AHS - Press Releases July 28, 2008

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American Horticultural Society Press Releases

American Horticultural Society
at George Washington’s River Farm
7931 East Boulevard Drive
Alexandria, VA 22308-1300
Tel: 703-768-5700
Fax: 703-768-8700
Website: http://www.ahs.org

Four Books Receive 2008 Growing Good Kids
Excellence in Children's Literature Award

Alexandria, VA - jULY 28, 2008

Alexandria, VA (July 28, 2008) Four children's books received the 2008 "Growing Good Kids – Excellence in Children's Literature Award" on July 26, 2008 at the American Horticultural Society's National Children & Youth Garden Symposium held in the Greater Philadelphia area. This award program recognizes children's books that effectively promote an appreciation for gardening, plants, and the environment. "With studies showing a growing disconnect between children and nature," says Stephanie Jutila, the Society's education programs manager, "books that inspire curiosity and encourage exploration of the outdoors for young readers are invaluable tools for bridging this divide."

This year's winners, selected from books published in 2007, are:

The Old Tree by Ruth Brown (Candlewick Press)
If I Were a Tree written and illustrated by Dar Hosta (Brown Dog Books)
The Runaway Garden by Jeffery L. Schatzer and illustrated by Jeffrey Ebbeler (Mitten Press)
Mother Earth and Her Children by Sibylle von Olfers, illustrated by Sieglinde Schoen Smith, and translated by Jack Zipes (Breckling Press)

"The four award winners come from large and very small publishers alike, and we hope this award brings new recognition and a wider audience of young readers to these very deserving titles," says Randy Seagraves national curriculum coordinator for the National Junior Master Gardeners Program, which jointly administers the award program with the American Horticultural Society.

Award nominations for books published in 2008 will be accepted beginning August 1, 2008, and must be received by April 24, 2009. For more information about the "Growing Good Kids" book award program and for images of the winning book covers, visit http://www.jmgkids.us; or contact Randy Seagraves at (979) 845-8565 or seagraves@tamu.edu.

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The American Horticultural Society (AHS), founded in 1922, is an educational, non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that recognizes and promotes excellence in American horticulture. One of the oldest and most prestigious gardening organizations, AHS is dedicated to making America a nation of gardeners, a land of gardens. Its mission is to open the eyes of all Americans to the vital connection between people and plants, to inspire all Americans to become responsible caretakers of the Earth, to celebrate America's diversity through the art and science of horticulture; and to lead this effort by sharing the Society's unique national resources with all Americans.

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