Maggie Aderin-Pocock wins Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize

Space scientist and host of BBC’s “Sky at Night”, Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock, has been crowned as the winner of the £35,000 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize 2023 for Am I Made of Stardust? Dr Maggie Answers the Big Questions for Young Scientists (Michael O’Mara). 

The announcement was made this afternoon (19th March) in a ceremony at Techniquest science discovery centre in Cardiff, where local schools and student judges met shortlisted authors and took part in science activities. 

Picked by more than 12,000 children who acted as judges across the UK, Am I Made of Stardust? “launches young readers through the wonders of the universe, past our moon and solar system towards distant galaxies and faraway planets,” prize organisers said. “In the book, Dr Maggie and her trusty robot assistant IQ are on hand to answer their readers’ burning questions, from ‘What would happen if I fell into a black hole?’ to ‘Does it really rain diamonds on Jupiter?’” 

Over the past few months hundreds of schools and youth groups helped judge the entries before the shortlist was picked by a panel of scientists, teachers and authors, including NHS paediatrician and TV presenter Dr Ranj Singh and writer M G Leonard.  

Shortlisted titles included A Bug’s World by Dr Erica McAlister, illustrated by Stephanie Fizer Coleman (Wren and Rook), Ben Rothery’s Deadly and Dangerous Animals by Ben Rothery (Ladybird), Bodies, Brains and Bogies by Paul Ian Cross, PhD, illustrated by Steve Brown (Welbeck Publishing), Live Like a Hunter Gatherer by Naomi Walmsley, illustrated by Mia Underwood (Button Books) and Step Inside Science: Germs by Sarah Hull, illustrated by Teresa Bellón (Usborne). 

Aderin-Pocock, host of BBC’s “Sky at Night”, said: “It’s such an honour to receive this award. I want to say the biggest thank you to all the school children who voted and Chelen Écija who brought these questions to life with her illustrations. 

“I have dyslexia, which has made it hard for me to take myself seriously as an author, so this prize means a lot to me. Whenever I go into schools, I tell kids to reach high for their dreams. This was one of my big, crazy dreams and they’ve made it come true.” 

Each shortlisted author receives £2,500, with a grand prize of £10,000 for the winner.