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Books for Keeps 105 - the children's book magazine online

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BfK No. 105 - July 1997

Cover Story
This issue’s cover is from the gift edition of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory illustrated by Quentin Blake and with design and typography by Peter Campbell. The successful collaboration between Roald Dahl and Quentin Blake has played an important part in the popularity of Dahl’s work over the last fifteen years. Blake’s unmistakable artwork truly complements Dahl’s writing. His economical, amiable, illustrative style balances out Dahl’s often expansive language. And the liveliness, humour and pathos of the drawings offer a softer side to Dahl’s sometimes gloriously grotesque, sometimes cruel descriptions of his characters.

Thanks to Penguin Children’s Books for their help in producing this July cover which commemorates the thirty years anniversary of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’s first UK publication.

BfK No. 105 Articles

Editorial – July 1997

News and comment from the Editor.
Classic Cuts

Elaine Moss discusses illustrated versions of classical texts.
Making Sense of Death

Margaret Rustin on recent picture books with death as their theme.
Publishing Profiles No.4: The Sales Manager

Liz Attenborough goes behind the scenes in publishing.
The History of Children’s Books, No.2: From Morals to Magic

John Rowe Townsend looks at the period from Newbery to Lewis Carroll.
Authorgraph No.105: Enid Blyton

Enid Blyton 'interviewed' by Nicholas Tucker.
BfK Briefing – July 1997

News * Awards * Obituary * Events * Publications * Best Seller Chart * Letters to the Editor
What should win the Carnegie and Greenaway Awards?

Books for Keeps asks a selection of experts.
Good Reads: Lanesborough School, Guildford

Reviews from pupils of Lanesborough School, Guildford, Surrey.
Classics in Short No.4: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Helen Levene on Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Editor's Choice

Fog Hounds, Wind Cat, Sea Mice
Joan Aiken
(Hodder Children's Books)
5

Three elegantly crafted short stories resonant with meaning which dexterously weave magic into everyday matters and the everyday into magic. The old king is dying and his menacing Fog Hounds which 'flow over the ground as the wind itself', haunt...

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New Talent

Solo Act
Helen Dunwoodie
(Young Corgi)
4

Iris Campion loves being the star of school shows and she is furious when Jimmy Garcia, the drama group's trendy new director, criticises her acting. Meanwhile Iris' best friend, Aly, seems to prefer the company of wimpish Janine to hers. Then to...

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All Children's Book Reviews in BfK No. 105

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

Under 5s

  • Little Miss Muffet Counts to Ten
    Emma Chichester Clark
    5

  • Hey Diddle Diddle and Other Mother Goose Rhymes
    Shoo Rayner
    5

  • Into the Castle
    June Crebbin
    5

  • My Little Supermarket
    Caroline Repchuk
    4

  • Billy and the Big New School
    Catherine Anholt
    Laurence Anholt
    4

  • Fur ¦ 'Quack! said the billy-goat
    Jan Mark
    4

  • Billy and the Barglebogle
    Lindsay Camp
    4

  • Toes are to Tickle
    Shen Roddie
    4

  • Cosy Moments with Teddy Bear
    Jacqueline McQuade
    4

  • Baby's Bedtime Lullabies and Verse
    4

  • In the Rain with Baby Duck
    Amy Hest
    3

  • An Adventure with Billy Bunny
    Maurice Pledger
    3

  • Tomcat Takes a Walk
    Pippa Unwin
    2

  • Little Bird
    Rod Campbell
    2

Ages 5-8

  • The World is Full of Babies! ¦ Splish, Splash, Splosh!
    Mick Manning
    Brita Granström
    5

  • The Pebble in my Pocket
    Meredith Hooper
    5

  • The Cat That Scratched
    Jonathan Long
    Korky Paul
    5

  • Fruits: A Caribbean counting poem
    Valerie Bloom
    5

  • Changes
    Anthony Browne
    5

  • Elena the Frog
    Dyan Sheldon
    4

  • The Small Good Wolf
    Mary Rayner
    4

  • Asana and the Animals: A book of pet poems
    Grace Nichols
    4

  • Blair the Winner!
    Theresa Breslin
    3

  • Letters from a Mouse
    Herbie Brennan
    3

  • A Box of Stories for Six Year Olds
    3

  • The Children of Lir
    Sheila MacGill-Callahan
    2

  • One Day in the Jungle ¦ "I Don't Care!" said the Bear ¦ The Caterpillow Fight ¦ The Brave Ones ¦ Contrary Mary ¦ Daisy Dare ¦ Little Pig's Bouncy Ball
    Colin West
    1

Ages 8-10

  • After the War Was Over
    Michael Foreman
    5

  • Fog Hounds, Wind Cat, Sea Mice
    Joan Aiken
    5

  • The Owl-Tree
    Jenny Nimmo
    5

  • The Nubbler
    Pam Ayres
    4

  • Be Smart, Stay Safe ¦ Beat the Bullies
    Michele Elliott
    4

  • We Was Robbed: Yet More Football Poems
    4

  • Hazel the Guinea-Pig
    A N Wilson
    4

  • Roman Aromas ¦ Tudor Odours ¦ Victorian Vapours
    Mary Dobson
    3

  • Irish Sagas & Folk Tales
    Eileen O'Faolain
    3

  • Bag of Bones
    Helen Cresswell
    3

  • The Ghost of Able Mabel ¦ The Cleaning Witch ¦ Hands Off Our Hens! ¦ Big Puss, Little Mouse
    Penny Dolan
    3

  • About the Weather
    Barbara Taylor
    2

Ages 10-14

  • Tenderness
    Robert Cormier
    5

  • Calling Home
    Michael Cadnum
    5

  • All for Love
    5

  • More Letters to Uncle Albert
    Russell Stannard
    5

  • Comfort Herself
    Geraldine Kaye
    5

  • Granny the Pag
    Nina Bawden
    5

  • The Midwife's Apprentice
    Karen Cushman
    5

  • The Pebble in my Pocket
    Meredith Hooper
    5

  • Martin Farrell
    Janni Howker
    4

  • Freedom
    Ali Buchanan
    4

  • The History Detective Investigates Local History
    Martin Parsons
    4

  • My Friend's a Werewolf
    Pete Johnson
    4

  • Becky Bananas - This is your Life!
    Jean Ure
    4

  • Solo Act
    Helen Dunwoodie
    4

  • Butterfingers
    Roger Collinson
    4

  • Olivia
    Rosie Rushton
    3

  • The Noctuary of Narcissus Batt ¦ Dibby Dubby Dhu ¦ The Red-All-Over Riddle Book
    Paul Muldooon
    3

  • Dancing Through the Shadows
    Theresa Tomlinson
    3

  • Ancient Greece ¦ The Human Body ¦ Incredible Plants ¦ Sports and Games
    Judith Simpson
    2

  • Blood Brother
    J H Brennan
    2

BfK News

DICKENS AND CHILDHOOD CONFERENCE

Dickens and Childhood Conference and Symposium Monday 18 June

It is not too late to book places on this special one-day conference on Dickens and Childhood, which will include walks, lectures, readings, and parallel sessions on topics that will appeal to students, teachers, Dickens experts, and the ‘interested reader’.

Marcia Williams Dickens

read more...
Siobhan Dowd Trust launches competition to help encourage a love of reading

The Siobhan Dowd Trust launches competition to help encourage a love of reading

The Siobhan Dowd Trust is proud to announce that Michael Rosen, Poet and ex-Childrens’ Laureate will be on the judging panel of a schools campaign, which is asking teachers and librarians for their ideas about how they encourage a love of books in their schools. The Trust will use the entries to build up a database of ideas which can be shared and swapped… and the ten best or most innovative ideas will receive £1000 worth of books.

read more...
Maurice Sendak June 1928 – May 2012

Maurice Sendak, who has died at the age of 83 was one of the most important illustrators of the twentieth century. Joanna Carey assesses his career for Books for Keeps

read more...
2012 Branford Boase Shortlist

Branford Boase Award logoSeven authors are on the shortlist for the 2012 Branford Boase Award, announced today, Monday 30 April.

The Branford Boase Award is given annually to the author of an outstanding debut novel for children. Uniquely, it also honours the editor of the winning title and highlights the importance of the editor in nurturing new talent.

read more...
Riddell and Stewart Guest Speakers at IBBY UK AGM 2 May

Chris Riddell and Paul Stewart will be guest speakers at the IBBY UK AGM on Wednesday 2 May at Random House 20 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London SW1V 2SA, London. The meeting is free and non-members are welcome. Refreshments will be available from 6.30pm with Chris and Paul speaking at 7pm. Book sales and a signing will take place after the meeting. To book a place email bicarrington@nasuwt.net

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2012 CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medal Shortlists

2012 CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medal Shortlists

The shortlists have been announced for the 2012 CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals, the oldest and most prestigious of all the UK’s children’s book awards.

There are eight books on each shortlist, two more than has been usual: a sign perhaps of the difficulty the judges had in making their final choice.

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GUUS KUIJER TO RECEIVE THE ASTRID LINDGREN MEMORIAL AWARD 2012

The 2012 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award is to be awarded to the Dutch author Guus Kuijer.

read more...
FIRST BRITISH EXHIBITION OF CHINESE PICTURE BOOK ILLUSTRATION

In April, London hosts the first exhibitions in Britain of Chinese children’s and picture book illustration. The exhibitions feature eighty individual illustrations by China’s most celebrated children’s illustrators, and is organised by the Zhejiang Publishing Group, the Publishers’ Association of China, Propeller TV, and the Chinese Board on Books for Young People (CBBY); with the cooperation of the UK section of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY UK).

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NEW AWARD SHORTLISTS ANNOUNCED

As we wait for the announcement of the shortlists for this year’s CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals, two other interesting and unusual award shortlists have just been revealed.

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Transfer for Once Upon A Wartime exhibition

The Once Upon A Wartime exhibition is now at IWM North Manchester, until 2 September 2012

Based on five war-based children’s novels, the exhibition explores the history of real life conflicts from 1914 to the present day through the eyes of fictional children.

Read Kate Agnew’s Books for Keeps review of the exhibition here.

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