Hull, Aderin-Pocock and McAlister shortlisted for £10k Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize

The shortlist for the Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize has been revealed with author Sarah Hull and illustrator Mia Underwood among those nominated for the £10,000 award.

The six books in contention for the award include Hull’s Step Inside Science: Germs illustrated by Teresa Bellón (Usborne), A Bug’s World by Dr Erica McAlister, illustrated by Stephanie Fizer Coleman (Wren & Rook) and Ben Rothery’s Deadly and Dangerous Animals (Ladybird).Also nominated is Bodies, Brains and Bogies by Paul Ian Cross, PhD, illustrated by Steve Brown (Welbeck Publishing).

Two shortlisted are titles from indie presses: Am I made of Stardust? by Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock, illustrated by Chelen Écija (Buster Books) and Live Like a Hunter Gatherer by Naomi Walmsley, illustrated by Mia Underwood (Button Books).

The prize celebrates science books for under 14s, highlighting books that communicate science to young people in an accessible, creative way. The prize money of £10,000 is split between the author, illustrator and any other contributor to the book. The shortlisted authors all receive £2,500.

The judging panel, which includes NHS paediatrician and presenter Dr Ranj Singh and author and plastics campaigner M G Leonard, helped whittle down the books to the shortlist before the winner is decided by young people. They are joined by panel chair Usha Goswami, who is professor of cognitive developmental neuroscience at the University of Cambridge, along with Jennifer Love, a teacher based in Argyll and Dr Ryan Cooke, associate professor of physics at Durham University.

Goswami said: “Children have an immense curiosity about the world around them and reading a good science book satisfies this curiosity. I was impressed to see so many books that didn’t shy away from complex topics, and explained the science in such a comprehensible, imaginative way that will appeal to children of all ages."

The final winner will be decided by young judging panels, drawn from schools, youth groups and reading clubs across the country. The winning book will be unveiled at an awards ceremony in March 2024.

Last year’s winner was If The World Were 100 People, by Jackie McCann and illustrated by Aaron Cushley (Red Shed).