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Books for Keeps 228 - the children's book magazine online

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BfK No. 228 - January 2018
BfK 228 January 2018

This issue’s cover illustration is from Sky Song by Abi Elphinstone. The illustrator is Daniela Terrazzini. Thanks to Simon and Schuster Children’s Books for their help with this January cover.
Digital Edition
By clicking here you can view, print or download the fully artworked Digital Edition of BfK 228 January 2018.

BfK No. 228 Articles

New Year predictions 2018

Where will 2018 take children’s books?

What to read in 2018: A (Abrams) to C (Child's Play)

The books to watch in the year ahead

What to read in 2018: C (Chronicle) to M (Macmillan)

More books to watch in the year ahead

What to read in 2018: N (Nosy Crow) to U (Usborne)

More books to watch in 2018

What to read in 2018: W (Wacky Bee) to Z (Zephyr Head of Zeus)

More books to watch in 2018

Authorgraph 228 Liz Kessler

Liz Kessler interviewed by Michelle Pauli

Ten of the Best Suffragette Stories

Suffragette stories
chosen by Nikki Gamble

Beyond the Secret Garden? Part One: The Fantasy of Story

Part one in a new series by Darren Chetty and Karen Sands O’Connor

Winnie-the-Pooh: a classic of collaboration

Curators of the V&A’s new exhibition discuss the interwoven genius of A.A. Milne and E.H. Shepard

Windows into Illustration: Holly Sterling

Rising star Holly Sterling describes her illustration technique

‘The Dyslexic Novelist’ Sally Gardner

Sally Gardner introduces charity NUword

Two Children Tell: The Reality of Words

'You can't bottle words'

I Wish I’d Written: Piers Torday

Piers Torday is
lost in admiration for Skellig

Eleanor Farjeon ‘books for keeps’

A booklist by Brian Alderson

AN INTERVIEW WITH NEVERMOOR AUTHOR JESSICA TOWNSEND

Jessica Townsend talks about the fantasy adventure Nevermoor.

Classics in Short No. 127: Pauline Clarke's The Twelve and the Genii

Butter Crashey and the Young Men redivivus in Pauline Clarke's The Twelve and the Genii

AN INTERVIEW WITH CHRIS HIGGINS

Trouble Next Door: Chris Higgins on writing for young readers

A Q&A INTERVIEW WITH HAYLEY SCOTT

The author talks about her new series Teacup House.

Editor's Choice

Animals with Tiny Cat

Viviane Schwarz
(Walker Books)
5

‘To illustrate’ – to shine a light on; traditionally this has been taken to mean that there has to be a text that requires enlightening. But this is not necessarily so and increasingly illustrators are moving away to illustrate ideas, emotions,...

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New Talent

The Eye of the North

Sinéad O’Hart
(Stripes Publishing)
4

It is always a pleasure to meet characters who immediately demand attention. Enter Emmeline Widget, daughter of scientist parents who are almost always absent. Then there is Thing, a boy with no other name and a mysterious past. Emmeline is...

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All Children's Book Reviews in BfK No. 228

  • Under 5s
  • Ages 5-8
  • Ages 8-10
  • Ages 10-14
  • Ages 14+

Under 5s

  • Animals with Tiny Cat

    Viviane Schwarz
    5
  • Mrs Noah’s Pockets

    Jackie Morris
    5
  • What’s Next Door?

    Nicola O’Byrne
    5
  • Grandad’s Secret Giant

    David Litchfield
    5
  • I Love You, Stick Insect

    Chris Naylor-Ballesteros
    4
  • The Stone Bird

    Jenny McCartney
    4
  • Look, there’s a TRACTOR!

    4
  • The Grotlyn

    Benji Davies
    4

Ages 5-8

  • The Bad Mood and the Stick

    Lemony Snicket
    5
  • The Rainmaker Danced

    John Agard
    5
  • I Love You, Stick Insect

    Chris Naylor-Ballesteros
    4
  • The Great Race: the story of the Chinese Zodiac

    Christopher Corr
    4
  • The Chinese Emperor’s New Clothes

    Ying Chang Compestine
    4
  • The Grotlyn

    Benji Davies
    4
  • Trouble at School

    Chris Higgins
    4
  • Teacup House Meet the Twitches

    Hayley Scott
    4

Ages 8-10

  • Sky Song

    Abi Elphinstone
    5
  • The Story of Paintings A History of Art for Children

    Mick Manning
    Brita Granström
    5
  • I’m Just No Good at Rhyming and Other Nonsense Verse for Mischievous Kids and Immature Grown Ups

    Chris Harris
    5
  • The Rainmaker Danced

    John Agard
    5
  • The Light Jar

    Lisa Thompson
    4
  • Three Cheers For Women!

    Marcia Williams
    4
  • The Travels of Ermine: Trouble in New York

    Jennifer Gray
    4
  • Sky Chasers

    Emma Carroll
    4
  • Bee Boy: Clash of the Killer Queens

    Tony De Saulles
    4
  • I Swapped My Brother on the Internet

    Jo Simmons
    3

Ages 10-14

  • Norse Myths Tales of Odin, Thor and Loki

    Kevin Crossley-Holland
    5
  • The 1,000 Year Old Boy

    Ross Welford
    5
  • The Polar Bear Explorers’ Club

    Alex Bell
    4
  • The Eye of the North

    Sinéad O’Hart
    4
  • The Ice Garden

    Guy Jones
    4
  • Dog Andy Mulligan

    Andy Mulligan
    4
  • My Sweet Orange Tree

    José Mauro de Vasconcelos
    4
  • Outwalkers

    Fiona Shaw
    3

Ages 14+

  • Norse Myths Tales of Odin, Thor and Loki

    Kevin Crossley-Holland
    5
  • Star by Star

    Sheena Wilkinson
    5
  • I Am Thunder

    Mohammad Khan
    5
  • Long Way Down

    Jason Reynolds
    5
  • Goodbye, Perfect

    Sara Barnard
    5
  • Mike

    Andrew Norriss
    4
  • My Sweet Orange Tree

    José Mauro de Vasconcelos
    4
  • Love, Hate and Other Filters

    Samira Ahmed
    4
  • Landscape With Invisible Hand

    M T Anderson
    4
  • Ballad for a Mad Girl

    Vikki Wakefield
    4

BfK News

NATASHA FARRANT WINS 2020 COSTA CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD

Natasha Farrant

Writer and literary scout Natasha Farrant has won the 2020 Costa Children’s Book Award for Voyage of the Sparrowhawk, a book which the judges described as ‘pure heavenly escapism and a purely joyful read.’

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ROBIN WALKER WINS THE 2020 ALCS EDUCATIONAL WRITERS’ AWARD FOR BLACK HISTORY MATTERS

The winner of the 2020 ALCS Educational Writers’ Award is Black History Matters: The Story of Black History, From African Kingdoms to Black Lives Matter. Written by acclaimed Black historian, Robin Walker, the 2020 judges praised this accessible, comprehensive and inspiring book which provides a timely introduction both to Black history and the Black Lives Matter movement.

read more...
IBBY UK nominate Marcus Sedgwick and David McKee for the Hans Christian Andersen Award 2022

IBBY UK has announced that Marcus Sedgwick and David McKee will be the UK nominations for the 2022 Hans Christian Andersen Award.

read more...
SHORTLIST FOR THE COSTA CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD 2020

Debut authors Darren Charlton and Jenny Pearson join Natasha Farrant and Meg Rosoff on the shortlist for the 2020 Costa Children’s Book Award.

The shortlist for the 2020 Costa Children’s Book Award has been announced. No less than 146 books were submitted and from those the judges have chosen a shortlist of four. They are:

Wranglestone by Darren Charlton (Little Tiger)

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BOOKTRUST’S REPRESENTS INTERIM RESEARCH & CLPE REFLECTING REALITIES SURVEY 2020

CLPE Reflecting Realities Report 2020

read more...
SHORTLIST FOR THE 2021 BLUE PETER BOOK AWARDS REVEALED

The six books shortlisted for the 2021 Blue Peter Book Awards have been announced.

Blue Peter Book Award logo

read more...
Happy National Non-Fiction November 2020

It’s National Non-Fiction November! Organised by the Federation of Children’s Book Groups, National Non-Fiction November is an annual celebration of the power of non-fiction to inspire children and celebrate readers who have a passion for information and facts. 2020 is the 10th anniversary of National Non-Fiction November.

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JANE PORTER AND MAISIE PARADISE SHEARRING 2020 LITTLE REBELS AWARD WINNERS

Jane Porter and Maisie Paradise Shearring have won the 2020 Little Rebels Award for their picture book The Boy who Loved Everyone. They will share the £2000 prize.

Little Rebels logo 2020

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OU AND MACMILLAN CHILDREN’S BOOKS LAUNCH BOOK CHAT SCHEME

The Open University (OU) is launching Book Chat: Reading with your Child, a resource which comprises three short films and support materials to help parents, families and carers read books conversationally and creatively to children. Working with Macmillan Children’s Books, the films use a selection of their picture books and a poetry collection to support families with reading to different ages of children.

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TOM PALMER WINS THE CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD 2020

Tom Palmer

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