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Books for Keeps 242 - the children's book magazine online

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Books for Keeps is packed with articles, interviews comment and, of course, reviews.

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BfK No. 242 - May 2020
BfK 242 May 2020

This issue’s cover illustration is from Pests written and illustrated by Emer Stamp. Thanks to Hodder Children’s Books for their help with this May cover.

By clicking here you can view, print or download the fully artworked Digital Edition of BfK 242 May 2020.

BfK No. 242 Articles

Editorial July 2020

Comment from the editor
Is Lockdown the Perfect Time to Write?

Writing under Lockdown: Matt Brown struggles
Ten Essential Children's Books

Ten essential books for young readers chosen by Frank Cottrell-Boyce
Windows into Illustration: Mini Grey

Mini Grey on her book The Bad Bunnies' Magic Show
Authorgraph 242: Elizabeth Acevedo

Elizabeth Acevedo interviewed by Nicolette Jones
Celebrating Bob Hartman and the 25th Anniversary of The Lion Storyteller Bible

25 years of the Lion Storyteller Bible
Marvellous Medicine: how to get through the Coronavirus epidemic with children’s books

The children's authors providing a tonic
More Marvellous Medicine

More fun activities for engagement and entertainment for children during lockdown.
Illustrating Pippi

Reimagining Pippi Longstocking
Beyond the Secret Garden Hooray for Health Workers!

Darren Chetty and Karen Sands-O’Connor raise a cheer for some fictional doctors and nurses
Beyond the Secret Garden: A Round Up

In one place, all the Beyond the Secret Garden articles by Darren Chetty and Karen Sands-O'Connor
Margaret Meek Spencer 1925 – 4 May 2020

Margaret Meek Spencer remembered by Clive Barnes
I Wish I'd Written

Beverley Birch chooses
AN INTERVIEW WITH SHAUN TAN WINNER OF 2020 CILIP KATE GREENAWAY MEDAL

Shaun Tan discusses his book Tales from the Inner City, winner of the 2020 CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal with Jake Hope.
Classics in Short No 141: Some Little Men and Women

Seven Little Australians
A Q&A INTERVIEW WITH ALI SPARKES

Ali Sparkes answers our questions on The Night Speakers series.
A Q&A INTERVIEW WITH HOLLY RACE

The author of Midnight's Twins answers our questions.

Editor's Choice

The Girl from the Sea and other stories
Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen
4

...

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New Talent

One Fox: A Counting Book Thriller
Kate Read
5

...

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All Children's Book Reviews in BfK No. 242

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

Under 5s

  • One Fox: A Counting Book Thriller
    Kate Read
    5

  • Bunnies on the Bus
    Philip Ardagh
    5

  • King of the Classroom
    Derrick Barnes
    4

  • Perdu
    Richard Jones
    4

  • Meet the Planets
    Caryl Hart
    4

  • Hugo
    Atinuke
    4

  • The Bad Day
    Frann Preston-Gannon
    4

  • Everyone's Awake
    Colin Meloy
    4

  • My Mama
    Annemarie van Haeringen
    4

  • Follow Me, Flo!
    Jarvis
    3

Ages 5-8

  • The Tale of a Toothbrush
    M.G. Leonard
    5

  • Bear Shaped
    Dawn Coulter-Cruttenden
    5

  • On Wings of Words
    Jennifer Berne
    5

  • Hello, Crow!
    Candace Savage
    5

  • Frockodile
    Jeanne Willis
    5

  • There's a Crocodile in the House
    Paul Cookson
    4

  • The Lost Book
    Margarita Surnaite
    4

  • Animal Explorers: Lola the Plant Hunter
    Sharon Rentta
    4

  • Hey, Water!
    Antoinette Portis
    4

  • A Book of Bears: At Home with Bears Around the World
    Katie Viggers
    4

  • Another book about bears
    Laura Bunting
    Philip Bunting
    4

  • Midge and Mo
    Lara Williamson
    4

  • Tiny T Rex and the Very Dark Dark
    Jonathan Stutzman
    3

Ages 8-10

  • The House of Hidden Wonders
    Sharon Gosling
    5

  • Agents of the Wild: Operation Honeyhunt
    Jennifer Bell
    5

  • The Story of Inventions
    Catherine Barr
    Steve Williams
    5

  • Super Happy Magic Forest and the Humongous Fungus
    Matty Long
    5

  • The Vanishing Trick
    Jenni Spangler
    4

  • The Girl from the Sea and other stories
    Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen
    4

  • A Kind of Spark
    Elle McNicholl
    4

  • Hope Jones Saves the World
    Josh Lacey
    4

  • Wilde
    Eloise Williams
    4

  • Johnny Ball: Accidental Football Genius
    Matt Oldfield
    3

  • Freddie's Amazing Bakery: The Cookie Mystery
    Harriet Whitehorn
    3

  • Anisha: Accidental Detective
    Serena Patel
    Emma McCann
    3

  • Mermaid School
    Lucy Courtney
    3

Ages 10-14

  • TrooFriend
    Kirsty Appelbaum
    5

  • Chasing Ghosts
    Nicola Pierce
    4

  • Wink
    Rob Harrell
    4

  • Robin Hood
    Robert Muchamore
    4

  • The Vanishing Trick
    Jenni Spangler
    4

  • The Sound of Freedom
    Ann Murtagh
    4

  • Hope against Hope
    Sheena Wilkinson
    4

  • The Infinite
    Patience Agbabi
    4

  • Clean Getaway
    Nic Stone
    3

  • Memoirs of a Basque Cow
    Bernado Atxaga
    3

  • The List of Things That Will Not Change

    Rebecca Stead
    2

Ages 14+

  • The Pieces of Ourselves
    Maggie Harcourt
    4

  • The Falling in Love Montage
    Ciara Smyth
    4

  • A Phoenix First Must Burn
    Patrice Caldwell
    4

  • The Gone Book
    Helena Close
    3

  • Most Likely
    Sarah Watson
    3

  • Burn
    Patrick Ness
    3

BfK News

CRESSIDA COWELL LAUNCHES NEW LAUREATE INITIATIVE IN SUPPORT OF SCHOOL LIBRARIES AND CALLS ON PM TO ACT

‘How can a child become a reader for pleasure if their parents or carers cannot afford books, and their primary school has no library, or that library is woefully insufficient?’

Life-changing Libraries logo

read more...
SHORTLISTS ANNOUNCED FOR THE 2021 UKLA BOOK AWARDS

UKLA Book Awards logo

read more...
ALL STORIES, A NEW MENTORSHIP PROGRAMME FOR UNDERREPRESENTED CHILDREN’S BOOK WRITERS

A new mentorship scheme for underrepresented authors launches today, 30 March. All Stories offers fourteen mentorships delivered by expert children’s book editors.

All Stories logo

read more...
2021 SHORTLISTS ANNOUNCED FOR CILIP CARNEGIE AND KATE GREENAWAY MEDALS

CKG Logo

The shortlists for the prestigious CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals are announced today, 18 March. The awards are the UK’s oldest for children and young people.

This year’s judges praised their shortlists for ‘offering hope and escapism during lockdown’ through explorations of freedom, the great outdoors and journeys through the natural world.

read more...
INAUGURAL LONGLIST ANNOUNCED FOR THE JHALAK CHILDREN’S AND YOUNG ADULT PRIZE

The Jhalak Prize has announced the longlist for the inaugural Jhalak Children’s & Young Adult Prize.

Jhalak Prize logo

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ONJALI RAÚF BECOMES WRITER IN RESIDENCE FOR BOOKTRUST

Award-winning author and activist, Onjali Raúf takes up the post as the new Writer in Residence for BookTrust, today, International Women’s Day. She takes over from Smriti Halls.

Onjali Q Raúf

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LONGLISTS ANNOUNCED FOR 2021 CILIP CARNEGIE AND KATE GREENAWAY MEDALS

The longlist for the 2021 CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals have been announced.

CKG Logo

read more...
LONGLIST ANNOUNCED FOR 2021 KLAUS FLUGGE PRIZE

Klaus Flugge Prize logo

read more...
NOW OPEN: 2021 HENRIETTA BRANFORD WRITING COMPETITION

Finish a story started by Branford Boase Award winner Liz Hyder

The Henrietta Branford Writing Competition, the annual competition for young people which runs in conjunction with the Branford Boase Award, is now open.

read more...
TWO UK ENTRIES ON IBBY LIST OF OUTSTANDING BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Every two years, IBBY invites nominations for its international List of Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities. Nominations are made by IBBY national sections and the final list is selected from these by the IBBY Documentation Centre of Books for Young People with Disabilities, based in Toronto. Because of its international content, the list is unique in the children’s book world. It is a huge voluntary undertaking as every country is encouraged to submit up to twelve titles across the three categories.

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