WEST PALM BEACH, FL - August 26, 2019 -- The children’s book The Last Egret, written by Florida author and attorney Harvey Oyer, has joined classics like Black Beauty, Heidi, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Winnie-the-Pooh in the “Best Student Reading List in the Nation,” a list compiled by Florida Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran.
The Last Egret is one of five books in Oyer’s Adventures of Charlie Pierce series. It follows Charlie and his friends as they explore the 19th-Century Everglades seeking to make a fortune from killing birds for their colorful feathers. Instead, they learn about conservation and protecting the environment.
Oyer is a fifth-generation Floridian and a partner in the West Palm Beach office of Shutts & Bowen. He was named Florida’s Distinguished Author in 2013. His children’s books have won numerous book awards, including the Florida Book Award, Mom’s Choice Award, and several Florida Publisher’s Association Gold Medals.
“My favorite part about this reading list is that it includes several great works that deal with questions of morality, character building and philosophy that will help young children and adult learners grapple with some of life’s challenges in all chapters of life,” Commissioner Corcoran. said in unveiling the list.
Other classics on the list include The Velveteen Rabbit, Anne of Green Gables, Treasure Island, Pippi Longstocking, Mary Poppins, The Little Prince, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Hobbit, and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
Oyer said it is an honor for his book to be included among so many classics of literature.
“I am honored to be a part of this list which includes so many of my favorite writers, and I am excited for the readers who will come across my book for the first time,” he said.
In addition to his literary awards, Oyer was named one of the “100 Most Influential Floridians” by Florida International Magazine and received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. He was also chosen as one of the “25 Most Powerful People in Palm Beach County” by Boca Life Magazine and was included in Florida Trend’s “Florida 500,” which highlighted influential executives across the state. He is a former Marine Corps Captain and a part-time adventurer, who cross-country-skied to the North Pole in April 2018.
About Shutts & Bowen LLP
Shutts & Bowen, established in 1910, is a full-service business law firm with more than 290 lawyers in offices in Ft. Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando, Sarasota, Tallahassee, Tampa, and West Palm Beach. Learn more about Shutts & Bowen at www.shutts.com