"The most important periodical in the world of British children's books."
Sir Philip Pullman, CBE, FRSL
Bfk 278 May 2026
This issue’s cover illustration is from I Am Ray’s Imaginary Friend, written by Brian Moses, illustration by Bethan Welby. Thanks to Scallywag Press for their help with this cover.
A tiger’s tail, glimpsed through the first of a number of carefully and cleverly placed peek-through details sends the little girl in this story on an adventure that gets progressively wilder. She is called to leave the safety of her cosy little indoor tent by ‘the call of the wild,’ the tiger’s whisper, following its foot prints across the garden. As she continues, the garden transforms into a jungle, and she discov …
A tiger’s tail, glimpsed through the first of a number of carefully and cleverly placed peek-through details sends the little girl in this story on an adventure that gets progressively wilder. She is called to leave the safety of her cosy little indoor tent by ‘the call of the wild,’ the tiger’s whisper, following its foot prints across the garden. As she continues, the garden transforms into a jungle, and she discovers her own tiger qualities, learning to roar, and even telling us, ‘For the first time, I do not feel small. I do not feel afraid.’ Little ones, particularly those who are shy or sensitive, will be inspired to find their own inner tiger and Michelle Beech’s illustrations convey this as perfectly as the text. With the cut out pages, gatefolds and a glorious pop-up, it’s a truly immersive reading experience and there …
Empathy, a joyful championing of neurodivergent perspectives, and a fascination with the magic of sunlight photography lie at the heart of Kate Rolfe’s creative practice. The newly crowned winner of the Carnegie Medal for Illustration crafts deeply resonant, multi-layered visual narratives that encourage readers from every generation to embrace their own vulnerabilities and navigate life’s unique …
View Full InterviewA little girl discovers her inner tiger in Michelle Beech’s debut picture book, The Tiger Child, a beautifully illustrated adventure story which benefits from cleverly placed peek-though pages, gatefolds and a surpr …
Michelle Pauli talks to award-winning author Nathanael Lessore about his latest novel. Nathanael Lessore’s new novel for teens, Like a Brother, is ‘horribly based on unfortunately true events,’ the author writes in …
The reading paradox Hello and welcome to this issue of Books for Keeps. There has been both good and less good news in the children’s book world since our last. April saw publication of another gloomy report into ch …
Receive the latest news & reviews direct to your inbox!
Launched in 1980, we’ve reviewed hundreds of new children’s books each year and published articles on every aspect of writing for children.
Books for Keeps,
30 Winton Avenue,
London,
N11 2AT
Telephone: 0780 789 3369
ISSN: 0143-909X (this is our International Standard Serial Number).
