I love all things green and completed doctoral research exploring how to encourage positive environmental habits in young people.
Inspired by our overactive compost and a few rogue worms that broke into the kitchen, my co-authors and I penned our first eco-picture book – Harriet’s Hungry Worms.
Together with the marvellous Melissa Johns’ inventive illustrations incorporating recycled materials, I’m hoping it will inspire young worm warriors to roll up their sleeves and put their kitchen food scraps to good use.
I’m delighted to report that Harriet’s Hungry Worms was recently shortlisted in the Children and YA category for the 2024 Rubery Book Awards. The judges said: “This book is a clever combination of factual information, vivid and fascinating illustrations and, above all, a story that will draw children in.”
The Rubery Prize is an international book award celebrating books published by independent presses – like my excellent publisher EK Books. And I’m thrilled that my second eco picture book is also being published by EK.
In a shady corner of Harriet’s backyard is a big, green box. And inside that box are hundreds of… worms! They spend their days munching on anything from Aunt Tilda’s herbal teabags to the sports pages of Uncle Sam’s paper. Harriet watches and waits, but the worms don’t seem to do anything… until one day they leave her a big surprise!
To read about what readers, reviewers, eco-warriors and worm lovers have to say about Harriet’s Hungry Worms, head to the Reviews page.
You can also follow Harriet’s wormy fun on Instagram
And please drop me a line anytime at hello@samanthasmith.com