GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (January 20, 2009) – “God is great, God is good…” so goes the popular children’s mealtime prayer. But many Christian kids today have grown up with the view that God is also “green” and calls us to protect our Earth and its critters. Growing up in an age when recycling and energy conservation are household words, today’s generation of kids already recognize creation-care as God’s calling. In fact, many suggest we are witnessing a greening of Christian kids.

Nancy White Carlstrom, a Seattle-based author of more than 50 children’s books, best known for her popular “Jesse Bear” series (Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear? | Simon and Schuster), hopes Christian families and educators will continue to encourage eco-appreciation early on by instilling in them an appreciation for God’s creation.

To help them, Carlstrom has teamed up with renowned illustrator Richard Cowdrey, to celebrate God’s creation in their new book, This Is the Day! (Zonderkidz, February 2009, 978-0-310-71428-6, $15.99, Hardcover). From frogs and ladybugs to rocks and creeks, Carlstrom reminds kids to see God’s fingerprint in all their favorite things and protect the Earth He made.

Based on Psalm 118:24, This is the Day! takes kids ages 4-7 on a daily walk through God’s creation – from deer grazing in the morning dew on Monday, to robins’ nests and butterflies on Thursday to the beauty of rocky coastline on Sunday.

“I have always felt a deep connection to the natural world and have long enjoyed the Psalms,” says Carlstrom who chose the San Juan Islands in the Pacific Northwest, one of her favorite destinations, as the book’s setting. “This Is the Day! is a celebration of God’s creation encouraging the readers to be surprised by wonder in the natural world.”

Carlstrom and her husband spent 18 years raising their boys near Fairbanks, Alaska, where the wonders of nature would become the inspiration for many of her works including Northern Lullaby (Philomel, 1992), Raven and River (Little Brown & Co., 1997) and Midnight Dance of the Snowshoe Hare (Philomel, 1997). It is her hope that this new book with Zonderkidz will not only introduce kids to the beauty of God’s creation, but also reinforce their appreciation for all of its inhabitants.

In an interview, Carlstrom can discuss:

· Little conservationists: Teach your kids how to take care of God’s world

· A seven-day plan to give thanks each day of the week

· Discovering wonder in your own backyard

· Praising God with creation

Nancy White Carlstrom has received many awards including the Children’s Choice award, Parents’ Choice award, Outdoor Book award, Independent Booksellers’ award, numerous American Booksellers “Pick of the List,” Parent Magazine’s “Top 50 Children’s Books” and more. Carlstrom earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Wheaton College and resides in Seattle and Friday Harbor, Wash. Learn more at www.nancywhitecarlstrom.com.

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To schedule an interview or to receive a review copy, contact Stephanie Mayabb:

(512) 478-2028 ext. 203, smayabb@phenixpublicity.com.