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Books for Keeps 197 - the children's book magazine online

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BfK No. 197 - November 2012
BfK 197 November 2012

This issue's cover illustration is by Quentin Blake and is from Christmas Stories by Michael Morpurgo. Thanks to Egmont for their help with this November cover.

Digital Edition
By clicking here you can view, print or download the fully artworked Digital Edition of BfK 197 November 2012 .

BfK No. 197 Articles

ANNABEL PITCHER'S NEW NOVEL KETCHUP CLOUDS

Annabel Pitcher was one of last year’s biggest breakthroughs in children’s publishing. Laura Fraine talks to her about her new book Ketchup Clouds
Editorial 197

Editorial
Books for Giving Christmas 2012

The pick of the Christmas books.
Marion Lloyd: an editor’s life in children’s books

Marion Lloyd lays bare the inner world of publishing
Ten of the Best: picture books valuing children’s diverse families

Ten of the Best: picture books valuing diverse families
Debi Gliori Windows into Illustration

Debi Gliori on how she went about illustrating What's the Time, Mr Wolf?
Testing Times for Writing

Henrietta Dombey explains what learning to write involves
Bali Rai Authorgraph

Bali Rai interviewed by Caroline Sanderson..
Briefing 197

News and Awards
Hal's Reading Diary 197

Hal’s Reading Diary Roger Mills thinks Hal may yet be a reader
Sharon Creech I Wish I'd Written

Sharon Creech chooses Anne of Green Gables
ABC International School, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Good Reads

Good Reads Reviews from the ABC International School, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Seven Stories Brilliant Bookshop

The brilliant Seven Stories Bookshop
Brian Alderson on The Jolly Christmas Postman

Brian Alderson on The Jolly Christmas Postman by Allan and Janet Ahlberg
Edith Pattou talks about North Child

Edith Pattou talks to Books for Keeps about writing North Child.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Adventure

New Zealand screenwriter and director Peter Jackson brought
The Lord of The Rings to the screen
ten years ago. He is back with a trilogy of film adaptations of The Hobbit.  An Unexpected Adventure is the first film
in the series. Laura Fraine went to the cinema to watch it for Books for Keeps.
An Interview with C.J. Daugherty

C.J. Daugherty interviewed about her Night School series.

Editor's Choice

This Moose Belongs to Me
Oliver Jeffers
(HarperCollinsChildren'sBooks)
5

Against splendid depictions of the American wilderness with its snow covered peaks, forest and lakes (reminiscent of the photographs of Ansel Adams), Oliver Jeffers playfully situates Wilfred and the gigantic moose he decides to make his pet....

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New Talent

Anthem for Jackson Dawes
Celia Bryce
(Bloomsbury Childrens)
4

13-year-old (‘almost 14’) Megan is disconcerted to find, on her arrival in hospital, that she’s been put in the ‘baby ward’ which is indeed full of crying babies, plastic toys and cheerful posters. The only other teenager on the ward is tall,...

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All Children's Book Reviews in BfK No. 197

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

Under 5s

  • Superworm
    Julia Donaldson
    5

  • Fly, Chick, Fly!
    Jeanne Willis
    5

  • Grandpa Green
    Lane Smith
    5

  • What About Bear?
    Suzanne Bloom
    5

  • This Moose Belongs to Me
    Oliver Jeffers
    5

  • Hey Presto!
    Nadia Shireen
    5

  • Rosie's Magic Horse
    Russell Hoban
    4

Ages 5-8

  • The Paper Dolls
    Julia Donaldson
    4

  • The Factory Made Boy
    Christine Nostlinger
    4

  • Penguin and Pinecone
    Salina Yoon
    3

  • Bagpipes, Beasties and Bogles
    Tim Archbold
    3

  • Horrid Henry's Christmas Play
    Francesca Simon
    3

  • Claude in the Country
    Alex T Smith
    3

  • Lousy Thinking
    Mike Davies
    3

Ages 8-10

  • Osbert the Avenger
    Christopher William Hill
    5

  • The Boy Who Swam with Piranhas
    David Almond
    5

  • An Illustrated Treasury of Scottish Folk and Fairy Tales
    Theresa Breslin
    5

  • Viking Boy
    Tony Bradman
    4

  • Hero Girls
    Bernard Ashley
    4

  • Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and the Race Against Time
    Frank Cottrell Boyce
    4

  • Ruby Redfort Take Your Last Breath
    Lauren Child
    4

  • The Dreadful Dragon
    Kaye Umansky
    4

  • Can it be about me?
    Cheryl Moskowitz
    4

  • Molecule Mayhem!
    Tom Adams
    3

  • Ratburger
    David Walliams
    3

  • Sammy Feral's Diaries of Weird
    Eleanor Hawken
    3

  • Short Christmas Stories
    Maggie Pearson
    2

Ages 10-14

  • Rebecca's Rules
    Anna Carey
    5

  • Liar and Spy
    Rebecca Stead
    5

  • A Medal for Leroy
    Michael Morpurgo
    5

  • The Apothecary
    Maile Meloy
    4

  • The Cloud Hunters
    Alex Shearer
    4

  • Lemonade Sky
    Jean Ure
    4

  • Anthem for Jackson Dawes
    Celia Bryce
    4

  • In the Sea There Are Crocodiles
    Fabio Geda
    4

  • Ghost Knight
    Cornelia Funke
    4

  • The Fire Chronicle
    John Stephens
    4

  • Winterling
    Sarah Prineas
    3

  • Guardian Angel
    Robert Muchamore
    3

Ages 14+

  • Such Wicked Intent
    Kenneth Oppel
    4

  • Blink Once
    Cylin Busby
    4

  • Eleven Eleven
    Paul Dowswell
    3

  • Jepp, Who Defied the Stars
    Katherine Marsh
    2

BfK News

JASBINDER BILAN WINS COSTA CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD WITH HER DEBUT NOVEL

Jasbinder Bilan

read more...
COSTA CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD 2019: SHORTLIST FEATURES

Former Children’s Laureate Malorie Blackman and acclaimed author Jenny Downham are on the shortlist for the 2019 Costa Children’s Book Award alongside newcomers Jasbinder Bilan and Nicholas Downing.

Costa Book Awards logo

Click the links below to read new Books for Keeps feature articles on each of the shortlisted authors.

read more...
THE IBBY LIST OF OUSTANDING BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Dr Rebecca Butler writes.

Readers of Books for Keeps will remember that IBBY (the International Board on Books for Young People) arranges every two years a competition to identify the very best books for young readers featuring disability or designed to be read by young people with disabilities. Last time this list was compiled in 2017/18 I was the coordinator for the UK section.

read more...
ALASTAIR HUMPHREYS’ GREAT ADVENTURERS WINS THE 2019 EDUCATIONAL WRITERS’ AWARD

The winner of the 2019 Educational Writers’ Award is Alastair Humphreys’ Great Adventurers: The Incredible Expeditions of 20 Explorers (Big Picture Press).

Alastair Humphreys Great Adventures

read more...
BLACKMAN AND DOWNHAM ON SHORTLIST FOR 2019 COSTA CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD

Former Children’s Laureate Malorie Blackman and acclaimed author Jenny Downham are on the shortlist for the 2019 Costa Children’s Book Award, which was announced today, 26th November 2020. Alongside them on the list are newcomers Jasbinder Bilan and Nicholas Downing, both of whom are published by Chicken House.

The 2019 Costa Children’s Award shortlist

read more...
2019 ALCS EDUCATIONAL WRITERS’ AWARD SHORTLIST

Shortlist announced for the UK’s only award for creative educational writing

The Society of Authors and the Authors’ Licensing& Collecting Society have announced the shortlist for the 2019 ALCS Educational Writers’ Award, the UK’s only award for educational writing which stimulates and enhances the learning experience.

read more...
‘INSPIRING’: CONTENDERS FOR THE 2020 BLUE PETER BOOK AWARDS REVEALED

Blue Peter Book Award logo

Six books have made it onto the shortlists for the 2020 Blue Peter Book Awards. There are two categories: Best Story, and – in non-fiction November – Best Book with Facts.

read more...
NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED FOR THE 2020 CARNEGIE AND KATE GREENAWAY MEDALS

And we’re off… the nominations for the 2020 Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals are announced today, Monday 4th November.

read more...
2020 UKLA BOOK AWARDS THE LONGLISTS

UKLA Awards

A record number of submissions and a new category to highlight information books marks the 12th longlists for the UKLA Awards, the only national awards judged by active classroom teachers.

read more...
JESSICA LOVE NAMED WINNER OF THE KLAUS FLUGGE PRIZE 2019 FOR JULIAN IS A MERMAID

Jessica Love

read more...
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