The EVA L. GORDON Award

...from Helen Ross Russell¹s description in the 75th anniversary edition of Nature Study, 1983.

A long time member of the American Nature Study Society, Eva L. Gordon was honored a year following her death in 1962 by the establishment of the Eva L. Gordon Award for Children's Science Literature by the ANSS Board of Directors.

Eva Gordon was a pioneer in writing children¹s science literature having co-authored two primary grade textbooks of nature stories long before science books for little children existed. These books were based on her first hand knowledge of the outdoors and her experience in teaching first and second graders in the public schools of Milwaukee.

These two modest books entitled Fall and Autumn beautifully enhanced the twin requirements for good authorship: knowledge of the topic and the reader.

It was following these early achievements that Eva Gordon entered Cornell University as an undergraduate where she stayed on after the completion of her master¹s degree to influence several generations of future teachers and writers. As one of two women on the College of Agriculture Faculty, she became so involved with her classes and students that she had little time for writing herself. Some of her creative energy went into reviewing books and she guided her students in judging, selecting and using books. To the budding writers among them, she taught skills and techniques.

Eva L. Gordon was a caring human being and a great teacher. Among her greatest satisfactions was seeing some of her students carry forward the torch which she lit. It seemed appropriate to honor her by honoring excellence in writing for children. Some of the recipients were Eva's students and some were friends through ANSS membership.

All recipients have met her high standards as expressed in the following criteria for the award given for the author¹s writings: Does the author open doors to new adventures? Does the author develop good attitudes? Does the author build understanding of interrelationships? Does the author encourage children to make their own scientific observations? Are the author's writings accurate, readable, and have a quality of joyousness? Do the author's writings relate to many kinds of 20th century situations?

The Eva L. Gordon Award for Children¹s Science Literature has been given to the following persons:

1964 - Millicent Selsam

1965 - Edwin Way Teale

1966 - Robert T. McClung

1970 - Jean Craighead George

1974 - Phyllis Busch

1975 - Jeanne Bendick

1976 - Helen Ross Russell

1977 - Herman & Nina Schneider

1978 - George F. Mason & Dorothy Shuttlesworth

1979 - Ross Hutchins

1980 - Glenn O. Blough

1981 - Herbert Zim

1982 - Peter Parnall

1983 - Laurence Pringle

1984 - Seymour Simon

1985 - Vicki Cobb

1986 - Dorothy H. Patent

1987 - Patricia Lauber

1988 - Franklyn M. Branley

1989 - Ada & Frank Graham

1990 - Joanna Cole

1991 - Jim Arnosky

1992 - Byrd Baylor

1993 - Augusta Goldin

1994 - Eric Carle

1995 -Joanne Ryder

1996 - David Macaulay

1997 - Gail Gibbons

1998 - Margery Flackham

1999 - Bruce Hiscock