A River’s Gifts: An Interview with Author Patricia Newman

The story of the Elwha River in Washington State is one of both environmental harm and restoration involving advocacy, persistence, cooperation, and hope. Author Patricia Newman and illustrator Natasha Donovan tell this story in the new nonfiction picture book A River’s Gifts: The Mighty Elwha River Reborn.

Patricia Newman joins us today to share how she discovered the Elwha River Restoration Project, her research process, and her hopes for young readers. Read on to download the free teaching guide.

by Megan Ciskowski, Associate Publicist

In 2013, Milkweed editions published Braiding Sweetgrass by Indigenous botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer. Since that time, the book has become a New York Times Bestseller and continues to earn recognition in both the literary and science fields.

This November, Zest Books ™, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group, will release the new YA adaptation of this breathtaking nonfiction titled Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer and Monique Gray Smith, illustrated by Nicole Neidhardt.

by Sneed B. Collard III, author of Little Killers: The Ferocious Lives of Puny Predators

I first became fascinated by tiny predators as a biology student at UC Berkeley. I’d been around animals all my life, but taking invertebrate zoology and poking around tidepools made me firmly realize that life on Earth runs on “small” more than “big.”

Around the world, roads and highways have cut through natural spaces. As a result, wild animals are cut off from the resources they need to survive. Make Way for Animals!: A World of Wildlife Crossings explores the creative solutions engineers and wildlife biologists have found to save both animal and human lives and help preserve ecosystems.

Today author Meeg Pincus joins us to share her inspiration for this nonfiction picture book, her research process, and more!

April 22 is Earth Day, and we’re preparing for the occasion by collecting books that cover topics like the environment, animals and conservation, climate change, and more. Whether you’re planning an Earth Day celebration in your classroom or library or looking for books to support environmental education all year round, we’ve got celebrated picks for every grade K-12.

We’re also sharing free educator resources including read-aloud videos and activities to help educators celebrate Earth Day. Keep reading to learn how to get them!