Sunday, April 22, 2012, is Earth Day. As I've said previously, I’m old enough to remember when Earth Day was a joke. It was.
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As teachers, many of us said, “Oh, yeah. Earth Day. I’d better do something, I guess.” Not anymore. Earth Day has a global platform and big teeth. And it should. Caring for our planet is no laughing matter. It is a deadly serious concern.
For me, Earth Day is a part of living my life each day. After my husband and I bought a condo on Clearwater Beach, Florida, things got personal. In walking our beach in the early mornings, I noticed more and more trash on the sand, much of it ready to be taken to sea by the surf.
I began taking a bag and picking up as much as I could and placing it into the many trash cans (most were empty) along the route. It was, of course, too big a job for one person.
And that is when the Bella and Britt Series for children was born. The first book was titled, Bella Saves the Beach. When it was almost ready for publication, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill occurred.
My publisher, Lynda Burch, of Guardian Angel Publishing, and I decided a children's book about the spill must be written. She felt the Bella and Britt books would be the best vehicle for it. She also wanted it, if possible, to be the first children's book in the US addressing the spill.
With that assignment, I worked tirelessly, ten to fifteen hours a day, and finished One Pelican at a Time in six weeks! Happily, it was the first! I am also happy to mention the book has won several awards, such as the Children's Literary Classics Seal of Approval. It was on Amazon's Bestsellers for Children for eighteen weeks.
After Pelican came Sea Turtle Summer, a book that deals with the girls' protecting a Loggerhead sea turtle's nest. Some adults don't agree with the girls' actions, but they feel empowered to carry out their plan.
Most importantly, this book series carries a universal message of earth stewardship. They were written to empower kids to take action for their planet, even in the face of some adult disapproval.
That is my literary contribution to Earth Day. I know you are contributing in the ways you do best. Working together, we can help save our planet. It's the only way forward.
As teachers, many of us said, “Oh, yeah. Earth Day. I’d better do something, I guess.” Not anymore. Earth Day has a global platform and big teeth. And it should. Caring for our planet is no laughing matter. It is a deadly serious concern.For me, Earth Day is a part of living my life each day. After my husband and I bought a condo on Clearwater Beach, Florida, things got personal. In walking our beach in the early mornings, I noticed more and more trash on the sand, much of it ready to be taken to sea by the surf.
I began taking a bag and picking up as much as I could and placing it into the many trash cans (most were empty) along the route. It was, of course, too big a job for one person.And that is when the Bella and Britt Series for children was born. The first book was titled, Bella Saves the Beach. When it was almost ready for publication, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill occurred.
My publisher, Lynda Burch, of Guardian Angel Publishing, and I decided a children's book about the spill must be written. She felt the Bella and Britt books would be the best vehicle for it. She also wanted it, if possible, to be the first children's book in the US addressing the spill.
With that assignment, I worked tirelessly, ten to fifteen hours a day, and finished One Pelican at a Time in six weeks! Happily, it was the first! I am also happy to mention the book has won several awards, such as the Children's Literary Classics Seal of Approval. It was on Amazon's Bestsellers for Children for eighteen weeks.
After Pelican came Sea Turtle Summer, a book that deals with the girls' protecting a Loggerhead sea turtle's nest. Some adults don't agree with the girls' actions, but they feel empowered to carry out their plan.Most importantly, this book series carries a universal message of earth stewardship. They were written to empower kids to take action for their planet, even in the face of some adult disapproval.
That is my literary contribution to Earth Day. I know you are contributing in the ways you do best. Working together, we can help save our planet. It's the only way forward.
We are definitely more aware of what we are doing to our planet now than when I was a kid.
ReplyDeleteTeresa
So true, Teresa, and that's such a good thing! Thanks for the comment.
ReplyDeleteWriting from the heart of matters is imperative! Thank you for creating such a wonderful series.
ReplyDeleteAll the best,
Donna
Thanks for stopping by "begin...begin again". I love the concept behind your children's series. I remember stepping into a pool of blue-black glop in Lake Erie when I was a little girl and it scared the **** out of me. The lake went on to become critically polluted and still, they managed to clean it up.
ReplyDeleteNancy, kudos to you for not only doing your part by picking up trash from the beach but by reaching many more potential helpers by writing a children's book about it!
ReplyDeleteI am a teacher as well. I do not push this day. It doesn't mean I am not Earth friendly, but rather that academics is more vital. One need only look upon our slouching numbers vis a vis education as compared to the rest of developed nations. We spend far too much time on extracurricular activities to our collective detriment.
ReplyDeleteA wise person (heck, even dummies) know what to do to do their part. On another note, the Earth will last.
Hi Nancy,
ReplyDeleteI am extremely happy that Earth Day actually caught on and so many people feel the urge to help even if it's only that one day--and not just in the US--but in many other countries. When I lived at Pensacola Beach, I also picked up the trash; I'm sorry to hear that it still needs to be done. I named an important character in my middle grade novel Nelson, in honor of Gaylord Nelson, the founder of Earth Day.
A note to Jeremy, if we had been wise in the first place, our Earth would not be in this predicament. We can only hope that by calling it to the attention of the children that the next generations will come up with solutions.