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

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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...

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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

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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