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

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.’

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.

IBBY UK has announced that Marcus Sedgwick and David McKee will be the UK nominations for the 2022 Hans Christian Andersen Award.

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

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