Judges Comment: "This is a heart-wrenching story about a fish species, the endangered silvery minnow, that’s clearly fighting a losing battle for survival. That’s thanks to a wide array of human-caused forces that have gradually devalued the Rio Grande as a place for fish to live. The story’s revealing portrait of Thomas Archdeacon, the federal biologist who has led the minnow recovery project for a decade, is perhaps the story’s most heartbreaking element, given his candor about the minnows plight."

Judges Comment: "There have been many stories about the drought and dying rivers of the southwest, but none like this. Here, you have a cast of characters, from the river itself to the people who have seen the changes and are heartbroken by them, to the people trying to save it. If I had started reading this when it was first published, then I would have been looking forward to each new addition to the series. Job well done."