Last May, AWI was honored to partner with HarperCollins Children’s Books on educational materials coinciding with the launch of a new series aimed at 3rd to 6th graders from Newbery Medal–winning author Katherine Applegate. Endling #1: The Last tells the story of Byx, a mythical creature whose doglike species, the “dairne,” has been hunted to near extinction. (See AWI Quarterly, summer 2018.) With the release of the second book next May (Endling #2: The First), AWI is thrilled to be collaborating with HarperCollins again to bring home the important message of the series. The upcoming “Save All Species” campaign will encourage kids to pledge to take action to help protect endangered species and support the Endangered Species Act. They will also be asked to draw a picture of the endangered animal they love the most.
Participating classrooms will be entered into a nationwide sweepstakes to win a visit from Applegate in May 2019 (via Skype), a set of Applegate’s books for the classroom, and a donation made in the class’s honor to AWI. To learn more about how to enter, send an email to [email protected]. Details will be released to the public in January 2019.