Planetarium wins the Royal Society’s Young People’s Book Prize 2019
Planetarium: Welcome to the Museum, Illustrated by the talented Chris Wormell, has been chosen as the winning book for the 2019 Royal Society’s Young People’s Book Prize. The prize was awarded at a ceremony hosted by CBBC’s Lindsey Russell at the National Science and Media Museum.
Planetarium, published by Big Picture Press, was selected by a record-breaking number of young judges. Over 10,600 young people drawn from 471 schools and youth groups from across the UK cast their votes for their favourite science book from a shortlist of six titles, chosen by a panel of adult judges, including author Michael Rosen and Royal Society Fellow Professor Sheila Rowan. Chris Wormell delicately designed a stunningly detailed solar system as the cover, illustrating just as brilliantly on the inside with beautiful depictions of planets, stars and moons. – a must for any young budding astronomer.
Here’s what adult judging panel member Professor Michael Rosen, some of the young judges, and Chair of the 2019 adult judging panel, Professor Sheila Rowan FRS, had to say about the winning book:
Professor Michael Rosen said “Planetarium is a book that takes you into space in a way that mixes art and science. It invites the eye into space and the study of space in what is a distinctive painterly way, full of mood and feeling. Alongside the lush art work, we are given solidly scientific mini-essays for older readers telling us, for example that the ‘Sun wobbles back and forth, due to gravitational tugs mainly from Jupiter and Saturn.’ The Sun wobbles? Really? Yes it does. It’s a great book for peering into and poring over whether as a child, a teen or in groups, schools, or in families. A worthy winner!’”
Sam, Centre for Life, Age 9,“It is a really informative book with amazingly beautiful illustrations about the solar system…I think I will plead to my mum and dad for a copy!”
Ava, New Ford Academy, Age 11,“We loved this book the most. It is so beautiful and if you are having a sad day it makes you feel better just looking at the pictures.”
Congratulations Chris!