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Books for Keeps 156 - the children's book magazine online

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Digital version – browse, print or download

Books for Keeps is packed with articles, interviews comment and, of course, reviews.

You can read the whole issue online here, for free!

How to print the digital edition of Books for Keeps: click on this PDF file link - click on the printer icon in the top right of the screen to print.

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BfK No. 156 - January 2006

Cover Story
This issue’s cover illustration is from Graham Marks’ Tokyo. Graham Marks is interviewed by Julia Eccleshare. Thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing for their help with this January cover.

BfK No. 156 Articles

Editorial - January 2006

News and comment from the Editor.

J K Rowling by Stuart Pearson Wright at the National Portrait Gallery

Brian Sewell on the recently commissioned portrait.

Malorie Blackman’s ‘Noughts & Crosses’ Trilogy

Errol Lloyd assesses its appeal.

How should we teach children to read?

Henrietta Dombey debates synthetic phonics.

Story of the Storeys or Seven at one go

Brian Alderson discusses the new centre for the study of children's literature.

Authorgraph No.156: Graham Marks

Graham Marks interviewed by Julia Eccleshare.

BfK Briefing - January 2006

News * Awards * Events * Obituaries * Letters to the Editor

Useful Organisations No.42: Children's Poetry Bookshelf

Children's poetry for 7-11 year-olds.

Hal’s Reading Diary - January 2006

Roger Mills on Hal being taught to read.

I Wish I’d Written… Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key

Kevin Brooks chooses Jack Gantos's Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key.

Good Reads: Maidenhill School, Gloucestershire

Reviews from Maidenhill School, Gloucestershire.

Classics in Short No.55: Mary Poppins

Brian Alderson on P L Travers' Mary Poppins.

Editor's Choice

Hubert Horatio Bartle Bobton-Trent

Lauren Child
(Hodder Children's Books)
5

A natural at almost everything (reading, swimming, table tennis, Japanese, Maths), Hubert Horatio Bartle Bobton-Trent has ‘frightfully, frightfully rich’ parents with houses in London, New York and Milan. Extremely sociable and generous, the...

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New Talent

Fly By Night

Frances Hardinge
(Macmillan Children's Books)
4

When 12-year-old Mosca Mye burns down her uncle’s mill (accidentally or on purpose?), it is time for her to leave the village of Clough and seek her fortune with storyteller, poet and petty crook Eponymous Clent. On their arrival in the capital,...

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All Children's Book Reviews in BfK No. 156

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

Under 5s

  • Opposites

    Robert Crowther
    5
  • Hit the Ball Duck

    Jez Alborough
    5
  • Mixed Up Fairy Tales

    Hilary Robinson
    4
  • Hieronymus Betts and his Unusual Pets

    M P Robertson
    4
  • Bored Bill

    Liz Pichon
    4
  • Alligator Alphabet

    Stella Blackstone
    4
  • Pablo the Artist

    Satoshi Kitamura
    3
  • Kidogo

    Anik McGrory
    3
  • Just Like You Did

    Marjorie Newman
    3
  • I Wish I Were a Dog

    Lydia Monks
    3
  • Fantastic Mr Wani, The

    Kanako Usui
    3
  • Elmer and Rose

    David McKee
    3
  • Whose nose?; Whose teeth?

    Jeannette Rowe
    2
  • Robot Dog

    Mark Oliver
    2
  • Myron's Magic Cow

    Marlene Newman
    2
  • Whatever

    William Bee
    1

Ages 5-8

  • Wizard, the Ugly and the Book of Shame, The

    Pablo Bernascon
    5
  • I Dreamt I Was a Dinosaur

    Stella Blackstone
    5
  • Hubert Horatio Bartle Bobton-Trent

    Lauren Child
    5
  • Fairy Tales, The

    Charles Perrault
    The Brothers Grimm
    5
  • Tractor Trouble

    Steve Augarde
    4
  • Mortimer and the Sword Excalibur

    Joan Aiken
    4
  • Witch Pigs

    Colin Hawkins
    Jacqui Hawkins
    3
  • Belonging; Celebrating Harvest; Gifts at Christmas; Jewish Faith, The; Visiting a Church; Visiting a Gurdwara; Visiting a Mandir; Visiting a Mosque; Visiting a Synagogue

    Ruth Nason
    3
  • Mr Large In Charge

    Jill Murphy
    3
  • Man of the Match

    Sophie Smiley
    3
  • Harry the Poisonous Centipede Goes to Sea

    Lynne Reid Banks
    3
  • Burger Boy

    Alan Durant
    3
  • Billy Wizard

    Chris Priestley
    3

Ages 8-10

  • Nicholas

    Rene Goscinny
    5
  • Imagine

    Norman Messenger
    5
  • Connor's Eco Den; Doomsday Virus, The; Last Viking, The; Space Ace; Stat Man; Traitor's Gate

    Pippa Goodhart
    4
  • Three Cheers for Inventors!

    Marcia Williams
    4
  • Here Be Monsters! (The Ratbridge Chronicles, Volume 1)

    Alan Snow
    4
  • Girl with the Broken Wing, The

    Heather Dyer
    4
  • Christopher Mouse: The Tale of a Small Traveller

    William Wise
    4
  • Super Zeroes

    Rhiannon Lassiter
    3
  • Story of Chocolate, The

    Katie Daynes
    3
  • She's All That! Poems About Girls

    3
  • Outsiders

    Kevin Crossley-Holland
    3
  • Ragwitch, The

    Garth Nix
    2
  • Dawn Undercover

    Anna Dale
    1

Ages 10-14

  • Framed

    Frank Cottrell Boyce
    5
  • Writers and their tall tales

    Tracey Turner
    4
  • Return of Death Eric, The

    Sam Llewellyn
    4
  • Forensics

    Richard Platt
    4
  • Fly By Night

    Frances Hardinge
    4
  • Clay

    David Almond
    4
  • Chasing Vermeer

    Blue Balliett
    4
  • Body

    Richard Walker
    4
  • Fire!; Shouting at the Stars; Witness

    David Orme
    3
  • Walking with the Dead

    Tim Bowler
    3
  • Spirit Walker

    Michelle Paver
    3
  • Blade; Mutant; Respect!; Smoke

    Chris Powling
    3
  • Mrs Marridge Project, The

    Pauline Fisk
    3
  • Jazz A.B.Z

    Wynton Marsalis
    3
  • Jane Austen: The Girl with the Magic Pen!

    Gill Hornby
    3
  • Flush

    Carl Hiaasen
    3
  • Fire Star

    Chris D'Lacey
    3
  • Electric Telepath, The

    Jan Mark
    3
  • Amadans Alert

    Malachy Doyle
    3
  • Aids Orphan: Mary's Story

    Louise Armstrong
    3
  • Riddles of Epsilon, The

    Christine Morton-Shaw
    2
  • Ingo

    Helen Dunmore
    2
  • Arthur and the Minimoys

    Luc Besson
    2

Ages 14+

  • Innocent's Story, The

    Nicky Singer
    5
  • Tell Me What You See

    Zoran Drvenkar
    4
  • Story of Stone, The

    N M Browne
    4
  • Passion Flower Massacre, The

    Nicola Morgan
    4

BfK News

CRESSIDA COWELL LAUNCHES NEW LAUREATE INITIATIVE IN SUPPORT OF SCHOOL LIBRARIES AND CALLS ON PM TO ACT

‘How can a child become a reader for pleasure if their parents or carers cannot afford books, and their primary school has no library, or that library is woefully insufficient?’

Life-changing Libraries logo

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SHORTLISTS ANNOUNCED FOR THE 2021 UKLA BOOK AWARDS

UKLA Book Awards logo

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ALL STORIES, A NEW MENTORSHIP PROGRAMME FOR UNDERREPRESENTED CHILDREN’S BOOK WRITERS

A new mentorship scheme for underrepresented authors launches today, 30 March. All Stories offers fourteen mentorships delivered by expert children’s book editors.

All Stories logo

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2021 SHORTLISTS ANNOUNCED FOR CILIP CARNEGIE AND KATE GREENAWAY MEDALS

CKG Logo

The shortlists for the prestigious CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals are announced today, 18 March. The awards are the UK’s oldest for children and young people.

This year’s judges praised their shortlists for ‘offering hope and escapism during lockdown’ through explorations of freedom, the great outdoors and journeys through the natural world.

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INAUGURAL LONGLIST ANNOUNCED FOR THE JHALAK CHILDREN’S AND YOUNG ADULT PRIZE

The Jhalak Prize has announced the longlist for the inaugural Jhalak Children’s & Young Adult Prize.

Jhalak Prize logo

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ONJALI RAÚF BECOMES WRITER IN RESIDENCE FOR BOOKTRUST

Award-winning author and activist, Onjali Raúf takes up the post as the new Writer in Residence for BookTrust, today, International Women’s Day. She takes over from Smriti Halls.

Onjali Q Raúf

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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

read more...
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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