In 2018, UCLan Publishing, in partnership with The British Interplanetary Society, set up the inaugural STEAM Children’s Book Prize. It’s a unique award as it is the first book prize to focus solely on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths) in children’s literature, from Early Years to Young Adult. It covers all genres, with the 2020 list of nominated titles including a wide range of subject matter in four categories: Early Years, Middle Grade, Young Adult and Information.

As a librarian, I value any educational initiative which removes barriers and promotes inclusion. By highlighting the importance of STEAM subjects, this prize recognises children and young people benefit immeasurably from developing critical thinking skills and having the opportunity to explore their own creativity and ability to innovate. Asking why and how, and learning to problem solve effectively, is at the core of STEAM and is celebrated in each of this year’s shortlisted titles, including The Longest Night of Charlie Noon by Christopher Edge, overall winner of The STEAM Children’s Book Prize 2019 with The Infinite Lives of Maisie Day.

STEAM Children’s Book Prize 2020 shortlists

 Early Years:

Arty! The First Artist in Space                      William Bee                                                       Pavilion Books

Why Do We Poo?                                         Harriet Blackford                                              Boxer Books

Lifesize Dinosaurs                                        Sophie Henn                                                     Egmont

Suzy Orbit Astronaut                                    Ruth Quayle & Jez Tuya                                   Nosy Crow

A Place for Pluto                                          Stef Wade                                                         Raintree

Astrogirl                                                        Ken Wilson-Max                                               Otter-Barry Books

Middle Grade:

The Train to Impossible Places                    P.G. Bell                                                             Usborne

Mega Robo Revenge                                   Neil Cameron                                                     David Fickling Books

Fire Girl, Forest Boy                                     Chloe Daykin                                                      Faber & Faber

The Longest Night of Charlie Noon              Christopher Edge                                               Nosy Crow

Wildspark                                                      Vashti Hardy                                                      Scholastic

Race to the Frozen North                            Catherine Johnson                                              Barrington Stoke

Lightning Mary                                             Anthea Simmons                                                 Andersen Press

YA:

Beauty Sleep                                                Kathryn Evans                                                    Usborne

Earth Swarm                                                 Tim Hall                                                              David Fickling Books

The Quiet at the End of the World                Lauren James                                                     Walker Books

The Starlight Watchmaker                            Lauren James                                                     Barrington Stoke

Nowhere on Earth                                         Nick Lake                                                            Hodder

The Chaos of Now                                        Erin Lange                                                          Usborne

Information:

The Usborne Book of Planet Earth             Megan Cullis & Matthew Oldham                       Usborne

Science You Can Eat                                   Stefan Gates                                                      DK

The Beetle Collector’s Handbook                 M.G. Leonard                                                    Scholastic

Science is Magic                                           Steve Mould                                                      DK

The Marvellous Adventure of Being              Dr. Max Pemberton                                          Wren and Rook

Engineering Scribble Book                           Eddie Reynolds & Darran Stobbart                   Usborne

I was honoured to be invited to judge The STEAM Children’s Book Prize 2020, alongside fellow judges Dom Conlon, Ros Harding and Ralph Timberlake. It was a difficult choice to whittle down a brilliant selection of over 70 nominated titles, but we managed to arrive at shortlists which exemplify the best of the best: from the lives of renowned English palaeontologist Mary Anning and Arctic explorer Matthew Henson, to fusion bananas (only the creative genius of P.G. Bell could dream this up) and books about dinosaurs, digestion, dung beetles and otherworldy marvels, I’m sure we’ll all enjoy our next few months of reading. I encourage school librarians and teachers to explore these books with pupils and incorporate them into their teaching and learning across all key stages.

The winners will be announced at the Lancashire Science Festival at the end of June 2020. In the meantime, it’s full STEAM ahead!