Three books about birds win Nationwide Out of doors Guide Awards

Three of the 19 profitable books within the 2022 Nationwide Out of doors Guide Awards are books about birds. The competition, which is in its twenty sixth 12 months, is sponsored by the Nationwide Out of doors Guide Awards Basis (NOBA), Idaho State College, and the Affiliation of Out of doors Recreation and Schooling.

Marina Richie, who has written articles for BirdWatching for greater than a decade, gained the Journeys class along with her first ebook, Halcyon Journey: In Search of the Belted Kingfisher.

Within the ebook, Richie searches for a kingfisher nest close to her dwelling in Montana. As readers observe alongside, she weaves collectively scientific research with tales of her household. We study that the kingfisher is the halcyon of Greek mythology, a chook with magical powers who might calm the waters of the ocean when it nested.

Her easy want to look at kingfishers turns right into a halcyon quest and sends her on far-flung adventures to different continents to study extra about these mythic birds.

“That is very good nature writing,” mentioned Ron Watters, the chair of the Nationwide Out of doors Guide Awards. It’s engrossing, enlightening, and illuminating. Marina Richie is clearly an thrilling new voice in nature writing.”

One in every of two winners of the Design & Creative Advantage class is Drawn to Birds: A Naturalist’s Sketchbook by Jenny deFouw Geuder. NOBA says of the ebook:

“This charming ebook is a splendid melding of artwork and textual content.  Open it and the ebook instantly radiates enchantment, drawing you in with a profusion of colourful watercolors.  The watercolors are supplemented with textual content etched in delicate calligraphy, straightforward on the eyes and in excellent concord with the art work.  After an introduction on the best way to determine birds, Jenny deFouw Geuder covers greater than 60 chook species discovered within the yard or in close by parks.  She consists of concepts on the best way to create a greater habitat in your yard and ties it up with a phase on widespread wildflowers and bugs.”

Lastly, the winner of the Youngsters’s Books class is Alaska is for the Birds! by Susan Ewing and illustrated by Evon Zerbetz. Supposed for kids ages 5 to eight, the ebook describes 14 birds that may be present in Alaska.

“What makes this ebook stand out is a mixture of poems and colourful illustrations,” mentioned Watters. “The poems are pure enjoyable – and so they rhyme in a musical method which makes it a pleasure to learn to youngsters.”

And College Library Journal wrote: “Fourteen Alaskan birds come to life on this beautiful ebook… Ewing, an skilled creator of naturalist subjects, weaves the poems into melodic informational texts. Paired with fellow Alaskan Zerbetz, the 2 create a pretty view of their native wildlife. The lino-cut artwork is vibrant and enhances the persona of every chook. A good-looking highlight on these feathered mates, that is advisable for nonfiction collections and followers of wildlife.”

Learn extra concerning the 2022 Nationwide Out of doors Guide Awards

Learn our critiques of Halcyon Journeys and Drawn to Birds

Learn BirdWatching tales by Marina Richie