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Books for Keeps 154 - the children's book magazine online

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BfK No. 154 - September 2005

Cover Story
This issue’s cover illustration is from the 20th Anniversary Edition of Lynley Dodd’s Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy. Lynley Dodd is interviewed by Joanna Carey. Thanks to Puffin for their help with this September cover.

BfK No. 154 Articles

Editorial - September 2005

News and comment from the Editor.
Are Books for Children Worth Reading?

Michael Rosen on how literacy is undermining literature.
Are Books for Children Worth Reading - full speech text

Full text of Michael Rosen's inaugural lecture as Visiting Professor at Middlesex University.
Early Years Reading: ICT and early literacy: multiple literacies at work

Olivia O'Sullivan encourages multiple literacy.
Picture Books - Real or Synthetic?

Jeff Hynds discusses synthetic phonics and new picture books.
Typography in Children's Books

Sue Walker explores the influence of typefaces.
BfK Profile: Rodman Philbrick

Nicholas Tucker looks at the books of Rodman Philbrick.
Take 3: Children's Book Characters

Revelations about the Gruffalo, Spot and Thomas the Tank Engine.
Hal's Reading Diary - September 2005

Roger Mills discusses what makes Hal laugh.
Authorgraph No.154: Lynley Dodd

Lynley Dodd interviewed by Joanna Carey.
I Wish I'd Written... Truckers

Frank Cottrell Boyce chooses Terry Pratchett's Truckers.
Foyle Young Poets of the Year

Mandy Coe discusses Thanbir Ahmed's untitled poem.
BfK Briefing - September 2005

News * Awards * Events
Useful Organisations No.40: Seven Stories, the Centre for Children's Books

Major archive collection plus regular exhibitions and events.
Classics in Short No.53: The Magic Pudding

Brian Alderson on Norman Lindsay's The Magic Pudding.

Editor's Choice

The Worst Witch Saves the Day
Jill Murphy
(Puffin)
5

Mildred Hubble, the eponymous worst witch in Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches, made her debut in 1974 and instantly broke new ground with Murphy's delicious combination of an accessible and entertaining text interspersed with plentiful sharply...

read more

New Talent

The Diary of Pelly-D
L J Adlington
(Hodder Children's Books)
4

In a society founded centuries ago by settlers from planet Earth, the official line is that there is no racism in this brave new world despite genetic differences between the Atsumisi, the Mazzini and the Galrezi. Confident, rich and gorgeous, 14...

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All Children's Book Reviews in BfK No. 154

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

Under 5s

  • Harold and the Duck
    Bruce Robinson
    5

  • Clapping Games: Whole Brain Workouts for Lively Children ¦ Skipping Games: Energetic Workouts for Lively Children ¦ Playground Games: Co-operative Learning for Lively Children
    Jenny Mosley
    Helen Sonnet
    5

  • Stan and His Gran
    Sarah Garland
    5

  • Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs
    Giles Andreae
    4

  • Colours: A First Art Book
    Lucy Micklethwait
    4

  • Under the Sea ¦ One Scary Night ¦ At the Circus
    Benedicte Guettier
    3

  • Milet Picture Dictionary: English/Tamil
    Sedat Turhan
    3

  • Three Monsters
    David McKee
    3

Ages 5-8

  • Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves
    5

  • The Worst Witch Saves the Day
    Jill Murphy
    5

  • Coral Reef
    Caroline Bingham
    4

  • The Haunted Piccolo
    Gene Kemp
    4

  • Lotsa de Casha
    Madonna
    4

  • Slam!
    Adam Stower
    4

  • The Topsy-Turvies
    Francesca Simon
    4

  • Don't Cook Cinderella
    Francesca Simon
    3

  • Meet Wild Boars
    Meg Rosoff
    Sophie Blackall
    3

  • Mr Pod and Mr Piccalilli
    Penny Dolan
    3

  • Welcome to the World Baby!
    Na'ima Bint Robert
    3

  • Frida
    Jonah Winter
    2

  • Polly the Party Fun Fairy ¦ Honey the Sweet Fairy
    Daisy Meadows
    2

  • DK Human Body Encyclopedia
    1

Ages 8-10

  • The Jungle Book
    Rudyard Kipling
    5

  • Jammy Dodgers go Underground
    Bowering Sivers
    4

  • A Kick in the Head: An Everyday Guide to Poetic Forms
    Paul B Janeczko
    4

  • Magyk
    Angie Sage
    4

  • Pirate
    Deborah Lock
    4

  • Animals Like Us
    Andrea Mills
    3

  • Ellie and the Cat
    Malorie Blackman
    3

  • Fairy Tales: A Classic Collection
    3

  • King Matt the First
    Janusz Korczak
    3

  • Shakespeare's Globe
    Toby Forward
    3

  • Alexander the Great: the life of a king and conqueror ¦ Spartacus: the life of a Roman gladiator
    Rob Shone
    Anita Ganeri
    3

  • Waking Merlin
    Tanya Landman
    3

  • Cock Crow: Poems about life in the countryside
    2

Ages 10-14

  • Inkspell
    Cornelia Funke
    5

  • Jacob's Ladder
    Brian Keaney
    5

  • Boy Soldier
    Andy McNab
    Robert Rigby
    4

  • The Diary of Pelly-D
    L J Adlington
    4

  • Einstein's Theories of Relativity; Splitting the Atom; The Discovery of DNA; The Discovery of Penicillin; The First Computers; The First Polio Vaccine
    Alan Morton
    4

  • The Foreshadowing
    Marcus Sedgwick
    4

  • The Heaven Shop
    Deborah Ellis
    4

Ages 14+

  • Bloodsong
    Melvin Burgess
    5

  • Surrender
    Sonya Hartnett
    5

  • Tessa in Love
    Kate Le Vann
    5

  • Hunter's Heart
    Julia Green
    4

  • '...then he ate my boy entrancers.'
    Louise Rennison
    4

  • Odin's Voice
    Susan Price
    3

  • Paralysed
    Sherry Ashworth
    3

  • The Wrong Hands
    Nigel Richardson
    3

Books About Children's Books

  • The 'Creating a Reading Culture' Handbook (Primary and Secondary Versions) ¦ Animating Literacy: Inspiring Children's Learning through Teacher and Artist Partnerships ¦ The Core Booklist
    Reading Connects Team
    5

BfK News

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.

read more...
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

read more...
2019 ALCS EDUCATIONAL WRITERS’ AWARD SHORTLIST

Shortlist announced for the UK’s only award for creative educational writing

The Society of Authors and the Authors’ Licensing& Collecting Society have announced the shortlist for the 2019 ALCS Educational Writers’ Award, the UK’s only award for educational writing which stimulates and enhances the learning experience.

read more...
‘INSPIRING’: CONTENDERS FOR THE 2020 BLUE PETER BOOK AWARDS REVEALED

Blue Peter Book Award logo

Six books have made it onto the shortlists for the 2020 Blue Peter Book Awards. There are two categories: Best Story, and – in non-fiction November – Best Book with Facts.

read more...
NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED FOR THE 2020 CARNEGIE AND KATE GREENAWAY MEDALS

And we’re off… the nominations for the 2020 Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals are announced today, Monday 4th November.

read more...
2020 UKLA BOOK AWARDS THE LONGLISTS

UKLA Awards

A record number of submissions and a new category to highlight information books marks the 12th longlists for the UKLA Awards, the only national awards judged by active classroom teachers.

read more...
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