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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...

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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

LONGLISTS ANNOUNCED FOR 2021 CILIP CARNEGIE AND KATE GREENAWAY MEDALS

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

CKG Logo

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LONGLIST ANNOUNCED FOR 2021 KLAUS FLUGGE PRIZE

Klaus Flugge Prize logo

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NOW OPEN: 2021 HENRIETTA BRANFORD WRITING COMPETITION

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.

read more...
TWO UK ENTRIES ON IBBY LIST OF OUTSTANDING BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

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.

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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.

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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.’

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ROBIN WALKER WINS THE 2020 ALCS EDUCATIONAL WRITERS’ AWARD FOR BLACK HISTORY MATTERS

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.

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IBBY UK nominate Marcus Sedgwick and David McKee for the Hans Christian Andersen Award 2022

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

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SHORTLIST FOR THE COSTA CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD 2020

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)

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BOOKTRUST’S REPRESENTS INTERIM RESEARCH & CLPE REFLECTING REALITIES SURVEY 2020

CLPE Reflecting Realities Report 2020

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