Green Earth Literature Program

The Green Earth Literature Program was created by NMF to get more books with a message of environmental stewardship into the hands of children and young adults, and to connect authors with youth. A key component of this program is the Green Earth Book Award, the nation’s first, annual award for authors and illustrators whose books best raise awareness of environmental stewardship, and the beauty of our natural world and the responsibility that we have to protect it. Captivating young people through the imagery of words and pictures is central to how we reach and inspire the next generation.

The Green Earth Book Award is awarded in four categories:

  • Picture Book: for books for children from pre-school to age 8 where the pictures and illustrations are as important as the text
  • Children’s Fiction: encompasses novels for young readers up to age 12
  • Young Adult Fiction: includes books for readers from age 13 to 21
  • Nonfiction: includes books for readers from infancy to age 21

The award in each of the four categories is comprised of a monetary award of $1,000 to the author and $1,000 to the illustrator (or $2,000 if the author and illustrator is the same person). In addition, $250 in Green Earth Book Award-winning books will be donated to a Title I school in Northern Virginia, Maryland, or Washington, DC.

Download the Green Earth Literature Program Fact Sheet