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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

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.

read more...
LONGLIST FOR THE 2021 BRANFORD BOASE AWARD

The longlist for the 2021 Branford Boase Award has been announced. Set up in memory of award-winning author Henrietta Branford and her editor Wendy Boase, one of the founders of Walker Books, the Branford Boase Award is given annually to the author of an outstanding debut novel for children.

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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.

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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.

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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

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