2019 Winner: Children’s Science Picture Book

Iqbal and His Ingenious Idea: How a Science Project Helps One Family and the Planet, by Elizabeth Suneby. Illustrated by Rebecca Green. Kids Can Press, 2018.

It’s monsoon season in Bangladesh, which means Iqbal’s mother must cook indoors over an open flame, even though the smoke is making her and the family sick. Iqbal wants to help, so he enters the district science fair, determined to win first prize—with the cash reward, he can buy a gas stove that doesn’t produce harmful fumes. Then Iqbal is struck with an ingenious idea! For his project, he will build his own cookstove that harnesses the sun’s energy and doesn’t produce smoke. But the competition at the science fair is fierce—will Iqbal bring home the prize? Iqbal and His Ingenious Idea is a celebration of innovation, creative problem-solving, and sustainable technology. This inspiring story shows how one child can champion the protection of the environment and raise awareness about a global health issue.