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​​​​The De ​Bary Children's Science Book Award

​​2024 Winners​

The committee for The American Phytopathological Society De Bary Award for Outstanding Children's Science Books is happy to announce this year's winners. This year our books didn't easily divide into age categories, so we judged them all together and chose two winners. We recommend My Grandpa, My Tree, and Me by Roxanne Troup, because it lovingly describes what it's like to live in a farming family, and Club Microbe by Elise Gravel, because of its enthusiastic look at microorganisms. As always, we pick "winners" because it's expected, but we trust parents to look at the list of books and have an idea which ones will suit their children.

Winner: Club Microbe by Elise Gravel (author/illustrator), Montana Kane (translator). 2024. Drawn and Quarterly. Ages 6 and up. Hardcover $17.95.

The two books by Elise Gravel (see also The Mushroom Fan Club) were nominated by an APS member who knows her. The illustrations aren't accurate, but at least the author admits up front to kids that microbes don't have the eyes and mouths she's drawing on them. She then discusses, with charming illustrations, bacteria, fungi, viruses, protists, and algae. Protists actually can have "eyes" and "mouths," though, so the science in this book is sometimes sketchy but probably OK for 5 year olds.

Copy That, Copy Cat! Inventions Inspired by Animals by Katrina Tangen (author), Giulia Orecchia (illustrator). 2023. Barefoot Books. Ages 4-8. Boardbook $19.99.

This is a clever "peephole" book in which you guess what something on the following page is based on a rhyming couplet missing the last word and the tiny piece of the object you see through the peephole…then you turn the page and see what the object actually is and pull open a flap to learn more. For example, something uses sound waves to locate a gnat, you guess that the missing word is going to be "bat," but you turn the page, and it turns out to be sonar. It's the first time we've seen rhyming pay off in a kid's science book. Will it be fun after the 20th time? Hard to say.

Count on Us by Gabi Snyder (author), Sarah Walsh (illustrator). 2022. Barefoot Books. Ages 4-9. Hardcover $17.99.

This is less a science book and more a book about how kids can be climate activists. It does include a few science facts and profiles a few scientists.

Herbaria: A Guide for Young People by Kelly La Farge (author). 2021. Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Ages 8-12. Hardcover $19.95.

At a time when universities are closing their herbaria, it is heartening to see a book explaining why they are needed. This covers every aspect of herbaria in an engaging way with lots of photographs. It misses an opportunity to give instructions to kids on how to collect their own specimens, although some kids will be able to figure it out themselves.

A Kid's Guide to Backyard Birds by Eliza Berkowitz (author), Nicole LaRue (illustrator). 2023. Gibbs Smith. Ages 6-8. Hardcover $12.99.

This is fine for a first bird guide; it covers common birds and describes their ranges and diets. It also gives advice on birdwatching and includes pages to record bird sightings. One judge found it dry. In addition, it is male-centric, ignoring the coloration of female birds. It's iffy on bird calls: song sparrows do go "chimp" but that doesn't explain why they are called song sparrows. The book mentions common crows, but not fish crows or ravens, showing that the author has never gotten into an argument with an 8 year old about which is which and how you tell.

The Mushroom Fan Club by Elise Gravel (author/illustrator). 2023. Drawn and Quarterly. Ages 6 and up. Hardcover $17.95.

In this second Elise Gravel book, the author again draws eyes and mouths on the fungi, but the illustration style is meant to be fanciful, with text describing what it's like for the author to go mushroom collecting with her kids. It's a little rambling, but she throws in a few genera of mushrooms, a few facts, and instructions on how to make a spore print. If you read this book to your kids, it is mandatory to take them on a mushroom hunt, and that's probably the point.

Mushroom Rain by Laura K. Zimmerman (author), Jamie Green (illustrator). 2022. Sleeping Bear Press. Ages 4-8. Hardcover $17.99.

Spoiler alert: mushroom spores blow up into the atmosphere and can serve as the nuclei for rain droplets. Mostly, this is just poetic prose and lovely illustrations, with some facts in the back, along with how to make a spore print. Some of our test children loved this book.

WINNER:My Grandpa, My Tree, and Me by Roxanne Troup (author), Kendra Binney (illustrator). 2023. Yehoo Press. Ages 4-8. Hardcover $17.99.

There aren't enough superlatives for this book, which tells the story of a girl whose grandfather planted a tree for her on the day she was born. She observes as he and his workers tend to their pecan orchard (with mostly accurate details) and as he helps her tend to her tree. One of our judges objected to someone spraying pesticides without proper protective equipment, while at the same time suggesting that pesticides weren't safe for the child.

Penguins Ready to Go, Go, Go! by Deborah Lee Rose (author), Dr. Fabienne Durant (contributor). 2024. Persnickety Press. Ages 3-7. Hardcover $17.95.

This book uses good nature photography to talk about penguins at a level appropriate to very young kids. One judge appreciated that the main story was at a level for young children, while the appendix tackled the subject at a higher level, for when the child is older and reading alone. Our test children of various ages liked this book.

Thanks to our committee: Justine Beaulieu, Frances Bergstrom, Vanina Castroagudin, Albert Culbreath, Erika Daniels, Margery Daughtrey, Margaret McGrath, Chuanxue Hong, Cristi Palmer, Diana Sherman, Emily Smallwood, Nina Shishkoff, and Olive Stanley, plus our guest children. Nominations will be accepted for the next De Bary list of outstanding children's science books through July 2025. We are accepting good science books in all languages (but would appreciate the nomination of guest judges, preferably APS members, who speak the language). We cannot accept free copies of books, but we are happy to look at PDF versions sent by email (which only judges and selected children will read). Contact Nina Shishkoff. Want to be a judge? Contact us!​

2022 Winners​

The committee for The American Phytopathological Society De Bary Award for Outstanding Children's Science Books is happy to announce this year's winners. For children ages 6-10, we recommend The Bat Book (Conservation for Kids) by Charlotte Milner. For older kids, we have a tie between Dig It!: Archaeology for Kids by Caitlin Sockin and Space on Earth: How Thinking Like an Astronaut Can Help Save the Planet by Dave Williams, Linda Pruessen, and Sho Uehara; however, the books for older children were particularly good this year, so consider others on the list as well. As always, we pick "winners" because it's expected, but we trust parents to look at the list of books and have an idea which ones will suit their children.​

For Younger Readers (ages 2-6)

A Big Job for a Small Mushroom by Jennifer L Chaky. 2018. Zion Publishing. Ages 4-7. Paperback $9.99

Written by a plant pathologist. Sally the mushroom thinks she is small and drab until she learns how important mushrooms are for the breakdown of organic material. One judge wanted a mention of mycorrhizae as well. It has charming illustrations by the author.

This is the Sun by Elizabeth Everett (author), Evelline Andrya (illustrator). 2022. Science, Naturally! Ages 4-7. Hardcover $10.95; paperback $12.95

This is a "House That Jack Built" style book showing how the sun is the ultimate source of energy and life on earth. It has nice illustrations.

Twinkle, Twinkle, Daytime Star by Elizabeth Everett (author), Beatriz Castro (illustrator). 2023. Science, Naturally! Ages 2-7. Boardbook $10.99

A rhyming book about the sun. This is an extremely difficult age group to teach about science, and the book mentions, but does not explain, day and night, UV radiation, and the seasons.

For Middle Readers (ages 6-10)

WINNER: The Bat Book (Conservation for Kids) by Charlotte Milner (author, illustrator). 2020. DK Children. Ages 5-8. Hardcover $13.99

This is everything you want in a children's science book. Interesting facts about a nifty animal, good illustrations, and connections to evolution, ecology and conservation. If the next edition corrects an error about baobab flowering, it will be perfect. Our test child said, " I read it over and over again, I liked it that much!"

A Dinosaur Made Me Spill: A Water Cycle Adventure by Carla Mae Jansen (author), Natasha Kostovska (illustrator). 2022. Turtle Trails Publishing LLC. Ages 5-8. Hardcover $18.47; paperback $11.97

A whimsical explanation of the water cycle, where a child explains spilling water by blaming a dinosaur splashing a water droplet into the sea millions of years ago, which froze in the Ice Age, etc. A judge said, "It is delightfully quirky and has good characters and squeezes prehistoric creatures into the story cleverly." The illustrations are cute.

Foldout Anatomy: An Interactive Look Inside Humans and Animals by Jana Albrechtová (author), Radka Píro (author), Lida Larina (illustrator). 2022. Bushel & Peck Books. Ages 7-10. Hardcover $18.99

This is a splendid foldout book comparing human parts (skeleton, digestive system, reproduction, etc.) with those of various animals that will delight kids. There is a slight problem with the two styles of illustration: one stylized but accurate, the other whimsical and inaccurate (inanimate objects having eyes, an octopus with a mouth improperly placed) that might need to be explained in an anatomy book.

Humongous Fungus (Underground and All Around) by Lynne Boddy (author), Wenjia Tang (illustrator). 2021. DK Children. Ages 7-9. Hardcover $12.99

This book was a disappointment. It was confusing and poorly organized, although many of the random facts were interesting.

A Kid's Guide to Backyard Bugs by Eliza Berkowitz (author), Nicole LaRue (illustrator). 2023. Gibbs Smith. Ages 6-8. Paperback $10.59

An insect book for kids that covers the most common insects in the United States is a nice idea, and the book includes range maps and life cycles. However, we deplore the use of "bug" to cover spiders, crustaceans, and slugs. Illustrations are stylized but accurate.

For Older Readers (ages 9-14)

WINNER: Dig It!: Archaeology for Kids by Caitlin Sockin (author), Dr. Benjamin S. Arbuckle (contributor), Dr. Hérica Valladares (contributor). 2020. Persnickety Press. Ages 10-16. Hardcover $21.95; paperback $13.45

Outstanding. Every section discusses a famous archeological site (Nazca, Stonehenge, etc.) and discusses how archeology works. It also discusses ethical issues and careers associated with archeology. Plenty of good photographs and facts.

Evolution Under Pressure: How We Change Nature and How Nature Changes Us by Yolanda Ridge (author), Dane Thibeault (illustrator). 2023. Annick Press. Ages 11-14. Hardcover $21.99; paperback $14.99

This is a serious attempt to explain evolution, how it works, and what its implications are for species survival in the Anthropocene. It explains how we domesticated animals and how our actions endanger wild animals with poaching and pollution. It suggests other ways we can do things in the future.

Limerickettsia: A plant pathologist's book of verse by Brian Hudelson (author). 2023. Plant Disease Diagnostic Clinic, University of Wisconsin Madison. No age limit. Paperback $25.00

In all honesty, we can't believe any child below high-school age would read this book; to appreciate the limerick, you have to know the disease. The illustrations are outstanding, however, and we can think of lots of plant pathologists who would read it.

Mystery at the Aquarium and Danger in the Deep Sea(OceanX Adventures) by Kate B. Jerome (author). 2023. Weldon Owen. Ages 8-12. Paperback $7.18 and $7.67

Both of these are chapter books in which two girls have ocean-related adventures. There are some science facts. One judge liked the plots and general tone and hoped it would encourage kids to seek out internships.

WINNER: Space on Earth: How Thinking Like an Astronaut Can Help Save the Planet by Dave Williams (author), Linda Pruessen (author), Sho Uehara (illustrator). 2023. Annick Press. Ages 10-14. Hardcover $20.49; paperback $14.99

This is an impressive book that looks at how astronauts survive by recycling resources and invites kids to extrapolate to how we should think about "spaceship Earth."

Totality!: An Eclipse Guide in Rhyme and Science by Jeffrey Bennett (author). 2022. Big Kid Science. Ages 9-12. Hardcover $17.99

One of the few rhyming science books we can endorse. How, when, and why an eclipse (solar or lunar) happens is clearly explained, with helpful photographs and illustrations. The explanations are good for a wide age range. It includes a glossary and suggested activities, as well as safe eclipse glasses.

Winn and Doug the Waterdrops: A Water Cycle and Wastewater Story by Tim Olson (author), Rick Lohmann (author). 2023. Esri Press. Ages 8-12. Paperback 19.99

Another water cycle story explaining water treatment systems through Winn and Doug the water droplets who get polluted in various ways. One judge thought it was well done but wanted a better title and spent a lot of time worrying about why the two protagonists never meet. It's not technical enough to help a kid with a school report, but it does make water resource engineers sound heroic.

Thanks to our committee: Justine Beaulieu, Frances Bergstrom, Vanina Castroagudin, Albert Culbreath, Margery Daughtrey, Margaret McGrath, Chuanxue Hong, Cristi Palmer, Diana Sherman, Emily Smallwood, Nina Shishkoff, and Olive Stanley, plus our guest child. Nominations will be accepted for the next De Bary list of outstanding children's science books through July 2024. We are accepting good science books in all languages (but would appreciate the nomination of guest judges, preferably APS members, who speak the language). We cannot accept free copies of books, but we are happy to look at PDF versions sent by email (which only judges and selected children will read). Contact Nina Shishkoff.

Want to be a judge? Contact us!

2022 Winners​

The committee for The American Phytopathological Society De Bary Awards for Outstanding Children's Science Books is happy to announce this year's winner. We had fewer nominations than usual (probably due to the pandemic) and felt only one of them was scientifically accurate enough to be a winner: Swoop andSoar: How Science Rescued Two Osprey Orphans and Found Them a New Family in the Wild. As always, we pick "winners" because it's expected, but we trust parents to look at the list of books and have an idea which ones will suit their children.​

Nominees

Adam the Ape by Wolfgang Wambach, illustrated by Michael Blechmann. 2022. Wambach (Pub.). Ages 8–14. Hardcover: $14.89

A chimpanzee fluent in sign language escapes from the zoo with the reluctant help of a mute b​oy who learns empathy along the way. We liked the appendix at the end of this book giving information about great apes. However, we couldn't count the book itself as science because it gave an erroneous impression of what we know about the ability of apes to use language.​

Bristlecone: The Secret Life of the World's Oldest Tree by Alexandra Siy, illustrated by Marlo Garnsworthy. 2022. Web of Life Children's Books. Ages 4–12. Hardcover: $18.95

This book describes how bristlecone pines grow from seeds to ancient adults ("Five thousand rings and counting."). It is more about the landscape and animals than science and describes botanical details awkwardly ("A few pollen grains stick to a purple cone and sneak inside through tiny holes."). It does not mention the devastation climate change is wreaking on bristlecones right now. The illustrations are nice, and the book is a good introduction to dendrochronology.

Chicken Frank, Dinosaur! by S. K. Wenger, illustrated by Jojo Ensslin. 2021. Albert Whitman & Co. Ages 6–8. Hardcover: $16.99

A chicken discovers that he is descended from dinosaurs and tells all his barnyard friends—hilarity ensues. We all loved this book for the illustrations and humor. One judge said, "Silly and informative about evolution…. It is sure to be a hit!" Another said, "It also has a good message about saying everybody is family somehow, and that we have to be good to each other!" It's light on science, however, so parents would have to supplement the text a little.

Funky Fungi by Alisha Gabriel and Sue Heavenrich. 2022. Chicago Review Press. Ages 7–14. Softcover: $16.99

Many random facts about fungi with projects and crafts. We wanted to like this book because it highlighted a colleague of ours and had lots of good photographs, but it gets a few facts wrong, misspells words, and the projects vary in quality (Spore prints? Yes! Origami bookmarks? Meh.). Perhaps wait for a second edition that corrects the errors.

Nano's Journey by Aldo Pourchet, illustrated by Jen Yoon. 2021. Pixel Mouse House LLC. Ages 6–8. Softcover: $16.99

Nano is a stem cell who learns about the circulatory system from a fibroblast and meets the wonderful heart-master. All these cells and organs have eyes and mouths and talk; we can't recommend this as science. The illustrations are lovely.

The Rescuer of Tiny Creatures by Curtis Manley, illustrated by Lucy Ruth Cummins. 2021. Roaring Brook Press. Ages 4–8. Hardcover: $18.99

A little girl saves worms stranded on the sidewalk and bugs accidentally stuck on their backs and teaches everyone around her to care as well. A judge said, "It has a very happy tone, and it teaches compassion and good intentions towards other living creatures with a simple message." It has no science in it, but probably every entomologist started as a kid like this.

WINNER:Swoop and Soar: How Science Rescued Two Osprey Orphans and Found Them a New Family in the Wild by Deborah Lee Rose and Jane Veltkamp. 2022. Persnickety Press, an imprint of WunderMill, Inc. Ages 5–13. Hardcover: $16.95​

The subtitle says it all, but the story of the two orphans is brief, followed by an extensive afterword about the coauthor Jane Veltkamp and osprey rescue. The photographs are excellent, and the information is right for the age group. All the judges liked this book for younger children.

The Weather Detectives by Michael Erb. 2021. Tumblehome, Inc. Ages 9–12. Paperback: $12.95

This is about a boy and his uncle (a weather expert named Kelvin McCloud) aboard a seemingly haunted ship, trying to discover the truth behind mysterious events that threaten to destroy the ship's captain. One judge said she loved how it blends historical and scientific fact within the story, and how Kelvin said that everyone is a scientist: "making it cool to look at a problem, to make observations, to reason, and to experiment." It doesn't have enough science for us, but it's a nice book for older readers who like adventure.

Thanks to our committee: Justine Beaulieu, Margot Becktell, Frances Bergstrom, Vanina Castroagudin, Albert Culbreath, Margery Daughtrey, Margaret McGrath, Chuanxue Hong, Cristi Palmer, Diana Sherman, Emily Smallwood, Nina Shishkoff, and Olive Stanley, plus our guest child. Nominations will be accepted for the next De Bary list of outstanding children's science books through July 2023. We are accepting good science books in all languages (but would appreciate the nomination of guest judges, preferably APS members, who speak the language). We cannot accept free copies of books, but we are happy to look at pdf versions sent by email (which only judges and selected children will read). Contact Nina Shishkoff. Want to be a judge? Contact us!

2021 Winners

​​The committee for The American Phytopathological Society's De Bary Award for Outstanding Children's Science Books is happy to announce this year's winners. For younger readers, we recommend Astronauts Zoom! An Astronaut Alphabet; for intermediate readers, You're Invited to a Moth Ball – A Nighttime Insect Celebration; for all readers, What Is Coronavirus? How It Infects, How It Spreads and How to Stay Safe. As always, we pick "winners" because it's expected, but we trust parents to look at the list of books and have an idea which ones will suit their children.

For Youngest Children (5–7 years old)

WINNER: Astronauts Zoom! An Astronaut Alphabet by Deborah Rose. 2021. Persnickety Press, VC Baker & Taylor Publisher Services. Ages 2–7. Hardcover: $16.95

We like alphabet books that are age-appropriate, and this one would be great to read to space-loving toddlers or to give to space-loving young readers. Our judges liked the excellent layout of photographs of astronauts doing stuff (e.g., Awaken, Brush their teeth, etc.).

Earth Hour: A Lights-Out Event for Our Planet by Nanette Heffernan, illustrated by Bao Luu. 2020. Charlesbridge. Ages 3–7. Hardcover: $11.99

This book tells kids about the annual "Earth Hour," when everybody turns out lights for one hour to symbolize the need to save energy. Does this really happen? None of us had ever heard of Earth Hour, but the illustrations of people in cities around the world turning out lights and witnessing natural beauty are splendid. Our 8-year-old sample child liked this one the best.

Here We Go Digging for Dinosaur Bones by Susan Lendroth, illustrated by Bob Kolar. 2020. Charlesbridge. Ages 4-8. Hardcover: $15.60

One judge said "The book seems designed for reading to one 10 year old and one 4 years old at the same time" and that's the problem: there are lively illustrations of kids participating in a paleontological dig, with the main text intended to be sung to 'Here we go round the mulberry bush.'" However, the explanatory text below provides good information about paleontology (and our sample child liked those). It's your call if you want to sing this book.

Rare & Blue – Finding Nature's Treasures by Constance Van Hoven, illustrated by Alan Marks. 2020. Charlesbridge. Ages 5–9. Hardcover: $18.99

Random blue things (lobsters, butterflies) are celebrated in watercolors. Not really scientific, but one judge said, "This book aims to give young people a sense of wonder and an appreciation for rarity."

Welcome Home, Whales written and illustrated by Christina Booth. 2021. Blue Dot Kids Press. Ages 4–9. Hardcover: $17.95

A child dreams of the return of a whale from its yearly migration. Few scientific facts are provided, but the illustrations are nice, and the sample child liked the story. One judge said, "It's not going to inspire scientists, but it will make people think about the need to watch out for the whales."

For Middle Readers (8–12 years old)

Monster in the Water—Fighting Back Against Harmful Algal Blooms by Dylan D'Agate, illustrated by Maria DeCerce. 2021. Get Creative 6. Ages 6–10. Hardcover: $14.95

This book was written by a 16-year-old to warn other kids about algal blooms and how to prevent them. It has some scientific facts slightly nullified by the illustrator's insistence on putting angry yellow eyes on the algal bloom.

This Is a Book to Read with a Worm by Jodi Wheeler-Toppen, illustrated by Margaret McCartney. 2020. Charlesbridge. Ages 5–10. Hardcover: $16.99

This book encourages kids to find a worm and do simple experiments with it (shine a light on it, expose it to alcohol). Many of the judges liked the scientific spirit, but we recommend it for older kids and hope that parents buying this book will chaperone the worm to make sure it doesn't experience trauma. Our sample child's mother was not thrilled that the child wanted to try this.

WINNER: You're Invited to a Moth Ball—A Nighttime Insect Celebration by Loree Griffin Burns, photographs by Ellen Harasimowicz. 2020. Charlesbridge. Ages 5–8. Hardcover: $13.38

This book invites you to take a white sheet, an ultraviolet light, and a few other pieces of equipment and hold a moth observation party. We all loved this book and recommend it to parents with this proviso: if you buy the book, you're going to need to do this, so be prepared to get that ultraviolet light (our sample child pretty firmly wanted to do this next camping trip). One judge noted that this book didn't provide specific recommendations for city kids, but anywhere with a park should be fine.

Who Needs a Forest Fire? by Paula Henson, illustrated by Sue Todd and Emily Underwood. 2021. Terra Bella Books. Ages 5–10. Paperback: $16.99

This book explains the complicated story of forest fires: they are needed to allow many ecosystems to thrive, but not when the fires are hotter and more frequent as they are spurred by human interference and global warming. Good information and illustrations.

For older readers (through 16 years old) or all ages

Herbaria—A Guide for Young People written and illustrated by Kelly LaFarge. 2021. The University of Chicago Press. Hardcover: $19.95

One of the judges said, "I would imagine this is the only one of its kind": a book about herbariums for kids. It's fact-filled and loaded with photographs and illustrations and perhaps intended to be dipped into rather than read. It covers the history of plant collecting and how plant samples are stored and where, but it overlooks the importance of herbaria in providing genomic information.

Our World—Out of Balance by Andrea Minoglio, illustrated by Laura Fanelli. 2021. Blue Dot Kids Press. Ages 8–12. Hardcover: $21.95

This is a book for children about how humanity's actions are changing the planet, and it is comprehensive. It states a topic (e.g., extreme weather, pollution, animal extinction), depicts it with extremely good graphics, summarizes it in the text and then describes what people are doing to fix it, and what you (a kid) can do to help. The judges found some inaccuracies in the information, and while we think Greta Thunberg would like it, it is very, very depressing.

The Stardust Mystery by Peter Solomon. 2021. Thebeamer LLC. Ages 7–12. Paperback: $25.99; and The Race to the Big Bang—The Stardust Mystery Project by Peter Solomon. 2021. Thebeamer LLC. Ages 13–18. Paperback: $20.49

These are adventure stories featuring a cast of school kids who are competing in science contests. The illustrations are meant to look like video games, so they didn't appeal to us but perhaps will appeal to the target audience. As scientists, we wanted to see kids motivated by a sense of wonder, not by a big prize.

WINNER: What Is Coronavirus? How It Infects, How It Spreads and How to Stay Safe written and illustrated by Saffithry Persad. 2021. Firewater Media Group. Ages 12–18. Paperback: $17.95

This is a timely introduction to virology and epidemiology. One judge said, "[There is] enough information about viruses generally that it will continue to be worth recommending," but pointed out that some of the information is already out-of-date. Another judge praised the good use of illustrations.​

​2020 Winners

The committee for The American Phytopathological Society's De Bary Award for Outstanding Children's Science Books is happy to announce this year's winners. For the youngest readers, we recommend A Drop of Water; for intermediate readers, we recommend Creek Critters; for all readers, we recommend Unseen Worlds. As always, we pick “winners" because it's expected, but we trust parents to look at the list of books and have an idea which ones will suit their children.

For Youngest Children (5–8 years old)

The Big Bang Book by Asa Stahl, illustrated by Carly Allen-Fletcher. 2020. Creston Books, LLC. Ages 4–9. $13.99

This starts with the Big Bang and moves on to the present with bold and colorful illustrations and accurate (for the age group) facts. Parents should read the “Author's Note" in the back to be prepared for additional questions. A judge said, “Big concepts for little minds."

Child of the Universe by Ray Jayawardhana, illustrated by​ Raul Colón. 2020. Make Me a World. Ages 3–7. $17.99

A young girl is tucked into bed and the first line is, “My father says I am made of stars." It never gets any more scientific than that, but it is empowering for young children. One judge said, “I liked the illustrations, the nice, simple but accurate sentences, and the bonding of the father with the girl through sharing science."

WINNER: A Drop of Water: A Book of Science and Wonder by Walter Wick. 1997. Scholastic Press; Ages 4–8. $19.99

This is a particularly good example of this type of book: it presents the properties of water (surface tension, capillary action, freezing, etc.) with excellent photographs. It ends with a discussion of Earth's water cycle and instructions to carry out many of the demonstrations photographed for the book (how to get condensation, how to float a needle on the surface of water, etc.). One judge said, “I think it might encourage kids to recreate what they see in the photos by themselves, and that is great!" The publisher says ages 4–8; we think it is appropriate up to age 12.

Let's Learn about Chemistry by Stephanie Ryan, Ph.D., illustrated by Christine Cagara. 2020. Ryan Education Consulting LLC. Ages 5–6. $13.99

We couldn't see real 5–6 year olds warming up to this book about imaginary toddlers with unlikely knowledge about chemistry. It does try to make chemistry intelligible to a young age group, however.

Secrets of the Loon by Laura Purdie Salas and Chuck Dayton. 2020. Minnesota Historical Society Press. Ages 3–7. $16.95​

A loon egg hatches and we follow the young loon through the summer. Questionable poetry mixes with very good graphic design. There are a few paragraphs of information on loon biology at the end of the book.

For Middle Readers (9–12 years old)

Uma Aventura no Legado das ÁGUAS by Karolina von Sydow Domingues Gomes and Fátima Cardoso, with David Canassa, Kamilla Barboza Lopes, Daniela Gerdenits, Elaine Moura; graphic design and illustration: Rafael Agostinho and Rafa Camargo. Available online.

This comic book with distinctive and dynamic graphics was commissioned by a private park in Brazil to explain the water cycle to kids. Our Portuguese-speaking judges say the information is accurate. We've seen countless books on the water cycle, this is peppier than most.

WINNER: Creek Critters by Jennifer Keats Curtis and the Stroud Water Research Center, illustrated by Phyllis Saroff. 2020. Arbordale Publishing. Ages 8–12. Hardcover: $17.95; Paperback: $9.95; Spanish Paperback: $11.95

A brother and sister go to a stream and catch and observe stream invertebrates before releasing them back into the water. The judges liked this book for the interaction between the siblings and the suggestion to kids that they can be naturalists with only a net and a bucket. Our guest reviewer/invertebrate biologist thought it had a few minor scientific errors. Additional facts and instructions are provided at the back of the book.

Earth's Amazing Animals: Animal Top Ten: Animal Appetites and Earth's Amazing Animals: DEADLY WEAPONS Animal Superpowers Super Strength by Joanne Mattern, illustrated by Tim Haggerty. 2019. Red Chair Press LLC. Ages 6–10. $8.49 and $23.99These are books of random facts about animals with nice photographs, in a format allowing kids to pick the book up and read as much or as little as they want. A judge said, “I think this is a very good science book writer held back by the books being part of a series."

Finding Earthlike Planets (interactive edition) by Liz Kruesi. 2019. Weigl. Ages 8–12. $14.95

A straightforward book for space lovers about how exoplanets are being discovered, with lots of photographs and features on the scientists and online extras.

The Mütter Museum: A Junior Guide's Tour of America's Coolest Medical Museum by Anna Dhody, illustrated by Ted Enik and R. A. Herrera. 2020. Schiffer Kids. Illustrated edition. Ages 8–12. $16.99

A boy visits the Mütter Museum, and the ghosts of the exhibits explain themselves. This book tries to remind the reader that behind the museum's exhibits of anatomical oddities there are human beings, but the conceit might not work for you or your kids.

Numbers in Motion: Sophie Kowalevski, Queen of Mathematics by Laurie Wallmark, illustrated by Yevgenia Nayberg. 2020. Creston Books, LLC. Ages 8–12. $18.99

This is a picture biography of the first woman to receive a doctorate in mathematics that required original research (1874), the first to hold a university chair in mathematics, and the first to be the editor of a major scientific journal. One judge said, “Perhaps we can recommend this one to mathematical fathers who want to inspire their daughters to consider following in their footsteps, now that the sex barriers have been lowered considerably." Another said, “My daughter (almost 9) liked this one the best. She liked that it was a true story. We recently watched 'Hidden Figures' so this struck similar chords. She is intrigued by the fact that women have not been treated well throughout history."

SeedPower: Discovering How Plants Grow by Anna Prokos, illustrated by Dave Clegg. 2017. Red Chair Press LLC. Ages 6–9. Hardcover: 27.75; Paperback $4.95

A boy enters a watermelon-eating contest and worries a seed will sprout in his stomach—a few facts about growing plants from seeds. We thought the book was well-intentioned with the inclusion of diverse children, but it didn't see the problem of portraying a black farmer in the context of watermelons.

For older readers (through 16 years old) or all ages

A to Z in the Deep Dark Sea written and illustrated by Paulina Barry. 2019. Miss Barry's Books. Ages 3–15. $14.99

Random facts about the deep sea limited by an arbitrary alphabet format. Followed by a list of sources. A judge said, “Nice illustrations that seem to be geared towards younger (3–6) readers, but the facts are more for older children."

Every Tree Has A Story (Un Arbre, une Histoire) by Cécile Benoist, illustrated by Charlotte Gaustaut. 2019. Downtown Bookworks; Co-edition France. Ages 3 and up. $19.99

The illustrations are fantastic, and there are some tree facts sprinkled in the text, which describes notable trees or notable acts by people defending trees. Not really for young children, not primarily scientific, but definitely for tree lovers.

WINNER: Unseen Worlds: Real-Life Microscopic Creatures Hiding All Around Us by Helene Rajcak, illustrated by Damien Laverdunt. 2019. What on Earth Books. All ages. $21.99

Each section shows a macroscopic scene (a beach, a bed of moss, a bed), and the page folds out to show you a microscopic close-up illustration of that scene. A beach becomes a jumble of sand grains, mites, tardigrades, and worms; human skin is shown as a habitat for ticks, mites, and fleas. Each illustration is a beautiful world to explore. Includes a history of microscopy and a brief explanation of taxonomy at the end. This book was a favorite for those of us who saw it in person.

Thank you to our committee: Margot Becktell, Vanina Castroagudin, Albert Culbreath, Megan Daniels, Margery Daughtrey, Margaret McGrath, Chuanxue Hong, Cristi Palmer, Kerry Pedley, Diana Sherman, Emily Smallwood, Nina Shishkoff, and Olivia Stanley, guest children, and guest judges Elizabeth Yuster and Bianca Hoch. Nominations will be accepted for the next De Bary list of outstanding children's science books through July 2021. We are accepting good science books in all languages (but would appreciate the nomination of guest judges, preferably APS members, who speak the language). We cannot accept free copies of books, but we are happy to look at PDF versions sent by e-mail (which only judges and selected children will read). Contact Nina Shishkoff.

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​2019 Winners