Home
  • Home
  • Latest Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Authors & Artists
  • Articles
  • Reviews
  • News
  • Forums
  • Search

Books for Keeps 225 - the children's book magazine online

  • View
  • Rearrange

Digital version – browse, print or download

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

You can read the whole issue online here, for free!

How to print the digital edition of Books for Keeps: click on this PDF file link - click on the printer icon in the top right of the screen to print.

BfK Newsletter

Receive the latest news & reviews direct to your inbox!

BfK No. 225 - July 2017
BfK 225

This issue’s cover illustration is from Poppy and the Blooms by Fiona Woodcock. Thanks to Simon and Schuster for their help with this July cover.
Digital Edition
By clicking here you can view, print or download the fully artworked Digital Edition of BfK 225 July 2017.

BfK No. 225 Articles

Editorial 225

Guest editorial: Chris Riddell reflects on his time as Children’s Laureate

Hopeful Activism … because what we DO as well as what we say matters

A piece of passion from Sita Brahmachari

Hip Hip Hooray for Harry

Imogen Russell Williams considers Harry Potter at twenty.

Windows into Illustration: Guy Parker-Rees

Guy Parker-Rees on drawing Dylan

Authorgraph 225 Chris Priestley

Chris Priestley interviewed by Philip Womack

Ten of the Best Audiobooks for Children

Summer listening chosen by Nicolette Jones

‘The pictures are better’: audio books explained

Thoughts from Nicholas Jones of Strathmore about what an audio producer does.

The Art of Submitting for BIB

Piet Grobler on the art of submitting for BIB, the Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava 2107

AN INTERVIEW WITH DAVID MACKINTOSH

David Mackintosh interviewed by Robyn Sheahan-Bright

Making Room for Children, Swedish-style

Ferelith Hordon explores a new Southbank library

An Interview with Philip Pullman

Philip Pullman interviewed by Nicholas Tucker

Ron Heapy – An Appreciation

David Fickling remembers the great children’s editor Ron Heapy

Two Children and Dick Bruna: a Tribute

Two Children Tell: a tribute to Dick Bruna

I Wish I’d Written: Liz Flanagan

Liz Flanagan chooses

Good Reads 225

chosen by pupils at Worth School, West Sussex

Classics in Short No. 124:The King of the Golden River

Classics in Short No. 124 Climate Change by courtesy of John Ruskin and The King of the Golden River

JACQUELINE WILSON AT THE FOUNDLING MUSEUM

Rebecca Butler talks to Jacqueline Wilson about the new Hetty Feather exibition at the Foundling Museum.

THE EXPLORER: AN INTERVIEW WITH KATHERINE RUNDELL

Imogen Russell Williams interviews Katherine Rundell about her new book The Explorer.

AN INTERVIEW WITH E. LOCKHART

The author of We Were Liars talks about her new book.

AN INTERVIEW WITH A. F. HARROLD

An interview with the author of The Imaginary and the Fizzlebert Stump books.

Editor's Choice

The Pond

Nicola Davies
(Graffeg Limited)
5

How to deal with death and grief? This is the theme of Nicola Davies’ latest book. There is nothing mawkish or sentimental. The young narrator does not hide the anger that grief can bring, both in young and old. The death of the father leaves a...

read more

New Talent

Moon Juice

Kate Wakeling
(The Emma Press)
5

A collection of poems by a new voice writing for children is an event to be celebrated. Moon Juice by the poet, Kate Wakeling is just such an event. However, these are not poems created to grab the attention with the quick laugh...

read more

All Children's Book Reviews in BfK No. 225

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

Under 5s

  • Say Zoop

    Hervé Tulley
    5
  • Never Take a Bear to School

    Mark Sperring
    4
  • My Daddy is a Silly Monkey

    Dianne Hofmeyr
    4
  • The Bad Bunnies’ Magic Show

    Mini Grey
    4
  • Poppy and the Blooms

    Fiona Woodcock
    4
  • Monster Baby

    Sarah Dyer
    3

Ages 5-8

  • My Name is Not Refugee

    Kate Milner
    5
  • Storm Whale

    Sarah Brennan
    5
  • Everybody’s Welcome

    Patricia Hegarty
    5
  • Six Blind Mice and an Elephant

    Jude Daly
    5
  • Big Brown Bear’s Cave

    Yuval Zommer
    5
  • The Bad Bunnies’ Magic Show

    Mini Grey
    4
  • The Legend of Rock, Paper, Scissors

    Drew Daywalt
    4
  • Dino Diggers, Digger Disaster

    Rose Impey
    4
  • Norman the Norman from Normandy

    Philip Ardagh
    3

Ages 8-10

  • The Boy, the Bird & the Coffin Maker

    Matilda Woods
    5
  • Moon Juice

    Kate Wakeling
    5
  • The Pond

    Nicola Davies
    5
  • The Last Duchess

    Laura Powell
    4
  • Travels with My Sketchbook

    Michael Foreman
    4
  • The City of Secret Rivers

    Jacob Sager Weinstein
    4
  • The Earth Book

    Jonathan Litton
    4
  • King of the Sky

    Nicola Davies
    4
  • You Can’t Make Me Go to Witch School

    Em Lynas
    4
  • Knighthood for Beginners

    Elys Dolan
    3
  • Help! I’m a Genius

    Jo Franklin
    3
  • The Amber Pendant

    Imogen White
    3

Ages 10-14

  • Moon Juice

    Kate Wakeling
    5
  • Walking Mountain

    Joan Lennon
    5
  • The Incredible Billy Wild

    Joanna Nadin
    5
  • The Evil Within

    Catherine MacPhail
    5
  • Rook Anthony McGowan

    Anthony McGowan
    4
  • The Last Duchess

    Laura Powell
    4
  • Being Miss Nobody

    Tamsin Winter
    4
  • Letters From the Lighthouse

    Emma Carroll
    4
  • Never Say Die

    Anthony Horowitz
    4
  • Defender of the Realm

    Mark Huckerby
    4
  • The Guggenheim Mystery

    Robin Stevens
    Siobhan Dowd
    3

Ages 14+

  • Like Other Girls

    Claire Hennessy
    5
  • Encounters

    Jason Wallace
    5
  • A Berlin Love Song

    Sarah Matthias
    5
  • No Filter

    Orlagh Collins
    4
  • Forgetting Foster

    Dianne Touchell
    4
  • Goodnight, Boy

    Nikki Sheehan
    4

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.

read more...
more
  • About us
  • Contact us
  • Help/FAQ
  • My Account