The Science Writers and Communicators of Canada (SWCC) have announced the shortlists of the 2025 SWCC Book Awards. Presented annually, the awards celebrate great science books for readers of all ages. The titles shortlisted for the youth category are listed below.
Dad, Is It Time to Gather Mint? Celebrating the Seasons, written by Tyna Legault Taylor, illustrated by Michelle Dao (HighWater Press)
Joshua loves being on the land. When the weather is warm, Joshua and his dad gather mint from the shores of Animbiigoo Zaagi’igan Anishinaabek (Lake Nipigon First Nation) in northeastern Ontario. But when will that be? It’s not when the leaves are changing colour. It’s not when the snow falls from the sky. It’s not when the flowers are budding. When is it time to gather mint from the land?
The Gland Factory: A Tour of Your Body’s Goops, Juices, and Hormones, written by Rachel Poliquin, illustrated by Clayton Hanmer (Greystone Kids)
The human body is all kinds of amazing. Inside you, systems are working hard to make sure your heart doesn’t beat too fast or too slow, you aren’t too hot or too cold, and you don’t fall asleep on your desk at school (most of the time, anyways). No matter what you do, your body tends to exist in a state of balance. In fact, a happy, healthy life depends on that balance. And that balance depends on glands. Young readers get an up-close look at their endocrine and exocrine systems, where glands are feverishly swelling, shrinking, oozing, healing, digesting, and maintaining balance. Extensive backmatter includes a suggested further reading list, a “Gland Factory Survey” and a detailed glossary of all the wonderfully gross glands explored.
Together, a Forest: Drawing Connections Between Nature's Diversity and Our Own, written and illustrated by Roz MacLean (Henry Holt Books for Young Readers)
Joy and her peers are eager to visit a nearby forest for a class trip. But Joy's excitement quickly turns into anxiety when she is asked to choose one thing in the area for a school assignment. Seeing her classmates connecting with the natural environment, Joy discovers how each of their choices reflect the ways they relate to and interact with the world. Together, a Forest begins as an exciting journey into nature and blossoms into a meditation on how our unique personalities and ways of being help create a more vibrant and beautiful world. The forest reveals that everyone—including those of us with disabilities and neurodivergence—belong to nature. There is no one right way for a mind, body, or person to be.
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