• The Best Science Books for Children: the 2023 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - Bodies, Brains & Bogies by Paul Ian Cross & Steve Brown (illustrator)
  • The Best Science Books for Children: the 2023 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - Live Like a Hunter Gatherer Naomi Walmsley, Mia Underwood (illustrator)
  • The Best Science Books for Children: the 2023 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - Am I Made of Stardust? Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock, Chelen Écija (illustrator)
  • The Best Science Books for Children: the 2023 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - Step Inside Science: Germs by Sarah Hull & Teresa Bellon (illustrator)
  • The Best Science Books for Children: the 2023 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - Ben Rothery's Deadly and Dangerous Animals by Ben Rothery
  • The Best Science Books for Children: the 2023 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - A Bug's World by Dr Erica McAlister & Stephanie Fizer Coleman (illustrator)

The Best Science Books for Children: the 2023 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize, recommended by Usha Goswami

The judges of the Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize look for books that explain high quality science in an engaging and accessible way. Neuroscientist Usha Goswami, chair of the 2023 judging panel, explains why it is important to get children excited about science via books, and introduces us to the fabulous titles that made this year’s shortlist.

  • The Best Historical Fiction for 8-12 Year Olds - The Apprentices by Leon Garfield
  • The Best Historical Fiction for 8-12 Year Olds - Carrie's War Nina Bawden, Alan Marks (illustrator)
  • The Best Historical Fiction for 8-12 Year Olds - Coram Boy by Jamila Gavin
  • The Best Historical Fiction for 8-12 Year Olds - The Elemental Detectives Patrice Lawrence, Amanda Quartey, Luke Ashforth, Paul Kellam (illustrators)
  • The Best Historical Fiction for 8-12 Year Olds - City of Stolen Magic by Nazneen Ahmed Pathak & Sandhya Prabhat (illustrator)

The Best Historical Fiction for 8-12 Year Olds, recommended by Catherine Johnson

There is some fabulous historical fiction out there for 8-12 year olds, some of it old, some of it new. British novelist Catherine Johnson, author of a number of historical novels for kids and young adults, recommends some of the best—from short stories to epics and from straight historical novels to those with a strong dose of fantasy and magic.

  • Best Science Books for Children: the 2022 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - How Was That Built? The Stories Behind Awesome Structures Roma Agrawal, Katie Hickey (illustrator)
  • Best Science Books for Children: the 2022 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - Microbe Wars: Humanity's Biggest Battles with the World's Smallest Life-Forms by Gill Arbuthnott & Marianna Madriz (illustrator)
  • Best Science Books for Children: the 2022 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - Fourteen Wolves: A Rewilding Story by Catherine Barr & Jenni Desmond (illustrator)
  • Best Science Books for Children: the 2022 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - Fantastically Great Women Scientists and their Stories by Kate Pankhurst
  • Best Science Books for Children: the 2022 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - If the World Were 100 People Jackie McCann, Aaron Cushley (illustrator)
  • Best Science Books for Children: the 2022 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - Beetles for Breakfast and Other Weird and Wonderful Ways to Save the Planet Madeleine Finlay, Jisu Choi (illustrator)

Best Science Books for Children: the 2022 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize, recommended by Alan Wilson

The Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize celebrates books that stimulate children’s curiosity and enthusiasm to explore, innovate and debate. Alan Wilson, Chair of this year’s judging panel, talks us through the six outstanding science books for kids that made the 2022 shortlist.