Information book award shortlist
Posted on Sunday, May 20, 2018
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The School Library Association has announced the shortlist for the 2018 SLA Information Book Award, which includes titles for readers aged from 7 to 16 years.
The shortlist highlights a range of books that the judges have recommended to use with children and students in the classroom and at home. Hilary Murray Hill, CEO of sponsor Hachette Children's Group, said, "These are now the only awards that highlight the essential work library staff do in engaging young people with information books, as well as celebrate the breadth and imagination of contemporary non-fiction publishing. "The authors and illustrators on the 2018 shortlist, and the information professionals, all deserve the highest praise. Their work will encourage, motivate, inform and inspire a whole generation of children." The shortlist for each age category, with judge's comments, follows: 7 years and Under Look I'm a Scientist by Various Authors (Dorling Kindersley) 'Having fun while learning is central to Look I'm a Scientist, which has been designed to tap into children's natural scientific curiosity and ability to make a mess in some cases! 14 activities encourage young children to experiment and explore using each of their senses. With clearly laid out instructions, wipeable pages, as well as prompts for thinking, questioning and talking, this is ideal for use at home or in the classroom. Proud to be Deaf by Ava, Lilli,Nick Beese and Romina Marti (Wayland) Ava likes to laugh with her friends, is obsessed with dogs and loves being active. Ava is also deaf and she's proud of it. In this engaging book she introduces the reader to her everyday life, to deaf achievers and British Sign Language. Illustrated throughout with photographs of Ava and her family and with drawings from BSL, this is a very positive and celebratory introduction to the deaf community which will help aid understanding and empathy. Rock Pool Secrets by Narelle Oliver (Walker Books) Lift the flaps to discover the creatures which make the rock pool their home. With sea-washed colours and textures that can almost be felt the illustrations and lyrical text combine to bring this hidden world to life. Commonly found species lurk under seaweed or stones inspiring young readers to explore these miniature habitats on their next visit to the seaside or informing them about their own beach discoveries. 7-12 years 100 Things to Know About Food by Various Authors, illus by Parko Polo and Mariani (Usborne) An ideal book for dipping into or browsing, each page or spread explores a fascinating fact about food. These range from everyday useful things to know, for example about nutrition and digestion, to historical facts and more entertaining and frivolous snippets. The pages are brilliantly illustrated using various colourful infographics styles of presentation and the glossary of food related words with a detailed index make this equally useful for research. Dinosaur Atlas by Anne Rooney and James Gilleard (Lonely Planet) Travel back over 200 million years, across the continents and under the sea, to discover the dinosaurs which roamed the world. There is a wealth of information to be revealed by unfolding the maps, lifting the flaps and reading about the creatures: how and where they lived and some of the people who unearthed them. Accompanied by some incredible life size photographs of bones, teeth and claws, this is a different approach to a comprehensive guide of an endlessly fascinating subject. Real-Life Mysteries - Can You Explain the Unexplained? by Susan Martineau and Vicky Barker (b small publishing) Here is a very real delight for young fans of the weird and supernatural - though there is far more to it than merely a comic browser. The emphasis on evidence gathering and informed theories is very valuable and well explained, and is introduced subtly enough that it doesn't impair the flow of leisure reading. The innovative and attractive presentation holds attention and feels fresh in this wholly engaging read. The Ways of the Wolf by Smriti Prasadam-Halls and Jonathan Woodward (Wren & Rook) This visually stunning large format picture book explores the natural history of an often misunderstood and misrepresented animal. The poetic phrasing of the text makes it also ideal for reading aloud and is bound to engage young readers' interest in a truly charismatic creature. Endorsed by the UK Wolf Conservation Trust, this book challenges some often repeated myths about wolves and promotes the protection of this endangered species. 12 - 16 years Escape From Syria by Samya Kullab, Jackie Roche and Mike Freiheit (Firefly Books) 'The day it happened...I was rushing home from school.' This dramatic graphic novel tells one family's story after an air strike destroys their home. As a journalist, one of the authors witnessed for himself the plight of refugees including some who had resettled in Canada. The book portrays many aspects such as the confusions of emotion for those seeking refuge as well as the hazards for those trying to assist others. The introduction reveals the aim which this book so successfully achieves '...I hope it humanises this real-life nightmare.' Explanatorium of Nature by Various Authors (Dorling Kindersley) Starting with 'The Basics of Life' through 'Micro-organisms and Fungi', to plants, animals and habitats, this wide-ranging and beautifully illustrated encyclopaedic work covers a huge amount of information. Larger than life-size detail adds to the spectacular impression of the whole book, for example the images of a starfish viewed from beneath or the teeth of a bat and the elastic structure of its wing. Anyone with any interest in nature will find this both informative and fascinating. From Prejudice to Pride: A History of the LGBTQ+ Movement by Amy Lame (Wayland) The intelligent and well-worded text thoroughly covers the history of LGBTQ+ developments and culture and the challenges faced: it does so without blame, judgement or sensationalism. The mixture of historical details, first person statements, case studies and viewpoints from differing perspectives gives a balanced and rounded overview. With accessible and modern design and presentation this book both informs and inspires. The winners will be announced at an event on Wednesday 7th November, the start of National Non-fiction November. Voting for the Children's Choice from the shortlists will be open shortly as will some activity ideas for the books. You can follow the award at Twitter @UKSLA and on Facebook.
