Best Books in Science - Finalists Announced for 2011 AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize

The finalists for the 2011 AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books have been announced. This prize "celebrates outstanding science writing and illustration for children and young adults."

Children's Science Picture Book

Bones
written and illustrated by Steve Jenkins

Lizards
written and illustrated by Nic Bishop

The Magic School Bus and the Climate Challenge
written by Joanna Cole and illustrated by Bruce Degen

Why Do Elephants Need the Sun?
written and illustrated by Robert E. Wells.

Middle Grades Science Book

• The Hive Detectives: Chronicle of a Honey Bee Catastrophe, written by Loree Griffin Burns with photographs by Ellen Harasimowicz.
• Kakapo Rescue: Saving the World's Largest Parrot, written by Sy Montgomery with photographs by Nic Bishop.
• The Secret of the Yellow Death: A True Story of Medical Sleuthing, written by Susan Jermain.
• The Story of Snow: The Science of Winter's Wonder, written by Mark Cassino and Jon Nelson and illustrated by Nora Aoyagi.

Young Adult Science Book

• The Case for Pluto: How a Little Planet Made a Big Difference, written by Alan Boyle.
• The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of Elements, written by Sam Kean.
• Every Bone Tells a Story: Hominin Discovery, Deductions, and Debates, written by Jill Rubalcaba and Peter Robertshaw.
• The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, written by Rebecca Skloot.

Hands-On Science Book

• The Book of Potentially Catastrophic Science, written and illustrated by Sean Connolly.
• Insect Detective, written by Steve Voake and illustrated by Charlotte Voake.
• Nature Science Experiments: What's Hopping in a Dust Bunny?, written by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen and illustrated by Edward Miller.
• You Are the Earth: From Dinosaur Breath to Pizza from Dirt, written by David Suzuki and Kathy Vanderlinden.

There are many terrific titles here, along with a few I haven't seen. The Disappearing Spoon has gone everywhere with me for the last few weeks and I am enjoying it immensely. While waiting for the winners to be announced, I'll be reading through these and making my best guess about the outcome. Won't you join me?