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Books for Keeps 157 - the children's book magazine online

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BfK No. 157 - March 2006

Cover Story
This issue’s cover illustration is from John Burningham’s Edwardo. Edwardo is this issue's Editor’s Choice. Thanks to Random House Children’s Books for their help with this March cover.

BfK No. 157 Articles

Editorial - March 2006

News and comment from the Editor.
Retrospective: The Endless Imagination of Joan Aiken

Peter Hollindale explores her legacy.
Going Solo

Sue Unstead on helpful handbooks.
Ted Hughes: Collected Poems for Children

Helen Taylor on the relevance of his work.
Reading Aloud with Michael Rosen

Michael Rosen on ways to children and books together.
Authorgraph No.157: Linda Newbery

Linda Newbery interviewed by Kate Agnew.
Take 3: Children’s Librarians

Revelations from Annie Everall, Ian Dodds and Clive Barnes.
Hal’s Reading Diary - March 2006

Roger Mills on reading and memory.
I Wish I’d Written… Junk

Cathy Hopkins chooses Melvin Burgess' Junk.
Good Reads: Swanmead Middle School, Ilminster, Somerset

Reviews from Swanmead Middle School, Somerset.
BfK Briefing - March 2006

News * Awards * People * Obituaries * Publications * Letters to the Editor
Useful Organisations No.43: Teen Critic

Information on teen critic, Edward Malnick, and a critique on a selection of young adult books.
Classics in Short No.56: My Friend Mr Leakey

Brian Alderson on J B S Haldane's My Friend Mr Leakey.

Editor's Choice

Edwardo
John Burningham
(Jonathan Cape)
5

Edwardo is the roughest, noisiest, nastiest boy in the whole wide world and it is not until some of his misdeeds go wrong (eg he pushes a boy backwards inadvertently saving him from being crushed by a falling lamp) and he finds himself being...

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New Talent

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
John Boyne
(David Fickling Books)
3

Described by its author as a fable, this book chronicles events in the life of a nine-year-old Berliner, Bruno, from his own (often mystified) point of view. Bruno knows his father is an important man and that is why the family must leave Berlin...

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All Children's Book Reviews in BfK No. 157

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

Under 5s

  • While You Are Sleeping
    Alexis Deacon
    5

  • Shoe Baby
    Joyce Dunbar
    5

  • Little Daughter of the Snow
    Arthur Ransome
    5

  • Edwardo
    John Burningham
    5

  • The Toolbox
    Anne Rockwell
    Harlow Rockwell
    5

  • Smiley Shark
    Ruth Galloway
    4

  • Orange Pear Apple Bear
    Emily Gravett
    4

  • Big Black Dog
    Caroline Glicksman
    4

  • Hugs on the Wind
    Marsha Diane Arnold
    Vernise Elaine Pelzel
    4

  • The Very Clever Crocodile
    Jack Tickle
    3

  • Muddlewitch Does Magic Tricks
    Nick Sharratt
    3

  • Little Monkey's One Safe Place
    Richard Edwards
    3

  • Baby Brains Superstar
    Simon James
    3

  • Storytime: First Tales for Sharing
    Stella Blackstone
    3

  • Meerkat Mail
    Emily Gravett
    3

  • Cave-baby and the Mammoth : Sally Sails the Seas : The Sand Dragon : Squelch! : Not-So-Silly Sausage : Nick's Birthday : Out Went Sam : Yummy Scrummy : Countdown! : One Wet Welly : Albert Liked Ladders : Billy on the Ball

    Vivien French
    Lisa Williams
    3

  • Splash! : Zoom!
    Sarah Garland
    2

  • The Starlight Baby
    Gillian Shields
    2

  • How to Build a House : Pip Likes Snow : Bird Watch : Molly is New : A Head Full of Stories : Elephant Rides Again
    Nick Turpin
    Barbara Nascimbeni
    2

Ages 5-8

  • The Princess and the Pea
    Lauren Child
    5

  • Little Tim and the Brave Sea Captain
    Edward Ardizzone
    5

  • Dotty Inventions and Some Real Ones Too
    Roger McGough
    5

  • Ice Bear
    Nicola Davies
    5

  • The Boy Who Grew Flowers
    Jen Wojtowicz
    4

  • Dear Bunny
    Michaela Morgan
    4

  • Indian Myths: Stories from ancient civilisations
    Shahrukh Husain
    4

  • The Lonely Tree
    Nicholas Halliday
    3

  • Rita in the Deep Blue Sea
    Hilda Offen
    3

  • Moonlight Mischief (Witch-in-Training)
    Maeve Friel
    3

  • Fig's Giant
    Geraldine McCaughrean
    2

  • Alfie Green and a Sink Full of Frogs : Alfie Green and the Magical Gift
    Joe O'Brien
    2

Ages 8-10

  • The Art Book for Children
    Amanda Renshaw
    Gilda Williams Ruggi
    5

  • The Carnival of the Animals : Poems inspired by Saint-Saens' music
    4

  • Home Front Heroes
    Jon Blake
    Penny McKinlay
    4

  • The Secret Life of Jamie B Hero.Com
    Ceri Worman
    4

  • Spymice - The Black Paw
    Heather Vogel Frederick
    4

  • Pharoah's Egypt
    Mick Manning
    Brita Granström
    4

  • Egyptian Diary: the Journal of Nakht
    Richard Platt
    4

  • ABC USA
    Martin Jarrie
    3

  • Billy Bonkers
    Giles Andreae
    3

  • Molly Moon's Hypnotic Time-Travel Adventure
    Georgia Byng
    3

  • Muslims in Britain
    Fiona Macdonald
    3

  • A Faith Like Mine
    Laura Buller
    3

  • Drift House: The First Vovage
    Dale Peck
    1

Ages 10-14

  • Something Invisible
    Siobhan Parkinson
    5

  • The Survival Game
    Tim Wynne-Jones
    5

  • The Web of Fire
    Steve Voake
    5

  • Blown Away
    Patrick Cave
    5

  • A Single Shard
    Linda Sue Park
    4

  • The Mob (The Crow Chronicles trilogy, Part 1)
    Clem Martini
    4

  • Turbulence
    Jan Mark
    4

  • Spy Girl: The Dark Side of Midnight
    Carol Hedges
    4

  • Malvolio's Revenge
    Sophie Masson
    4

  • CloudWorld
    David Cunningham
    4

  • Storm Thief
    Chris Wooding
    4

  • The Diamond of Drury Lane
    Julia Golding
    4

  • North Child
    Edith Pattou
    4

  • Chill Factor
    Vincent McDonnell
    3

  • The Lady Grace Mysteries: Gold
    Janet Burchett
    Sara Vogler
    3

  • The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
    John Boyne
    3

  • Powder Monkey
    Paul Dowswell
    3

  • House of Spies
    Griselda Gifford
    2

  • Ouch!
    Steve Cole
    2

Ages 14+

  • The Garden
    Elsie V Aidinoff
    5

  • Tamar
    Mal Peet
    5

  • The Magicians' Guild ; The Novice
    Trudi Canavan
    3

Books About Children's Books

  • Winning Books
    Ruth Allen
    3

  • Into the Wardrobe: C S Lewis and the Narnia Chronicles
    David C Downing
    3

BfK News

A Passion for Picture books

‘Although interest in the art of the picture book seems to have grown greatly in recent years, study of the field has remained polarised in its nature and perceptions,’ claim the authors of an important new book, Children’s Picturebooks: The art of visual storytelling.

Books for Keeps invited co-writers Martin Salisbury and Morag Styles to explain their aim to bring together ideas from the world of literature and education with ideas from the field of art and design.

read more...
BLOOD RED ROAD WINS 2011 COSTA CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD

For the second year in succession, a debut novel has won the Costa Children’s Book Award. The 2011 prize went to Jason Wallace for his novel Out of Shadows; this year’s prize has gone to Moira Young for her book Blood Red Road.

Set in a dystopian future world, Blood Red Road tells the story of 18-year-old Saba, a tough young woman who embarks on an epic quest to rescue her twin brother when he is kidnapped by four mysterious horsemen.

read more...
Behind the Bookshelf

A new way of bringing authors into the classroom – and a special competition for Books for Keeps readers.

read more...
2011 Educational Writers’ Award Winner Announced

The winner of the 2011 Educational Writers’ Award is Moon: Apollo 11 and Beyond…The Ultimate Guide to Our Nearest Neighbour by Stewart Ross.

The Educational Writers’ Award was established in 2008 by ALCS and The Society of Authors to celebrate educational writing that inspires creativity and encourages students to read widely and build up their understanding of a subject beyond the requirements of exam specifications.

read more...
Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize winner announced

The winner of the 2011 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize is How the World Works, an interactive opus that uses illustrations, pop ups, flaps and more to make children think about the impact of human actions on our environment, while encouraging respect for the natural world.

read more...
Muslim Writers Awards 2011

Na'ima B Robert's Far from Home (Frances Lincoln) has won the Published Children's Book category of the Muslim Writers Awards.

The Awards were held at the Globe Theatre on Tuesday 22nd November and acknowledged dramatists and young journalists as well as authors.

read more...
2011 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize

After a two year gap when, due to funding issues it was not awarded, The Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize 2011 will be awarded on Thursday 1st December, thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor.

The prize celebrates the books that best communicate science to young people aged up to 14 and there are six books on the shortlist. They are:

The Icky Sticky Blood and Snot Book by Steve Alton and Nick Sharratt (Bodley Head)

read more...
Liz Pichon and Peter Bently: Roald Dahl Funny Prize Winners

Winners Roald Dahl Prize 2011 2Tuesday 8th November saw the fourth annual Roald Dahl Funny Prize ceremony, which again took place at the Unicorn Theatre. This year Chair, and instigator of the prize, Michael Rosen was joined on the judging panel by author and broadcaster Grace Dent, illustrator Tony Ross, Horrid Henry creator Francesca Simon and journalist/scriptwriter Danny Wallace.

read more...
PIRATE CATS AND DOODLING SCHOOLBOY WIN THE 2011 ROALD DAHL FUNNY BOOK PRIZE

Roald Dahl Winners 2011Peter Bently and Liz Pichon have been announced as winners of the 2011 Roald Dahl Funny Book Prize. 

read more...
FIRST SLA INFORMATION BOOK AWARD: WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Adrian Dingle’s book How to make a Universe with 92 Ingredients (Scholastic) and The Life and Times of William Shakespeare by Kirsten McDermott and Ari Berk (Templar) were announced winners of the first SLA Information Book Award at a celebration event in London last night, Wednesday 2nd November.

read more...
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