in Baba Yaga's form), they discover that they face a common enemy. With danger closing in, Zima must unite the wolves, the witches and the villagers against an evil that threatens them all.

Opening sentence: Fear sank its jaws into Zima as she recognized the smell of magic. She pressed her nose to the ground and sniffed again. Like moonlight and decay—it burrowed into her nose, slippery and sinister. She shook her head and huffed to clear out her nostrils.

Here is a description of the tsar: Everything about him was thick and angular. He had an arrowlike nose poking out over the thick beard. When he stood, it was with one foot in front of the other, as though he were ready to begin moving again. His voice rumbled in his square chest.

There are fabulous illustrations in this book:

I picked up this book at a recent charity book sale and read about 1/3 and then because I was going away for a month and because I was SO engrossed in the story and because I cannot carry books in my luggage I also purchased the ebook version to read on the plane. This is one of those 'time is ticking' page turner stories where the 'heroes' have, in this case, only one week until the full moon. 

The cover of this book is also SO appealing and the title in intriguing - it will make more sense after you read the story. And after reading A Wolf for a Spell you will want to hunt out other books about the Baba Yaga and the house with chicken legs. 

Here are a couple of other books I enjoyed that feature wolves:

The Wolf Wilder

Wolf Siren (for readers aged 12+)

A Wolf called Wander

What the Macaw Saw by Charlotte Guillain illustrated by Sam Usher

Bookseller blurb: Told in gentle rhyming verse, this beautiful non-fiction picture book follows the story of a flock of colourful macaws as they live their lives in the Amazon rainforest. Through the voice of one of the macaws, we hear about the bounty of the rainforest, as well as the challenges they have faced – threatened by the destruction of their home through machinery and forest fires to make room for vast plantations. Still, there are some areas where the land is protected and they can live a life of freedom among the trees… perhaps in the future, humans will learn the true value of the forest once again Accompanying non-fiction pages at the end of the book include information on endangered macaws, the importance of the rainforest, and the causes of deforestation, as well as what we can do to help.

This book is a perfect example of a well-designed nonfiction book. Younger children will enjoy the first person narrative told in rhyme and then curious older readers can discover more from the four fact pages. 

In the wild Scarlet Macaws live from the south of Mexico, through central American countries such as Costa Rica, Guatemala and Honduras, to as far south as northeast Argentina in South America. Macaws are quite common in the Amazon rainforest but further north the bird is more endangered. 

A picture book that will link to classroom themes on protecting the environment, encouraging young children’s research skills to find out about endangered species, rainforests, birds around the world and to stimulate writing and discussions to persuade and inform on these topics. Just Imagine

What the Macaw Saw was published in 2022, and so I pleased to see it is still available for a really good price in 2026. This book could be a good addition to your library.

There are two other books in this series:

The name of the illustrator - Sam Usher caught my eye. I am a fan of his picture books:

Image source: Sam Usher

Publisher bio: Sam Usher studied illustration at the University of West England. His debut picture book Can You See Sassoon? was shortlisted for the Waterstones Prize and the Red House Children's Book Award. He lives in London with an ancient housemate, and when he's not holding a pen and wobbling at paper, you'll find him playing the piano, eating chocolate and trespassing.

Charlotte Guillain is the author of over 100 books. I need to say I had not heard of her - but now I will hunt out more of her books. She creates books with her husband Adam. 

The Little Hummingbird by Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas

The hummingbird parable, with origins in the Quechuan people of South America, 

has become a talisman for environmentalists and activists who are committed to making meaningful change in the world. In this inspiring story, the determined hummingbird does everything she can to put out a raging fire that threatens her forest home. 

The hummingbird—symbol of wisdom and courage—

demonstrates that doing something is better than doing nothing at all.

"Here is the story of the great forest that caught on fire. The terrible fire raged and burned. All of the animals were afraid and fled from their homes. The elephant and the tiger ran. The beaver scurried and the frog leapt away. Above them the birds flew in a panic. The creatures huddled at the edge of the forest and watched. All except one."

The one is the little hummingbird. She picks up water, one drop at a time, and flies back and forth to the fire. One drop at a time. The other animals watch on convinced there is nothing they can do. The hummingbird tells them:

"I am doing what I can."

The after word for The Little Hummingbird is by Wangari Maathai - here are two books for children about her work:

The Little Hummingbird is a revised edition of a previous title: the award-winning Flight of the Hummingbird (2008) which had 64 pages (see the image at the bottom of this post). You can watch a two-minute animation of the story here. Do watch this it is fantastic. 

Bookseller blurb: This inspiring children's book is based on a South American indigenous story about a courageous hummingbird who defies fear and expectations in her attempt to save the forest from fire. The illustrated story is supplemented by a natural and cultural history of hummingbirds, as well as an inspiring message from Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai. The evocative artwork by internationally renowned Haida artist Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas complements this optimistic tale that encourages everyone to take responsibility for their home and the planet.

I said this very recently - even if I live a hundred more lifetimes I will never reach the end of new and old book discoveries especially those that reside in the library where I work as a volunteer. The Little Hummingbird seems like a fairly obscure book - published in Canada in 2010 and based on an indigenous folktale from South America. Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas is a Canadian visual artist with a very distinct style called Haida Manga. I am so pleased to have discovered this book but at the same time it reinforces my thought that there are SO many other fabulous books 'out there' that I may never discover. New copies of The Little Hummingbird do seem to still be available from several online sellers. 

Here is an example of the art style found in The Little Hummingbird:

“Haida manga,” a somewhat incongruous term, describes a hybrid form of visual expression where the artist not only celebrates Haida cultural memory and merges it with Asian brush techniques, but also engages with the challenges facing all modern societies: conflict, war, the impact of human activity on the environment, climate change and intercultural relations. Yahgulanaas brings to manga a visual and stylistic technique belonging to the cultures of the Pacific Northwest coast: the formline, or figurative line. The formline is a winding line painted in black that swells and contracts, outlining the contours of the picture’s subject. Read more here.

Here is a simpler explanation: Haida manga is a cool and unique art style that mixes traditional art from the Haida people with modern Japanese manga comics. It's like a blend of old and new, bringing together amazing stories and designs from the North Pacific region with the exciting look of Japanese comics. Haida manga has become popular in many countries, including Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan, Macao, France, and Canada.

This story has also been performed as an opera in Vancouver - perhaps that is how the Teacher-Librarian in the school in Sydney, Australia discovered this book? Here is the original version:

In the Kelp Forest by Aunty Patsy Cameron and Reena Balding illustrated by Belinda Casey

Kelp are large brown seaweeds, a type of algae that are distinctive because they form forests. Common kelps in Australian waters include bull kelp, golden kelp, crayweed and giant kelp. Just like forests on land, a kelp forest shelters and feeds other plant life and animals.

Publisher blurb: A stunning picture book that explores the beauty and strength of Country beneath the waves and celebrates the living kelp forests, their creatures, and deep Cultural knowledge of Tasmania’s First Nations people. Kelp forests have intricate lives and play a key role in the balance of our oceans and seas. Myerlee, the giant kelp, sways beneath the waves, her forests alive with creatures that make her their home. Myerlee lives with the elements, shelters life, provides sustenance to those on the land and in the ocean and whispers her secrets to those who will listen.

Huge thanks to Magabala Books for sharing Into the Kelp Forest with me (Published April 7th, 2026).

IBBY and UNESCO are currently compiling a list of books that honour and celebrate indigenous languages from around the world. IBBY Australia will send a list of potential titles and I expect to see a display of these books at the IBBY Congress in Ottawa this year. In the Kelp Forest is a perfect example of a text with integrated Indigenous words and beautiful art and it will be eligible for submission with the next (second) selection round. Along the way you readin this book and your library group or young reading companion are sure to learn so much more about kelp and in this book you will also discover indigenous words for sea snails, sea urchins, crayfish, mussels, abalone and the sea horse (patterleenner in Coastal plans language). In the Kelp Forest is a book you should add to your library and then share it with your teachers so the class can discover more about this amazing underwater environment. 

As a way to find more books on this topic and for background reading take a look at these two posts from my friend at Kinderbookswitheverything:

4th June 2025 Seaweed Day

1st March 2025 World Seagrass Day

The crew of Backroads (ABC Television) visit the kelp forests of Tasmania (4 minutes). And Nature Conservancy have some further information and photos.

Read more here from Jeannie Baker about her book

You can see nine pages from this book here.

Kelp is used as food for animals and humans, for products such as toothpaste, ice cream and shampoo but climate change, global warming and pollution mean that huge areas of kelp forest have disappeared. Kep also provides shelter for animals such as trumpeter fish, crayfish and seahorses. 

Aunty Patsy Cameron grew up on Flinders Island and can trace her Aboriginal heritage through her mother’s line to four Ancestral grandmothers ... Patsy has a Master of Arts in Tasmanian Aboriginal History and an Honorary Doctor of Letters from the University of Tasmania. She was inducted onto the Tasmanian Women’s Honour roll in 2006 and was invested with an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 2017 for distinguished service to Indigenous communities in Tasmania. Her first picture book, with Lisa Kennedy, was Sea Country, also published by Magabala Books.

Belinda Casey is a proud great granddaughter of legendary Tasmanian Aboriginal woman, Fanny Smith, whose traditional homeland is Tebrakunna Country in North Eastern Trouwerner/Tasmania. Belinda graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts with Honours from the School of Creative Arts, University of Tasmania in 2018 and was a finalist in both the 2025 John Glover Art Prize and the 2022 Hadley’s Art Prize. Belinda’s art practice honours the legacy of her ancestral grandmother and the strength and resilience of the Tasmanian Aboriginal people, their culture and connection to Country.

Something Terrible: Tim Tie-Your Shoelaces by Sally Barton illustrated by Christopher Nielsen

Consequences - what might happen if Tim, as usual, does not tie his shoelaces? How is this linked to Mr Wilbanks the sewerage worker? Mr Wilbanks did erect a safety fence and he put out three signs - BEWARE, DANGER and PEAS ARE GOOD FOR YOU. 

"Of course, it's not just anyone that should open a sewer hatch, even if they have put up a safety fence and hung big signs. No, it should be explained here that only sewer men or women should be opening sewers and Mr Wilbanks was a sewer man and proud it of. 'A clean sewer makes for a happy town,' he would say to anyone who would listen."

It is school day and Tim (no he didn't tie his shoelaces) should be heading to school. Mr Wilbanks is going into the sewer because there is something down there - something dangerous. 

Can you join the dots? Think about tripping on your shoelaces. Think about the open manhole. And what is this creature living in the pipes under the city. Oh and can that shoe with the untied lace perhaps save the day?

Here is a text quote to give you a sample of this story which I really enjoyed. I am sure readers aged 7+ will love this little book and it could easily be a fun library read aloud too:

"Lots of stuff gets into the sewers, laddie, ... The sewers run under the town and take all the wastewater away from everyone's homes, but you wouldn't believe what else comes down those drains. Anything that can fit down the pipes comes down the pipes. Socks and potato peelings, spaghetti and glitter, hair and buttons, toothpicks and sticking plasters, toenail clipping and tissues, lizards, goldfish, snakes (dead and alive) and lots of peas."

The illustrations really add to the fun too:

One way to introduce this book might be to use this BTN (ABC TV Behind the news video about Fatbergs). 

And here is another BTN episode on this topic!

Here are the CBCA judges' comments - Tim Tie-your Shoelaces is a CBCA 2026 Younger Readers Notable title. Younger readers is a category for readers aged 7-12. From 2027 this category will change and be split into Middle Readers: 10–13 and Younger Readers: 6–10. Of the six books this shortlisted for 2026 Tim Tie-Your Shoelaces is the only one for very young readers aged 7+. 

Paul McDonald said: (this) is fast paced, funny and clever- and is part of a series of four books. Congrats to the creators ... We need more quality (and quirky) junior chapter books like this one.

It is interesting that I could not find many reviews of this book - it was published in April 2025. 

Tim Tie-Your Shoelaces is book one in this new series:

Book four is Sam Stop-Your-Frowning

Barbara Braxton on her blog The Bottom Shelf says: Of all the series published for young, emerging readers every now and then one stands out and you know it is going to be a favourite.  To my mind, this is one of those.  Ordinary, relatable kids, the type of action that dares adults to read it aloud, humour and clever, appealing physical design all make for an engaging read that is going to draw in even the most reluctant reader ... 

I have forgotten the context but years ago I used to explore the topic of sewerage and water treatment plants with my Grade Four library groups. I found some really interesting websites at that time, and I used some of the books at the bottom of this post. 

Companion books just for fun exploring toilets! There are some ideas in this post from my friend at Kinderbookswitheverything. 

The Great Stink

I also recommend looking for the funny books about peas in your school library - here are a few I found but there are sure to be others:

Here is the web page for Christopher Nielsen. You will recognise his art from our wonderful NSW School Magazine. 

He was the illustrator of another CBCA Notable title - I was a judge for that round and I loved this book:

Just one Bee

Bear to the rescue by Romane Cristescu and Nic Gill illustrated by Sylvia Morris

During Australia's 2019-2020 wildfire season, Bear used his skills to sniff out over 100 live koalas stuck in scorched areas and in need of rescue. Because of Bear, these koalas were able to get the medical care they desperately needed to recover from burns, malnourishment, and dehydration.

One of the most special things about Australia that sets us apart from other countries is our unique wildlife such as the platypus; kangaroo; wombat and of course the koala. I had Canadian visitor years ago and all she wanted to do on our long, long drive from Sydney in NSW to Port Stephens in Queensland was to see a koala - alas this did not happen. In fact, I have lived here all my life, and I have never seen one in the wild but in the 1950s they were seen in the playground of my former school - how amazing. While we do have some fantastic animals here, we also have the devastation of bushfires and since koalas live in trees, bushfires are one of the worst things that can happen to their habitat. I had no idea, though, that dogs were used to find stranded koalas so that wildlife workers could rescue and save them.

It is a little cheeky that the name of the dog in this true story is 'Bear' because the koala is not a bear. Luckily this crazy puppy finds his purpose and after some special training he quickly learns to identify the smell of a koala.

"Now I wasn't looking for koalas to study them. I had to find them to save them! This wasn't like working in the forests at home. The air dried my nose and stung my eyes. I wore special boots to protect my paws."

You could share this book with your youngest students who I know love to read and hear true stories about animal heroes. Here is an extensive Pinterest of picture books with true animal stories including many that feature dogs. This could be an interesting mini topic to explore with your library group or class. Here is a link to the teachers notes. Read more about Bear here. The Bottom Shelf blog also has more information about Bear and a short video you could use in your library. 

As I mentioned this book is based on the work of a real dog named Bear - he is an Australia Koolie. Bear worked during the 2019-2020 megafires. He has received two awards - Animal Welfare Animal Action Award (2021) and Puppy Tales Australia Dog of the Year Awards medal (2025).

Unlike most dogs trained to detect koala scats, Bear’s exceptional skills allow him to find live koalas resting high in trees. Over the years, Bear has saved over 100 koalas, playing a vital role in search and rescue missions during bushfires, vehicle strikes, and disease outbreaks. 

His work has been pivotal in efforts like Black Summer, where every koala he saved made a tangible difference to endangered populations.

"We think Bear really deserved this award because he's been such a good boy in helping us find and rescue a lot of koalas, especially during the bushfires, but he works throughout the year to help us in our job to make a better and safer place for koalas. We'll give Bear extra pats and extra play for his award," Bear's handler, Dr. Romane Cristescu of the University of the Sunshine Coast, said in a statement.

Thanks to CSIRO Publishing for sending me a review copy of Bear to the Rescue.

Dr Romane Cristescu trained as a vet before studying koala genetics. She is the Director of the University of the Sunshine Coast’s Detection Dogs for Conservation, and the trainer/handler/manager of dogs, including Bear, who specialise in finding animals and their poo.

Nic Gill loves to share stories about nature, humans and other animals. After meeting Romane and her dogs, she was so impressed that she became a conservation dog handler herself and now works with her detection dogs in the Tasmanian wilds.

Sylvia Morris is an illustrator and science enthusiast. She loves illustrating picture books because it combines two of her favourite activities: reading and problem solving.

We are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom illustrated by Michaela Goade

"We fight for those

who cannot fight for themselves

The winged ones.

The crawling ones."

"In Ojibwe culture, women are protectors of the water and men are protectors of the fire."

This story deals with a specific threat to water by an oil pipeline but it also contains an important message about the care we all need to take of our precious environment. Here in Australia you could use this book for a unit about water, the environment, or with older students as a way to talk about other indigenous cultures. This book also links with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6 - Clean water and sanitation. 

From the author web page: Water is the first medicine. It affects and connects us all… When a black snake threatens to destroy the Earth and poison her people’s water, one young water protector takes a stand to defend Earth’s most sacred resource. Inspired by the many indigenous-led movements across North America, this bold and lyrical picture book issues an urgent rallying cry to safeguard the Earth’s water from harm and corruption.

Water is the first medicine.

It affects and connects us all.

Water is sacred.

My people talk of a black snake that will destroy the land,

Spoil the water, wreck everything in its path.

They foretold that it wouldn't come for many, many years.

Now the black snake is here.

Here is a set of teachers notes. 

An inspiring call to action for all who care about our interconnected planet. Kirkus Star review

A young Sioux girl recalls the story her grandmother told, featuring the dire warning that a black snake would come, contaminating the water source, thus causing harm to all the animals and land. The young girl decides to take a stand in order to protect the water sources and provide safety for all living things. The “black snake” a.k.a. the pipeline. While this is a simple story, there is more to it than meets the summary. The black snake? It’s really an oil pipeline. Raising Real Readers

We are Water Protectors won the Caldecott Medal in 2021. The criteria for the Caldecott emphasise the importance of the illustrators and in We are Water Protectors the illustrators are truly special. 

About the Caldecott Medal:

• The Medal shall be awarded annually to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children published by an American publisher in the United States in English during the preceding year. There are no limitations as to the character of the picture book except that the illustrations be original work.
• A “picture book for children” as distinguished from other books with illustrations, is one that essentially provides the child with a visual experience. A picture book has a collective unity of story-line, theme, or concept, developed through the series of pictures of which the book is comprised.
• A “picture book for children” is one for which children are an intended potential audience. The book displays respect for children’s understandings, abilities, and appreciations. Children are defined as persons of ages up to and including fourteen and picture books for this entire age range are to be considered.

Green Earth Book Award 2025 short list (GEBA)

This award cycle represents NatGen's 21st year of awarding GEBA! We are proud to have created the nation's first environmental stewardship award for books that inspire children and young adults to grow a deeper understanding, respect, and responsibility for the natural environment.

NatGen is proud to unveil the 2025 GEBA Short List: a celebration of powerful storytelling that inspires the next generation of eco-heroes. These books remind us that every page turned can lead to a greener future for kids! Final Winners, Honor, and Recommended Reading will be announced on Earth Day, April 22, 2025

Nearly all of these are unfamiliar to me but this list might give you some titles to add to your school library (assuming they are not too expensive here in Australia). You might also like to look at the 2024 winners list. 

This is the 2024 Picture Book winner

Read more here

Take a look at the website for the 2025 award. I am not sure I would call this a short list there are so many fabulous titles listed here - sorry I had to split the image. 

You can access these lists here. Note there are also Young Adult titles for High School libraries. 

PICTURE BOOK – PRIMARY READERS  

Books for young readers in which the visual and verbal narratives together tell the story 

• Art & Oakie Ask: Do You Speak Bee?, by Josh Oaktree, illustrated by Josiane Vlitos (Oak Tree Comics) 
• Beauty and the Beaker, by Sue Fliess, illustrated by Petros Bouloubasis (Albert Whitman & Company) 
• Dino-Earth Day, by Lisa Wheeler, illustrated by Barry Gott (Lerner Publishing Group) 
• Gifts from the Garbage Truck, by Andrew Larsen, illustrated by Oriol Vidal (Sourcebooks) 
• Inside the Compost Bin, by Melody Sumaoang Plan, illus by Vinh Nguyen & Rong Pham (Tilbury) 
• Loop de Loopby Andrea Curtis, illus by Roozeboos  (Groundwood)
• Outdoor Farm, Indoor Farm, by Lindsay H. Metcalf, illustrated by Xin Li (Astra Young Readers)
• Ranger Hamza's Eco Quest, by Ranger Hamza, illustrated by Kate Kronreif (The Quarto Group) 
• The Wild, by Yuval Zommer (Random House Children's Books) 
• Walking Trees, by Marie-Louise Gay, illustrated by Marie-Louise Gay (Groundwood Books)
• Whalesong: The True Story of the Musician Who Talked to Orcas, by Zachariah Ohora, illustrated by Zachariah Ohora (Tundra Book Group)

PICTURE BOOK – INTEMEDIATE READERS 

Books for young readers in which the visual and verbal narratives together tell the story 

• Cactus Queen Minerva Hoyt Establishes Joshua Tree National Park, by Lori Alexander, illustrated by Jenn Ely (Calkins Creek/Astra Books for Young Readers) 
• Change is in the Air, by Debbie Levy, illustrated by Alex Boersma (Bloomsbury Publishing) 
• Frogs on the Mountain: The Mountain Yellow-Legged Frogs in Yosemite, by Adalgisa Nico and David Nico, illustrated by Andy Atkins (Mummert House Enterprises)
• Milkweed for Monarchs, by Christine Van Zandt, illustrated by Alejandra Barajas (Beaming)
• Sea Without a Shore: Life in the Sargasso, by Barb Rosenstock, illustrated by Katherine Roy (Norton Young Readers) 
• Secret Gardeners: Growing a Community and Healing the Earth, by Lina Laurent, illustrated by Maija Hurme (Pajama Press) 
• The Girl Who Planted Trees, by Caryl Hart, illustrated by Anastasia Suvorova (Nosy Crow) 
• The Last Zookeeper, by Aaron Becker, illustrated by Aaron Becker (Candlewick) 
• The Miracle Forest, by Ellen Dee Davidson, illustrated by Carolan Raleigh-Halsing (Willows)
• The Ocean Gardener, by Clara Anganuzzi, illustrated by Clara Anganuzzi (Tiger Tales) 
• Viewfinder, by Christine D.U. Chung & Salwa Majoka, illust by Christine D.U. Chung and Salwa Majoka (Tundra Book Group) 
• Water: Discovering the Precious Resource All Around Us, by Olga Fadeev, illustrated by Olga Fadeeva (Eerdmans) 
• Wild at Heart: The Story of Olaus and Mardy Murie, Defenders of Nature, by Evan Griffith, illustrated by Anna Bron (Sleeping Bear Press) 

CHILDREN'S FICTION 

Novels for young readers up to age 12 

• Emily Posts, by Tanya Lloyd Kyi (Tundra Book Group) 
• Gracie Under the Waves, by Linda Sue Park (Allida) 
• Legend Keepers: The Promise, by Bruce Smith, illustrated by Diana Smith (Hidden Shelf)
• No Time To Waste, by Carolyn Armstrong (Carolyn Armstrong Books) 
• Sylvia Doe and the 100-Year Flood, by Robert Beatty, illustrated by Jennifer Beatty (Disney Hyperion) 
• The Owl Prowl Mystery, by Diana Renn (Fitzroy Books/Regal House) 
• The Secret Language of Birds, by Lynne Kelly (Random House Children's Books)
• The Strange Wonders of Roots, by Evan Griffith, illustrated by Pascal Campion (Quill Tree)

CHILDREN'S NONFICTION  

Nonfiction books for young readers up to age 12                                              

• All Consuming: Shop Smarter for the Planet, by Erin Silver, illustrated by Suharu Ogawa (Orca)
• Galápagos Islands: The World's Living Laboratory, by Karen Romano Young, illustrated by Amy Grimes (What on Earth!) 
• In It to Win It: Sports and the Climate Crisis, by Erin Silver, illustrated by Pui Yan Fong (Orca)
• Kids Fight Extinction, by Martin Dorey, illustrated by Tim Wesson (Candlewick) 
• Let's Get Creative: Art for a Healthy Planet, by Jessica Rose, illustrated by Jarett Sitter (Orca)
• Rewild the World at Bedtime, by Emily Hawkins, illustrated by Ella Beech (The Quarto Group) 
• Taking Care of Where We Live: Restoring Ecosystems, by Merrie-Ellen Wilcox, illustrated by Amanda Key (Orca Book Publishers) 
• Whales and Us: Our Shared Journey, by India Desjardins, by Nathalie Dion (Orca)
• What Do We Eat?: How Humans Find, Grow and Share Food, by Megan Clendenan, illustrated by Meegan Lim (Orca Book Publishers) 
• What Poo Can Do: How Animals Are Fighting the Climate Crisis, by Yolanda Ridge 

Huge thanks to my IBBY Friend who was a judge for these awards (2021). I had not seen this award previously even though it has been running for 21 years. Here is the 2021 Picture Book winner:

Butterflies belong here