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Books for Keeps 186 - the children's book magazine online

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BfK No. 186 - January 2011
BfK 186 January 2011

Cover Story
This issue’s cover features Ally Kennen and her latest book, Quarry. Ally Kennen is interviewed by Julia Eccleshare. Thanks to Marion Lloyd Books for their help with this January cover.

Digital Edition
By clicking here you can view, print or download the fully artworked Digital Edition of BfK 186 January 2011

BfK No. 186 Articles

Editorial – January 2011

News and comment from the Editor.

Panic about the teaching of reading

Henrietta Dombey takes issue with the promotion of systematic synthetic phonics.

Appy Days

Kate Wilson explains the potential of apps.

Playing with Words: Two Children’s Encounters with Poetry from Birth

Playing with Words: Two Children’s Encounters with Poetry from Birth

Ten of the Best Books on Green Issues

Ten of the Best Books on Green Issues

Windows into Illustration: Ella Burfoot

Ella Burfoot on the illustrations for Betty and the Yeti

Conflicts and Controversies: Running into Flak

Novelist Elizabeth Laird discusses ‘running into flak’.

Authorgraph No.186: Ally Kennen

Ally Kennen is interviewed by Julia Eccleshare.

OBITUARY: Adrian Jackson

Adrian Jackson (1951-2010)

BfK Briefing – January 2011

Awards

I Wish I’d Written… Mortal Engines

Ali Sparkes chooses Philip Reeve’s Mortal Engines.

Hal’s Reading Diary – January 2011

Roger Mills on Hal’s attitude to reading.

Good Reads: Booktrust Teenage Prize reviewed by the four teenage judges.

Reviews from the teen judges of Booktrust Teenage Prize.

Classics in Short No.85: HEIDI

Brian Alderson on Johanna Spyri’s Heidi.

Jason Wallace,winner of the Costa Chiidren’s Book Award, talks to Books for keeps

First time author wins the Costa Children’s Book  Award.

First time author wins the Costa Children’s Book Award

Jason Wallace wins the Costa Children’s Book Award.

Obituary: Dick King-Smith

Laura Fraine on Dick King-Smith 1922-2011

Obituary: Kate Jones

Anne Marley remembers Kate Jones.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader has just been released. Will children enjoy it? Laura Fraine reports.

Extract: If I Could Fly

Extract from If I Could Fly by Jill Hucklesby

Chris Wormell talks about Scruffy Bear and the Six White Mice

Chris Wormell answers questions from BfK.

Writing Grace – Morris Gleitzman

Morris Gleitzman talks to Books for Keeps

Obituary: Brian Jacques

Jake Hope remembers Brian Jacques.

Rebecca Stead interviewed by BfK

Graham Marks talks to Rebecca Stead about her latest book.

The Frances Hardinge interview

Caroline Sanderson talks to Frances Hardinge.

Editor's Choice

Up and Down

Oliver Jeffers
(HarperCollinsChildren'sBooks)
5

The boy and his friend the penguin (who first appeared in Jeffers’ extraordinary debut picture book, Lost and Found) ‘always did everything together’. We see them involved in a pretend game, making music and playing backgammon....

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New Talent

Artichoke Hearts

Sita Brahmachari
(Macmillan Children's Books)
4

This unusual novel is about the process of dying. 12 year-old Mira’s Grandmother, Nana Josie, has a terminal illness and her family experience with her each stage of the trajectory to death. As a counterpoint to this intense and unflinching...

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All Children's Book Reviews in BfK No. 186

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

Under 5s

  • Up and Down

    Oliver Jeffers
    5
  • Immi

    Karin Littlewood
    5
  • I See the Moon

    Jacqueline Mitton
    5
  • Maisy’s Show

    Lucy Cousins
    5
  • Jeremiah Jellyfish Flies High!

    John Fardell
    5
  • A Splendid Friend, Indeed

    Suzanne Bloom
    4
  • Egg

    Alex T Smith
    4
  • Fatou, fetch the water

    Neil Griffiths
    4
  • The Three Billy Goats Fluff

    Rachael Mortimer
    4
  • The Bear with Sticky Paws and the New Baby

    Clara Vulliamy
    4
  • George and Ghost

    Catriona Hoy
    4
  • The Beasties

    Jenny Nimmo
    3
  • Our Animals ¦ At School

    3

Ages 5-8

  • Olivia Goes to Venice

    Ian Falconer
    5
  • Ahmed and the Feather Girl

    Jane Ray
    4
  • Dragon Feathers

    4
  • Even Monsters Need Haircuts

    Matthew McElligott
    4
  • Sivu’s Six Wishes

    Jude Daly
    4
  • Quentin Blake’s Magical Tales

    John Yeoman
    4
  • Cactus Annie

    Melanie Williamson
    3
  • Jumping Mouse

    3
  • The Railway Rabbits: Wisher and the Runaway Piglet

    Georgie Adams
    3
  • Little Frog

    Jakob Martin Strid
    3
  • You Can't Play Here!

    Angus Corby
    3
  • The Ice Bear

    Jackie Morris
    3
  • Spike and Ali Enson

    Malaika Rose Stanley
    3
  • The No.1 Car Spotter

    Atinuke
    3

Ages 8-10

  • The Iron Man

    Ted Hughes
    5
  • Noah Barleywater Runs Away

    John Boyne
    5
  • Pull Out All the Stops

    Geraldine McCaughrean
    5
  • Mr Gum and the Secret Hideout

    Andy Stanton
    5
  • The Good Green Lunchbox

    Jocelyn Miller
    4
  • I Found a Dead Bird: a guide to the cycle of life and death

    Jan Thornhill
    4
  • The Magician’s Elephant

    Kate DiCamillo
    4
  • A Slip in Time

    Maggie Pearson
    4
  • The White Wand

    Martin Howard
    4
  • The Longest Whale Song

    Jacqueline Wilson
    4
  • By Sun and Candlelight

    4
  • The Search for WondLa

    Tony DiTerlizzi
    3
  • Bella Donna: Coven Road

    Ruth Symes
    3
  • Tumtum & Nutmeg: A Circus Adventure

    Emily Bearn
    3
  • The Big Green Book

    Ian Winton
    Fred Pearce
    3
  • Meltem’s Journey

    Anthony Robinson
    3

Ages 10-14

  • What goes on in my Head?

    Robert Winston
    5
  • Bartimaeus: The Ring of Solomon

    Jonathan Stroud
    5
  • Zelah Green ¦ Zelah Green: One More Little Problem

    Vanessa Curtis
    5
  • The Midnight Zoo

    Sonya Hartnett
    5
  • Accomplice

    Eireann Corrigan
    4
  • Circle of Fire

    S M Hall
    4
  • Artichoke Hearts

    Sita Brahmachari
    4
  • Lost Dogs

    Garrett Carr
    4
  • The Fallen 1: The Fallen and Leviathan

    Thomas E Sniegoski
    4
  • The Killer’s Daughter

    Vivian Oldaker
    4
  • Blood Crime

    John Brindley
    4
  • Boy vs. Girl

    Na'ima B Robert
    3
  • Playing with Phyre

    Graham Marks
    3
  • Shadow

    Michael Morpurgo
    3
  • The Tolpuddle Boy

    Alan James Brown
    3
  • In Defence of the Realm

    3
  • Double Crossing

    Richard Platt
    3
  • Blood Ransom

    Sophie McKenzie
    3
  • Birth of a Killer

    Darren Shan
    3
  • Eating Things on Sticks

    Anne Fine
    2
  • Clockwork Angel

    Cassandra Clare
    2
  • Barack Obama

    Peter Hicks
    2

Ages 14+

  • Being Billy

    Phil Earle
    5
  • The Glass Collector

    Anna Perera
    5
  • Lifted

    Hilary Freeman
    5
  • You Against Me

    Jenny Downham
    5
  • Boys Don't Cry

    Malorie Blackman
    4
  • Finding Sky

    Joss Stirling
    4
  • iBoy

    Kevin Brooks
    3
  • Revolution

    Jennifer Donnelly
    3
  • Learning to Scream

    Beate Teresa Hanika
    3
  • Torment

    Lauren Kate
    2

Books About Children's Books

  • So Much to Tell

    Valerie Grove
    5
  • Poetry and Childhood

    Morag Styles
    5
  • The Lore of the Playground: One Hundred Years of Children's Games, Rhymes and Traditions

    Steve Roud
    4
  • Spoilt Rotten: the Toxic Cult of Sentimentality

    Theodore Dalrymple
    0

BfK News

DICKENS AND CHILDHOOD CONFERENCE

Dickens and Childhood Conference and Symposium Monday 18 June

It is not too late to book places on this special one-day conference on Dickens and Childhood, which will include walks, lectures, readings, and parallel sessions on topics that will appeal to students, teachers, Dickens experts, and the ‘interested reader’.

Marcia Williams Dickens

read more...
Siobhan Dowd Trust launches competition to help encourage a love of reading

The Siobhan Dowd Trust launches competition to help encourage a love of reading

The Siobhan Dowd Trust is proud to announce that Michael Rosen, Poet and ex-Childrens’ Laureate will be on the judging panel of a schools campaign, which is asking teachers and librarians for their ideas about how they encourage a love of books in their schools. The Trust will use the entries to build up a database of ideas which can be shared and swapped… and the ten best or most innovative ideas will receive £1000 worth of books.

read more...
Maurice Sendak June 1928 – May 2012

Maurice Sendak, who has died at the age of 83 was one of the most important illustrators of the twentieth century. Joanna Carey assesses his career for Books for Keeps

read more...
2012 Branford Boase Shortlist

Branford Boase Award logoSeven authors are on the shortlist for the 2012 Branford Boase Award, announced today, Monday 30 April.

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...
Riddell and Stewart Guest Speakers at IBBY UK AGM 2 May

Chris Riddell and Paul Stewart will be guest speakers at the IBBY UK AGM on Wednesday 2 May at Random House 20 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London SW1V 2SA, London. The meeting is free and non-members are welcome. Refreshments will be available from 6.30pm with Chris and Paul speaking at 7pm. Book sales and a signing will take place after the meeting. To book a place email bicarrington@nasuwt.net

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2012 CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medal Shortlists

2012 CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medal Shortlists

The shortlists have been announced for the 2012 CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals, the oldest and most prestigious of all the UK’s children’s book awards.

There are eight books on each shortlist, two more than has been usual: a sign perhaps of the difficulty the judges had in making their final choice.

read more...
GUUS KUIJER TO RECEIVE THE ASTRID LINDGREN MEMORIAL AWARD 2012

The 2012 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award is to be awarded to the Dutch author Guus Kuijer.

read more...
FIRST BRITISH EXHIBITION OF CHINESE PICTURE BOOK ILLUSTRATION

In April, London hosts the first exhibitions in Britain of Chinese children’s and picture book illustration. The exhibitions feature eighty individual illustrations by China’s most celebrated children’s illustrators, and is organised by the Zhejiang Publishing Group, the Publishers’ Association of China, Propeller TV, and the Chinese Board on Books for Young People (CBBY); with the cooperation of the UK section of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY UK).

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NEW AWARD SHORTLISTS ANNOUNCED

As we wait for the announcement of the shortlists for this year’s CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals, two other interesting and unusual award shortlists have just been revealed.

read more...
Transfer for Once Upon A Wartime exhibition

The Once Upon A Wartime exhibition is now at IWM North Manchester, until 2 September 2012

Based on five war-based children’s novels, the exhibition explores the history of real life conflicts from 1914 to the present day through the eyes of fictional children.

Read Kate Agnew’s Books for Keeps review of the exhibition here.

read more...
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