Blueberry Awards Celebrate Books That Connect Children to Nature
When: 4-5 pm, Monday, June 22
Where: Cary Public Library, 1606 Three Oaks Rd, Cary (map)
How: Please register here so we can send you a reminder email on June 22.
This is a free event, kicking off the celebration of Pollinator Week (June 22-28) See tinyurl.com/PollinatorWk for activities throughout McHenry County
Our guest is Martha Meyer, from the Evanston Public Library. Her presentation will focus on the Blueberry Awards, which have been featured in Horn Book Magazine, American Libraries Magazine and at the upcoming ALA Conference. She’ll share fast paced book talks of some of the winners of the 2025 Blueberry Awards, as well as her award criteria including critical anti-climate anxiety criteria you can put to use right away in book selection, and share some sneak peaks of the 2026 Blueberry Award contenders!
The Evanston Public Library created the Blueberry Awards, which showcase books for kids 3 –10+, in 2021. The Blueberry Awards also include two children’s choice awards, the Blueberry Votes program for school children in K – 2nd grades and the Preschool Blueberry Votes program for 3 – 5 year olds, programs you are welcomed to launch with your local school districts.
Martha will also share how nature exposure can profoundly influence children’s physical and intellectual development, how to become a Nature Smart library, and the great explosion of great BIPOC authors and illustrators creating nature books! She’ll include lots of ways to use the Blueberry lists to collaborate with parks departments, local nature centers, day cares, and more.
For more information about the Blueberry Awards, including the 2025 Board, Adult and Educator booklists, past winners, submission criteria, etc., please go to epl.org/blueberry-award/.