Scott Weston Wolford grew up with a love for animals and the environment.

Raised in the Indiana Dunes National Park along the shores of Lake Michigan, Wolford has been surrounded by water all his life. A resident along the coasts of the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean and the Gulf Coast throughout his life, swimming came naturally to him. After his days as an age-group, high school and college swimmer, he coached swimming in Santa Clara (California) and at the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind.

With a lifelong love of the ocean and his swimming background, Wolford has lots of colorfully creative ideas and imagery that he weaves into children’s books.

From Ten Little Fish Swimming In The Sea to Gino the Minnow, he created a fascinating world for children that weaves in an environmentally-friendly message to the younger generations. In Gino the Minnow, an adorable little fish decides to venture alone on a journey. His travels take him throughout a world filled with a great deal of pollution. Overwhelmed, Gino realizes that he alone cannot solve the situation so he returns home and tells others of the pressing ecological problems. When everyone decides to help Gino pick up just a little trash, it makes his job that much easier.

Wolford’s message to the next generation of citizens and swimmers is clear: no matter who they are, their age or walk of life, everyone can do their part in helping keep our waters clean. “Gino of course cannot clean all of the world’s waters by himself and is asking everyone to please help,” explains the former swimmer. “As the world is all of ours to love and enjoy.”

For more information, visit Gino the Minnow here.

Copyright © 2012 by Open Water Source