Finalists for 2021 Hands-On Science Book Award

AAAS and Subaru are proud to announce the finalists for the 2021 AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books in the Hands-On Science Book category. The Prize celebrates outstanding science writing and illustration for children and young adults and is meant to encourage the writing and publishing of high-quality science books for all ages. Longlists for all four categories were announced in October.

The 2021 winner will be selected from among the following finalists:

• Creek Critters, by Jennifer Keats Curtis with Stroud Water Research Center. Illustrated by Phyllis Saroff. Arbordale Publishing, 2020.

  Do you like scavenger hunts? How do you tell if creek water is clean and healthy? Join Lucas and his sister as they act like scientists looking for certain kinds of stream bugs (aquatic macroinvertebrates) that need clean, unpolluted water to survive. What will they find as they turn over rocks, pick up leaves and sort through the mud? Read along to find out if their creek gets a passing grade.

• The Kitchen Pantry Scientist: Chemistry for Kids: Homemade Science Experiments and Activities Inspired by Awesome Chemists, Past and Present, by Liz Lee Heinecke. Quarry Books, 2020.

  Replicate a chemical reaction similar to one Marie Curie used to purify radioactive elements! Distill perfume using a method created in ancient Mesopotamia by a woman named Tapputi! Aspiring chemists will discover these and more amazing role models and memorable experiments in Chemistry for Kids, the debut book of The Kitchen Pantry Scientist series. This engaging guide offers a series of snapshots of 25 scientists famous for their work with chemistry, from ancient history through today. Each lab tells the story of a scientist along with some background about the importance of their work, and a description of where it is still being used or reflected in today’s world.

• This is a Book to Read with a Worm, by Jodi Wheeler-Toppen. Illustrated by Margaret McCartney. Charlesbridge, 2020.

  If you can find a worm, you can be a scientist! Foster a love of animals and science with this charming activity guide for finding and observing earthworms. Hands-on experiments help young biologists answer questions like "Which end is which?" and "Do worms make noise?" Insider tips encourage readers to think like a scientist and handle living things with care. Equally entertaining with or without a worm friend.

• You're Invited to a Moth Ball: A Nighttime Insect Celebration, by Loree Griffin Burns. Photographs by Ellen Harasimowicz. Charlesbridge, 2020.

  Have a ball with real-life moths in your own backyard! Kids are usually asleep when moths come out at night. But discovering the wonders of your local moth population is simple – stay up late and set up a party for moths! Nature centers and museums host moth balls each summer, but kids can create their own right at home. Captivating photographs and clear, direct language empower young scientists to create their own backyard observatory. 

Winners will be announced in January 2021.

The finalists for the Children’s Science Picture Book and Middle Grades Science Book categories were announced earlier in the week.