The Wilderness Society has announced the winners of the 2025 Karajia and Environment Awards for Children’s Literature, which celebrates authors and illustrators whose stories inspire young readers to understand, love, and care for the natural world.
Now in its 31st year, the Environment Award for Children’s Literature recognises books that nurture curiosity about the environment: from the soil below to the canopy above. The Karajia Award, launched in 2022, honours First Nations storytellers sharing stories about connections to Country, culture, and community.
“Books we read as children shape who we become,” said Wilderness Society CEO Matt Brennan. “Stories like these can spark a lifelong relationship with nature and a sense of responsibility to care for it. These awards celebrate the power of storytelling to connect us with Country and each other.” And the winners are ...
When the World Was Soft — Juluwarlu Group Aboriginal Corporation, illustrated by Alex Mankiewicz (Allen & Unwin, Ages 10+)
Environment Award:
Ella and the Amazing Frog Orchestra — Cassy Polimeni, illustrated by Hykie Breeze (UWA Publishing, Ages 8+)
Non-fictionKarajia Award:
Ask Aunty: Bush Survival Skills — Aunty Munya Andrews, illustrated by Charmaine Ledden-Lewis (Hardie Grant Explore, Ages 5–6+)
Environment Award:
Environment Award:
Tree — Claire Saxby, illustrated by Jess Racklyeft (Allen & Unwin, Ages 5–6+)
Picture Fiction
Karajia Award:
Karajia Award:
The Moon Story — written and illustrated by Marshia Cook, with Tamua Nuggett (Indigenous Literacy Foundation, Ages 5–6+)
Environment Award:
Afloat — Kirli Saunders, illustrated by Freya Blackwood (Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing, Ages 6+)
This year’s judging panel featured children’s entertainers Lucas Proudfoot and Leah Vandenberg, 2024 Karajia winners Isobel Bevis and Blak Douglas, 2024 Environment Award winner Johanna Bell, and teacher and author Shannon from Oh Creative Day.
For 31 years, the Wilderness Society’s children’s literature awards have celebrated stories that open hearts and minds to the living world—and the responsibility we all share to protect it.
For 31 years, the Wilderness Society’s children’s literature awards have celebrated stories that open hearts and minds to the living world—and the responsibility we all share to protect it.
