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Books for Keeps 217 - 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. 217 - March 2016
BfK 217 March 2016

Cover Story
This issue’s cover illustration is from Love Song by Sophia Bennett. Thanks to Chicken House for their help with this cover.

Digital Edition
By clicking here you can view, print or download the fully artworked Digital Edition of BfK 217 March 2016.

BfK No. 217 Articles

Editorial 217

by Ferelith Hordon
Our (Shakespeare) revels are now just beginning…

Tony Bradman on the lasting appeal of the Bard
Prospero’s Island

Teresa Cremin reports on a fascinating experiential theatre project
Windows into Illustration: Ben Newman

Ben Newman on illustrating Professor Astro Cat
Authorgraph 217 Sophia Bennett

Sophia Bennett interviewed by Ferelith Hordon
Ten of the Best Books to Introduce Children to the Great Outdoors

Chosen by Margaret Mallett
Animal at the Story Museum

Geraldine McCaughrean on a new exhibition
The Write Course

MA courses in writing for children appraised by Geraldine Brennan
Funny Girls

Jenny McLachlan interviewed by Damian Kelleher
Louise Rennison Obituary

Louise Rennison remembered by her publisher Brenda Gardner
Good Reads 217

Chosen by members of Baring Bookworms Chatterbooks
I Wish I’d Written: Abi Elphinstone

Abi Elphinstone chooses
Two Children Tell: Rebecca and Nick And Michael

Rebecca and Nick and Michael Foreman
Classics in Short No 116

Brian Alderson on the magic saving of Racketty-Packetty House
A Q&A INTERVIEW WITH KENNETH OPPEL

The author answers questions on his new book The Nest.
HOMOPHONES AND LOST DOGS: AN INTERVIEW WITH ANN M MARTIN

The author of the Babysitters' Club talks about her new novel How to Look for a Lost Dog
AN INTERVIEW WITH BRITTA TECKENTRUP

Britta Teckentrup interviewed by Pam Dix

Editor's Choice

Where My Feet Go
Birgitta Sif
(Andersen Press)
5

When Little Panda wakes up in the morning, he is ready for adventure. Where will his feet take him as he travels through the day?

Birgitta Sif's endearing quirky little panda is the archetypal toddler. His world is that of the child as he...

read more

New Talent

The Island
Olivia Levez
(Oneworld Publications)
4

‘I am Medusa Girl. Cold as rock, hard as stone’. This is how Fran armours herself against a world that in her eyes offers nothing but betrayal. The only brightness in her life, her step-brother, Monkey. Then even he is taken away, and Fran finds...

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All Children's Book Reviews in BfK No. 217

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

Under 5s

  • A Beginner's Guide to Bear Spotting
    Michelle Robinson
    5

  • Where My Feet Go
    Birgitta Sif
    5

  • I’ll Wait, Mr Panda
    Steve Antony
    5

  • How to Find Gold
    Viviane Schwarz
    5

  • Quick Quack Quentin
    Kes Gray
    5

  • Pass It On
    Sophy Henn
    4

  • Little Home Bird
    Jo Empson
    4

Ages 5-8

  • A Beginner's Guide to Bear Spotting
    Michelle Robinson
    5

  • Oscar the Guardian Cat
    Chiara Valentina Segre
    5

  • Quick Quack Quentin
    Kes Gray
    5

  • Do You Hear What I Hear?
    Helen Borten
    5

  • Before I Wake Up …
    Britta Teckentrup
    5

  • One Day on our Blue Planet in the Antartic
    Ella Bailey
    4

  • Pocket Pirates: The Great Drain Escape
    Chris Mould
    3

  • Finding Winnie
    Lindsay Mattick
    3

  • Unicorn in New York: Louie Lets Loose
    Rachel Hamilton
    3

Ages 8-10

  • Wildwitch Wildfire
    Lene Kaaberbol
    5

  • The Box of Demons
    Daniel Whelan
    5

  • Spooks and Scooters
    Elen Caldecott
    4

  • Perijee and Me
    Ross Montgomery
    4

  • Complete Bird Spotter’s Kit and National Trust Complete Bird Spotter Guide: A children’s guide to bird watching
    Robin Swift
    4

  • Beetle Boy
    M.G. Leonard
    4

  • The Secret Life of Daisy Fitzjohn
    Tania Unsworth
    4

  • Jim Reaper: Son of Grim
    Rachel Delahaye
    4

Ages 10-14

  • Rugby Flyer
    Gerard Siggins
    4

  • Perijee and Me
    Ross Montgomery
    4

  • Lois Lane Fallout
    Gwenda Bond
    4

  • The Mystery of the Jewelled Moth
    Katherine Woodfine
    4

  • Car Wash Wish
    Sita Brahmachari
    4

  • Moth Girls
    Anne Cassidy
    4

  • North Face
    Matt Dickinson
    4

  • Rebel of the Sands
    Alwyn Hamilton
    4

  • Time Travelling with a Hamster
    Ross Welford
    3

  • Trickster
    Tom Moorhouse
    3

  • A Dark Trade
    Mary Hooper
    0

Ages 14+

  • Needlework
    Deirdre Sullivan
    5

  • Crongton Knights
    Alex Wheatle
    5

  • How Hard Can Love Be?
    Holly Bourne
    5

  • Underwater
    Marisa Reichardt
    5

  • The Island
    Olivia Levez
    4

  • Salt to the Sea
    Ruta Sepetys
    4

  • More Of Me
    Kathryn Evans
    3

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

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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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