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Books for Keeps 231 - 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. 231 - July 2018
BfK 231 July 2018

This issue’s cover illustration is from Supertato Veggies in the Valley of Doom by Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet. 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 231 July 2018.

BfK No. 231 Articles

Editorial 231

Carnegie medal winner Geraldine McCaughrean praises words
Celebrating 20 years of the Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award

The key competition for young poets.
Rhythm and Poetry: Karl Nova, CLiPPA winner 2018

An interview with the 2018 CLiPPA winner
Reflecting Realities in children’s literature: my reality and fictional reality

Professor Vini Lander reports on Reflecting Realities, the new study into ethnic representation in children’s literature, and draws on her own personal experiences.
Authorgraph 231 Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet

Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet interviewed by Michelle Pauli
Windows into Illustration: Bruce Ingman

Windows into Illustration: Bruce Ingman
Ten of the Best Island Stories

Ten of the Best: a summer special on the best books set on islands, chosen by Tricia Adams
Beyond the Secret Garden? Portrayals of Mixedness

The latest in our new series looking at representations of BAME characters in children's literature
IBBY UK and books about disability

Choosing the IBBY List of Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities, by Rebecca Butler
Two Children Tell: ‘I Weigh Infinity Metres’

Two Children Tell: Virginia Lowe describes her children’s early understanding of numbers
I Wish I’d Written: Emily Gravett

Emily Gravett selects books that inspire her.
We wish we'd written: Honor and Perdita Cargill

Double whammy! The mother and daughter team choose a book they both wish they'd written.
Good Reads 231

Chosen by children in the Petts Wood Library Chatterbooks groups
AN INTERVIEW WITH CATHERINE DOYLE

Catherine Doyle talks about her new book The Storm Keeper's Island
Classics in Short No 130: Peep Behind the Scenes

A Peep Behind the Scenes 

 
A Q&A INTERVIEW WITH JANINA RAMIREZ

The author of Riddle of the Runes answers our questions.
AN INTERVIEW WITH JASON REYNOLDS

The American author Jason Reynolds interviewed by Imogen Russell Williams.
AN INTERVIEW WITH PAOLA PERETTI

The author is interviewed by Ferelith Hordon.

Editor's Choice

The Weight of a Thousand Feathers
Brian Conaghan
(Bloomsbury YA)
5

Bobby Seed will soon be 18. But he is still 17 – and the weight of the world lies on his shoulders. He is the carer for his mother who is in the final stages of MS. His younger brother, Danny also needs to be cared for. But Bobby longs for a...

read more

New Talent

Boy Underwater
Adam Baron
(HarperCollinsChildren'sBooks)
4

Cymbeline Igloo (his father was an actor, hence the name) can’t swim. His mother appears to have an aversion to the sea, swimming pools, any kind of expanse of water and has never allowed him to have swimming lessons. Not that that stops Cym from...

read more

All Children's Book Reviews in BfK No. 231

  • Under 5s
  • Ages 5-8
  • Ages 8-10
  • Ages 10-14
  • Ages 14+
  • Books About Children's Books

Under 5s

  • Something Fishy
    Polly Dunbar
    5

  • Dinosaur Firefighters
    Sarah McIntyre
    4

  • Cannonball Coralie and the Lion
    Grace Easton
    4

  • Zeki Gets a Checkup
    Anna McQuinn
    4

  • Cinderella of the Nile
    Beverley Naidoo
    4

  • Long Dog
    James Davies
    4

Ages 5-8

  • If All the World Were
    Joseph Coelho
    5

  • Hansel and Gretel
    Bethan Woollvin
    5

  • Big Bunny
    Rowboat Watkins
    5

  • My First Piano Book
    Genevieve Helsby
    Jason Chapman
    4

  • Our Kid
    Tony Ross
    4

  • Rusty the Squeaky Robot
    Neil Clark
    4

  • Baby’s First Bank Heist
    Jim Whalley
    4

  • Rosa Draws
    Jordan Wray
    4

  • Rose’s Dress of Dreams
    Katherine Woodfine
    3

Ages 8-10

  • Boy Underwater
    Adam Baron
    4

  • Embassy of the Dead
    Will Mabbitt
    4

  • The Storm Keeper’s Island
    Catherine Doyle
    4

  • Riddle of the Runes
    Janina Ramirez
    4

  • Ella on the Outside
    Cath Howe
    4

Ages 10-14

  • Mud
    Emily Thomas
    5

  • Suffragette, The Battle for Equality
    David Roberts
    5

  • The Boy Who Hit Play
    Chloe Daykin
    5

  • The Family Tree
    Mal Peet
    5

  • Boy Underwater
    Adam Baron
    4

  • Embassy of the Dead
    Will Mabbitt
    4

  • The Storm Keeper’s Island
    Catherine Doyle
    4

  • Bone Talk
    Candy Gourlay
    4

  • Fighting Fantasy: The Gates of Death
    Charlie Higson
    4

  • In the Mouth of the Wolf
    Michael Morpurgo
    4

  • The Starman and Me
    Sharon Cohen
    4

  • Boy Meets Hamster
    Birdie Milano
    3

  • The Mystery of the Colour Thief
    Ewa Jozefkowicz
    3

  • My Messed-Up Life
    Susin Nielsen
    3

  • Lucky Break
    Rob Stevens
    3

Ages 14+

  • The Weight of a Thousand Feathers
    Brian Conaghan
    5

  • Theatrical
    Maggie Harcourt
    5

  • The Lost Witch
    Melvin Burgess
    5

  • Little Liar
    Julia Gray
    4

  • White Rabbit, Red Wolf
    Tom Pollock
    4

  • The Survival Game
    Nicky Singer
    4

  • Jiddy Vardy
    Ruth Estevez
    3

  • Behind Closed Doors
    Miriam Halahmy
    3

Books About Children's Books

  • A History of Children’s Books in 100 Books
    Roderick Cave
    Sara Ayad
    3

BfK News

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

read more...
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

read more...
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.

read more...
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...
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