Science of red-bottomed baboons and iridescent peacocks wins Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize

‘Can You Get Rainbows in Space?’ by Dr Sheila Kanani MBE, illustrated by Liz Kay, has been revealed as the winner of the Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize 2024.

The announcement was made yesterday at a ceremony at the Glasgow Science Centre, where over 150 students from local schools and judging panels gathered to meet the shortlisted authors and crown their winner.

After an expert panel of adult judges whittled down the best children’s science books of 2024 to a shortlist of six, a record-breaking 19,000 young readers across the country hosted their own judging meetings to read, discuss and debate the selection before voting for their favourite.

The winning book takes readers on an extraordinary journey over the rainbow, with fascinating facts and engaging illustrations exploring the science behind every colour – from why some monkeys have red bottoms, to how peacocks’ feathers are an optical illusion.

Dr Sheila Kanani is a planetary scientist, author and educator. Through her company, Her Place for Space, she is dedicated to inspiring the next generation of space scientists and improving the representation of women and girls in physics.

The winner of the Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize receives £10,000 in cash, with shortlisted authors receiving £2,500.

Here’s what some of the young judges thought of the Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize winner, Can You Get Rainbows in Space?

Tiani, 11, said: “This book is the best book – it’s the one I wanted to come back to the most. We all loved finding out about why some monkeys have red bottoms!”

Maia, aged 10, commented: “This book has colourful, enticing pages that make you want to read and learn more; the pages were filled with interesting facts that teach you a lot about things you do not know.”

Darcie, 11, explained: “It showed you quite a lot of facts about each colour and I found it really interesting. This book left you thinking about other questions and wondering if you really could get rainbows in space.”

Lizzie, aged 9, stated: “This is the best book ever.”

The young judges also had plenty to say about the rest of the shortlist:

Engineers Making a Difference – Inventors, Technicians, Scientists and Tech Entrepreneurs Changing the World, and How You Can Join Them, by Shini Somara and Manual Šumberac and Adam Allsuch Boardman

Sam, 11, commented: “This really inspired me. I like technology and would like to do something amazing like the real people in the book.”

A student from St Philomena Catholic High School explained: “This book changed the way I see engineering. It’s not just about machines and buildings—it’s about creativity, teamwork, and making the world better. I liked how it featured diverse engineers from different backgrounds.”

Mission: Arctic – A Scientific Adventure to a Changing North Pole, by Katharina Weiss-Tuider, illustrated by Christian Schneider, translated by Shelley Tanaka

Leo, aged 8, said: “This book is beautifully presented from start to finish. It is packed full of facts, along with colourful illustrations. You could learn so much about what the Arctic was like before global warming.”

Elliott, 12, added: “I loved the pages dedicated to facts, as they were clear, well-written and simple. It definitely makes you think about climate change and will hopefully inspire many to change the world.”

Very Short Introductions for Curious Young Minds: The Expanding World of Data by Tom Jackson, illustrated by Ekaterina Gorelova and Ana Seixas

Lily, who is 11, commented: “This was a fun book with lots of information about information and the people who help to collect and share it. It was great to find out about data heroes and read about why data is important. The illustrations and colourful cartoons made it interesting as were some of the amazing facts.”

Josh, 13, was very impressed: “I thought this would be really complicated, but actually this book was so well written, they made data interesting and easy to understand.”

Where Are You Really From? by Adam Rutherford, illustrated by Adam Ming

Ilhām, aged 12, said: “I thought this was very fascinating especially as it included information on culture and science. I loved the illustrations and comical and humorous writing.”

Evie, 10, agreed: “I think I would read more science books if they were written like this one.”

All Bodies Are Wonderful by Beth Cox, illustrated by Samantha Meredith

Kianna, 11, described it as: “A book which highlights that we are okay to be who we are – being different is okay.”

Rose, 7, really enjoyed the book: “I found out things I had never realised about myself before! It was really interesting to see things which make us the same and things which make us different.”