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Books for Keeps 217 - the children's book magazine online

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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...

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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

SHORTLIST FOR THE 2018 KLAUS FLUGGE PRIZE

The shortlist for the 2018 Klaus Flugge Prize has been revealed. Set up to honour publisher Klaus Flugge, founder of Andersen Press and a key figure in children’s picture books, this important new award, now in its third year, is for the most promising and exciting newcomer to children’s picture book illustration.

read more...
THE 2018 LITTLE REBELS AWARD SHORTLIST ANNOUNCED

THE 2018 LITTLE REBELS AWARD SHORTLIST

Conflicts, Class and Youth Protest

Islamophobia, young people’s activism, the Syrian conflict, challenges to gendered occupations, the English class system and workers’ pay and conditions are just some of the subjects highlighted by the 8-strong shortlist for this year’s Little Rebels Award for Radical Children’s Fiction.

read more...
DEBUT AUTHORS AND THEIR EDITORS ON 2018 BRANFORD BOASE AWARD SHORTLIST

The shortlist for the 2018 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.

BBA shortlist 2018

read more...
CLiPPA 2018 SHORTLIST ANNOUNCED

The Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE) has announced the 2018 shortlist for the CLiPPA (Centre for Literacy in Primary Poetry Award). Established in 2003, the CLiPPA encourages and celebrates outstanding poetry published for children and has done a huge amount to encourage the publishing of children’s poetry.

read more...
THE HATE U GIVE WINS WATERSTONES CHILDREN’S BOOK PRIZE 2018

Angie ThomasWCBP logo

read more...
SHORTLISTS FOR 2018 CILIP CARNEGIE AND KATE GREENAWAY MEDALS ANNOUNCED

CILIP CKG logo

The shortlists for the 2018 CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals, the UK’s oldest book awards for children and young people, are announced today, Thursday 15th March.

read more...
SHORTLIST FOR THE CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD 2018

The Children’s Book Award 2018 shortlist has been announced. Among those shortlisted are this year’s Costa Children’s Book Award winner Katherine Rundell and previously shortlisted author illustrator Jan Fearnley.

read more...
BLUE PETER BOOK AWARD WINNERS 2018

The Wizards of Once

The Wizards of Once by Cressida Cowell and Real-Life Mysteries written by Susan Martineau, illustrated by Vicky Barker, have been revealed as this year’s Blue Peter Book Award winners.

read more...
2018 HENRIETTA BRANFORD WRITING COMPETITION NOW OPEN

Young writers invited to finish a story started by 2017 Branford Boase Award winner, Beetle Boy author M. G. Leonard

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...
LONGLIST FOR THE 2018 KLAUS FLUGGE PRIZE

KFP logoFifteen debut picture books are in the running for the 2018 Klaus Flugge Prize. Now in its third year the prize was set up to honour publisher Klaus Flugge, founder of Andersen Press and a supremely influential figure in picture books.

This year more than fifty books were submitted for consideration from eleven different publishers.

read more...
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