Books for Keeps 223 - the children's book magazine online

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BfK No. 223 - March 2017

This issue’s cover illustration features a selection of books by Jane Ray. Thanks to Boxer Books, Hachette Children’s Books and Walker Books for their help with this March cover.
Digital Edition
By clicking here you can view, print or download the fully artworked Digital Edition of BfK 223 March 2017.

BfK No. 223 Articles

Editorial 223

Editorial comment

Drawn to Reading: the importance of pictures and visual literacy

by Mairi Kidd of Barrington Stoke

Now or Neverland: Peter Pan and the Myth of Eternal Youth

Nicolette Jones on the boy who never grows old.

Windows into Illustration: Meg McLaren

Meg McLaren on Pigeon P.I.

Authorgraph 223 Jane Ray

Jane Ray interviewed by Clive Barnes

Ten of the Best Utopias in Children’s Literature

Utopian children’s fiction chosen by Imogen Russell Williams

EmpathyLab - building empathy through stories

A report by founders Miranda McKearney and Sarah Mears

Obituary Dick Bruna

Nicholas Tucker remembers the creator of Miffy

Obituary Dahlov Ipcar

The influential illustrator remembered by Nicholas Tucker

Two Children Tell: Nicholas and Raymond Briggs

Nicholas discovers Raymond Briggs

Spotlight on Matt Griffin

In the Spotlight: Matt Griffin

A brand new life for Mr Toad

Tom Moorhouse and Holly Swain reinvigorate a favourite character

Good Reads 223

Chosen by pupils at Cambourne Village College, Cambridgeshire

I Wish I’d Written: Lyn Gardner

Lyn Gardner chooses

Classics in Short No. 121: Maria Edgeworth

Brian Alderson on Maria Edgeworth

AN INTERVIEW WITH L A WEATHERLY

The author discusses her Broken trilogy.

A DAY IN THE WRITING LIFE OF DAN WALKER

The author of Sky Thieves takes us through his writing day.

AN INTERVIEW WITH HELEN PETERS

Helen Peters interviewed about her new book Evie's Ghost

Editor's Choice

A Village Is a Busy Place

V Geetha

(Tara Books)

This village is a very busy place as it prepares to celebrate a wedding. However, everyday life must also go on; there is grain to be cleaned, bread baked, rice planted or perhaps a train to catch. The place is a hive of activity even as night...

The Elephant Thief

Jane Kerr

(Chicken House)

This is storytelling at its best. From the vivid and dramatic opening scene, the reader is gripped by the amazing story of orphan pickpocket Danny who in 1872 rode an elephant from Edinburgh to Manchester.

The novel is based on the...

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

Under 5s

I’m in Charge!

Jeanne Willis

5
Nanette’s Baguette

Mo Willems

5
The Elephant's Umbrella

Laleh Jaffari

4
Dave’s Rock

Frann Preston-Gannon

4
My Pictures after the Storm

Eric Veille

4
When Grandad Was a Penguin

Morag Hood

3
Frog and Beaver

Simon James

3

Ages 5-8

The Everywhere Bear

Julia Donaldson

5
The Island and the Bear

Louise Greig

5
A Village Is a Busy Place

V Geetha

5
Jamal’s Journey

Michael Foreman

4
Adelaide’s Secret World

Elise Hurst

4
Swashbuckle Lil The Secret Pirate

Elli Woollard

4
Mr Bunny’s Chocolate Factory

Elys Dolan

4
When Grandad Was a Penguin

Morag Hood

3

Ages 8-10

The Elephant Thief

Jane Kerr

5
Seeking Refuge

Irene N.Watts

5
The Bookshop Girl

Sylvia Bishop

5
How to Be a Tiger

George Szirtes

5
Frogkisser

Garth Nix

5
The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart

Stephanie Burgis

4
Cass and the Bubble Street Gang The Clubhouse Mystery

Erika McGann

4
Hilo: The Boy who crashed to Earth

Judd Winick

4
His Royal Whiskers

Sam Gayton

4
Sky Thieves

Dan Walker

4
Lots

Marc Martin

3

Ages 10-14

Fish Boy

Chloe Daykin

5
When Morning Comes

Arushi Raina

5
A Dangerous Crossing

Jane Mitchell

5
Who Let the Gods Out?

Maz Evans

4
Rose Campion and the Curse of the Doomstone

Lyn Gardner

4
Optimists Die First

Susin Nielsen

4
The Liar’s Handbook

Keren David

4
What Not to Do if You Turn Invisible

Ross Welford

4
Exploring Space

Martin Jenkins

4
The Spiral Path

Matt Griffin

4

Ages 14+

Mind the Gap

Phil Earle

5
When Morning Comes

Arushi Raina

5
We Come Apart

Sarah Crossan
Brian Conaghan

5
Whisper to Me

Nick Lake

5
Optimists Die First

Susin Nielsen

4
Open: A Toolkit for how magic and messed up life can be

Gemma Cairney

4
Room Empty

Sarah Mussi

4
Goodbye Days

Jeff Zentner

4

BfK News

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)

CLPE Reflecting Realities Report 2020

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

Blue Peter Book Award logo

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.

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.

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.

Tom Palmer

The winners of the CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Shadowers’ Choice Awards, voted for by children and young people, have been announced.

The Black Flamingo

Poet Zaro Weil was today announced the winner of the annual poetry award, CLiPPA (Centre for Literacy in Primary Poetry Award) for her collection of nature poems, Cherry Moon, published by ZaZaKids Books/ Troika Books and illustrated by Junli Song.

Books for Keeps 223 - the children's book magazine online

Digital version – browse, print or download

BfK Newsletter

BfK No. 223 Articles

Editor's Choice

A Village Is a Busy Place

New Talent

The Elephant Thief

All Children's Book Reviews in BfK No. 223

Under 5s

I’m in Charge!

Nanette’s Baguette

The Elephant's Umbrella

Dave’s Rock

My Pictures after the Storm

When Grandad Was a Penguin

Frog and Beaver

Ages 5-8

The Everywhere Bear

The Island and the Bear

A Village Is a Busy Place

Jamal’s Journey

Adelaide’s Secret World

Swashbuckle Lil The Secret Pirate

Mr Bunny’s Chocolate Factory

When Grandad Was a Penguin

Ages 8-10

The Elephant Thief

Seeking Refuge

The Bookshop Girl

How to Be a Tiger

Frogkisser

The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart

Cass and the Bubble Street Gang The Clubhouse Mystery

Hilo: The Boy who crashed to Earth

His Royal Whiskers

Sky Thieves

Lots

Ages 10-14

Fish Boy

When Morning Comes

A Dangerous Crossing

Who Let the Gods Out?

Rose Campion and the Curse of the Doomstone

Optimists Die First

The Liar’s Handbook

What Not to Do if You Turn Invisible

Exploring Space

The Spiral Path

Ages 14+

Mind the Gap

When Morning Comes

We Come Apart

Whisper to Me

Optimists Die First

Open: A Toolkit for how magic and messed up life can be

Room Empty

Goodbye Days

BfK News