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Books for Keeps 227 - the children's book magazine online

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BfK No. 227 - November 2017
BfK 227 November 2017

This issue’s cover illustration is from Fairy Tales by Hilary McKay, illustrated by Sarah Gibb. Thanks to Macmillan Children’s Books for their help with this Christmas cover.
Digital Edition
By clicking here you can view, print or download the fully artworked Digital Edition of BfK 227 November 2017.

BfK No. 227 Articles

Editorial 227

Guest Editorial: Sarah Odedina, Editor-in-Chief, Scoop magazine
All hail the new Children’s Laureate

An interview with Lauren Child

Books of the Year 2017

2017 - the Books of the Year: our panel makes their choice
Happy Christmas Reading 2017

Books for Giving 2017: Ferelith Hordon plays Santa
Authorgraph 227 Kate Saunders

Kate Saunders interviewed by Philip Womack
Ten of the Best Fairy Tale Collections for Children

Ann Lazim chooses
Happy Ever After: an interview with Hilary McKay

Hilary McKay on her new collection of fairy tales
Truly Two

Catherine MacPhail and Robert Louis Stevenson
A Talent for Happiness: Judith Kerr interviewed

Judith Kerr interviewed by Nicholas Tucker
Windows into Illustration: Ehsan Abdollahi

Ehsan Abdollahi

Two Children Tell: Meeting Monsters

Nick meets monsters
Iona Opie Obituary

Iona Opie remembered
I Wish I’d Written: Jonathan Meres

Jonathan Meres chooses
Good Reads Highfield Primary School, Enfield

Good Reads chosen by pupils at Highfield Primary School, Enfield
New children’s book exhibitions: a review feature

Brian Alderson reviews two new children's book exhibitions
A Twelfth Night Pantomime from Italy: The Rose and the Ring

The Rose and the Ring by William Makepeace Thackeray
AN INTERVIEW WITH IRFAN MASTER

Irfan Master talks his writing and new book Out of Heart
Costa Children’s Book Award, Shortlist Interviews 2017: Sarah Crossan

An interview with Sarah Crossan, Costa-shortlisted author of Moonrise.
AN INTERVIEW WITH HOLLY BLACK

The best-selling fantasy authors talks about her new series The Folk of the Air.
Books for Keeps Christmas Recommendations 2017

Christmas book list
John Yeoman & Quentin Blake: book list

Compiled by Brian Alderson

Editor's Choice

There’s A Bug on My Arm That Won’t Let Go
David Mackintosh
(HarperCollinsChildren'sBooks)
5

What to do...there’s a bug on my arm that won’t let go. But I think it quite likes it there – so I better look after it.

Here is a picture book that stands out, not just for the witty text through which we hear the reasonable voice of the...

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New Talent

The Eli Collection: Egg, Cards, Pencil
Laura Bellini
(Tiny Owl Publishing Ltd)
5

Little Eli is a dragonfly. He is alone. Exploring his surroundings he comes across objects that open possibilities for him to be creative and build dreams.

There is an almost dreamlike quality to Bellini’s delicate lines that captures both...

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All Children's Book Reviews in BfK No. 227

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

Under 5s

  • There’s A Bug on My Arm That Won’t Let Go
    David Mackintosh
    5

  • Kevin, The Make-Believe Friend You Can Really Believe In
    Rob Biddulph
    5

  • The Snow Lion
    Jim Helmore
    5

  • Socks for Mr Wolf A Woolly Adventure Around Ireland
    Tatyana Feeney
    4

  • Hack and Whack
    Francesca Simon
    4

  • Luna loves Library Day
    Joseph Coelho
    4

  • What Makes Me a Me?
    Ben Faulks
    4

Ages 5-8

  • A Werewolf Named Oliver James
    Nicholas John Frith
    5

  • There’s A Bug on My Arm That Won’t Let Go
    David Mackintosh
    5

  • The Eli Collection: Egg, Cards, Pencil
    Laura Bellini
    5

  • The Ugly Five
    Julia Donaldson
    5

  • I am Bat
    Morag Hood
    5

  • La La La Kate Dicamillo
    Kate DiCamillo
    5

  • When I Grow Up
    Tim Minchin
    4

  • Hack and Whack
    Francesca Simon
    4

  • One Christmas Wish
    Katherine Rundell
    4

Ages 8-10

  • Secret of the Stones
    Tony Bradman
    5

  • Witch for a Week
    Kaye Umansky
    5

  • Professional Crocodile
    Giovanna Zoboli
    5

  • The Explorer
    Katherine Rundell
    4

  • The Secret Diary of Jane Pinny: Victorian housemaid (and accidental detective)
    Philip Ardagh
    4

  • Foxcraft: the Mage
    Inbali Iserles
    4

  • Hopscotch in the Sky
    Lucinda Jacob
    4

  • How to write Poems
    Joseph Coelho
    4

  • Pop up Shakespeare
    Austin Tichenor
    Reed Martin
    4

Ages 10-14

  • Rising Stars New Young Voices in Poetry
    5

  • The Land of Neverendings
    Kate Saunders
    5

  • Hetty Feather’s Christmas
    Jacqueline Wilson
    5

  • Nevermoor: the trials of Morrigan Crow
    Jessica Townsend
    5

  • Do you Speak Chocolate
    Cas Lester
    5

  • Scarecrow
    Danny Weston
    5

  • Illegal
    Eoin Colfer
    Andrew Donkin
    5

  • A Skinful of Shadows
    Frances Hardinge
    5

  • The Explorer
    Katherine Rundell
    4

  • Worry Angels
    Sita Brahmachari
    4

  • My Side of the Diamond
    Sally Gardner
    4

  • Matt Millz
    Harry Hill
    4

Ages 14+

  • Moonrise
    Sarah Crossan
    5

  • A Skinful of Shadows
    Frances Hardinge
    5

  • Potter's Boy
    Tony Mitton
    5

  • Grave Matters
    Juno Dawson
    4

  • It Only Happens in the Movies
    Holly Bourne
    4

  • A Shiver of Snow and Sky
    Lisa Lueddecke
    4

BfK News

LONGLISTS ANNOUNCED FOR 2020 CILIP CARNEGIE AND KATE GREENAWAY MEDALS

CKG logo

The longlists for the CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals, the UK’s oldest book awards for children and young people, have been announced.

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LONGLIST ANNOUNCED FOR THE 2020 KLAUS FLUGGE PRIZE

The longlist for the 2020 Klaus Flugge Prize has been announced. Now in its fifth year, the Klaus Flugge Prize is awarded to the most promising and exciting newcomer to children’s picture book illustration. It honours Klaus Flugge, founder of publisher Andersen Press and a supremely influential figure in picture books.

Look Up!

read more...
WHO WON THE LAUGH OUT LOUD BOOK AWARDS?

The winners of the Laugh Out Loud Book Awards 2020 have just been announced.

read more...
BRANFORD BOASE AWARD 2020: LONGLIST ANNOUNCED

Branford Boase Award logo

read more...
EMPATHYLAB ANNOUNCES 2020 READ FOR EMPATHY BOOK COLLECTION

Raising A Generation of Empathic Citizens

Empathy Day logo

read more...
JASBINDER BILAN WINS COSTA CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD WITH HER DEBUT NOVEL

Jasbinder Bilan

read more...
COSTA CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD 2019: SHORTLIST FEATURES

Former Children’s Laureate Malorie Blackman and acclaimed author Jenny Downham are on the shortlist for the 2019 Costa Children’s Book Award alongside newcomers Jasbinder Bilan and Nicholas Downing.

Costa Book Awards logo

Click the links below to read new Books for Keeps feature articles on each of the shortlisted authors.

read more...
THE IBBY LIST OF OUSTANDING BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Dr Rebecca Butler writes.

Readers of Books for Keeps will remember that IBBY (the International Board on Books for Young People) arranges every two years a competition to identify the very best books for young readers featuring disability or designed to be read by young people with disabilities. Last time this list was compiled in 2017/18 I was the coordinator for the UK section.

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ALASTAIR HUMPHREYS’ GREAT ADVENTURERS WINS THE 2019 EDUCATIONAL WRITERS’ AWARD

The winner of the 2019 Educational Writers’ Award is Alastair Humphreys’ Great Adventurers: The Incredible Expeditions of 20 Explorers (Big Picture Press).

Alastair Humphreys Great Adventures

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BLACKMAN AND DOWNHAM ON SHORTLIST FOR 2019 COSTA CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD

Former Children’s Laureate Malorie Blackman and acclaimed author Jenny Downham are on the shortlist for the 2019 Costa Children’s Book Award, which was announced today, 26th November 2020. Alongside them on the list are newcomers Jasbinder Bilan and Nicholas Downing, both of whom are published by Chicken House.

The 2019 Costa Children’s Award shortlist

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