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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

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.’

read more...
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.

read more...
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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SHORTLIST FOR THE 2021 BLUE PETER BOOK AWARDS REVEALED

The six books shortlisted for the 2021 Blue Peter Book Awards have been announced.

Blue Peter Book Award logo

read more...
Happy National Non-Fiction November 2020

It’s National Non-Fiction November! Organised by the Federation of Children’s Book Groups, National Non-Fiction November is an annual celebration of the power of non-fiction to inspire children and celebrate readers who have a passion for information and facts. 2020 is the 10th anniversary of National Non-Fiction November.

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JANE PORTER AND MAISIE PARADISE SHEARRING 2020 LITTLE REBELS AWARD WINNERS

Jane Porter and Maisie Paradise Shearring have won the 2020 Little Rebels Award for their picture book The Boy who Loved Everyone. They will share the £2000 prize.

Little Rebels logo 2020

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OU AND MACMILLAN CHILDREN’S BOOKS LAUNCH BOOK CHAT SCHEME

The Open University (OU) is launching Book Chat: Reading with your Child, a resource which comprises three short films and support materials to help parents, families and carers read books conversationally and creatively to children. Working with Macmillan Children’s Books, the films use a selection of their picture books and a poetry collection to support families with reading to different ages of children.

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TOM PALMER WINS THE CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD 2020

Tom Palmer

read more...
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