2009 Science Books and Films Prizes for Excellence in Science Books
Are there children or young adults on your gift lists whose interest in science you are trying to encourage? If so, you may wish to consider the finalists for the 2009 Science Books and Films Prizes for Excellence in Science Books. These honor works that further the understanding and appreciation of science in younger readers. Sponsored by the AAAS and Subaru, they are awarded in four categories: children's science picture book (for readers in grades K to 4), middle grades science book (grades 5 to 8), young adult science book (high school), and hands-on science/activity book (any age). Again this year, the finalists for the young adult award are generally not books specifically intended for that age group–rather, they were written for the general public. The titles considered for the 2009 prizes were published between September 2007 and August 2008.
Below, we present our short list of the 19 finalists chosen by panels of librarians, educators, and scientists. Full reviews of each book have been published or will appear in Science Books and Films, and AAAS members can read these reviews on the Web. The four winners were announced in January and honored at the AAAS Annual Meeting in Chicago in February. The criteria for evaluating the books include a clear and accurate presentation of scientific concepts. But we and the judges hope that the finalists will encourage young readers to turn to science books for pleasure as well as for information. -Heather Malcomson, Barbara Jasny, and Sherman Suter AAAS.
Note: Children's Literature is listing the 19 finalists and providing reviews of the four winners in this special feature. (They are flagged with **). Reviews of the books can be found in the CLCD database as well as the sources noted above. Marilyn Courtot, Editor of Children's Literature and President of CLCD served as one of the judges in the contest excluding the Young Adult section.
Children's Science Picture Book
Eggs. Marilyn Singer, illustrated by Emma Stevenson. Holiday House, New York, 2008. 32 pp. $16.95.
ISBN 978-0-8234-1727-8
**Sisters and Brothers: Sibling Relationships in the Animal World. Steve Jenkins (illustrator) and Robin Page. Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 2008. 32 pp. $16.00.
ISBN 978-0-618-37596-7
Spiders. Nic Bishop. Scholastic, New York, 2007. 48 pp. $17.99, C$19.99.
ISBN 978-0-439-87756-5
Wings. Sneed B. Collard III, illustrated by Robin Brickman. Charlesbridge, Watertown, MA, 2008. 32 pp. $16.95.
ISBN 978-1-57091-611-3 Paper, $7.95.
ISBN 978-1-57091-612-0
The Wolves Are Back. Jean Craighead George, illustrated by Wendell Minor. Dutton Children's, New York, 2008. 32 pp. $16.99.
ISBN 978-0-525-47947-5
Middle Grades Science Book
Cold Light: Creatures, Discoveries, and Inventions That Glow. Anita Sitarski. Boyds Mills Press, Honesdale, PA, 2007. 48 pp. $16.95.
ISBN 978-1-59078-468-6
George Washington Carver. Tonya Bolden. Abrams Books for Young Readers (Abrams), New York, in association with the Field Museum, Chicago, 2008. 42 pp. $18.95, C$20.95, £9.95.
ISBN 978-0-8109-9366-2
**How We Know What We Know About Our Changing Climate: Scientists and Kids Explore Global Warming. Lynne Cherry and Gary Braasch. Dawn, Nevada City, CA, 2008. 66 pp. $18.95.
ISBN 978-1-58469-103-7
Life on Earth–And Beyond: An Astrobiologist's Quest. Pamela S. Turner. Charlesbridge, Watertown, MA, 2008. 108 pp. $19.95.
ISBN 978-1-58089-133-2 Paper, $11.95
ISBN 978-1-58089-134-9
What's Eating You? Parasites–The Inside Story. Nicola Davies, illustrated by Neal Layton. Candlewick, Cambridge, MA, 2007. 60 pp. $12.99, C$16.
ISBN 978-0-7636-3460-5
Young Adult Science Book
Dinosaurs: The Most Complete, Up-to-Date Encyclopedia for Dinosaur Lovers of All Ages. Thomas R. Holtz Jr., illustrated by Luis V. Rey. Random House, New York,
2007. 432 pp. $34.99, C$44.
ISBN 978-0-375-82419-7
The Scent of Desire: Discovering Our Enigmatic Sense of Smell. Rachel Herz. Morrow, New York, 2007. 288 pp. $24.95.
ISBN 978-0-06-082537-9
The Telephone Gambit: Chasing Alexander Graham Bell's Secret. Seth Shulman. Norton, New York, 2008. 256 pp. $24.95, C$27.50.
ISBN 978-0-393-06206-9.
**Welcome to Your Brain: Why You Lose Your Car Keys But Never Forget How to Drive and Other Puzzles of Everyday Life. Sandra Aamodt and Sam Wang. Bloomsbury, New York, 2008. 240 pp. $24.95.
ISBN 978-1-596912830.
Hands-On Science/Activity Book
Animal Tracks and Signs. Jinny Johnson. National Geographic, Washington, DC, 2008. 192 pp. $24.95, C$27.95.
ISBN 9781426302534
Marshall (Quarto), London. £16.95.
ISBN 978-1-84538-890-4
The Brook Book: Exploring the Smallest Streams. Jim Arnosky. Dutton Children's, New York, 2008. 28 pp. $15.99, C$19.
ISBN 978-0-525-47716-7
Sound Projects with a Music Lab You Can Build. Robert Gardner. Enslow, Berkeley Heights, NJ, 2008. 128 pp. $31.93.
ISBN 978-0-7660-2809-8.
**True Green Kids: 100 Things You Can Do to Save the Planet. Kim McKay and Jenny Bonnin. National Geographic, Washington, DC, 2008. 144 pp. $27.90, C$33.
ISBN 978-1-4263-0443-9 Paper, $15.95, C$18.
ISBN 978-1-4263-0442-2
The Ultimate Guide to Your Microscope. Shar Levine and Leslie Johnstone. Sterling, New York, 2008. 144 pp. Paper, $9.95, C$11.95.
ISBN 978-1-4027-4329-0.
Reviews
Sisters and Brothers: Sibling Relationships in the Animal World
Steve Jenkins and Robin Page
Illustrated by Steve Jenkins
Jenkins and Page choose to illuminate another aspect of the animal, bird, and insect worlds in their latest work: sisters and brothers. Some animal siblings resemble humans in their relationships; others are quite different. Basic facts about their birth, youth, and activities are clearly stated for creatures from elephants and armadillos to whiptail lizards, mole rats, termites, grizzly bears, hyenas, black widow spiders, cheetahs, peregrine falcons, wild turkeys, beavers, Nile crocodiles, European shrews, great crested grebes, cichlids, cuckoo catfish, Asian eels, mynahs, and anteaters. Siblings range from singles to multiples, and are even sisters-only, for the lizards. Siblings play together, fight, and even eat each other, in fascinating contrasts to human relationships. Jenkins continues to produce naturalistic creatures using his remarkable manipulated cut and torn paper collages. By arranging the figures in active relationships, he makes his informative pages particularly attractive. A few words add human-like notes (e.g., "girls rule," "wait for me," "friends for life"). Additional facts about each creature and a bibliography are included. 2008, Houghton Mifflin Company, $16.00. Ages 4 to 9. Reviewer: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature).
- Booklist Book Review Stars, Apr. 1, 2008; United States
- Kirkus Book Review Stars, April 1, 2008; United States
- School Library Journal Book Review Stars, July 1, 2008; Cahners; United States
- Top 10 Sci-Tech Books for Youth, 2008; Booklist; United States
- SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books Finalist 2009 Children's Science Picture Book United States
ISBN: 978-0-618-37596-7
ISBN: 0-618-37596-1
How We Know What We Know About Our Changing Climate: Scientists and Kids Explore Global Warming
Lynne Cherry and Gary Braasch
Photographs by Gary Braasch
This book ably lives up to its series name: "A Sharing Nature with Children Book." It begins with a clear and concise definition of scientific inquiry that does not negate religion, and it ends with environmental success stories. The layout, photographs, and writing combine to invite a young person to learn more about global warming. The book is divided into four sections: "Where We Find Clues About Climate Change," "Fitting the Clues Together," "What Scientists and You Can Do," and "Resources." Each section is comprised of two page spreads on different topics (e.g., "Cool Clues on the Tundra," "Tree Rings Tell Stories of the Past"). The numerous color photographs are well chosen and brilliantly project on the glossy paper. Text includes projects carried out by children. For example, students in Nova Scotia recorded observations of birds from 1900 to 1923 and data from these 1,400 schools is still useful today in analyzing Canada's changing climate. This highly recommended book will provide background information for young readers about an important topic and it will surely encourage them, their parents, and teachers to consider creative projects that may be relevant a hundred years from now. 2008, Dawn Publications, $17.95. Ages 10 to 14. Reviewer: Mary Bowman-Kruhm, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
- Best Books, 2008; School Library Journal; United States
- Kirkus Book Review Stars, March 1, 2008; United States
- Middle and Junior High Schoool Library Catalog, Ninth Edition Supplement 2008, 2008; H.W. Wilson Company; United States
- Publishers Weekly Book Review Stars, March 10, 2008; Cahners; United States
- School Library Journal Book Review Stars, June 2008; Cahners; United States
- SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books Finalist 2009 Hands-On Science/Activity Book, United States
- USA Book News Award Winner 2008 Young Adult Educational United States
ISBN: 978-1-58469-103-7
ISBN: 978-1-58469-104-4
ISBN: 1-58469-103-4
ISBN: 1-58469-104-2
True Green Kids: 100 Things You Can Do to Save the Planet
Kim Mckay and Jenny Bonnin
True Green Kids provides readers with 100 "green" activities that are designed to help children understand that the choices they make each day affect the Earth. Activities in True Green Kids are geared toward a child's environment and are divided into those that might be appropriate in a child's room, at home, outdoors, with friends, while buying stuff, at school, those requiring teamwork, on vacation, and while making fun things. The book includes a forward, an introduction, and a section on true green facts. The resource section lists many websites that encourage additional research. This book provides practical and easy activities that can be adapted and used with children of all ages, and the illustrations are bright, colorful, and highlight children engaged in environmental issues. Many of the suggestions presented could be used with young children with adult supervision. There are sections of the 143-page book with large font that could be read by average readers in grade four; however, most of the book is written in small font size. I would recommend this book to elementary teachers who are looking for green activities to incorporate into their science lessons. Average middle school readers should be able to read this book independently, so I would also recommend it for addition to a middle school reference library. I would also recommend this book to art education teachers because the craft section has many ideas that could be incorporated into an art curriculum. There are many ways to adapt the suggested activities, so teachers looking for differentiated instructional ideas will appreciate it as well. Grades 1-8. 2008, National Geographic Society, 144p, $15.95. Ages 6 to 14. Reviewer: Lois Spangler (National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)).
- SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books Finalist 2009 Middle Grades Science Book United States
ISBN: 1-4263-0442-0
ISBN: 978-1-4263-0442-2
Welcome to Your Brain: Why You Lose Your Car Keys But Never Forget How to Drive and Other Puzzles of Everyday Life
Sandra Aamodt and Sam Wang
The neuroscientist authors offer a highly accessible and richly informative "user's guide" to our brains. They cover a broad range of topics, offering up-to-date information directed to answering questions of the curious public. They supplement their narrative with frequent and quite extensive sidebars that debunk myths, focus on specific issues, and offer practical tips. Eschewing didactical lecturing, their friendly and informal writing effectively draws the reader into a comfortable, interesting, and informative dialogue. Reviewer: AAAS staff. 2008, Bloomsbury, Ages 12 up, $24.95.
ISBN: 978-1-5969-1283-0
To view reviews of books on Earth Day, click here.
Added 03/27/09
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