Posavec, Quick win Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize

In the UK, Stefanie Posavec and Miriam Quick have won the £10,000 (A$18,000) Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize for I Am a Book. I Am a Portal to the Universe. (Particular Books), reports the Bookseller.

The book is described as an ‘abstract and artistic exploration of the collaboration between art, science and data’ and a ‘tool to help young readers uncover the science hidden in everyday life’.

A shortlist of six titles, which included Australian astrophysicist Lisa Harvey-Smith’s Under the stars: Astrophysics for everyone (illus by Mel Matthews, MUP), was chosen by a panel of adult judges. Over 11,000 UK children then voted for their favourite book from that list to decide the winner.

‘This book portrays science as the creative subject that it is—from understanding the Big Bang, to spotting the size of an ostrich’s eyes, this book explores the science all around us,’ said volcanologist and judging panel chair Katharine Cashman.

‘There is magic and wonder encapsulated in every page. Children can touch a dot to leave bacteria behind, and learn how many babies were born in the time it takes them to turn a page. This book tells a story and brings the reader with them—it’s different to any other science book I have ever seen before.’

The other shortlisted titles were: Agent Asha: Mission Shark Bytes (Sophie Deen, illus by Anjan Sarkar, Walker); I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast (Michael Holland, illus by Philip Giordano, Flying Eye Books); Inventors: Incredible stories of the world’s most ingenious inventions (Robert Winston, illus by Jessamy Hawke, DK Children); and 100 Things to Know About Saving the Planet (Rose Hall et al, illus by Federico Mariani et al, Usborne).

Category: International news