Books for Keeps 235 - the children's book magazine online

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BfK No. 235 - March 2019

This issue’s cover illustration features The Curious Science Quest series by Julia Golding with Andrew Briggs and Roger Wagner, illustrated by Brett Hudson. Thanks to Lion Children’s 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 235 March 2019.

BfK No. 235 Articles

Editorial 235

Guest Editorial by former Waterstones Children’s Laureate Anne Fine

EmpathyLab 2019

An update from EmpathyLab founder Miranda McKearney

The LGBTQI+ Novel Comes Of Age

Michael Lee Richardson celebrates the best new writing for young LGBTQI+ readers.

Authorgraph 235: Julia Golding

Julia Golding interviewed by Imogen Russell Williams

Twenty-Seven of the Best: A Personal Reading Journey

Daniel Hahn takes a personal reading journey round Europe

Windows into Illustration: Laura Hughes

Laura Hughes

Beyond the Secret Garden Protest and the British Children’s Book

Darren Chetty and Karen Sands-O’Connor find rebellion and riot in children’s literature.

I Wish I’d Written: Matt Brown

Matt Brown chooses

Good Reads 235

Chosen by Cannon Park Primary School, Coventry

Two Children Tell: Rebecca and Nicholas recognise an illustrator’s style

Rebecca and Nicholas and Lucy and Tom

Happy Anniversary to The Blue Balloon

Mick Inpen is celebrating!

Classics in Short No. 134 The strange fate of Rip Van Winkle

Brian Alderson contemplates Rip Van Winkle’s unlucky encounter with the fairies.

AN INTERVIEW WITH DANNY WALLACE

Comedian Danny Wallace explains why Brexit helped inspire the ultimate threat in his brand new book.

A Q&A INTERVIEW WITH NADINE WILD-PALMER

The author Nadine Wild-Palmer answers our questions on her debut children's novel, The Tunnels Below.

Editor's Choice

Wisp: A Story of Hope

Zana Fraillon

(Orchard Books)

Idris’s home is surrounded by barbed wire, a place where people have retreated into themselves. When the Wisp arrives, blown in on the wind, it is only Idris who sees it and feels its need - a need to unlock the memories of the people who have...

Little Badman and the Invasion of the Killer Aunties

Humza Arshad

Henry White

(Puffin)

Humza Khan is a 12-year-old ninja-rapper-gangster with huge plans for his future. Unfortunately, he also suffers from debilitating stage fright and has the ‘greatest cricket coach Pakistan has ever known’ for a father, which means that his...

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

Under 5s

The Truth About Old People

Elina Ellis

4
Aalfred and Aalbert

Morag Hood

4
The Green Giant

Katie Cottle

4
All the Ways to be Smart

Davina Bell

4
Bear Moves

Ben Bailey Smith

4
Rosie is my Best Friend

Ali Pye

4
Me and My Sister

Rose Robbins

4
Maisie’s Scrapbook

Samuel Narh

4

Ages 5-8

Wisp: A Story of Hope

Zana Fraillon

5
Two Sides

Polly Ho-Yen

5
Goldilocks (A Hashtag Cautionary Tale)

Jeanne Willis

5
Harold Snipperpot’s Best Disaster Ever

Beatrice Alemagna

4
Mummy’s Suitcase

Pip Jones

4
Me and My Sister

Rose Robbins

4
Maisie’s Scrapbook

Samuel Narh

4
Wishing for a Dragon

Becky Cameron

4
The Dinosaur Department Store

Lily Murray
Richard Merrit

3
Little Rabbit’s Big Surprise

Swapna Haddow

3

Ages 8-10

The Midnight Hour

Benjamin Read
Laura Trinder

5
The Steam Whistle Theatre Company

Vivian French

5
Little Badman and the Invasion of the Killer Aunties

Humza Arshad
Henry White

5
The Day I Was Erased

Lisa Thompson

4
When We Were Warriors

Emma Carroll

4
The Boy Who Flew

Fleur Hitchcock

4

Ages 10-14

The Midnight Hour

Benjamin Read
Laura Trinder

5
Now or Never-a Dunkirk Story

Bali Rai

5
Ghost

Jason Reynolds

4
Girl 38 Finding a Friend

Ewa Jozefkowicz

4
She Wolf

Dan Smith

3
Halo Moon

Sharon Cohen

3

Ages 14+

Shadowscent: The Darkest Bloom

P.M. Freestone

5
Proud

Various Authors

5
Joe Quinn’s Poltergeist

David Almond

5
Tales from the Inner City

Shaun Tan

5
Outside

Sarah Ann Juckes

4
All the Invisible Things

Orlagh Collins

4

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.

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.

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

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

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

CKG Logo

LONGLIST ANNOUNCED FOR 2021 KLAUS FLUGGE PRIZE

Klaus Flugge Prize logo

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.

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.

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.

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.’

Books for Keeps 235 - the children's book magazine online

Digital version – browse, print or download

BfK Newsletter

BfK No. 235 Articles

Editor's Choice

Wisp: A Story of Hope

New Talent

Little Badman and the Invasion of the Killer Aunties

All Children's Book Reviews in BfK No. 235

Under 5s

The Truth About Old People

Aalfred and Aalbert

The Green Giant

All the Ways to be Smart

Bear Moves

Rosie is my Best Friend

Me and My Sister

Maisie’s Scrapbook

Ages 5-8

Wisp: A Story of Hope

Two Sides

Goldilocks (A Hashtag Cautionary Tale)

Harold Snipperpot’s Best Disaster Ever

Mummy’s Suitcase

Me and My Sister

Maisie’s Scrapbook

Wishing for a Dragon

The Dinosaur Department Store

Little Rabbit’s Big Surprise

Ages 8-10

The Midnight Hour

The Steam Whistle Theatre Company

Little Badman and the Invasion of the Killer Aunties

The Day I Was Erased

When We Were Warriors

The Boy Who Flew

Ages 10-14

The Midnight Hour

Now or Never-a Dunkirk Story

Ghost

Girl 38 Finding a Friend

She Wolf

Halo Moon

Ages 14+

Shadowscent: The Darkest Bloom

Proud

Joe Quinn’s Poltergeist

Tales from the Inner City

Outside

All the Invisible Things

BfK News