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Books for Keeps 215 - the children's book magazine online

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Books for Keeps is packed with articles, interviews comment and, of course, reviews.

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BfK No. 215 - November 2015
Latest cover image as BfK 215 November 2015

This issue’s cover illustration is from Hare by Zoe Greaves illustrated by Leslie Sadleir. Thanks to Old Barn Books for their help with this Christmas cover.

Digital Edition
By clicking here you can view, print or download the fully artworked Digital Edition of BfK 215 November 2015.

BfK No. 215 Articles

Editorial 215

by Ferelith Hordon

Writing contemporary YA in the age of the internet

Is social media a threat to story telling? asks author Keren David

Authorgraph 215 Oliver Jeffers

Oliver Jeffers interviewed by Joanna Carey

Windows into Illustration: Benji Davies

Benji Davies takes us round Grandad’s Island

Books of the Year 2015

Books of the Year chosen by Books for Keeps contributors

Ten of the Best Books to Introduce Children to the Theatre

Geraldine Brennan chooses the best children’s books on the theatre

Books for Giving Christmas 2015

Andrea Reece plays Santa

Book list Books for Giving 2015

Detials for all the books featured in our Christmas Gift Guide

Award Winning Comics

recent winners highlighted by Hannah Sackett

Classics Wonderland

Classics for Christmas chosen by Imogen Russell Williams

Good Reads 215

Good Reads chosen by pupils at St Paul's CBS Secondary School, Dublin

I wish I’d Written: Sam Gayton

Sam Gayton chooses

Book Aid International – Inspiring Readers

Jenny Hayes on this vital programme

Two Children Tell: Rebecca and Nicholas Upside Down

Rebecca and Nicholas upside down

Classics in Short No.114

Alice Under Ground

A Q&A INTERVIEW WITH NATASHA CARTHEW

The author of Winter Damage and The Light That Gets Lost

AN INTERVIEW WITH COSTA SHORTLISTED AUTHOR SALLY NICHOLLS

Sally Nicholls talks about her acclaimed new novel An Island of Our Own.

AN INTERVIEW WITH COSTA SHORTLISTED AUTHOR HAYLEY LONG

Martyn Bedford talks to Costa shortlisted author Hayley Long about Sophie Someone.

AN INTERVIEW WITH COSTA SHORTLISTED AUTHOR FRANCES HARDINGE

The author speaks to her editor Rachel Petty.

COSTA SHORTLISTED AUTHOR ANDREW NORRISS ON WRITING JESSICA’S GHOST

Author Andrew Norriss on the writing of his Costa shortlisted book Jessica's Ghost

Editor's Choice

The Crossover

Kwame Alexander
(Andersen Press)
5

Josh and Jordan are twins and both passionate about basketball; a passion inherited from their father who played professionally. But when Alexis arrives on the scene, their relationship starts to unravel.

The themes that run through this...

read more

New Talent

The Bear and the Piano

David Litchfield
(Frances Lincoln Children's Books)
5

What happens when a small bear finds a piano in the forest? He learns to play it, is discovered and whisked off to fame and fortune. But is this enough?

In this debut picture book, David Litchfield takes a theme that will have a resonance...

read more

All Children's Book Reviews in BfK No. 215

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

Under 5s

  • Vikings in the Supermarket

    Nick Sharratt
    5
  • The Bear and the Piano

    David Litchfield
    5
  • Super Magic Happy Forest

    Matty Long
    5
  • Achoo!

    Virginie Morgand
    5
  • What’s Up Mumu?

    David Mackintosh
    5
  • Max at Night

    Ed Vere
    5
  • Elmer and the Flood

    David McKee
    4
  • The Snow Beast

    Chris Judge
    4
  • The Lion Inside

    Rachel Bright
    4

Ages 5-8

  • Vikings in the Supermarket

    Nick Sharratt
    5
  • Imaginary Fred

    Eoin Colfer
    Oliver Jeffers
    5
  • The Day the Crayons Came Home

    Drew Daywalt
    5
  • Leo: A Ghost Story

    Mac Barnett
    5
  • Mister Cleghorn’s Seal

    Judith Kerr
    5
  • The Prince and the Porker

    Peter Bently
    5
  • Home by Carson Ellis

    Carson Ellis
    5
  • The Lion and the Bird

    Marianne Dubuc
    5
  • Harper and the Scarlet Umbrella

    Cerrie Burnell
    5
  • Take Away the A

    Michaël Escoffier
    4
  • Hare

    Zoë Greaves
    4
  • The Colour Monster

    Anna Llenas
    4
  • Dog on a Train: The Special Delivery

    Kate Prendergast
    4

Ages 8-10

  • Imaginary Fred

    Eoin Colfer
    Oliver Jeffers
    5
  • Once Upon a Place

    5
  • How to Fight a Dragon’s Fury

    Cressida Cowell
    5
  • The Wonder Garden

    Kristjana S Williams
    5
  • The Boy Who Fell Off the Mayflower

    P J Lynch
    5
  • City Atlas

    Georgia Cherry
    5
  • The Doldrums: A Badly Planned Adventure

    Nicholas Gannon
    4
  • The Secret Dinosaur Giants Awake!

    N.S. Blackman
    4
  • Precious and the Zebra Necklace

    Alexander McCall Smith
    4
  • Pugs of the Frozen North

    Philip Reeve
    Sarah McIntyre
    4
  • Evil Emperor Penguin

    Laura Ellen Anderson
    4
  • The Snow Sister

    Emma Carroll
    4
  • Nelly and the Quest for Captain Peabody

    Roland Chambers
    3

Ages 10-14

  • The School of Art

    The School of Art

    Teal Triggs
    5
  • Once Upon a Place

    5
  • The Crossover

    Kwame Alexander
    5
  • National Theatre: All About Theatre

    Marina McIntyre
    5
  • Lockwood and Co The Hollow Boy

    Jonathan Stroud
    5
  • Railhead

    Philip Reeve
    5
  • The Edge of Me

    Jane Brittan
    4
  • The Boy Who Sailed the Ocean in an Armchair

    Lara Williamson
    4
  • An Eagle in the Snow

    Michael Morpurgo
    4
  • First Class Murder

    Robin Stevens
    4
  • A Slice of the Moon

    Sandi Toksvig
    4
  • The Boy at the Top of the Mountain

    John Boyne
    3

Ages 14+

  • The Shepherd’s Crown

    Terry Pratchett
    5
  • Night Owls

    Jenn Bennett
    5
  • Railhead

    Philip Reeve
    5
  • The Big Lie

    Julie Mayhew
    5
  • The Edge of Me

    Jane Brittan
    4
  • Dangerous Lies

    Becca Fitzpatrick
    4
  • Bad Bones

    Graham Marks
    4
  • Thirteen Days of Midnight

    Leo Hunt
    4
  • Black Cairn Point

    Claire McFall
    4
  • The Light That Gets Lost

    Natasha Carthew
    4
  • All Sorts of Possible

    Rupert Wallis
    3
  • Dark Room

    Tom Becker
    3

Books About Children's Books

  • 100 Great Children’s Picture Books

    Martin Salisbury
    5

BfK News

CRESSIDA COWELL LAUNCHES NEW LAUREATE INITIATIVE IN SUPPORT OF SCHOOL LIBRARIES AND CALLS ON PM TO ACT

‘How can a child become a reader for pleasure if their parents or carers cannot afford books, and their primary school has no library, or that library is woefully insufficient?’

Life-changing Libraries logo

read more...
SHORTLISTS ANNOUNCED FOR THE 2021 UKLA BOOK AWARDS

UKLA Book Awards logo

read more...
ALL STORIES, A NEW MENTORSHIP PROGRAMME FOR UNDERREPRESENTED CHILDREN’S BOOK WRITERS

A new mentorship scheme for underrepresented authors launches today, 30 March. All Stories offers fourteen mentorships delivered by expert children’s book editors.

All Stories logo

read more...
2021 SHORTLISTS ANNOUNCED FOR CILIP CARNEGIE AND KATE GREENAWAY MEDALS

CKG Logo

The shortlists for the prestigious CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals are announced today, 18 March. The awards are the UK’s oldest for children and young people.

This year’s judges praised their shortlists for ‘offering hope and escapism during lockdown’ through explorations of freedom, the great outdoors and journeys through the natural world.

read more...
INAUGURAL LONGLIST ANNOUNCED FOR THE JHALAK CHILDREN’S AND YOUNG ADULT PRIZE

The Jhalak Prize has announced the longlist for the inaugural Jhalak Children’s & Young Adult Prize.

Jhalak Prize logo

read more...
ONJALI RAÚF BECOMES WRITER IN RESIDENCE FOR BOOKTRUST

Award-winning author and activist, Onjali Raúf takes up the post as the new Writer in Residence for BookTrust, today, International Women’s Day. She takes over from Smriti Halls.

Onjali Q Raúf

read more...
LONGLISTS ANNOUNCED FOR 2021 CILIP CARNEGIE AND KATE GREENAWAY MEDALS

The longlist for the 2021 CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals have been announced.

CKG Logo

read more...
LONGLIST ANNOUNCED FOR 2021 KLAUS FLUGGE PRIZE

Klaus Flugge Prize logo

read more...
NOW OPEN: 2021 HENRIETTA BRANFORD WRITING COMPETITION

Finish a story started by Branford Boase Award winner Liz Hyder

The Henrietta Branford Writing Competition, the annual competition for young people which runs in conjunction with the Branford Boase Award, is now open.

read more...
TWO UK ENTRIES ON IBBY LIST OF OUTSTANDING BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Every two years, IBBY invites nominations for its international List of Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities. Nominations are made by IBBY national sections and the final list is selected from these by the IBBY Documentation Centre of Books for Young People with Disabilities, based in Toronto. Because of its international content, the list is unique in the children’s book world. It is a huge voluntary undertaking as every country is encouraged to submit up to twelve titles across the three categories.

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