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Books for Keeps 228 - the children's book magazine online

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BfK No. 228 - January 2018
BfK 228 January 2018

This issue’s cover illustration is from Sky Song by Abi Elphinstone. The illustrator is Daniela Terrazzini. Thanks to Simon and Schuster Children’s Books for their help with this January cover.
Digital Edition
By clicking here you can view, print or download the fully artworked Digital Edition of BfK 228 January 2018 .

BfK No. 228 Articles

New Year predictions 2018

Where will 2018 take children’s books?
What to read in 2018: A (Abrams) to C (Child's Play)

The books to watch in the year ahead
What to read in 2018: C (Chronicle) to M (Macmillan)

More books to watch in the year ahead
What to read in 2018: N (Nosy Crow) to U (Usborne)

More books to watch in 2018
What to read in 2018: W (Wacky Bee) to Z (Zephyr Head of Zeus)

More books to watch in 2018
Authorgraph 228 Liz Kessler

Liz Kessler interviewed by Michelle Pauli
Ten of the Best Suffragette Stories

Suffragette stories
chosen by Nikki Gamble
Beyond the Secret Garden? Part One: The Fantasy of Story

Part one in a new series by Darren Chetty and Karen Sands O’Connor

Winnie-the-Pooh: a classic of collaboration

Curators of the V&A’s new exhibition discuss the interwoven genius of A.A. Milne and E.H. Shepard
Windows into Illustration: Holly Sterling

Rising star Holly Sterling describes her illustration technique
‘The Dyslexic Novelist’ Sally Gardner

Sally Gardner introduces charity NUword
Two Children Tell: The Reality of Words

'You can't bottle words'
I Wish I’d Written: Piers Torday

Piers Torday is
lost in admiration for Skellig
Eleanor Farjeon ‘books for keeps’

A booklist by Brian Alderson
AN INTERVIEW WITH NEVERMOOR AUTHOR JESSICA TOWNSEND

Jessica Townsend talks about the fantasy adventure Nevermoor.
Classics in Short No. 127: Pauline Clarke's The Twelve and the Genii

Butter Crashey and the Young Men redivivus in Pauline Clarke's The Twelve and the Genii
AN INTERVIEW WITH CHRIS HIGGINS

Trouble Next Door: Chris Higgins on writing for young readers
A Q&A INTERVIEW WITH HAYLEY SCOTT

The author talks about her new series Teacup House.

Editor's Choice

Animals with Tiny Cat
Viviane Schwarz
(Walker Books)
5

‘To illustrate’ – to shine a light on; traditionally this has been taken to mean that there has to be a text that requires enlightening. But this is not necessarily so and increasingly illustrators are moving away to illustrate ideas, emotions,...

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New Talent

The Eye of the North
Sinéad O’Hart
(Stripes Publishing)
4

It is always a pleasure to meet characters who immediately demand attention. Enter Emmeline Widget, daughter of scientist parents who are almost always absent. Then there is Thing, a boy with no other name and a mysterious past. Emmeline is...

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All Children's Book Reviews in BfK No. 228

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

Under 5s

  • Animals with Tiny Cat
    Viviane Schwarz
    5

  • Mrs Noah’s Pockets
    Jackie Morris
    5

  • What’s Next Door?
    Nicola O’Byrne
    5

  • Grandad’s Secret Giant
    David Litchfield
    5

  • I Love You, Stick Insect
    Chris Naylor-Ballesteros
    4

  • The Stone Bird
    Jenny McCartney
    4

  • Look, there’s a TRACTOR!
    4

  • The Grotlyn
    Benji Davies
    4

Ages 5-8

  • The Bad Mood and the Stick
    Lemony Snicket
    5

  • The Rainmaker Danced
    John Agard
    5

  • I Love You, Stick Insect
    Chris Naylor-Ballesteros
    4

  • The Great Race: the story of the Chinese Zodiac
    Christopher Corr
    4

  • The Chinese Emperor’s New Clothes
    Ying Chang Compestine
    4

  • The Grotlyn
    Benji Davies
    4

  • Trouble at School
    Chris Higgins
    4

  • Teacup House Meet the Twitches
    Hayley Scott
    4

Ages 8-10

  • Sky Song
    Abi Elphinstone
    5

  • The Story of Paintings A History of Art for Children
    Mick Manning
    Brita Granström
    5

  • I’m Just No Good at Rhyming and Other Nonsense Verse for Mischievous Kids and Immature Grown Ups
    Chris Harris
    5

  • The Rainmaker Danced
    John Agard
    5

  • The Light Jar
    Lisa Thompson
    4

  • Three Cheers For Women!
    Marcia Williams
    4

  • The Travels of Ermine: Trouble in New York
    Jennifer Gray
    4

  • Sky Chasers
    Emma Carroll
    4

  • Bee Boy: Clash of the Killer Queens
    Tony De Saulles
    4

  • I Swapped My Brother on the Internet
    Jo Simmons
    3

Ages 10-14

  • Norse Myths Tales of Odin, Thor and Loki
    Kevin Crossley-Holland
    5

  • The 1,000 Year Old Boy
    Ross Welford
    5

  • The Polar Bear Explorers’ Club
    Alex Bell
    4

  • The Eye of the North
    Sinéad O’Hart
    4

  • The Ice Garden
    Guy Jones
    4

  • Dog Andy Mulligan
    Andy Mulligan
    4

  • My Sweet Orange Tree
    José Mauro de Vasconcelos
    4

  • Outwalkers
    Fiona Shaw
    3

Ages 14+

  • Norse Myths Tales of Odin, Thor and Loki
    Kevin Crossley-Holland
    5

  • Star by Star
    Sheena Wilkinson
    5

  • I Am Thunder
    Mohammad Khan
    5

  • Long Way Down
    Jason Reynolds
    5

  • Goodbye, Perfect
    Sara Barnard
    5

  • Mike
    Andrew Norriss
    4

  • My Sweet Orange Tree
    José Mauro de Vasconcelos
    4

  • Love, Hate and Other Filters
    Samira Ahmed
    4

  • Landscape With Invisible Hand
    M T Anderson
    4

  • Ballad for a Mad Girl
    Vikki Wakefield
    4

BfK News

UKLA BOOK AWARD WINNERS 2018

UKLA logos

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MITCH JOHNSON AND HIS EDITORS WIN 2018 BRANFORD BOASE AWARD

Mitch Johnson and M G Leonard

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HIP HOP ARTIST AND DEBUT POET KARL NOVA WINS CLIPPA 2018

Karl Nova at the CLiPPAPoet Karl Nova has been announced as the winner of CLiPPA 2018 (CLPE Poetry Award) for his debut collection, Rhythm and Poetry, published by Caboodle Books.

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McCaughrean and Smith winners 2018 CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals

The winners of the CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals, the UK’s oldest children’s book awards, are announced today, Monday 18thJune.

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LOLLIES 2018 SHORTLIST THE YEAR’S FUNNIEST CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Lollies logoMichael Rosen has announced the shortlist for the 2018 Laugh Out Loud Awards (The Lollies). This is the third year of The Lollies, created by Scholastic UK, to celebrate the funniest children’s books.

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ZANIB MIAN WINS 2018 LITTLE REBELS CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD

The Alliance of Radical Booksellers (ARB) has announced that the winner of this year’s Little Rebels Children’s Book Award for Radical Fiction is Zanib Mian for her book, The Muslims, (Sweet Apple Books).

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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