Puffin lands new picture book by late renowned physicist Hawking

Puffin has landed a new picture book written by the late renowned physicist Stephen Hawking with his daughter Lucy Hawking, featuring illustrations by Xin Li.

Ruth Knowles, publishing director at Puffin non-fiction, fiction and licensing, co-acquired world rights to You and the Universe with Sara Sargent, senior executive editor at Random House Children’s Books, from Rachel Neumann at Idea Architects. The book will be published on 24th March 2024.

The story was adapted from Hawking’s Earth Day message, which was created in 2018 after his death. This was set to music by Greek composer Vangelis and beamed to the nearest black hole from a European Space Agency satellite. Hawking’s voice and words, carrying a message of "peace, hope and unity", was sent into space in tribute.

The voiceover was only heard by attendees at Hawking’s memorial service at Westminster Abbey. To coincide with the 50th anniversary of Earth Day in 2020, the message was shared publicly online, and now, with the release of You and the Universe on 24th March 2024, it will be available in print for the first time as a picture book.

The synopsis says: "A non-fiction picture book for curious minds aged 4-7, You and the Universe introduces Stephen Hawking’s poignant and timely words about Earth Day, with emphasis on the importance of science and technology, our shared future as humans, and our extraordinary ability to solve big challenges to a young audience…You and the Universe invites every reader, every child, to come together and answer the questions that will define our future: ’How can we save the planet? How can we learn to be there for one another?’"

Lucy Hawking is a children’s author and educator, and the co-creator of non-fiction compendium Unlocking the Universe (Puffin) and the George fiction series (Corgi Children’s) with her father Stephen Hawking.

Her latest fiction series for children, Princess Olivia Investigates (Puffin), shares climate science through character-led adventure storytelling. 

She said: “You and the Universe is an imaginative and inclusive book which brings my father’s extraordinary work in science to life for readers of all ages, beautifully illustrated by artist Xin Li.

"The combination of my father’s words with Xin’s stunning visuals will captivate the very youngest scientists and spark their curiosity about the universe we inhabit.”

Knowles added: “We are very proud to be Lucy and Stephen Hawking’s long-term children’s publisher and to have bought their fun, entertaining and informative writing to middle grade readers around the world.

"This special picture book of Stephen’s words, perfectly explained for young readers by his daughter Lucy Hawking, will inspire children everywhere to look up and wonder at the world around them.”