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Books for Keeps 168 - the children's book magazine online

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BfK No. 168 - January 2008

Cover Story
This issue’s cover illustration by Andy Bridge is from Sally Grindley’s Broken Glass. Sally Grindley is interviewed by Clive Barnes. Thanks to Bloomsbury for their help with this January cover.

BfK No. 168 Articles

Editorial - January 2008

News and comment from the Editor.

Ethical Book Production

Caroline Horn investigates environmental and social issues.

Reading in the Middle Years (9-11): Texts and choices: reading non-fiction in the middle years

Suzanne Maile explores the role of non-fiction.

Teachers as Readers

Teresa Cremin, Eve Bearne, Prue Goodwin and Marilyn Mottram report on their research.

Why Do We Really Tell Stories?

Neil Philip challenges the notion of seven basic plots.

Authorgraph No.168: Sally Grindley

Sally Grindley interviewed by Clive Barnes.

Laureate Log - January 2008

Michael Rosen reports on his laureateship.

Hal’s Reading Diary - January 2008

Roger Mills on tactics to help Hal enjoy reading.

Classics in Short No.67: A Traveller in Time

Brian Alderson on Alison Uttley's A Traveller in Time

Editor's Choice

The Snow Goose

Paul Gallico
(Hutchinson)
5

Gallico’s The Snow Goose was first published in 1941 and culminates in the death of its hero, the ‘hunchback’ artist Philip Rhayader, at the evacuation of Dunkirk after many successful forays to lift men off the beaches. It’s a...

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New Talent

The Mousehunter

Alex Milway
(Faber and Faber)
3

Illustrated with his own line drawings, Milway’s The Mousehunter is a first novel of the most ambitious scope (and length). Incident is heaped upon incident as the plot becomes more and more convoluted and what seemed to make...

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All Children's Book Reviews in BfK No. 168

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

Under 5s

  • Wendel's Workshop

    Chris Riddell
    5
  • The Life of a Car

    Susan Steggall
    4
  • I Love You, Sleepyhead

    Claire Freedman
    4
  • The 108th Sheep

    Ayano Imai
    4
  • "The Trouble with Dogs"

    Bob Graham
    4
  • Ted, Bo and Diz: The First Adventure

    Jason Chapman
    3
  • Small Knight and George

    Ronda Armitage
    3
  • Perky Little Penguins

    Tony Mitton
    3
  • Patrick Paints a Picture

    Saviour Pirotta
    3
  • Happy Birthday, Winnie!

    Valerie Thomas
    3
  • Butterfly Girl

    Simon Puttock
    3
  • Shine Moon Shine

    David Conway
    2

Ages 5-8

  • See How It's Made

    Penny Smith
    Lorrie Mack
    5
  • Peter Pan and Wendy

    J M Barrie
    4
  • One Well

    Rochelle Strauss
    4
  • Mungo and the Spiders from Space

    Timothy Knapman
    4
  • Lila and the Secret of Rain

    David Conway
    4
  • Leonardo the Terrible Monster

    Mo Willems
    4
  • Baby Brains and Robomum

    Simon James
    4
  • Around the World in 80 Tales

    Saviour Pirotta
    4
  • Tales of Enchantment

    Lucy Coats
    3
  • Sir Gadabout Out of Time

    Martyn Beardsley
    3
  • Princess Grace

    Mary Hoffman
    3
  • Happy Birthday x 3

    Libby Gleeson
    3
  • Freckleface Strawberry

    Julianne Moore
    3
  • Boobela and the Belching Giant

    Joe Friedman
    3

Ages 8-10

  • The Worst Witch to the Rescue

    Jill Murphy
    5
  • This is the Blackbird

    John Mole
    5
  • The Snow Goose

    Paul Gallico
    5
  • Forever Rose

    Hilary McKay
    5
  • Dog Lost

    Ingrid Lee
    5
  • Cleopatra

    Adèle Geras
    4
  • Born to Run

    Michael Morpurgo
    4
  • Trolls on Hols

    Alan MacDonald
    3
  • My Hindu Community

    Kate Taylor
    Henna Parekh
    3
  • The Mousehunter

    Alex Milway
    3
  • A Farming Almanac

    Chris S Stephens
    3
  • Waste and Recycling

    Carol Inskipp
    2
  • Stardust from Space

    Monica Grady
    2

Ages 10-14

  • Red, Cherry Red

    Jackie Kay
    5
  • Outcast

    Michelle Paver
    5
  • Holocaust

    Angela Gluck Wood
    5
  • The Gallow Glass

    Brian Keaney
    5
  • The December Boys

    Michael Noonan
    5
  • The Witness

    James Jauncey
    4
  • Wilderness

    Roddy Doyle
    4
  • 'Luuurve is a many trousered thing…'

    Louise Rennison
    4
  • Kaï-ro

    Graham Marks
    4
  • The H-Bomb Girl

    Stephen Baxter
    4
  • Feasting the Wolf

    Susan Price
    4
  • The Chimera's Curse

    Julia Golding
    4
  • The Wrong Boy

    Anna-Louise Weatherley
    3
  • Thora and the Incredible Crystals

    Gillian Johnson
    3
  • this is what I did:

    Ann Dee Ellis
    3
  • Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac

    Gabrielle Zevin
    3
  • Lucky Star

    Cathy Cassidy
    3
  • Jack Flint and the Redthorn Sword

    Jack Donnelly
    3
  • The Great Escape

    Natalie Haynes
    3
  • The Cure

    Michael Coleman
    3
  • The City of Spirits

    Paul Bajoria
    3
  • Cat O'Nine Tails

    Julia Golding
    3
  • The Beggar of Volubilis

    Caroline Lawrence
    3
  • Battle Fleet

    Paul Dowswell
    3
  • African and Caribbean Communities in Britain

    Hakim Adi
    3
  • Wicked Lovely

    Melissa Marr
    2
  • Religious Freedom

    Sean Connolly
    2
  • The Geat: The story of Beowulf and Grendel

    2

Ages 14+

  • Slam

    Nick Hornby
    5
  • Before I Die

    Jenny Downham
    4
  • Ruby Red

    Linzi Glass
    2
  • The Declaration

    Gemma Malley
    0

Books About Children's Books

  • Irish Children's Writers and Illustrators 1986-2006: A Selection of Essays

    4
  • Beatrix Potter: Sources of her Inspiration

    3

BfK News

THE FRANCES LINCOLN DIVERSE VOICES CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD 2013

Tariq Mehmood has won the Frances Lincoln Diverse Voices Children’s Book Award 2013 for You’re Not Proper. The announcement was made on 23rd May 2013 by John Nicoll, founder of the award, at Seven Stories - National Centre for Children’s Books.

read more...
ROYAL SOCIETY YOUNG PEOPLE’S BOOK PRIZE 2013 SHORTLIST

The Royal Society has announced the shortlist for their 2013 Young People’s Book Prize, naming the six books the judges consider best communicate science to young people.

Professor John Goodby FRS, Chair of the judges described the shortlist as eclectic, but enthralling.

The six books shortlisted by the judges are:

Build the Human Body by Richard Walker (Templar Publishing)

In the judges’ words: ‘A hands on, fun kit to help learn about the human body, accompanied by a well-illustrated, concise, clear book.’

read more...
DANIEL MORDEN WINS 2013 TIR NA N-OG ENGLISH AWARD

The Welsh Books Council has announced Daniel Morden as winner of the 2013 Tir na n-Og English Award for his collection of stories Tree of Leaf and Flame (Pont Books).

Morden’s first book, Weird Tales from the  Storyteller, was shortlisted for the Tir
na n-Og English-language award in 2004 and he won the award in 2007 for Dark Tales from the Woods.

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SARAH GARLAND WINS INAUGURAL LITTLE REBELS CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD

Sarah Garland has won the first Little Rebels Children’s Book Award for Azzi in Between, which tells the story of a family forced to fell their homeland and settle in a strange and unfamiliar country. The book is based on the author’s own experience of working among refugee families and is endorsed by Amnesty International.

read more...
2013 BRANFORD BOASE AWARD: THE SHORTLIST

‘Seven outstanding debuts, eight really interesting authors, doing really interesting things’

The shortlist for the 2013 Branford Boase Award has been announced. The Branford Boase Award is given annually to the author of an outstanding debut novel for children. Uniquely, it also honours the editor of the winning title and highlights the importance of the editor in nurturing new talent.

read more...
2013 CLPE Poetry Award: Winner

CLPE AwardThe 2013 CLPE Poetry Award has been won by George Szirtes for  In the Land of the Giants, illustrated by Helen Szirtes (Salt Publishing). Szirtes was presented with the award by last year’s winner Rachel Rooney at a ceremony at CLPE on the evening of Tuesday 30 April.

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THE 2013 CLPE POETRY AWARD SHORTLIST

Weight of WaterFour outstanding poetry books are shortlisted for the 2013 CLPE Poetry Award. Established in 2003, the annual Poetry Award encourages and celebrates outstanding new children’s poetry.

 

 

 

 

 

The four books on the shortlist are:

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2013 ENGLISH 4 – 11 PICTURE BOOK AWARDS: THE WINNERS

The winners of the 2013 English 4 – 11 Picture Book Awards have been announced. Established in 1995, the awards are presented annually to the best picture books of the previous year, in four categories, Fiction 4 – 7 and 7 – 11 years, and Non-Fiction 4 – 7 and 7 – 11 years.

From a 15 strong shortlist, the winners are:

Fiction 4 – 7 years

Hippospotamus by Jeanne Willis illustrated by Tony Ross (Andersen Press)

Fiction 7 – 11 years

read more...
IBBY Announces the 2014 Hans Christian Andersen Award Nominees

The nominees for the 2014 Hans Christian Andersen Award have been announced.

The Hans Christian Andersen Award is the highest international distinction given to authors and illustrators of children's books. Awarded every other year by IBBY, the award recognizes lifelong achievement and is given to an author and an illustrator whose complete works have made an important, lasting contribution to children's literature.

For the 2014 Awards 29 authors and 31 illustrators have been nominated from 34 countries. They are:

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New Little Rebels Children’s Book Award: Shortlist Announced

The shortlist has been announced for The Little Rebels Children’s Book Award, a new award for radical children’s fiction.

The Little Rebels Children’s Book Award recognises fiction for ages 0-12 which promotes or celebrates social justice and equality. It is awarded by the Alliance of Radical Booksellers (ARB) and administered by Letterbox Library. Wendy Cooling, Bookstart co-founder & editor and author Elizabeth Laird are both judges.

The four books on the inaugural shortlist are:

read more...
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