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With Support From Keep Louisiana Beautiful, Wendy Carbo’s “Harry the Snakebird,” a Children’s Book Bringing Awareness to Litter’s Negative Impacts on Wildlife, Makes Its Debut at the 2022 Louisiana Book Festival on October 29, 2022

BATON ROUGE, La. – Keep Louisiana Beautiful (KLB) is pleased to support the publishing of “Harry the Snakebird,” a children’s book by Louisiana author Wendy Carbo and illustrated by Louisiana artist Paula Merritt Windham. “Harry the Snakebird,” based on a true story, tells the tale of two children, Marie and Brian, who freed an Anhinga (aka a snakebird) at Capitol Lake in Baton Rouge from a littered band binding its beak and causing it to endure starvation. The book — intended to educate young readers on the importance of protecting fish, wildlife, and their habitats from litter — will make its debut at the 2022 Louisiana Book Festival, a free public event hosted by the State Library of Louisiana on October 29, 2022, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Baton Rouge’s Capitol Park area.

 

KLB has 11 lessons for grades kindergarten through fifth grade in “Rocksey’s Toolbox”, designed to help children better understand how to care for the environment and prevent litter. Two lessons, “Lesson 5: Keeping Our Waters Clean” and “Lesson 6: Trash Effects of Wildlife,” directly correlate with Carbo’s story, so “Harry the Snakebird” will be integrated into Rocksey’s Toolbox as supplemental reading material beginning this fall. Receiving a copy of the book and Rocksey’s Toolbox are all 339 public libraries in Louisiana through KLB’s partnership with the State Library.

 

“Through Rocksey’s Toolbox, KLB teaches kids about keeping litter out of our communities and waterways,” says Susan Russell, KLB Executive Director. “We are proud to support the publishing of this book and look forward to integrating it into our lessons for both formal and non-formal educators.”

 

“Harry the Snakebird” is inspired by the actions of one of the founders of the Louisiana Stormwater Coalition (LSC), Marie Constantin, and photographer Brian J. Boudreaux. The book shares the two friends’ real-life experience of rescuing a bird at Capitol Lake in Baton Rouge. The book is dedicated to Harry, the bird saved from death by litter.

 

Meet the author, illustrator, and learn about LSC and KLB at the Louisiana Book Festival on Oct. 29. Books will be available for purchase and signings will take place at the LSC tent. A Rocksey raccoon mask craft will also be available for kids.

 

“Harry the Snakebird” was published in 2022 by Ally-Gator BookBites Publishing House in Merryville, LA. Proceeds from book sales benefit environmental organizations in Louisiana, including Louisiana Stormwater Coalition.

 

More information about the book and a link to purchase can be found at www.harrythesnakebird.com. More information about KLB can be found at www.keeplouisianabeautiful.org, and Rocksey’s Toolbox lessons are available for download here. Questions about the book, KLB, and the Louisiana Book Festival can be directed to marketing@keeplouisianabeautiful.org.

 

About Author Wendy Carbo

Wendy Carbo was born and raised in northeast Louisiana. She graduated from Louisiana State University in elementary education with a minor in English and library science. She has devoted her life to working with young children and has taught school for more than fifteen years. Wendy developed a passion for nature while camping in the pine forest of Caldwell parish as a young girl. She lives in Baton Rouge, Louisiana with her husband, Jeff, a landscape architect, and their son, William, and three dachshunds.

 

About Illustrator Paula Merritt Windham

Paula Merritt Windham was born and raised in Louisiana. She has been married for fifty years to her high school sweetheart and is the mother of three wonderful sons, three daughters-in-law, and four grandchildren. Paula has been a self-employed artist and graphic designer for thirty-five years. She is an avid nature and animal lover, and enjoys the outdoors, her grandchildren, and her horses.

 

Back Cover Description for “Harry the Snakebird”

With its towering oaks, cypress, and magnolia trees, Capitol Lake is known for its beauty and wildlife.  Over time, the lake became littered with bottles, cans and old tires.  No one knew where the trash came from.  No one knew it could be dangerous, until it was.

Join Brian and Marie as they attempt to save the life of a bird on the lake.  Follow them on their quest to discover where the dangerous litter is coming from.  Inspired by an actual event, Harry the Snakebird tells how Brian and Marie’s adventure motivates a community to restore a lake and save the bird’s habitat.

 

About Keep Louisiana Beautiful

Keep Louisiana Beautiful is an anti-litter and community improvement non-profit organization focused on achieving a clean and beautiful Louisiana through education, enforcement, public awareness, and community engagement. Keep Louisiana Beautiful is affiliated with Keep America Beautiful and comprised of a statewide network of 40 Community Affiliates and seven University Affiliates. Learn more at www.keeplouisianabeautiful.org.

 

About Louisiana Stormwater Coalition

The Louisiana Stormwater Coalition is an all-volunteer, grassroots effort to increase awareness about the benefits of stormwater management and how stormwater management programs will help solve Louisiana’s flooding and litter problems.  For years, our focus has been litter on the streets, but now it’s time to focus on litter and flood causing sediments filling up and harming our watersheds that are vital to our Sportsman’s Paradise.  A two-pronged approach to managing stormwater is the solution to Louisiana’s flooding and litter problems. Learn more at www.louisianastormwater.com.