Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize – Winners Announced!

9 March, 2022

Cover image of winner of RS Young People's Book Prize 2021

Just in time for British Science Week, the winner of this year’s Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize has been announced.

Congratulations to Stefanie Posavec and Miriam Quick for their creative exploration of the science all around us in I am a book. I am a portal to the universe.

The Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize highlights the finest and most accessible STEM books for under-14s. I am a book. I am a portal to the universe was declared the winner at an online ceremony live-streamed on the Royal Society’s YouTube channel on Tuesday 8th March.

More than 11,000 young people from over 500 UK schools and youth groups took part in the judging to choose their favourite science book from a shortlist of six titles selected by a panel of adult judges.

Professor Katharine Cashman FRS, chair of the 2021 adult judging panel, said: “This book portrays science as the creative subject that it is – from understanding the Big Bang, to spotting the size on an ostrich’s eyes, this book explores the science all around us.

“There is magic and wonder encapsulated in every 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.

Fellow adult judge and BBC broadcaster Gabby Logan added: “We should encourage young people to think creatively, and books that ‘think outside the box’ like this should be celebrated.”

Also shortlisted for the Young People’s Book Prize 2021 were:

100 Things to Know About Saving the Planet by various authors and illustrators (Usborne Publishing)

Agent Asha: Mission Shark Bytes by Sophie Deen, illustrated by Anjan Sarkar (Walker Books)

I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast: A Celebration of Plants Around the World by Michael Holland, illustrated by Philip Giordano (Flying Eye Books)

Inventors: Incredible Stories of the World’s Most Ingenious Inventions by Robert Winston, illustrated by Jessamy Hawke (DK Children)

Under the Stars: Astrophysics for Everyone by Lisa Harvey-Smith, illustrated by Mel Matthews (World Scientific Publishing Company)

Cover images of five of the six shortlisted titles for the RS Young People's Book Prize

Find out more about the Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize and how your school could get involved in judging next year’s award here.

Young People's Book Prize 2021