• 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.

  • The Scariest Books for Kids - A Sprinkle of Sorcery by Michelle Harrison
  • The Scariest Books for Kids - The Ersatz Elevator Lemony Snicket & Brett Helquist (illustrator)
  • The Scariest Books for Kids - The Land of Roar Jenny McLachlan & Ben Mantle (illustrator)
  • The Scariest Books for Kids - The Day My Butt Went Psycho! by Andy Griffiths
  • The Scariest Books for Kids - A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

The Scariest Books for Kids, recommended by Jack Meggitt-Phillips

Scary children’s books give kids the pleasure of immersing themselves in an exciting page-turner, and are an excellent way to get reluctant readers to read novels. As long as you pay attention to individual children’s sensibilities, it shouldn’t be hard to find books that give them thrills rather than nightmares. Children’s author Jack Meggitt-Phillips talks us through his favourite scary books for kids.

  • Best Science Books for Children: the 2021 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - Under the Stars: Astrophysics for Everyone by Lisa Harvey-Smith & Mel Matthews (illustrator)
  • Best Science Books for Children: the 2021 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast by Michael Holland & Philip Giordano (illustrator)
  • Best Science Books for Children: the 2021 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - Agent Asha: Mission Shark Bytes by Sophie Deen & Anjan Sarkar (illustrator)
  • Best Science Books for Children: the 2021 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - Inventors: Incredible Stories of the World's Most Ingenious Inventions by Robert Winston & Jessamy Hawke (illustrator)
  • Best Science Books for Children: the 2021 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - I am a book. I am a portal to the universe. by Stefanie Posavec & Miriam Quick (illustrator)
  • Best Science Books for Children: the 2021 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - 100 Things to Know about Saving the Planet

Best Science Books for Children: the 2021 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize, recommended by Katharine Cashman

In selecting the best science books for children, the judges of the Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize identify books that are scientifically accurate as well as accessible and engaging. Katharine Cashman, Professor of Volcanology at Bristol University and Chair of this year’s judging panel, talks us through the six wonderful books that made the 2021 shortlist.

  • The Best Science Books for Kids: the 2020 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - Astrophysics for Young People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson & with Gregory Mone
  • The Best Science Books for Kids: the 2020 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - Cats React to Science Facts by Izzi Howell
  • The Best Science Books for Kids: the 2020 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - In the Key of Code by Aimee Lucido
  • The Best Science Books for Kids: the 2020 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - How to Win a Nobel Prize by Barry Marshall, Bernard Caleo (illustrator) & with Lorna Hendry
  • The Best Science Books for Kids: the 2020 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - Gut Garden: A journey into the wonderful world of your microbiome by Katie Brosnan
  • The Best Science Books for Kids: the 2020 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - Everyday Journeys Of Ordinary Things by Libby Deutsch & Valpuri Kerttula (illustrator)

The Best Science Books for Kids: the 2020 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize, recommended by Mike Kendall

To find the best science books for kids, the judges of the Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize look for books that are not only accurate but also entertaining. Mike Kendall, Professor of Geophysics at Oxford University and chair of this year’s judging panel, talks us through the six fabulous books that made the 2020 shortlist (the final winner will be chosen by the real experts: more than 13,000 kids).

  • Michael Morpurgo on His Novels - The Butterfly Lion by Michael Morpurgo
  • Michael Morpurgo on His Novels - Singing For Mrs Pettigrew by Michael Morpurgo
  • Michael Morpurgo on His Novels - Waiting For Anya by Michael Morpurgo
  • Michael Morpurgo on His Novels - In The Mouth Of The Wolf by Michael Morpurgo
  • Michael Morpurgo on His Novels - Flamingo Boy by Michael Morpurgo

Michael Morpurgo on His Novels

Michael Morpurgo takes us on a journey behind the scenes of five of his own books. He talks about his convictions as a writer and how he weaves fiction out of truths—experiences, accidents, history and memories—and why getting lost is often the best way to make a remarkable discovery.

  • The Best Science Books for Kids: the 2019 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - 100 Things to Know About Numbers, Computers & Coding Alex Frith (illustrated by Federico Mariani and Parko Polo)
  • The Best Science Books for Kids: the 2019 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - The Bacteria Book: The Big World of Really Tiny Microbes by Steve Mould
  • The Best Science Books for Kids: the 2019 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - The Element in the Room: Investigating the Atomic Ingredients that Make Up Your Home Mike Barfield (illustrated by Lauren Humphrey)
  • The Best Science Books for Kids: the 2019 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - Kid Scientists: True Tales of Childhood from Science Superstars David Stabler (illustrated by Anoosha Syed)
  • The Best Science Books for Kids: the 2019 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - Planetarium: Welcome to the Museum Raman Prinja (illustrated by Chris Wormell)
  • The Best Science Books for Kids: the 2019 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - Making With States of Matter by Anna Claybourne

The Best Science Books for Kids: the 2019 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize, recommended by Sheila Rowan

If you’re looking for the best books to get kids excited about science, the Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize is a great place to start. Physicist and astronomer Sheila Rowan, chair of this year’s judging panel, talks us through the fabulous books that made this year’s shortlist.