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Books for Keeps 225 - the children's book magazine online

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BfK No. 225 - July 2017
BfK 225

This issue’s cover illustration is from Poppy and the Blooms by Fiona Woodcock. Thanks to Simon and Schuster for their help with this July cover.
Digital Edition
By clicking here you can view, print or download the fully artworked Digital Edition of BfK 225 July 2017.

BfK No. 225 Articles

Editorial 225

Guest editorial: Chris Riddell reflects on his time as Children’s Laureate

Hopeful Activism … because what we DO as well as what we say matters

A piece of passion from Sita Brahmachari

Hip Hip Hooray for Harry

Imogen Russell Williams considers Harry Potter at twenty.

Windows into Illustration: Guy Parker-Rees

Guy Parker-Rees on drawing Dylan

Authorgraph 225 Chris Priestley

Chris Priestley interviewed by Philip Womack

Ten of the Best Audiobooks for Children

Summer listening chosen by Nicolette Jones

‘The pictures are better’: audio books explained

Thoughts from Nicholas Jones of Strathmore about what an audio producer does.

The Art of Submitting for BIB

Piet Grobler on the art of submitting for BIB, the Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava 2107

AN INTERVIEW WITH DAVID MACKINTOSH

David Mackintosh interviewed by Robyn Sheahan-Bright

Making Room for Children, Swedish-style

Ferelith Hordon explores a new Southbank library

An Interview with Philip Pullman

Philip Pullman interviewed by Nicholas Tucker

Ron Heapy – An Appreciation

David Fickling remembers the great children’s editor Ron Heapy

Two Children and Dick Bruna: a Tribute

Two Children Tell: a tribute to Dick Bruna

I Wish I’d Written: Liz Flanagan

Liz Flanagan chooses

Good Reads 225

chosen by pupils at Worth School, West Sussex

Classics in Short No. 124:The King of the Golden River

Classics in Short No. 124 Climate Change by courtesy of John Ruskin and The King of the Golden River

JACQUELINE WILSON AT THE FOUNDLING MUSEUM

Rebecca Butler talks to Jacqueline Wilson about the new Hetty Feather exibition at the Foundling Museum.

THE EXPLORER: AN INTERVIEW WITH KATHERINE RUNDELL

Imogen Russell Williams interviews Katherine Rundell about her new book The Explorer.

AN INTERVIEW WITH E. LOCKHART

The author of We Were Liars talks about her new book.

AN INTERVIEW WITH A. F. HARROLD

An interview with the author of The Imaginary and the Fizzlebert Stump books.

Editor's Choice

The Pond

Nicola Davies
(Graffeg Limited)
5

How to deal with death and grief? This is the theme of Nicola Davies’ latest book. There is nothing mawkish or sentimental. The young narrator does not hide the anger that grief can bring, both in young and old. The death of the father leaves a...

read more

New Talent

Moon Juice

Kate Wakeling
(The Emma Press)
5

A collection of poems by a new voice writing for children is an event to be celebrated. Moon Juice by the poet, Kate Wakeling is just such an event. However, these are not poems created to grab the attention with the quick laugh...

read more

All Children's Book Reviews in BfK No. 225

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

Under 5s

  • Say Zoop

    Hervé Tulley
    5
  • Never Take a Bear to School

    Mark Sperring
    4
  • My Daddy is a Silly Monkey

    Dianne Hofmeyr
    4
  • The Bad Bunnies’ Magic Show

    Mini Grey
    4
  • Poppy and the Blooms

    Fiona Woodcock
    4
  • Monster Baby

    Sarah Dyer
    3

Ages 5-8

  • My Name is Not Refugee

    Kate Milner
    5
  • Storm Whale

    Sarah Brennan
    5
  • Everybody’s Welcome

    Patricia Hegarty
    5
  • Six Blind Mice and an Elephant

    Jude Daly
    5
  • Big Brown Bear’s Cave

    Yuval Zommer
    5
  • The Bad Bunnies’ Magic Show

    Mini Grey
    4
  • The Legend of Rock, Paper, Scissors

    Drew Daywalt
    4
  • Dino Diggers, Digger Disaster

    Rose Impey
    4
  • Norman the Norman from Normandy

    Philip Ardagh
    3

Ages 8-10

  • The Boy, the Bird & the Coffin Maker

    Matilda Woods
    5
  • Moon Juice

    Kate Wakeling
    5
  • The Pond

    Nicola Davies
    5
  • The Last Duchess

    Laura Powell
    4
  • Travels with My Sketchbook

    Michael Foreman
    4
  • The City of Secret Rivers

    Jacob Sager Weinstein
    4
  • The Earth Book

    Jonathan Litton
    4
  • King of the Sky

    Nicola Davies
    4
  • You Can’t Make Me Go to Witch School

    Em Lynas
    4
  • Knighthood for Beginners

    Elys Dolan
    3
  • Help! I’m a Genius

    Jo Franklin
    3
  • The Amber Pendant

    Imogen White
    3

Ages 10-14

  • Moon Juice

    Kate Wakeling
    5
  • Walking Mountain

    Joan Lennon
    5
  • The Incredible Billy Wild

    Joanna Nadin
    5
  • The Evil Within

    Catherine MacPhail
    5
  • Rook Anthony McGowan

    Anthony McGowan
    4
  • The Last Duchess

    Laura Powell
    4
  • Being Miss Nobody

    Tamsin Winter
    4
  • Letters From the Lighthouse

    Emma Carroll
    4
  • Never Say Die

    Anthony Horowitz
    4
  • Defender of the Realm

    Mark Huckerby
    4
  • The Guggenheim Mystery

    Robin Stevens
    Siobhan Dowd
    3

Ages 14+

  • Like Other Girls

    Claire Hennessy
    5
  • Encounters

    Jason Wallace
    5
  • A Berlin Love Song

    Sarah Matthias
    5
  • No Filter

    Orlagh Collins
    4
  • Forgetting Foster

    Dianne Touchell
    4
  • Goodnight, Boy

    Nikki Sheehan
    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.’

read more...
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.

read more...
TOM PALMER WINS THE CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD 2020

Tom Palmer

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